John Chapter 18

Jesus before Pilate


Jesus Before Pilate


by Lane Rogers



Judas Betrays Jesus

  1When Jesus had spoken these words, He went forth with His disciples over the ravine of the Kidron, where there was a garden, in which He entered with His disciples.2Now Judas also, who was betraying Him, knew the place, for Jesus had often met there with His disciples.3Judas then, having received the Roman cohort and officers from the chief priests and the Pharisees, came there with lanterns and torches and weapons.4So Jesus, knowing all the things that were coming upon Him, went forth and said to them, "Whom do you seek?"5They answered Him, "Jesus the Nazarene." He said to them, "I am He." And Judas also, who was betraying Him, was standing with them.6So when He said to them, "I am He," they drew back and fell to the ground.7Therefore He again asked them, "Whom do you seek?" And they said, "Jesus the Nazarene."8Jesus answered, "I told you that I am He; so if you seek Me, let these go their way,"9to fulfill the word which He spoke, "Of those whom You have given Me I lost not one."10Simon Peter then, having a sword, drew it and struck the high priest's slave, and cut off his right ear; and the slave's name was Malchus. 11So Jesus said to Peter, "Put the sword into the sheath; the cup which the Father has given Me, shall I not drink it?"

I.  Verse one___All the Gethsemane experience falls between John 18:1 and John 18:2. Compare Matthew 26:37-46; Mark 14:32-41; and Luke 22:40-46. A Brief Harmony is below.

6 a.m.

7 a.m.

8 a.m.

The Crucifixion

9 a.m. - "The Third Hour"

10 a.m.

11 a.m.

Noon - "The Sixth Hour"

1 p.m.

2 p.m.

3 p.m. - "The Ninth Hour"

Events Following Jesus' Death

II.  Verse 2___Remember John 13:27 and Jesus telling Judas that 'whatever he must do, do quickly." We see in this chapter that is exactly what Judas did. It was not the original intention to arrest Jesus during the Feast (Matt. 26:5) but now there was this opportunity to seize Him in the dead of night. The Jews did not want a large disturbance. But Judas informed them about Jesus. A hasty trial, a prejudged condemnation, and immediate execution and the prophet was forever out of their way.

III. Verse 3__ A Cohort commonly consisted of as little as 200 men but could consist of up to 600 men under the command of a superior officer (a chiliarch, the commander of 1000). It was this crowd that followed Judas to arrest Jesus.

IV. Verses 4-6__Notice, Jesus "knew" what was going on. It was the hour ordained by the Father. The betrayal by Judas with a kiss is not mentioned. Jesus advances toward the soldiers and ask them who they want. When told, there is a simple reply, "I am He." While the "falling to the ground" has several explanations I tend to think that the Temple Guards recognized the "I AM" as a claim to the deity of Christ and they fell to the ground. On the other hand, the reality of the mysterium tremendum before the presence of God (especially in a vision) is illustrated other places in the biblical text (e.g. Ezek. 1:28; Dan. 10:9; Acts 9:4; Rev. 1:17). Compare Jesus and the utterance found in John 7:46 and their shrinking back.

V. Verses 7-9___Notice, the Shepherd aspect of Jesus when He says "let these men go." This is also a statement of authority. There is no doubt that this is an example of the "Good Shepherd" (notice 17:12 6:69; 10:28). But more importantly is the context related to the idea of "I have lost none." The NONE that Jesus did not lose is the disciples. Now this completely destroys Calvinism. The exact words here are "to fulfill the word which He spoke." These "Words" that Jesus spoke are found back in chapter 10. This is a fulfillment of John 10:28-29. To be more specefic, those who no one can take from Jesus were the disciples (John 17:12). 

VI. Verses 10-11__It is here that we find out that it was Peter who struck the High Priest slave with a sword (cf. Mk. 14:47). But we also understand by Peter's actions that he still at this point had no concept of the purpose of the Messiah. If we consider the other gospel accounts it seems as if Peter at this late date was looking for the establishment of an earthly kingdom with Jesus as the earthly ruler. The general reply found in Matthew 26:52 ff is on order of, "If had come to establish an earthly kingdom with force I would have brought legions of angels, but you should know that I can't since Old Testament prophecy must be fulfilled."

Jesus before the Priests

 12So the Roman cohort and the commander and the officers of the Jews, arrested Jesus and bound Him,13and led Him to Annas first; for he was father-in-law of Caiaphas, who was high priest that year.14Now Caiaphas was the one who had advised the Jews that it was expedient for one man to die on behalf of the people.15Simon Peter was following Jesus, and so was another disciple Now that disciple was known to the high priest, and entered with Jesus intothe court of the high priest,16but Peter was standing at the door outside. So the other disciple, who was known to the high priest, went out and spoke to the doorkeeper, and brought Peter in.17Then the slave-girl who kept the door said to Peter, "You are not also one of this man's disciples, are you?" He said, "I am not."18Now the slaves and the officers were standing there, having made a charcoal fire, for it was cold and they were warming themselves; and Peter was also with them, standing and warming himself.19The high priest then questioned Jesus about His disciples, and about His teaching.20Jesus answered him, "I have spoken openly to the world; I always taught in synagogues and in the temple, where all the Jews come together; and I spoke nothing in secret.21"Why do you question Me? Question those who have heard what I spoke to them; they know what I said."22When He had said this, one of the officers standing nearby struck Jesus, saying, "Is that the way You answer the high priest?"23Jesus answered him, "If I have spoken wrongly, testify of the wrong; but if rightly, why do you strike Me?"24So Annas sent Him bound to Caiaphas the high priest.

Peter's Denial of Jesus

 25Now Simon Peter was standing and warming himself So they said to him, "You are not also one of His disciples, are you?" He denied it, and said, "I am not."26One of the slaves of the high priest, being a relative of the one whose ear Peter cut off, said, "Did I not see you in the garden with Him?"27Peter then denied it again, and immediately a rooster crowed.

I. Verses 12-14__It is only John who tells us about Jesus being taken to Annas. Most likely it was the Temple police who delivered Him there. The Roman soldiers probably went back to the Antonia barracks. This procedure was probably agreed on between Caiaphas and Annas before hand. Annas was a influential person among the Jewish leadership and high priest from A.D. 6-15. He was later deposed by Pilate's predecessor Valerius Gratus but still had great respect in Israel. This was a linage of high priest and this single family had the office from A.D. 17-41. (Caiaphas was his son-in-law). Annas would be seen as the Patriarch of the high priestly family.

II. Verses 15-16___The story of Peter's denial is found in all four gospels. However, it ought to be observed that Peter's denial was not that Jesus was Lord. Peter's denial was that he was a follower of Jesus. The information that Peter had a "friend" who secured his entrance to the High Priest's courtyard is also unique to John. There is no known explanation as to why John does not identify this person since to this point John has been very open with who is who. But this same John will mention:

1."the disciple who loved Jesus" __no name."

2."unnamed eyewitness who told of the soldiers decision not to break the legs of Jesus"

3. "unnamed person who pierced his side" (19:31-35).

III. Verses 17-18__It is only in John we are told that the girl was a maid who precipitated Peter's denial. It appears that the conversation took place at the "gate" and not at the "fire" (see Mark 14:67; Luke 22:55).

IV. Verses 19-21__The interrogation of Jesus by Annas and the sharp answer of Jesus to him needs some explanation. In any court hearing among the Jews the procedure was to call witnesses and not to question the accused. Jewish judges were not allowed to question the accused only a witness and everything depended on the testimony of these witnesses. Jesus is objecting to the procedure and demanding a proper trial.

This is a quote from the Babylonian Talmud: Sanhedrin 43a__The Jewish Version of the Trial of Jesus.

This implies, only immediately before [the execution], but not previous thereto. [In contradiction to this] it was taught: On the eve of the Passover Yeshu was hanged. For forty days before the execution took place, a herald went forth and cried, 'He is going forth to be stoned because he practiced sorcery and enticed Israel to apostasy. Any one who can say anything in his favor, let him come forward and plead on his behalf.' But since nothing was brought forward in his favor he was hanged on the eve of the Passover! Ulla retorted: Do you suppose that he was one for whom a defense could be made? Was he not a Mesith [enticer], concerning whom Scripture says, Neither shalt thou spare, neither shalt you conceal him (Deu. 13:9?

With Yeshu however it was different, for he was connected with the government [or royalty, i.e., influential]. E. Our Rabbis taught: Yeshu had five disciples, Matthai, Nakai, Nezer, Buni, and Todah. When Matthai was brought [before the court] he said to them [the judges], Shall Matthai be executed? It it not written, Matthai, [when] shall I come and appear before God? (Psa. 42:3). Thereupon they retorted: Yes, Matthai be executed, since it is written, Matthai [when] shall [he] die and his name perish (Psa. 41:6). When Nakai was brought in he said to them: Shall Nakai be executed? It is not written, Naki the innocent]and the righteous slay you not (Exo. 23:7)? Yes was the answer , Nakai shall be executed, since it is written. In secret places does Naki [the innocent] slay (Psa. 10:8). When Nezer was brought in, he said: Shall Nezer be executed? It is not written, And Nezer [a twig] shall grow forth out of his roots (Isa. 11:1). Yes they said, Nezer shall be executed, since it is written, But you are cast forth away from the grave like Nezer [an abhorred offshoot] (Isa. 14:19). When Buni was brought in, he said: Shall Buni be executed? It is not written, Behold I will slay Bine-ha [your son] your first born (Exo. 4:23). And when Today was brought in, he said to them: Shall Todah be executed? Is it not written, A psalml for Today [thanksgiving] (Psa. 100:1)? Yes, they answered, Today shall be executed, since it was written, Who ever offers the sacrifice of Today honors me. (Psa. 50:23).

In this account, Jesus was convicted of sorcery and hanged on the Eve of the Passover. It is generally supposed that He was "stoned" before He was "hanged." One must remember that the "Talmud" is a record of oral tradition and therefore not very generally reliable. But the point is as related to John, the mark of a "false prophet" according to the Jews and the Bible is doing things in secret. Jesus declares that "He has spoken in the open" and not behind their backs. On this account nothing has changed. Even today in the church we have people engaged in secret meetings and claiming all the while that what they are doing is correct and their teachings are correct. Doing things in secret is still the mark of a false teacher or false prophet. In our story, Jesus is demanding that things be done in the open and not in secret. Annas now brings the interrogation to and end and sends Jesus to Caiaphas.

V. Verses 25-27__ We now turn our attention to Peter. Peter is standing before the fire in the courtyard. It is "they" the "bystanders" or "another person" (see Lk. 22;58; Mk. 14:69; Lk. 22:59) who now speak to Peter. It is obviously the police. In John as compared to the synoptics were are told exactly who was making the accusation. It was a relative of Malchus. It is here that Peter makes the third final denial of Jesus. (See Lk. 22:54-62; Mk. 14:68ff). In John the sequence is 18: 15-18 then 18: 18-24 and 25-27).


  28Then they led Jesus from Caiaphas into the Praetorium, and it was early; and they themselves did not enter into the Praetorium so that they would not be defiled, but might eat the Passover.29Therefore Pilate went out to them and said, "What accusation do you bring against this Man?"30They answered and said to him, "If this Man were not an evildoer, we would not have delivered Him to you."

 31So Pilate said to them, "Take Him yourselves, and judge Him according to your law." The Jews said to him, "We are not permitted to put anyone to death,"32to fulfill the word of Jesus which He spoke, signifying by what kind of death He was about to die.33Therefore Pilate entered again into the Praetorium, and summoned Jesus and said to Him, "Are You the King of the Jews?"34Jesus answered, "Are you saying this on your own initiative, or did others tell you about Me?"35Pilate answered, "I am not a Jew, am I? Your own nation and the chief priests delivered You to me; what have You done?"36Jesus answered, "My kingdom is not of this world. If My kingdom were of this world, then My servants would be fighting so that I would not be handed over to the Jews; but as it is, My kingdom is not of this realm."37Therefore Pilate said to Him, "So You are a king?" Jesus answered, "You say correctly that I am a king For this I have been born, and for this I have come into the world, to testify to the truth Everyone who is of the truth hears My voice."38Pilate said to Him, "What is truth?" And when he had said this, he went out again to the Jews and said to them, "I find no guilt in Him.39"But you have a custom that I release someone for you at the Passover; do you wish then that I release for you the King of the Jews?"40So they cried out again, saying, "Not this Man, but Barabbas." Now Barabbas was a robber.

I. Verse 28__We are not told exactly who it is that led Jesus to Pilate. Pilate's statement in V.31 assumes it is the Sanhedrin. It is here we realize that Pilate must have had a very early start to his day. We are told that this was custom even with the Emperor. They started their courts long before daylight (Roman Law and the New Testament, p. 45). The Jewish delegation refused to enter the governors mansion in order to avoid contamination with the Gentiles and thereby excluding themselves from the Passover meal. There are some outside sources that indicate that the grounds for this uncleanliness may have to do with abortions. Gentiles who had premature babies or abortions were permitted to bury the dead within the confines of their estates. Numbers 9:6-12 gives a strict prohibition against the Jew coming into contact with the dead. Here is the irony of this section of text. While they were so rigorous in keeping clean so they might eat the Passover meal at the same time they were preparing to fulfill the Passover by killing the Messiah, the Passover Lamb.

II. Verses 29-30__Pilate asks for the official charge to be presented against Jesus by the high priest. Their response is vague and insolent. It is possible that they had already consulted Pilate and were expecting a rubber stamped approval but such was not the case. Pilate was not going to do his own investigation and in effect open a new case.

III. Verse 31__Pilate's reply is interesting. It must have been humiliating for the Jewish leaders. Remember, Pilate had just asked them about charges and they gave him a smart answer. Now, he replies that they take Him and judge Him by their own laws knowing they were prohibited by law from doing so. Pilate is reminding them they have no power to judge.

IV. Verse 32__ This section of text is important for interpretation of the book of Daniel. John was fully aware that had the Jews been given an exceptional permission to kill Jesus for a serious breach of their law they would have done so by stoning Him to death. But the Jews expressly wanted Jesus to die at the hands of the Romans (i.e. crucify Him). Their mode of execution entailed the curse of the Law (any one hung on a tree is under God's curse, Deut. 21:23). The chief priest did not want Jesus to be a martyr but one who died under the curse of God. By contrast, John sees the cross as a way to "lift up" Jesus in fulfillment of prophesy (12:31-32).

V. Verse 33__Pilate's first words "are you the king of the Jews" are in all the gospels. This no doubt is based on Jesus' statement t0 Caiaphas demand "are you the Messiah the Son of the Blessed One," Mk. 14:61-62. We still have allusions to the book of Daniel since Mk uses the term "Son of Man" as found in Daniel 7:13. However, Pilate could only interpret what was happening in political terms as he understood them.

VI. Verses 34-35__Jesus wants to know if Pilate is acknowledging Jesus as to who He really was or if He is just repeating the charges of the Jewish leadership. Pilate responds indignantly. "I am not a Jew, am I?" Pilate does not want to know at this point any of the Jewish particulars. Both parties in this conversation are trying to see behind the scene.

VII. Verse 36__It is here that Jesus answers Pilate about His kingdom with a negative answer. Jesus tells Pilate where His kingdom isn't (not of this world). If Jesus' kingdom is not of this world where is it? For a complete review of the "kingdom of God" see (Look Here)

VIII. Verse 37__Pilate rightly perceives by this statement that in fact Jesus is claiming to be a king of some sort just not of this world. Hence "so you are a king." The reply of Jesus affirms Pilate's suspicion.

XI. Verse 38__In this reply Jesus says that He is about the "kingdom of truth." That is, those who follow Jesus know and recognize Him as the truth. There is no other way into the kingdom except through Jesus.

X. Verses 38-39__Pilate goes out to address "the Jews." I suppose that in light of the shouting of vv 40; 19:6, 12,14,15; the Jewish leaders have been joined by supporters. The declaration of Pilate in v.38b should have brought things to a close but it is here that Pilate made a mistake by referring to the custom of releasing a prisoner at Passover. It has been suggested that in this Pilate was trying give the Jewish leaders a way to save face. This way, the charges against Jesus still stood, He just got off on custom.

XI. Verse 40__Pilate having mentioned the custom has set himself up now for a failure. The Jewish leaders outwitted him. "Not this man but Barabbas." Barabbas means "one who takes booty" (See Mk. 15:7).


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