The Arrest	Jn.18:1-12	4-16-00

TT Jn.18
Remember in Jn.10:18 when Jesus said, “I lay down my life only to take it up again.  No one takes it from Me, but I lay it down of my own accord.  I have the authority to lay it down and the authority to take it up again.”
Next week we will focus on the fact that Jesus had the authority to take it back up again, but for today, what about the fact that Jesus had the authority to lay down His life?

Very often in the days approaching Easter we speak of the crucifixion in dark, sad, tragic terms  (Friday is a disaster, but Sunday is coming).  Some churches walk out on good Friday in silence.  

There’s nothing wrong with that, because when you look at the cross from the side of what men did to the Son of God, it is the most tragic, sad story conceivable.  

But that’s not the only way to look at it.  
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Each gospel writer wrote the way he did, and included the material he included in order to achieve a specific purpose.  John’s purpose is to present Jesus as God.  He skips over the parts that illustrate His humanity, His humiliation, and portrays Him as deity.

So what’s he going to do about the crucifixion?  How on earth do you describe a crucifixion in a way that the reader will come away impressed with the dignity and majesty of Christ?  Most of us would probably skip right to the Res.  But if we did that it would betray a very limited understanding of the crucifixion.
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The crucifixion is not just a picture of Christ in His humiliation.  John isn’t about to skip over this, because it is a prime opportunity to emphasize His power and majesty.

THE SURRENDER
Jn.18:1 When he had finished praying, Jesus left with his disciples and crossed the Kidron Valley. 
1000 yr before this, another man, after being betrayed by a close friend, crossed over the Kidron Valley – David (2 Sam.15:23)

At this moment that brook was flowing with the blood of ¼ million lambs.  What a striking moment as Jesus steps across, looks down, and sees this blood that is being shed as a picture of His own blood that would flow the following day.

On the other side there was an olive grove, and he and his disciples went into it.
They went up the hill into this garden called Gethsemene.  
3:50
That’s it.  Now He’s had it.  Jesus’ decision to go to this olive grove sealed His fate – He has voluntarily surrendered His life.
“How’s that?”  

Background:
When Jesus was a baby Herod the Great used his whole army to try to kill this baby, but he failed.

When Jesus preached in his hometown, after the sermon they took him to a cliff to throw him down and kill him.  But Jesus walked away

In Jn.5:16 the Jewish leaders decided to kill Jesus, and when he claimed to be God they stepped up their efforts.

The attempts on His life became so obvious, that Jn.7:25 At that point some of the people of Jerusalem began to ask, "Isn't this the man they are trying to kill? 
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They tried to arrest Him, and failed.

In Jn.8 they tried to kill Him, but Jesus said “My hour has not yet come
In Jn.10:30  they picked up stones to stone him and failed.

Jn.11:53 The chief priests plotted to take his life.  But they couldn’t, because His hour had not yet come.  Nothing could happen outside of Jesus perfect timing.

- Finally, in Jn.12:23 Jesus replied, The hour has come

TT Mt.26:2 Jesus: “Two more days, and the chief priests will kill me – right on the Passover day.” 

Flash across town – the chief priests are beside themselves with anger.  They have had more of him than they could possibly stand.  He had intimidated them beyond their ability to endure it.
3Then the chief priests and the elders of the people assembled in the palace of the high priest, whose name was Caiaphas, 4and they plotted to arrest Jesus in some sly way and kill him. 5"But not during the Feast," they said, "or there may be a riot among the people." 

For them anytime was a great time to kill Jesus – except now.  This is the one time when they didn’t want to do it.

CP: “We are going to kill him, but NOT DURING THE FEAST”
Jesus: “They are going to kill Me, DURING THE FEAST”

They don’t want a riot.
Plus, if you got a guy claiming to be the Lamb of Isa.53, the Lamb of God, the one to which the Passover pointed, the fulfillment of the picture of the sac. system, and he is going around announcing that you are going to crucify him on the Passover, the last thing you want to do is fulfill his prophesy.  So they say, “Not during the week of the Passover feast.”  And DEFINITLY not on the Passover day itself!  Not for the next 10 days.  Christ: 2 days.

when Jesus Christ says the hour has come, then the hour has come – and you better believe it’s going to happen.

no one takes his life - he has the authority to lay it down on His own accord, but nobody could kill Jesus.

It was this date, the exact year he died (29-30 AD), Friday, 14th of Nissan, between 3 and 5 that Jesus determined from the foundation of the earth (Rev.13:8) to be the hour.  
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How did that come to be?  God didn’t override their free will and make them act.  They make all their own decisions.  How can God carry out a plan when people can chose to do anything they want?    Skip down to Mt.26:16, and we will see God’s sovereignty in action.
From then on Judas watched for an opportunity to hand him over. 

What kind of an opportunity were they looking for?  A opportunity = a time when Jesus would be away from the crowds, and they could know when and where ahead of time.
So Judas is watching for a time like that.

17 On the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread, the disciples came to Jesus and asked, "Where do you want us to make preparations for you to eat the Passover?" 
Judas’ ears perk up.  He nonchalantly steps over closer to Jesus trying to pretend he’s not really listening.   But inside he’s thinking, “This is perfect!”

Then Jesus gives the answer.
18 He replied, "Go into the city to a certain man and tell him, `The Teacher says: My appointed time is near. I am going to celebrate the Passover with my disciples at your house.'"
That sounds like something out of 007 or some spy movie.  “Go to Mr. so and so and tell him “the teacher is ready.”  Lk.22:8 says He sent only Peter and John, and explained how to spot the guy – carrying water.  Imagine how frustrating that was for Judas.  

Jesus knew exactly what was going on, and everything will progress on His timetable, not that of Judas or the chief priests.  
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Judas and the Jews were free to decide to do whatever they wanted.  But God is wise enough and powerful enough to still see to it that His plan is not derailed in any way.

So that’s the setting.  Now back to Jn.18.  Peter & John found the guy, found the room, and made preparations.  Jesus says to the 10 – “Let’s go”  So now there they all are in that upper room eating the Passover.

So all Judas can think about is when his next opportunity will be.  He wants to get this done, but Jesus just goes on and on at this dinner.  Then, finally Jesus says to Judas, “What you are going to do, do now.” And Judas leaves.

Jn.18:1 When he had finished praying, Jesus left with his disciples and crossed the Kidron Valley. On the other side there was an olive grove, and he and his disciples went into it.
2 Now Judas, who betrayed him, knew the place, because Jesus had often met there with his disciples.

Why did Jesus go to this garden?  Because He knew this would be the first place Judas would think of – because He went there so often.  And now is the time – according to Jesus timetable.  According to God’s perfect plan, now is the time.  So Jesus goes right to the place where he knows Judas will try.

By going to this garden, Jesus is surrendering Himself to arrest.  They had no power over Him – everything about His death was voluntary in every way.  Jesus was not surprised or trapped or tricked.
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At this point the synoptics tell the whole story about Jesus’ anguish in the garden – which gives us a very important insight into the humanity of Jesus.  It is Christ at His weakest.

•	He asks them to keep guard and pray, and he goes off by Himself.
•	He becomes deeply distressed and troubled – His soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death
•	He is repeated falling with His face to the ground, and crying out to God – even asking for something He knew wasn’t God’s will – that the cup of suffering not be given to Him – “Daddy, I don’t want to drink it”
•	Hematodrosis - A hemorrage into the sweat glands as a result of extreme emotional distress.  
•	His disciples keep falling asleep

And then Mt. Tells us He comes back the last time to wake them up.

Mt.26:45 Then he returned to the disciples and said to them, "Are you still sleeping and resting? Enough! Look, the hour is near, …46 Rise, let us go! Here comes my betrayer!"  47 While he was still speaking, Judas, one of the Twelve, arrived 

Here comes the arrest.  Now this is where Jn. picks up.  But you might wonder, why does he pick it up here?  He wants to present Jesus as Almighty God, and he skips over the elements that are demeaning and debasing.  But few things are more humiliating than being arrested while your biggest enemies are standing there, being bound in front of your friends, and led away.
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3 So Judas came to the grove, guiding a detachment of soldiers
The word for detachment means group of 600

It wasn’t unheard of for Rome to send large numbers of soldiers for an arrest.  Especially in a case like this.  We see from Mk.14:51 that they had come to arrest all 12 of them plus the others. 
 Rome dealt very decisively against insurrectionists.

and some officials from the chief priests (the Temple guard) and Pharisees. They were carrying torches, lanterns 

On this night there was a full moon.  Apparently they were expecting to have to do a search for Jesus and the 11.  

So you can imagine why they would need so many – if 12 guys scatter and hide, it will be pretty tough to round them all up. 

But they didn’t just have torches.  Mt.26:47 swords and clubs 
The Roman cohort would have had swords.  It may have been that others were conscripted at the last minute, and so they just grabbed whatever weapon they could find.

These are the weapons of the day.  The modern equivalent would be “There was a detachment from the military armed with M16, machine guns, the police were there, and a bunch of people with baseball bats and tire irons.”

So here they come with their swords and clubs to arrest the Prince of peace. Here they come with their lanterns to search out the light of the world.
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Describe the scene.  
- Jesus wakes you up - one look at him and you know something is very wrong - face covered with blood & sweat.  Clothes soaked and covered with dirt
- You prop up on one elbow and can’t believe your eyes
a hundreds of soldiers …
- should I hide? run? stay with Jesus?  But look at him!  Can He handle this?  Are things getting out of hand?  Is this the end?

THE INTERROGATION 
When there is an arrest, there is often an interrogation.  But this one is very unusual.  Jn.18:4 Jesus, knowing all that was going to happen to him…
John throws that in – he just won’t let a single verse get by without reminding you about the deity of Christ.
 …went out 
He doesn’t slink back.  He’s not hiding behind some olive tree – sneaking under some rock.  He approaches them and asked them, "Who is it you want?"
He comes right out in their faces and demands an answer.  He interrogates them.
He seizes control at the very beginning and never gives it up.  He is in absolute command of this whole scene from beginning to end.

Jn.18:5 "Jesus of Nazareth," they replied.  Sounds like they are reading right off the arrest warrant.  They knew who He was – they had lamps, He was standing right there, Judas had identified Him, they had seen Him repeatedly in the Temple.  

You might expect them to say, “Who are we here for?  You!”  But in the face of Jesus’ commanding authority: “Uh, um, well, it says here…Jesus of Naz…that isn’t you is it?”

And then like thunder the awesome voice of Jesus Christ rang out…
"I am" Jesus said. (And Judas the traitor was standing there with them.) 

He really wants you to have this image in your mind – that Judas was standing with the mob, not the disciples.  He’s one of them.  

6 When Jesus said, "I am" they drew back and fell to the ground.
Lit: they were suddenly occupying the space right behind them.  The whole mob just went plop - talk about being slain in the Spirit.   

What happened?  Startled by Jesus’ approach and fell like dominos?  Please.  What kind of a comic book explanation is that?  These are Roman soldiers – the greatest, most highly trained fighting force in the world.  They’re armed and ready for a battle.  They’re not stupid.  They’re not standing there one inch behind each other – in some kind of formation.

Besides, John makes it very clear that it was words Jesus spoke that caused them to fall – not some sudden, jerky movement.
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No human being can handle being in the presence of God.  If God were ever to appear to someone in His full glory, that person would be instantly consumed.  In the few times God does appear, He has to veil His glory.  Still, the person usually collapses.  

When God the Son clothed Himself with human flesh, He so veiled His glory that He appeared to be just like anyone else.  

But for this split second, Jesus unveiled that power and glory just ever so slightly, but it was enough to flatten an entire Roman cohort.  

knees all buckle?  shock wave?  
Imagine you are a soldier - ready for a fight, adrenaline pumping.  Now you are looking strait up at the stars.  What would you be thinking?  I’m sure you’re not thinking, “Oh, someone must have tipped over in front.”

J and the disc are upright, 1000 men on their backs.  Jesus waits as they scramble around and get back up.
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You see why the disciples had to be here – to see this?  Jesus could have come alone.  But then they would have just heard a report “Jesus was captured,” they would have seen Him as a victim, and their faith would have likely fizzled.  

They need to see this display of power.  If this is the power Jesus has when He is at His weakest – when He is falling apart at the seems physically and emotionally, what kind of power does He have now that He is exalted to the right hand of the Father in heaven? 

So Jesus gives an absolutely monumental display of power – showed He was capable of doing everything they wanted the Messiah to do – He could flatten Rome with a word.  But then He proceeds to give Himself up to them.

no one takes his life - he has the authority to lay it down on His own accord

Jesus makes the kiss of Judas totally unnecessary and superfluous.  

Jn.18:7 Again he asked them, "Who is it you want?"  And they said, "Jesus of Nazareth."
Amazing.  What blocks they are!  What blindness!  You would think they would say, “…uh, nobody.  Our mistake.  We are just out for a march..”

It doesn’t even faze them.  Unbelief is like this - show them the awesome display of Jesus’ power and they ignore it and go right on with their business.  The only rational explanation for what is going on around them is an explanation that they refuse to accept.  So they ignore it.  And if you are amazed that these soldiers are not fazed, just look around at our world today – same thing.

This is the nature of unbelief – it refuses to believe regardless of the evidence.  Luther: Heaven and earth could be created right before their very eyes, and it wouldn’t affect them.

But before we wear out our fingers pointing at them, ask yourself – how many times has Christ flattened you, and you kept right on going in some sin? 
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Jn.18:8 "I told you that I am he," Jesus answered. 

This time he lets them remain standing.  (I would have liked it if they would have kept falling down every time he spoke)

We know that they were supposed to arrest all of them.  Q: How many did they get?  Zero.  Not one was arrested. That sounds awfully strange – given the fact that there was a detachment of soldiers!
How could that be?  
THE COMMAND
8 "If you are looking for me, then let these men go." 
Aorist imptv.  This is not a request.  It is not a plea.  It is a strongly worded order.  Who’s in charge here?  Jesus.  Jesus took charge, and now He’s the one giving orders. 
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How does a Galilean carpenter give orders to a group of armed soldiers, police, powerful politicians and angry enemies?

Easy.  When they start to read the arrest warrant, right after they say Jesus of Naz, and before they have a chance to read the rest, He blasts them with a tiny, infinitesimal display of His mighty power and authority, and knocks them flat on their backs.

And now he says, “Let these men go” and He says it with the same infinite authority that was in His voice all those times He commanded demons to come out of people, and they instantly obeyed, or in Mt.4:10 when He commanded the Devil himself, and the Satan obeyed, or when He commanded the wind and the waves, and they obeyed Him, or when He commanded death itself to release someone, and that person was restored to life.

This is the voice that spoke, and the universe sprang into existence.  Any time Jesus wanted to, He could speak with authority, and buckle the knees of anyone.  In 19:8 He even strikes fear in the heart of Pilot.
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So Jesus makes it very clear to the soldiers that it would be very dangerous and perilous for them to try to go beyond what Jesus allows.

9 This happened so that the words he had spoken would be fulfilled: "I have not lost one of those you gave me."
The prophecy is talking in spiritual terms, not physical.  It was a promise that Jesus would see to it that all but one of them would persevere to the end.  Evidently had the disciples been captured, it would have been too much for them, and they would have fallen spiritually.

But God will never allow you to go through anything that is too much.
  
Can you imagine the commander of this detachment standing before Pilate, or whatever superior he reported to?  “Where are the rest of them?”  “Well, we didn’t arrest them.”   “Why not?  You had direct orders.  Don’t you know failing to carry out an order like that could cost you your life?  So why didn’t you arrest the other men – you had 600 hundred soldiers!”  “Well, because He said we weren’t allowed.” 
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At this point they begin to make the move toward Jesus.  The disciples panic.

Lk.22:49 When Jesus' followers saw what was going to happen, they said, "Lord, should we strike with our swords?" 

Jn.18:10 Then Simon Peter, who had a sword, drew it and struck the high priest's servant, cutting off his right ear. (The servant's name was Malchus.)
And immediately you hear the sickening sound of hundreds of swords being drawn from their scabbards.  Now what happened next would have all happened very quickly, but if we could just freeze the frame right their for a second, so we can examine exactly what happened.
  
You have heard that Peter was impetuous.  There is impetuous, and then there is this.  Peter draws his sword, charges into this mob, and he means business (he wasn’t trying to cut off this guy’s ear.  He was trying to cut off his head – or slit his throat – the guy has reactions -–he ducked.

This is amazing.  This isn’t David, or one of his mighty men of valor.  This is Simon the fisherman.  I’m sure this is his very first sword fight, and it’s against a Roman cohort.  Apparently he plans to just plow his way through them (maybe he figured if he got in trouble Jesus could just knock them all down again). 
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The ear goes flying and lands in the dirt.  At first glance, we read that and are kind of pleased – at least one blow was delivered in defense of Christ.

But this is a real problem.  Jesus had to die and innocent man.  If his group resists arrest and attacks the soldiers, Rome has a case.  

Jesus had the whole thing under control, now this - within seconds this whole thing is going to escalate.  Peter has #1 committed a crime, and #2 started a fight.  The only conceivable outcome to this is bloodshed, and the total ruin of everything Christ was doing.  

Peter would be dead, the others dead or in prison, and you can forget about Pilot saying, “I find no fault with this man.”  And Jesus can’t make the comment in v.36 about His disciples not fighting.  If Jesus dies and insurrectionist rather than the spotless lamb of God, you can write off the whole atonement.
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Right here, during this freeze frame, it appears that all is lost, and there is no way to retrieve this situation.  The deed has already been done – it can’t be undone…or can it?

If we unfreeze the frame, it all happens very quickly – the disciples ask if they should strike, before Jesus can answer, Peter draws his sword, charges into this mob, and he means business – he goes right for the first guy’s head.  Peter’s a fisherman, not a swordsman, the guy has reactions -–he ducks, Peter just catches his ear.

Now all the swords are drawn, those in front step forward to attack – in about 2 seconds Peter will be dead
Lk.22:51 But Jesus again with His mighty, omnipotent, divine authority said, "No more of this!" And he touched the man's ear and healed him.
Jesus immediately regains control.  An act of love (think of why Malchus was there)

So Jesus just puts it back on.   Can you imagine?  “Sorry about that – I can’t take him anywhere”

Jesus literally undid Peter’s crime.  It will be pretty tough to prosecute this crime.  “These men are being charged with cutting off this man’s ear last night.”  “But his ear looks fine.”  “That’s just because He put it back on.”  Jesus knew that in the future if the high priest ever wanted to go after Peter for this crime, in doing so he would have to admit to this miracle!

Jesus protects Peter.

Jn.18:11 Jesus commanded Peter, "Put your sword away! 
Mt.26:53 Do you think I cannot call on my Father, and he will at once put at my disposal more than twelve legions of angels? a legion was 6 thousand soldiers - 72K total.  a legion for each disciple plus one extra
54 But how then would the Scriptures be fulfilled that say it must happen in this way?"
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Jn.18:11  …Shall I not drink the cup the Father has given me?"
The cross was not an unfortunate crisis perpetrated on a helpless Christ.  It was a cup He willingly drank.  He even had to keep the disciples from fouling up the plan.

no one takes his life - he has the authority to lay it down on His own accord

What is the cup?  It is the cup of suffering that prayed not to have to drink.  It was the cup of God’s wrath over our sin.  It was our cup, that we should drink of for all eternity.

Death and the curse were in that cup, O Christ ‘twas full for Thee; but Thou has drained the last dark dregs, ‘tis empty now for me.

There is no wrath left for those who have been forgiven.  He drank of it all.  Earlier He prayed, Jesus willingly submitted to it.

Jn.18:12 Then the detachment of soldiers with its commander and the Jewish officials arrested Jesus. They bound him 
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There are two sides to the crucifixion.
Mt.26:16 says Judas delivered Jesus over to be killed.
Jn.19:16 says “Pilate delivered him over...”
Ro.8:32 says that God “did not spare his own Son, but delivered him over for us all”  - 
and Eph.5:2 says that “Christ loved us and delievered himself up for us 

Acts 2:32  Jesus of Nazareth was handed over to you by God's set purpose and foreknowledge; and you, with the help of wicked men, put him to death by nailing him to the cross.

From the human perspective the cross was ugly. Wicked men pounding nails through Jesus’ flesh.
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But from the Divine perspective, it was beautiful.

The crucifixion is like some magical glass.  You look through one side and it is a window into the darkest most depraved reaches of the wicked, vile wrechedness of the depth of the ugliness of sin.  

But if you turn it over you can look through, and it becomes a window into the wonderous, beautiful, profound brilliance of the glory of the love and saving grace of God.

What was the cross?
-	It was wicked men putting Jesus to death by nailing him to a cross.
-	It was God the Father handing over His Son according to His own set purpose and foreknowledge.

It was the greatest act of cruelty ever perpetrated by mankind
It was the greatest act of love ever conceived in the heart of God.

It was man at his most wicked, and it was God at His most merciful.  It was at once the epitome of man’s sin, and the pinnacle of God’s goodness. 
41:40
This passage teaches us what it means to be safe.  We talk a lot about being saved – but another way to look at it is being safe.

One time I was walking through a neighborhood with my brother looking for a kite we lost, and around the corner came the meanest bully ever knew.  My immediate reaction was to get behind my big brother.  (Ended up not being much help)

But if you jump behind Christ, you are safe.

What a scene in the garden!  (make a good painting)  All the hostility and threats of this world and of evil marching up with weapons in hand…

And there you are – huddled with a few others, defenseless, frightened.  

And in between stands Christ.  He will allow you to be tried and tested.  He will allow difficulties and struggles.  But the moment anyone or anything steps even one inch out of the bounds of His perfect plan for you, the Lord speaks, and shatters them with the power of His Word.  He will not ever allow you to be tested beyond your ability to endure.

You are safe in Him.
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Even when your life seems like total chaos –  Stand behind the incomparable Christ, and no matter what it looks like, you can be assured that He is in total control of every detail.  There is no chaos.

Even when the odds are 1000 to one against you – stand with the Lord Jesus Christ and He will issue incontestable, compulsory, inviolable command: Let him go!  Don’t touch her!  And all the demons of hell and the devil himself collapse in a heap at His Word.

Even when you step out like Peter in foolishness, and make poor decisions.  If you belong to Christ, He will protect you from ultimate harm.

If you are a follower of Christ you are safe.

But the safety Jesus brought to His followers that day went way beyond the protection from the dangers in the garden.  The greatest safety we gain from that night came not from Jesus putting all those soldiers on their backs.  Buckling their knees was a small act of protection, but the greatest act of protection was when he held out His hands and allowed them to be bound.  

It was that willing, voluntary act of giving Himself over to drink that cup of God’s wrath on our behalf.  So through faith in Christ alone – through entrusting your life to His care and following Him, you can be safe on judgment day.  

We are not going to walk out of here in silence and sorrow today.  Because we have just studied the crucifixion!  
We have just looked into the greatest expression of God’s love!  
We have just spent time thinking about the most profound self-sacrifice on our behalf!  
We have just witnessed the omnipotent power of His sovereign control over everything!
We have just studied the infinite wisdom of God’s perfect plan of salvation!
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How should we respond?  TT Acts 4:27
The disciples were being threatened.  So they prayed:
27 Indeed Herod and Pontius Pilate met together with the Gentiles and the people of Israel in this city to conspire against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed. 28 They did what your power and will had decided beforehand should happen. 29 Now, Lord, consider their threats and enable your servants to speak your word with great boldness. 

Now that we know that the evil deeds of sinful people that come crashing into our lives and threaten us – those things are the very things that His power and will decided beforehand should happen…
Now that we understand that, how should we respond?  We are enabled to speak His word with boldness, because we know His perfect sovereign plan cannot be blocked, obstructed, derailed or altered in any way.  

Benediction: 
Jude 24,25  To him who is able to keep you from falling and to present you before his glorious presence without fault and with great joy-- 25 to the only God our Savior be glory, majesty, power and authority, through Jesus Christ our Lord, before all ages, now and forevermore! Amen.