JOHN 18

JESUS BETRAYED, ARRESTED, + QUESTIONED

While they are in the garden, Judas arrives with a great crowd of priests and religious leaders seeking to arrest Jesus. Jesus identifies Himself, saying that He is Jesus of Nazareth, the one they are seeking. Peter, wanting to protect Him, strikes one of the men, cutting off his ear. Jesus instructs Peter to stop, stating that He is following God’s will and drinking the cup that was given to Him.

Jesus is bound and questioned by the high priest, Caiaphas, and his father-in-law, Annas. He refutes their claims of dishonesty and shares that His ministry has remained public. The claims that Jesus made, to be the Son of God, were not made in private, but boldly.

Just as Jesus said, Peter is approached three times and questioned about his relationship to Jesus. Three times, Peter denies knowing Him.

While in captivity, Jesus is handed over to the Roman Governor, Pilate. Pilate does not see the accusations of Jesus as a serious problem and wants the Jewish people to deal with Him on their own terms. Knowing they could not put someone to death, the Jewish leaders convinced Pilate to question Him.

Pilate asks Jesus of His identity, and Jesus confirms that He is the Son of God, the Jewish Messiah. He explains that His kingdom is not of this world and that He was sent to bear witness to the truth. Profound and simple, Pilate asks the question “What is truth?”

Pilate finds no guilt in Jesus and does not understand the reason for His arrest. Attempting to spare Him, Pilate recalls that during Passover, one prisoner is allowed to be freed. Instead of freeing the innocent Messiah, the crowd cheers to free Barabbas, a criminal guilty of acts of heinous violence and corruption.