The Gospel of John: John 18.1-40

Read and meditate on John 18.7-14.
Jesus was about to come into the hands of Jewish and Roman authorities. They have Jesus right where He wants them.

                                                                           ⁷Then He
inquired of them again, “Whom do you seek?”
And they said, “Jesus.” ⁸Jesus answered, “I
have told you I am He. So therefore, why
should you detain these others; let them go,
since you seek Me.” ⁹Now Jesus said this so
that what He prayed might be fulfilled, “Let none
Whom You have given Me be lost.” ¹⁰Then one
of His disciples, Simon Peter, drew
a sword, and struck the high priest’s servant, who
was Malchus, and cut off his ear. ¹²So to
him Jesus said, “Put up your sword into
its sheath. Shall I not drink the cup which My
own Father has assigned Me?” ¹²So they tied
His hands, arrested Him, ¹³and led Him to
a man named Annas, who was kindred to
the high priest, Caiaphas. ¹⁴And was he,
this Caiaphas, who spoke unwittingly
the prophesy that it was better that
one man should die for all the people.

- John 18.7-14

Reflect
1.  While the officers and soldiers were busy recomposing themselves from the shock of Jesus’ revelation of His glory – the first blast of that glory, as we shall see – Jesus repeated the question: “Whom are you seeking?” (vv. 7, 8) Why do you suppose He repeated the question? Was it because He didn’t understand the first time? Or was there another reason? Complete this prayer: Lord Jesus, You are always my Shepherd, always looking out for me, always…

2.  Who’s in charge here? On the surface, we might think the mob has the situation well in hand. But who really is managing this situation, and how can you tell (v. 9)? Meditate on Acts 2.22, 23 as you think about your answer. What comfort should we find in this? No matter how desperate, dangerous, or dire the circumstances, Lord, You…

3.  Peter sought to make good on his previous boast (v. 10, cf. Jn. 15.37). Although Jesus had been telling His disciples what was going to happen to Him for some time now, Peter’s perspective on this situation was not the same as that of Jesus. Explain. Do we ever find ourselves caught up in a similar loss of perspective? Forgive me, Lord, whenever I allow the things I can see to keep me from seeing the unseen things which are…

4.  Jesus would not fulfill His Kingdom-and-glory calling by human means (v. 11). What did He mean by “the cup” which the Father had given Him? Meditate on Psalm 116.12-14. What is our cup? In what ways is it like the cup Jesus had to drink? In what ways was Jesus’ cup unique? Lord, I must seek Your Kingdom and glory according to Your plans, not mine, and this means…

5. John is careful to tell us the names of specific people. Why should we care that the servant was named Malchus? Or that Annas and Caiaphas were the priests to whom Jesus was brought? Does giving us these names lend credibility to John’s account? For whom? What’s ironic about Caiaphas’ role in these proceedings (v. 14, cf. Jn. 11.49-52)? Who’s in charge here? In what ways have we seen the glory of God thus far since Jesus and His disciples arrived in the garden? Bring together into one prayer the prayers you wrote from questions 1-4.

Summary
“When Jesus says, ‘I have not lost one,’ he was not referring to temporal but eternal death here, although the Evangelist also understood him to be talking about temporal death. And one might wonder why they did not seize the disciples with him and cut them to pieces, especially when Peter had roused their anger by what he did to the servant. Who then restrained them? It was no other than that power that cast them backward. And so the Evangelist, to show that it did not happen through their intention but by the power and decree of him whom they had seized, has added, ‘That the saying might be fulfilled which he spoke, “Of those which you have given me, I have lost none.’’” John Chrysostom (344-407 AD)

From the beginning of his gospel, John has been pointing us to Jesus’ hour, indicating that His glory would be revealed in the great work accomplished at that hour. The prelude to that glory occurred when Jesus revealed Himself as I Am, and everyone fell backward to the ground. His glory continued to be displayed as He calmly rebuked Peter and allowed Himself to be arrested, making it possible for His disciples to be escape capture. Jesus was supremely confident in the Word of God, and in His own authority as God’s Word. He would drink the cup His Father had given Him, because He saw the joy that awaited Him beyond the bitterness (Heb. 12.1, 2). How can believers help one another to have this kind of confidence in God’s Word?

Closing Prayer
Gracious is the LORD, and righteous;
Yes, our God is merciful.
The Lord preserves the simple;
I was brought low, and He saved me.
Return to your rest, O my soul,
For the LORD has dealt bountifully with you.
For You have delivered my soul from death,
My eyes from tears,
And my feet from falling.
I will walk before the LORD
In the land of the living.
I believed, therefore I spoke,
“I am greatly afflicted.”
I said in my haste,
“All men are liars.”
What shall I render to the LORD
For all His benefits toward me?
I will take up the cup of salvation,
And call upon the name of the LORD.
I will pay my vows to the LORD
Now in the presence of all His people.

Psalm 116.5-14

Psalm 116.4-14 (Mit Freuden Zart: All Praise to God Who Reigns Above)
I called to God, “O Lord, I pray, my soul redeem with favor!”
The Lord is gracious in His way, and righteous is our Savior.
His mercy to the simple flies; He lifted me up to the skies –
I rest in Him forever!

Full well the Lord has dealt with me; my soul from death He delivered.
My weeping eyes, my stumbling feet, He has redeemed forever.
Forever I before His face shall walk with those who know His grace,
And dwell with them forever.

Afflicted, I believe His Word, though lying men would undo me.
What shall I render to the Lord for all His blessings to me?
Salvation’s cup I lift above and call upon the God of love
And pay my vows most truly.

T. M. Moore

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Except as indicated, Scripture taken from the New King James Version. © Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved. All psalms for singing adapted from The Ailbe Psalter. All quotations from Church Fathers from Ancient Christian Commentary Series IV a and b: John, edited by Joel C. Elowsky, General Editor Thomas C. Oden (Downers Grove: InterVarsity Press, 2006. Verse translation of John by T. M. Moore.