Waggoner on the Gospel of John

John 18:1-14

Christ Betrayed and Arrested

Two texts of scripture may be taken as the key to the portion before us in this week's study. They are (John 14:30), "The prince of this world cometh, and hath nothing in Me," and (John 13:1), "Having loved His own which were in the world, He loved them unto the end," or "to the uttermost."

Jesus had finished His last confidential talk with His disciples. It had been confidential indeed, as none other could ever have been, for the presence or the traitor was not there. Jesus had treated Judas just as He had the other disciples, so that not one of them had any idea of his true character; yet it was impossible that there should have been that close fellowship between him and the Master that there was with the others. Judas was continually repelling the Master and His instruction, while the others, faulty as they were, were receptive.

Very tender had the words of Jesus been. He had addressed them as "little children," and had made the most comforting promises to them. Now He led them to the familiar spot where He had so often resorted with them.

"And Judas also, which betrayed Him, knew the place." There was no attempt at concealment on the part of Christ. He would not hide. He did not do anything to court betrayal and persecution, but proceeded just as He had many times before. In sight of the cross the actions of Jesus were as calm and dignified as ever. The grandeur and dignity and authority, yea, the Kingliness, of the Man stand out this last night more clearly than ever before.

"Judas then, having received a band of men and officers from the chief priests and Pharisees, cometh thither with lanterns and torches and weapons. Jesus therefore, knowing all things that should come upon Him, went forth, and said unto them, Whom seek ye?"

Think of it! A band of soldiers with weapons, going forth to capture a single unarmed man, who had never harmed a living creature, and who would not fight even in self-defense. Guilty consciences they all must have had, which made cowards of them. But strong as their force of men was, it was altogether too small and weak to accomplish their purpose, if it had been a contest of strength. Jesus was led as a lamb to the slaughter. He was the Lamb of God, bearing the sins of the world; but the world knew it not. Men do not arm themselves with weapons to capture a single lamb.

And now see Jesus stand forth before that armed mob. "Whom seek ye?" A pertinent question, truly. Whom should they be seeking in that place, in such a manner? The question should have put every man of them to shame, but they were not ashamed. Boldly they answered, "Jesus of Nazareth." Who is He, whom this armed crowd are seeking as though He were a fierce desperado? It is Jesus of Nazareth, the gentle Being who had all His life gone about doing good, healing the sick, relieving the oppressed, and comforting the mourners. His tender touch had nothing but healing in it, for He came to save life, not to take. And now they come for Him as though it were a bear they were after. In this foolish and unnecessary precaution, and in the calm boldness of Jesus, we see a fulfillment of the scripture; "The wicked flee when no man pursueth; but the righteous are bold as a lion." (Prov. 28:1)

"I Am"

To the question, "Whom seek ye?" the leaders of the mob answered, "Jesus of Nazareth;" to which Jesus replied, "I am He." "As soon as He had said unto them, I am He, they went backward, and fell to the ground."

What marvelous power there was in those few words! Perhaps the mystery will be clearer if we consider closely what it was that Jesus really said. Notice that the word "He" is in Italic, indicating that it is an addition to the text. Christ's own words, as recorded in the Greek, are simply, "I am." To Moses in the wilderness, the Lord had said of this name, "This is My name forever, and this is My memorial unto all generations." (Ex. 3:14, 15) By this name Jesus had declared Himself to the unbelieving Jews. (John 8:24, 28, 58) The time had now come, of which He had said, "When ye have lifted up the Son of man, then shall ye know that I am." In the very hour of His betrayal, and to His persecutors, He revealed Himself by that glorious name by which He delivered the children of Israel from bondage, and by which He delivers all who trust in it. In His answer to them, in making Himself known as the One whom they were seeking to put to death, Jesus revealed Himself to them as their Saviour. But they were then too blinded to receive the revelation. No evidence could affect them then, but afterwards some of the very ones who had been His betrayers and murderers found peace in believing on the I Am--the Author of life.

Power of the Name

There is wondrous power in this blest name. When Jesus came to His disciples in that stormy night on the sea, when they were tired with rowing against terrible odds, and were despairing of life, He brought courage and salvation to them by the word, "Be of good cheer; I am, be not afraid." (Matt. 14:27) That same name was in this trying hour a protection to His loved disciples. As soon as He had uttered it, the armed crowd went backward, and fell to the ground as if struck down by invisible weapons. Here was evidence of the Divinity of Christ, which should have caused those men to desist from their purpose. The power of Christ was manifested on this occasion no less for the salvation of His enemies than for His disciples.

Christ's own name was as a shield round about Him. It was an impenetrable wall, effectually protecting Him from all foes. "The prince of this world" could find no access to Him. He had nothing in Him, and therefore there was no pretext upon which He could enter. By the utterance of that name Jesus showed that no man or men could deprive Him of life, but that He Himself gave it up willingly.

That very name, with the same protecting power, is ours to take with us. That little incident in the garden is recorded in order that we may know that the I Am, who is with us all the days, even to the end of the world, is our shield against all the assaults of the enemy of our souls. He puts His own name upon us. Into that name we are baptized. While we confess that name, knowing that Christ is come in our flesh, and that it is no longer we who live and have to meet the attacks of Satan, but Christ living in us, we can as certainly keep the roaring lion at bay as Jesus did the fierce mob. What a blessed lesson is conveyed to us in this simple narrative!

Take the name of Jesus ever,
As a shield from every snare;
When temptations round you gather,
Breathe that holy name in prayer."

Saving to the Uttermost

"Of them which Thou gavest me have I lost none." By the manifestation of His power through the utterance of the words, "I am," Jesus secured the safety of His disciples. "He loved them unto the end." Here we see proof that the name of Jesus is a protection. Not, however, when used merely as a charm. "The name of the Lord is a strong tower; the righteous runneth into it, and is safe." (Prov. 18:10) It must be known as a real thing, in which the soul lives, in order for it to be a protection. Some men who did not know the Lord once attempted to use His name for their own selfish interests, and the result was most disastrous to them. (See Acts 19:13-16)

In all His trial, Jesus never lost sight of His disciples. His care was for them, not for Himself. He knew all things that should come upon Him, yet not for a moment was He terrified. He came to save others by the sacrifice of Himself, and not once did He forget His mission. A soul less firm than the "Rock of Ages" would have been disconcerted and thrown off his balance. But Jesus was as calm as when sitting in the house of Lazarus. In the hour of greatest trial He demonstrated His power to keep all those who flee to Him for refuge.

A Protest Against War

"Then Simon Peter having a sword, drew it, and smote the high priest's servant, and cut off his right ear. The servant's name was Malchus. Then said Jesus unto Peter, Put up thy sword into the sheath; the cup which My Father hath given Me, shall I not drink it?"

Jesus had said to His disciples, and to us as well, "I say unto you, That ye resist not evil," and here He showed that His words are to be taken in their plainest signification. If there was ever a place in the world when right was oppressed by might, here it was. If ever in this world the sword was drawn in a just cause, this was the time; yet Jesus rebuked it. Nothing else can be learned from this occurrence than that there are no possible circumstances under which it is justifiable to use weapons of warfare. Such sentiments as the following we find given very frequent and prominent place in religious journals:

In the last resort,--when insult has been wantonly inflicted, when the obligations of honour have been willfully repudiated, and when every resource of peaceful diplomacy has been exhausted,--no self-respecting nation will be found unprepared to maintain its dignity and enforce its rights by appeal to arms.

Let that serve for those nations and peoples who have no other method of maintaining their honour and dignity than that which is common to the brutes. Jesus showed that there is a better way to maintain one's dignity. He was insulted and abused, yet never did the native dignity of His character assert itself and shine forth more conspicuously, and so victoriously, too, than when He reproved Peter for using the sword. Unarmed, He stood before that crowd of armed men, and demonstrated Himself to be their Master. Every Christian who is such indeed, has the same armour that He had. Read (Eph. 6:13) For professed Christians, therefore, to take the sword in self-defense, or for any other purpose, is to admit that they know nothing of "the power of Jesus' name."

Love Your Enemies

In His instruction to His disciples Jesus had also said, "Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you." (Matt. 5:44) Here He gave a practical illustration of that teaching also. Not only did He reprove Peter for his act of violence to the high priest's servant, but He again showed that He came to save, and not to destroy. He was already in the hands of the mob (Mark 14:46, 47), when the wound was inflicted by the zealous Peter, but He gently disengaged one hand, at the same time courteously saying, as if apologizing for seeming to resist them even to do them a kindness, "Suffer ye thus far," and touched the servant's ear, and healed him. Could Divine kindness be more strikingly manifested? Truly, this Man was the Saviour of the world.

Here we may well rest and contemplate. It is but a brief narrative that we have been studying, but it shines with Divine light. Only one thing more need be said, and that is, "Consider Him that endured such contradiction of sinners against Himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds." (Heb. 12:3)

--May 4, 1899