John 18

1. When Jesus finished praying, He left with His followers. They went across the Kidron Valley. On the other side there was a garden of olive trees. Jesus and His followers went there. Judas knew where this place was, because Jesus met there often with His followers. Judas was the one who turned against Jesus.

This was the garden of Gethsemane, which means, “olive press.”

3. So Judas led a group of soldiers to the garden. Judas also brought some guards from the leading priests and the Pharisees. They were carrying torches, lanterns, and weapons.

The original language uses a word which shows there were at least 200 soldiers. Take a look at the spiritual warfare which is going on. Is the devil watching you and looking for ways to catch you in something?

4. Jesus knew everything that would happen to Him. Jesus went out and asked, “Who is it you are looking for?”

Jesus did not try to hide but was a willing sacrifice.

5 – 6

The men answered, “Jesus from Nazareth.” Jesus said, “ I am .” (Judas, the one who turned against Jesus, was standing there with them.) When Jesus said, “ I am ,” the men moved back and fell to the ground.

This should have made some people stop and think about what they were doing. Sometimes people say, “If God does not want me to do this, then why does He not stop me?” When God brings something in their path to stop them they still do what they want to do.

7 – 8

Jesus asked them again, “Who is it you are looking for?” They said, “Jesus of Nazareth. Jesus said, “I told you that I am He. So, if you are looking for Me, then let these other men go.”

The disciples ran away. Do we also run away when it is time to stand with Jesus? Would the devil try to make big trouble for you and make all of your friends run away from you?

9. This happened so that the words Jesus said before might come true: “I have not lost any of the men You gave Me.”

See John 17:12

10. Simon Peter had a sword. He took out the sword and struck the servant of the high priest, cutting off his right ear. (The servant's name was Malchus.)

We think about the stupid things that Peter did, but we forget that he was so brave that he was ready to fight the Roman army by himself to protect Jesus.

11. Jesus said to Peter, “Put your sword back. Shall I not drink of the cup the Father has given Me?”

Will we drink the cup the Lord gives to us ? We are in the word, working closely with Jesus. People will see that we have heavenly peace and we can help them to drink their bitter cup.

Jesus told them, “You will drink from My bitter cup.” Matthew 20:23

“Put away your sword,” Jesus told him. “Those who use the sword will die by the sword. Do you not know that I could ask my Father for thousands of angels to protect us, and He would send them instantly?” Matthew 26:52 – 53

Jesus said, “That is enough” and He healed the servant's ear. Luke 22:51

12 – 14

Then the soldiers with their commander and the Jewish guards arrested Jesus. They tied him and led him first to Annas. Annas was the father-in-law of Caiaphas, the high priest that year. Caiaphas was the one who had told the Jews that it would be better if one man died for all the people.

Annas was the high priest, but he retired. Caiaphas paid the Romans money to become High Priest. Together these men controlled the money tables in the temple. This is why they hated Jesus. When Jesus came to the house of Annas, it was 2 o'clock in the morning. John 11:49

15. Simon Peter and another one of Jesus' followers went along after Jesus. This follower knew the high priest. He went with Jesus into the high priest's courtyard.

The other disciples had run away except for John and Peter. Peter was not a total coward.

16 – 18

But Peter waited outside near the door. The follower who knew the high priest came back outside. He spoke to the girl at the door and brought Peter inside.

The girl at the door said to Peter, “Are you not also one of that man's followers?” Peter answered, “No, I am not!”

It was cold, so the servants and guards had built a fire. They were standing around it and warming themselves. Peter was standing with them, warming himself.

We can be sure that the Lord felt bad for Peter. He did not look at him and say, “I told you so!” Let us be like Jesus, and not make people feel worse after they have stumbled.

At that moment the Lord turned and looked at Peter . Suddenly, the Lord's words flashed through Peter's mind: “Before the rooster crows tomorrow morning, you will deny three times that you even know Me.” Luke 22:61

19. The high priest asked Jesus questions about His followers and His teaching.

It is against the Jewish law to ask a prisoner to speak against himself. It is also against their law to have a trial at night, and there have to be witnesses, and the court had to wait three days before it decided the trial.

As you read these words, ask yourself what you would do if you were on trial and you were being asked the same questions?

20 – 21

Jesus answered, “I have spoken openly to everyone. I have always taught in synagogues and in the Temple, where all the Jews come together. I never said anything in secret.

So why do you question me? Ask the people who heard my teaching. They know what I said.”

Jesus is saying, “You are asking Me to speak against Myself and there are supposed to be witnesses in this trial.”

Another thing that Jesus said shows us that this whole thing was spiritual warfare: “Why did you not arrest Me in the Temple? I was there every day. But this is your moment, the time when the power of darkness is in control .” Luke 22:53

22 – 23

When Jesus said this, one of the guards standing there hit Him. The guard said, “Is that the way you answer the high priest?”

Jesus answered him, “If I said something wrong, then say what was wrong. But if what I said is true, why do you hit Me?”

It is against the law to hit a prisoner. The same thing happened to Paul. Acts 23:2 – 5

24. Then Annas sent Jesus to Caiaphas, the high priest. Jesus was still tied.

Annas was the retired high priest so Jesus was sent there out of respect, but now He had to be sent to the real high priest according to Roman law. It was now 3:30 AM in the morning and Caiaphas paid some witnesses to speak against Jesus.

We heard Him say, “I will destroy this Temple made with human hands, and in three days I will build another, made without human hands.” Mark 14:58

25. Simon Peter was standing and warming himself. They said to him, “Are you not one of that man's followers?” Peter denied it and said, “No, I am not.”

Maybe it has not happened yet, but a day may come when you do something that you thought you would never do. You will have to make a decision to start over. Tell the Lord, “I cannot believe I did that. Please forgive me and rebuild a right spirit inside of me. I refuse to let the devil hold this over my head. My sins are covered by the blood of Jesus. Here is where I stand there is nothing else I can do.” Psalm 51:10, Proverbs 24:16

26 – 27

One of the servants of the high priest was there. This servant was a relative of the man whose ear Peter had cut off. The servant said, “Did I not see you with him in the garden?” Again Peter said it was not true. Just then a rooster crowed.

It was now 6 o'clock in the morning. Church tradition tells a story that after this, whenever the people would see Peter in the street, they would grow like a rooster to make fun of him. Let us make sure that if we ever see a brother fall down that we lift him back up. Instead of pushing him down further with our foolish words. Galatians 6:1

28. Then they led Jesus from Caiaphas' house to the Roman governor's palace. It was early in the morning. The Jews would not go inside the palace. They did not want to make themselves unclean, because they wanted to eat the Passover meal.

This is how religious people act. They worry more about how they look on the outside than what they are on the inside. Matthew 23:23

29. So Pilate went outside to them. He asked, “What charges do you bring against this man?”

Jesus was brought to Pilate at 6:30 AM. People who hate the Bible used to say there was no such person as Pilate. In 1961 a stone tablet was discovered which said, “Pontius Pilate…Prefect of Judea.”

30 – 31

They answered, “He is a criminal. That is why we brought him to you.” Pilate said to them, “Take him yourselves and judge him by your own law.” They answered, “But we are not allowed to put anyone to death.”

Pilate was a very bad man and had done many things to make the Jews angry. The Jews told the leaders of Rome about this bad treatment and peak. Pilate had to be very careful not to make them angry again.

The Jews could not kill Jesus because the Romans did not give them permission to do this kill anyone. They also could not ask Pilate to bring Jesus to a Roman trial about their religion. They decided to say that Jesus was teaching the people to fight against Rome.

32. (This happened so that what Jesus had said about how he would die would come true.)

This would mean that they cannot stone Jesus because Psalm 22 says the Messiah would not have any broken bones.

33. Then Pilate went back inside the palace . He called Jesus to him and asked, “Are you the king of the Jews?”

Pilate went back and forth several times trying to work out a way to keep from killing Jesus. One reason was because his wife warned him not to. Matthew 27:19

34 – 35

Jesus said, “Is that your own question, or did others tell you about me?” Pilate answered, “I am not a Jew. It was your own people and their leading priests who brought you before me. What have you done wrong?”

This was one of the devil's ideas in the book of Job. He says, “Come on, you must have done something wrong. I am going to tell everyone about you! Not even God can help you now! God is angry at you and has turned you over to me.”

Pilate demanded. “Do you not know that I have the power to release you or crucify you?” John 19:10

36. Jesus said, “My kingdom does not belong to this world. If it belonged to this world, my servants would have fought to keep me from being given over to the Jewish leaders. But my kingdom is from another place.”

Beginning in the year 1095 A.D., the countries of Europe fought to reclaim the land of Israel from the Muslims. God is the one who scattered Israel because of their rebellion against Him. The Crusaders did not need to fight God's battles for Him to bring God's kingdom on earth. In 1948 God gave the land of Israel back to the Jews. 2 Corinthians 10:4

37. Pilate said, “So you are a king!” Jesus answered, “You say that I am a king. That is true. I was born for this: to tell people about the truth. That is why I came into the world. And everyone who belongs to the truth listens to me.”

Jesus is saying, “You are saying this because I am a King. You are the one in acting as a witness in this trial.”

38. Pilate said, “What is truth?” After he said this, he went out to the Jews again. He said to them, “I can find nothing to charge against this man.

Today, men are still saying that what is true for you may not be true for someone else. They have been taught to say this so that they can cover up the selfish things that they want to do.

They carefully make up stories which make it look like nothing can always be true. You will find the stories are never real stories, but ideas that never happened. There are many examples in history of people who believed that nothing is true. These are people destroy lives and also destroy themselves.

39. But it is your custom that I free one prisoner to you at the time of the Passover. Do you want me to free this ‘king of the Jews'?”

Pilate had no peace of mind about this and was looking for a way to let Jesus go. Unbelievers have no peace of mind about Jesus and are always looking for a way to get rid of Him.

40. They shouted back, “No, not him! Let Barabbas go free!” (Barabbas was a robber.)

They want a man named Barabbas who is rebelling against Rome after accusing Jesus of rebelling against Rome! Luke 23:19

Barabbas knew what it was like to have somebody die in his place. We wonder if Barabbas later heard the Gospel and understood what had happened. It is amazing how there are police officers and firefighters and soldiers dying for us almost every day and we rarely think about it.

Jesus was sent back to Pilate by Herod at 7 AM.