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18
They seized Jesus in a grove of olive trees.
John 18:1-11
1 After Jesus finished praying, he went across the Kidron Brook, along with us disciples, to a grove of olive trees.
2 Judas, who was about to enable Jesus’ enemies to seize him, knew that he would probably be there. He knew that because Jesus often gathered there with us. 3 So Judas came to that grove. He was leading a troop of Roman soldiers and some Temple guards who had been sent by the Pharisees and chief priests. They were carrying torches and lamps and weapons. 4 Jesus knew everything that was about to happen to him. So as they approached, he stepped forward and asked them, “Who are you looking for?” 5 They replied to him, “Jesus, the man from Nazareth.” He replied, “That is who I am.” Judas, the one who was enabling his enemies to seize him, was with them. 6 When Jesus told them, “That is who I am,” they lurched backward and fell down on the ground because of his power. 7 He asked them again, “Who are you looking for?” They said, “Jesus, the man from Nazareth.” 8 Jesus replied, “I told you that I am Jesus. So since I am the one you are looking for, allow these disciples of mine to go.” 9 This happened in order that when they did what he asked them to do, the words would be fulfilled that he had prayed, “I will never lose any of those whom God has brought to me.”
10 Simon Peter had a long dagger. So he drew it and tried to kill the high priest’s servant, but he only cut off the man’s right ear. The servant’s name was Malchus. 11 Jesus said to Peter, “Put your sword back into its sheath! ◄I must endure what my Father wants me to suffer./Do you not think that I must endure what my Father wants me to suffer?► [MET, RHQ]”
They took Jesus to be questioned by Annas, the former high priest.
John 18:12-14
12 Then the troop of soldiers, along with their commander and the Jewish Temple guards, seized Jesus. They tied his hands behind his back. 13 Then they took him first to Annas, who was previously the high priest. He was the father-in-law of Caiaphas. Caiaphas was the high priest that year. 14 Caiaphas was the one who previously advised the Jewish Council that it would be better if one man died for the sake of the people than for all the people of the Jewish nation to die.
Peter denied that he was Jesus’ disciple.
John 18:15-18
15 Simon Peter and I were following Jesus. Because the high priest knew me, his doorkeeper permitted me to enter the courtyard. 16 But Peter had to wait outside near the doorway. However, since I knew the high priest, I went back to the doorway and spoke to the girl who was guarding the entrance. Then she allowed Peter to come in. 17 The servant girl who was guarding the doorway said to Peter, “Surely you are not another disciple of that man they have arrested, are you?” He said, “I am not.” 18 It was cold, so the high priest’s slaves and Temple guards made a charcoal fire and were standing around it to keep warm. Peter was also standing near it, warming himself.
The High Priest questioned Jesus.
John 18:19-24
19 While Peter was doing that, the high priest asked Jesus about his disciples and about what he was teaching people. 20 Jesus replied, “I have always spoken where many people [MTY, HYP] could hear me. I have taught them in ◄the synagogues/their meeting places► and in the Temple courtyard, in places where many [HYP] Jews come together. I have spoken nothing secretly. 21 So ◄why are you asking me questions like this illegally?/you should not be asking me questions like this illegally!► [RHQ] Ask the people who heard what I taught! They certainly know what I said!” 22 After Jesus said that, one of the Temple guards standing near him slapped him on his face. He said, “◄That is not the way you should answer the high priest!/Is that the way you should answer the high priest?► [RHQ]” 23 Jesus replied to him, “If I said something that was contrary to your laws, you could tell me that what I said that was wrong. But because I said only what was right, ◄you should not be striking me!/why are you striking me?► [RHQ]” 24 Then after Jesus’ hands were tied {after they tied Jesus hands} again, Annas sent him to Caiaphas, the high priest.
Peter denied two more times that he knew Jesus.
John 18:25-27
25 As Simon Peter was standing warming himself at the fire, someone else said to him, “You are not one of that man’s disciples, are you?” He denied that he was, and said, “I am not.” 26 Later one of the high priest’s servants, a man who was a relative of the man whose ear Peter had cut off before, said to him, “I saw you with that man in the grove of olive trees, did I not?” 27 Peter again denied it. Immediately a rooster crowed, as Jesus had said would happen.
Pilate the governor questioned Jesus.
John 18:28-40
28 Then the Jewish leaders [SYN] led Jesus from the home of Caiaphas to the headquarters of Pilate, the Roman governor. It was before dawn. Pilate was a non-Jew, and they thought that if they entered his headquarters, they would become unacceptable to God {God would reject them}, and as a result they would not be able to eat the food during the Passover celebration. Because of that, they did not want to enter Pilate’s headquarters. 29 So Pilate came out to talk to them. He said, “What law do you say that this man has disobeyed?” 30 They knew that Jesus had not disobeyed any Roman law, so they did not want to answer him. Instead, they said, “If this man were not a criminal, we would not have brought him to you!” 31 Then Pilate said to them, “Take him yourselves, and judge him according to your own laws!” Then the Jewish leaders [SYN] said, “No! We want him executed, but we want you Romans to execute him, because we Jews have no right to execute anyone!” 32 The Romans executed people by nailing them to a cross. So, as a result of what the Jewish leaders said, it was fulfilled {the Romans would fulfill} what Jesus had said previously about the way he was going to die.
33 Pilate then went back inside his headquarters. He summoned Jesus. Because the Jewish leaders had said that Jesus claimed to be a king, Pilate said to Jesus scornfully, “Are you the king of the Jews?” 34 Jesus replied, “Are you asking that because you yourself want to know if I claim to be a king, or because ◄someone else/Caiaphas► said that I claim to be their king?” 35 Pilate replied, “I am not a Jew, so ◄I cannot understand these matters!/how can I understand these matters?► [RHQ] It was your fellow Jews and your chief priests who brought you to me! What have you done to make them want to execute you?” 36 Jesus replied, “It is not people in [MTY] this world who are making me king. If it was people in this world who were making me a king, my disciples would have fought in order that the Jewish leaders [SYN] would be prevented {to prevent the Jewish leaders [SYN]} from seizing me. But it is not someone here in this world who is making me a king.” 37 Then Pilate said to him, “So are you saying that you are a king?” Jesus replied, “Yes, what you have said about my being a king is correct. I was born to become a king, and I came into this world to tell people the truth about God. Everyone who believes the truth pays attention to what I say.” 38 Pilate said to him, “How can anyone know what the truth is?”
After he said that, he went outside and talked to the Jewish leaders [SYN] again. He said to them, “I do not find that he has done anything at all for which I should punish him. 39 But you Jews customarily, every year during the Passover celebration, ask me to release for you someone who is in prison. So would you like for me to release for you the man who you Jews say is your king?” 40 They shouted again, “No, do not release this man! Instead, release Barrabas!” But Barrabas was in prison because he was a revolutionist!

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© 2008-2017 Ellis W. Deibler, Jr.