JOHN

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John Chapter 18

• John 18:1 When Jesus had spoken these words, he went forth with his disciples over the brook Cedron, where was a garden, into the which he entered, and his disciples. 
• 2 And Judas also, which betrayed him, knew the place: for Jesus oft times resorted thither with his disciples. 
• 3 Judas then, having received a band of men and officers from the chief priests and Pharisees, cometh thither with lanterns and torches and weapons. 
• 4 Jesus therefore, knowing all things that should come upon him, went forth, and said unto them, Whom seek ye? 
• 5 They answered him, Jesus of Nazareth. Jesus saith unto them, I am he. And Judas also, which betrayed him, stood with them. 
• 6 As soon then as he had said unto them, I am he, they went backward, and fell to the ground. 
• 7 Then asked he them again, Whom seek ye? And they said, Jesus of Nazareth. 
• 8 Jesus answered, I have told you that I am he: if therefore ye seek me, let these go their way: 
• 9 That the saying might be fulfilled, which he spake, Of them which thou gavest me have I lost none. 

We can see clearly that these men had no power to take Jesus unless Jesus Himself allowed it. He made sure that all His disciples would be free. They were the ones who would have the word given to them to spread the gospel to all the world. 

• John 18:10 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. 
• 11 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?

Peter was always quick to act without thinking. He was the one previously rebuked for trying to tell Jesus that He would not die. He was the one who boasted that he would never deny Him. In another gospel it is told that Jesus healed the servant's ear after Peter cut it off.

Jesus reminded His disciples that He has a cup to drink and He must drink it. He had to obey the will of His Father to pay the price for the sins of the whole world. If He had not have done this, no one could be saved from sin and receive eternal life. 

• John 18:12 Then the band and the captain and officers of the Jews took Jesus, and bound him, 
• 13 And led him away to Annas first; for he was father in law to Caiaphas, which was the high priest that same year. 
• 14 Now Caiaphas was he, which gave counsel to the Jews, that it was expedient that one man should die for the people. 

They willed Him to die so that the Roman government would not be concerned about someone becoming king that they did not appoint. They were afraid that when multitudes followed Jesus, they would get in trouble with the Roman government. Little did they know that their rejection of Jesus as Messiah caused the hand of God to be removed from protecting their country. The same Roman government destroyed them in 70 AD. There was no Israel from that point on until 1948. 

Even though Jesus came to die for sins, those that delivered Him to be crucified and rejected Him as Messiah, did not escape the judgment of God. We don't get away with any sin if we reject Jesus as savior. To reject Him as the one to deliver us from the curse of sin, we will pay for our own sins for eternity.

• John 18:15 And Simon Peter followed Jesus, and so did another disciple: that disciple was known unto the high priest, and went in with Jesus into the palace of the high priest. 
• 16 But Peter stood at the door without. Then went out that other disciple, which was known unto the high priest, and spake unto her that kept the door, and brought in Peter. 

Mingling with a crowd that was agreeing with the judgment of Jesus was a sign of compromise and weakness. He began to fear as many of us would under the same circumstances. Yet, I'm thinking, he could have went home instead of going there so perhaps he was trying to get up the courage to help Jesus but failed. 

• John 18:17 Then saith the damsel that kept the door unto Peter, Art not thou also one of this man's disciples? He saith, I am not. 
• 18 And the servants and officers stood there, who had made a fire of coals; for it was cold: and they warmed themselves: and Peter stood with them, and warmed himself. 

He was badly unequally yoked with unbelievers. He was not there for the purpose of witnessing the gospel but to observe what would happen to Jesus without making Himself known as His follower. He tried to become one of the crowd.

• John 18:19 The high priest then asked Jesus of his disciples, and of his doctrine. 
• 20 Jesus answered him, I spake openly to the world; I ever taught in the synagogue, and in the temple, whither the Jews always resort; and in secret have I said nothing. 
• 21 Why askest thou me? ask them which heard me, what I have said unto them: behold, they know what I said. 

They knew the teachings of Jesus and what He stood for. They really didn't have to ask. 

• John 18:22 And when he had thus spoken, one of the officers which stood by struck Jesus with the palm of his hand, saying, Answerest thou the high priest so? 
• 23 Jesus answered him, If I have spoken evil, bear witness of the evil: but if well, why smitest thou me? 
• 24 Now Annas had sent him bound unto Caiaphas the high priest. 
• 25 And Simon Peter stood and warmed himself. They said therefore unto him, Art not thou also one of his disciples? He denied it, and said, I am not. 
• 26 One of the servants of the high priest, being his kinsman whose ear Peter cut off, saith, Did not I see thee in the garden with him? 
• 27 Peter then denied again: and immediately the cock crew. 

Imagine how Peter felt when that rooster crowed. What a feeling must have come over Him. He knew that he lacked something. The Peter before Pentecost was very different than the Peter after Pentecost. Even though he did later have a little trouble in the flesh and was rebuked by the apostle Paul, He still was more stable and steadfast after He was baptized in the Holy Spirit. 

Peter was forgiven his denial before men that would normally condemn him because he later went out and wept bitterly over this occurrence. 

• Matthew 10:32 Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven. 
• 33 But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven. 

This type of sin can be forgiven but we must repent. Peter not only repented but later preached and taught the gospel of Jesus publicly before thousands.  

• John 18:28 Then led they Jesus from Caiaphas unto the hall of judgment: and it was early; and they themselves went not into the judgment hall, lest they should be defiled; but that they might eat the passover.
• 29 Pilate then went out unto them, and said, What accusation bring ye against this man? 
• 30 They answered and said unto him, If he were not a malefactor, we would not have delivered him up unto thee. 
• 31 Then said Pilate unto them, Take ye him, and judge him according to your law. The Jews therefore said unto him, It is not lawful for us to put any man to death: 

If it was not lawful on a feast day to put someone to death, most probably it would not be lawful in any case. Since they could not put Him to death, He was to die the Roman way by crucifixion. A very cruel way to die. 

• John 18:32 That the saying of Jesus might be fulfilled, which he spake, signifying what death he should die. 
• 33 Then Pilate entered into the judgment hall again, and called Jesus, and said unto him, Art thou the King of the Jews? 
• 34 Jesus answered him, Sayest thou this thing of thyself, or did others tell it thee of me? 
• 35 Pilate answered, Am I a Jew? Thine own nation and the chief priests have delivered thee unto me: what hast thou done? 
• 36 Jesus answered, My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews: but now is my kingdom not from hence. 

His kingdom is not of this world. This must be understood to keep us from the error of the "Kingdom Now" or "Dominion" doctrine that teaches we are to set up the kingdom for Christ. We are never as a church to attempt to set up Christ's kingdom before He returns visibly. Only He can do that. As tempting as it may be to think that the Lord delays His coming so He must be waiting for us to set up a Christian theocracy, it has been tried and it has failed miserably.

I too am tired of abortion, crime, moral filth and other such things but legislating these things without people being born again by the spirit of God will not work. We can't make a Christian nation by forced conversions or legislation. It can only be done by the preaching of the gospel and individuals being born again by the spirit of God. Jesus did not command us to set up His literal kingdom that is to come, but to preach the kingdom which is the gospel of repenting of sin and believing in Jesus as savior from sin. We first enter the real kingdom which exists but is invisable to the eye. Jesus will return and set up the visable reign which will last forever.

Until the sin is forgiven and cleansed from the inner man, he or she will continue to sin and we can't force them to convert. We have no power to change their inner being. Only the Holy Spirit can transform a life from darkness to light. This of course does not mean that we neglect to have any sort of government or the rights of the innocent would be in jeopardy, but the moral conscience cannot be legislated.

Abortion though is murder so it should be outlawed but whether someone is a Baptist, a Pentecostal or a Catholic cannot be legislated because it is something that occurs between man and God. We can preach, teach, exhort and correct but we can't force one's religious beliefs upon anyone when we have no power to give them the Holy Spirit to help them not return to the filth they came out of.  We are to teach but God does the converting. 

• John 18:37 Pilate therefore said unto him, Art thou a king then? Jesus answered, Thou sayest that I am a king. To this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth. Every one that is of the truth heareth my voice. 

This king Jesus, must return before the kingdoms of this world become the literal kingdom of God. For now His kingdom is not of this world. 

• Luke 17:20 And when he was demanded of the Pharisees, when the kingdom of God should come, he answered them and said, The kingdom of God cometh not with observation: 
• 21 Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is within you.

It wasn't yet time for the kingdom they were looking for because the sin problem had to be dealt with first.

• John 18:38 Pilate saith unto him, What is truth? And when he had said this, he went out again unto the Jews, and saith unto them, I find in him no fault at all. 
• 39 But ye have a custom, that I should release unto you one at the passover: will ye therefore that I release unto you the King of the Jews? 
• 40 Then cried they all again, saying, Not this man, but Barabbas. Now Barabbas was a robber. 

They preferred a thief to be released rather than the Son of God. Do we love this present world more than the Son of God? Do we prefer to hold onto our sins like they did rather than repent and become a new person in Jesus Christ? The choice of life or death is before us. Which do we choose? DC