Read John 18:1-11
"Jesus therefore, knowing all things that should come upon Him, went forth…." John 18:4
Jesus, after He had taught and comforted His
disciples and then prayed for them, went forth over the Brook Kidron to the Garden of Gethsemane where He prayed to His
Father in agony over the cup of suffering for the sins of the world which He
was about to bear, saying: "Father, if Thou be willing, remove this cup
from Me: nevertheless not My will, but Thine, be
done" (Luke 22:42; cf. 22:39ff.). Judas knew the place because Jesus
often met there with His disciples; so Judas came, bringing with him a band of
soldiers and officers from the chief priests and Pharisees, with lanterns and
torches and weapons, to arrest Jesus. What did Jesus do? He knew what would
happen to Him. He knew He would be arrested, tried, mistreated, and crucified. Yet
the Scriptures tell us: "Jesus therefore, knowing all things that
should come upon Him, went forth, and said unto them, Whom
seek ye?" (v. 4). And when they told Him that
they were seeking Jesus of Nazareth, He did not hide His identity, but said, "I
am He" (v. 5). [Literally, Jesus said, "I am."] When
Jesus said this, they drew back and fell to the ground (v. 6). When Jesus again
asked them who they were seeking, He told them that He was the one they were
looking for and asked them to let His disciples go. When Peter drew his sword
and cut off the ear of the high priest's servant, Jesus said to Peter: "Put
up thy sword into the sheath: the cup which My Father hath given Me, shall I not drink it?" (v.
11). Luke tells us that Jesus touched this man's ear and healed him (
The point we should certainly here see is that Jesus willingly obeyed the Father and went the way to the cross to redeem us. Jesus went forth to meet those who sought to arrest Him. Though His enemies and their soldiers had no power over the almighty Son of God and fell backward to the ground at His presence, yet He permitted them to take Him. Though Peter was ready to fight for Jesus, Jesus told Peter to put away his sword, telling him that He could call for more than 12 legions of angels, but to do so would not fulfill the Scriptures which told of the Messiah's sufferings and death for the sins of the world-and also of His glorious resurrection-(cf. Isaiah 53 & Psalm 22). Jesus Christ, "being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: but made Himself of no reputation, and took upon Him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: and being found in fashion as a man, He humbled Himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross" (Philippians 2:6-8).
Why? That He might redeem you and me! That He might suffer and die for our sins and win for us forgiveness and life everlasting! "God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto Himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them…For He hath made Him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him" (2 Corinthians 5:19, 21).
Dear Lord Jesus Christ, we thank You for willingly going forth to suffer and die for our sins and redeem us unto God. Graciously grant us faith to trust in You for forgiveness, life, and eternal salvation. Amen.