Jesus being captured
[John 18:1-14]
When Jesus was about to die, He prayed in Gethsemane. The place of prayer Jesus prayed before God (Lk. 22:41). As for the posture of prayer, Jesus knelt down and prayed with his face on the ground (Mt. 26:39; Mk. 14:35; Lk. 22:41). As for the content of the prayer, Jesus prayed, “But not as I will, but as you will” (Mk. 14:35-36). As for the fervor of prayer, Jesus prayed very fervently (Lk. 22:44). The patience of prayer is that Jesus prayed until Heavenly Father answered (Mt. 26:42, 44). As a result of prayer, after Jesus received an answer to His prayer, He boldly went out to face the evil crowds who came to arrest Him and His 11 disciples (Mt. 26:46). The Lord's amazing power (authority) appeared (Jn. 18:4-6). When Jesus asked the crowd, “Whom do you seek?” they answered, “Jesus of Nazareth.” At that time, Jesus said, “I am He” [“I am who I am” (Exodus 3:14)], and at that word, they withdrew and fell to the ground. Because Jesus is God, the crowd were overwhelmed by God's divine authority and drew back and fell to the ground (Jn. 18:6). When Jesus prayed according to God's will, other amazing works took place besides God's prayer (Note: Mt. 6:33; 1 Kgs. 3:13, 18:46; Eph. 3:20). God fulfilled the covenant (Jn. 18:8). Jesus said to the crowd, “let these (His disciples) go their way” (Jn. 18:8), so Jesus fulfilled the promise that those whom God the Father have given Him He lost no one (v. 9).
Jesus was arrested after praying in Gethsemane. Who came to arrest Jesus? There seems to be some difference between the accounts of Matthew, Mark, Luke (Synoptic Gospels), and John: (1) Synoptic Gospels: “a large crowd … , who came from the chief priests and elders of the people” (Mt. 26:47), “a crowd …, who were from the chief priests and the scribes and the elders” (Mk.14:43), “the chief priests and officers of the temple and elders who had come against Him” (Lk.22:52). Here, “officers of the temple” refer to the chiefs who guard the temple. Directly below the high priest is the officers of the temple. Then the elders. Matthew (26:47) and Mark (14:43) record that 'a large crowd sent out from the chief priests and elders ["the scribes" (Mk. 14:43)] came to arrest Jesus. The Gospel of Luke (22:52) records that the chief priests, the officers of the temple, and the elders personally came to arrest Jesus. These chief priests, the officers of the temple, and the elders represent the Jewish religion. (2) John: “the Roman cohort and officers from the chief priests and the Pharisees” (Jn. 18:13), “the Roman cohort and the commander and the officers of the Jews” (v. 12). Here, “the Roman cohort” refers to the Roman soldiers, and the “the commander” can be said to represent the Roman soldiers as a commander with 1,000 soldiers. What did they bring with them to arrest Jesus? There are some differences between the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John: (1) Synoptic Gospels: (1) “sword and club” (Mt. 26:47), “sword and clubs” (Mk. 14:43; Lk. 22:52). (2) John: “lanterns and torches and weapons” (Jn. 18:3). Who did they grab Jesus and drag him to? There are some differences between the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke (Synoptic Gospels), and the Gospels of John: (1) Synoptic Gospels: “Caiaphas, the high priest” (Mt.26:57; Mk.14:54; Lk.22:54). (2) John: First, He was taken to Annas, the father-in-law of Caiaphas, the high priest (Jn. 18:13). He was then brought to Caiaphas, the high priest (v. 15).
Jesus did not flee even though He could have fled when the great crowd came to arrest Him. Look at Matthew 26:53 – “Or do you think that I cannot appeal to My Father, and He will at once put at My disposal more than twelve legions of angels?” Jesus said to Peter, who drew his sword and cut off the ear of Malchus, the servant of the high priest (v. 51, Jn. 18:10), that He could have asked Heavenly Father to send more than twelve legions of angels, but He did not (Mt.26:53). Here, “legion” is a unit of the Roman army, and it is said that about 6,500-7,000 soldiers were the 1st legion. Then, the 12 legions of angels Jesus spoke of are about 78,000-84,000. The great crowd that came to arrest Jesus numbered about 3,000 [“the commander” (Jn. 18:12) was 1,000 Roman soldiers + about 1,500-2,000 high priests, officers of the temple, elders, and their subordinates. = 2,500-3,000 people]. If Jesus had asked Heavenly Father to send two more legions of angels, about 78,000-84,000 angels would not have been able to protect Jesus from the large crowd of about 2,500-3,000 people who came to arrest Jesus? Why did Jesus not get caught by the large crowd and was captured by them willingly, even though He could have fled? The reason is (1) Jesus prayed to fulfill God's will (Mt. 26:39, 42, 44; Mk. 14:36, 39, 41; Lk. 22:42) and (2) Jesus prayed to fulfill the word of God’s covenant (promise), and (3) Jesus did it to save us.
Therefore, we must be thankful that Jesus was caught. The reason is because Jesus was arrested, bound, led, interrogated, suffered, and died on the cross, so that we can be set free and saved. We must love the Lord with all our heart, soul, and mind and live according to the will of the Lord in order to please Him. I hope and pray that we can all make a decision to say, ‘I will live for the Lord.’