Who is this Jesus? [Part 7]

The entire account in John has been drawing toward this point of crisis. This is the time at which all of God’s purposes will be accomplished. The disciples and Jesus are in the Garden. Judas the betrayer shows the enemies of Christ the place they often went in the evening. This brings us to the account of Jesus’ betrayal into the hands of his enemies, his trial, and his crucifixion.

Jesus is the Willing Sacrifice.

John 18:1-8 When Jesus had spoken these words, he went out with his disciples across the Kidron Valley, where there was a garden, which he and his disciples entered. Now Judas, who betrayed him, also knew the place, for Jesus often met there with his disciples. So Judas, having procured a band of soldiers and some officers from the chief priests and the Pharisees, went there with lanterns and torches and weapons. Then Jesus, knowing all that would happen to him, came forward and said to them, “Whom do you seek?” They answered him, “Jesus of Nazareth.” Jesus said to them, “I am he.” Judas, who betrayed him, was standing with them. When Jesus said to them, “I am he,” they drew back and fell to the ground. Jesus answered, “I told you that I am he. So, if you seek me, let these men go.”

According to the Latin Vulgate an armed cohort came to arrest Jesus. The more familiar term cohort is a Roman military term for the Greek military term used in this text speira. This is between 256 to 480 men, plus officers. They came with overwhelming force in order to prevent any opposition. When Jesus uttered the words I AM those who came to take him backed away and fell down to the ground. Think how this must have impacted these soldiers. They had the numbers, but Jesus had the power! The authority and power of Jesus was such that they could not stand before him.

We have mentioned all through this study the implications of the emphatic phrase I AM. We have shown that it was used in the Greek Old Testament to identify God. The Judean party understood that it was a statement indicating Deity and sought to stone Jesus on more than one occasion. By the eleventh chapter of John they had determined to destroy Jesus because of his use of this Divine self-identification and because of the powerful proof of this claim when he raised Lazarus from the dead. Here, a military detachment with orders to take him fell back to the ground because of Jesus’ use of the divine words of identification—I AM. They could not take him by force. He went with them willingly because this is what was necessary for him to finish his work of redemption.

Jesus himself indicates that he willingly accepts the coming suffering and death when he refuses to allow Peter to resist the soldiers. John 18:6, 11 When Jesus said to them, “I am he,” they drew back and fell to the ground . . . So Jesus said to Peter, “Put your sword into its sheath; shall I not drink the cup that the Father has given me?” The cup Jesus is given to drink is his coming suffering and death, by which he bears the penalty of our sins upon himself.

Jesus had said earlier in John that he would give his life of his own accord. John 10:17-18 “For this reason the Father loves me, because I lay down my life that I may take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. This charge I have received from my Father.” Jesus also said in these verses that he would take his life up again. The resurrection is the proof of the validity and efficacy of Christ’s sacrifice.

The writer of the letter to the Hebrews talks of this willing sacrifice by which Jesus has perfected for all time those who are saved. Hebrews 10:5-7, 14 Consequently, when Christ came into the world, he said, “Sacrifices and offerings you have not desired, but a body have you prepared for me; in burnt offerings and sin offerings you have taken no pleasure. Then I said, ‘Behold, I have come to do your will, O God, as it is written of me in the scroll of the book.’” . . . For by a single offering he has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified. Jesus willingly gave himself for you and me. He took on our sins, our death, and our punishment, that we might have forgiveness, life, and salvation. Everything that God requires is accomplished in Jesus’ sinless life and his willing, atoning sacrifice.

Jesus is the King.

The power, authority, and royal dignity of Christ caused the soldiers to fall back. However, in submitting to their desire to take him, Jesus cloaks himself in humility and willingly suffers a criminal’s death. Paul writes, Philippians 2:8 And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. His Royal Glory is hidden in the Passion. Even so he has a crown and a throne. What is Jesus crown? What is Jesus throne?

Jesus says to Pilate that he is King. John 18:36-37 Jesus answered, “My kingdom is not of this world. If my kingdom were of this world, my servants would have been fighting, that I might not be delivered over to the Jews. But my kingdom is not from the world.” Then Pilate said to him, “So you are a king?” Jesus answered, “You say that I am a king. For this purpose I was born and for this purpose I have come into the world—to bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth listens to my voice.”

The soldiers mock his royal person and beat him. What King ever put up with such abuse so humbly? They place upon him a royal garment that then becomes stained with his blood and a crown of thorns pressed into his head. His head is not anointed with oil but with his own blood. John 19:2-3 And the soldiers twisted together a crown of thorns and put it on his head and arrayed him in a purple robe. They came up to him, saying, “Hail, King of the Jews!” and struck him with their hands.

So Jesus is handed over to sinners who nail hands that had blessed and healed many people to a crossbeam. He is hoisted up between heaven and earth, naked for all to see. His placard declared his name and his title. His retinue is two condemned criminals. What a throne God has chosen for himself!

John 19:16-19 So he delivered him over to them to be crucified. So they took Jesus, and he went out, bearing his own cross, to the place called The Place of a Skull, which in Aramaic is called Golgotha. There they crucified him, and with him two others, one on either side, and Jesus between them. Pilate also wrote an inscription and put it on the cross. It read, “Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews.”

How do I know that what Jesus endured has any value at all? First, Jesus himself said that the job was finished. John 19:30 When Jesus had received the sour wine, he said, “It is finished,” and he bowed his head and gave up his spirit. Second, as we shall see in the following verses, Jesus rose from the dead. Third, fifty days after the resurrection, Jesus confirmed that he had ascended to God and that the sacrifice was accepted. The promise was that when he went to the Father he would send the Holy Spirit upon his believers. This indeed happened as promised. John 15:26 “But when the Helper comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth, who proceeds from the Father, he will bear witness about me.” Peter proclaimed the same in Acts 2:32-36 “This Jesus God raised up, and of that we all are witnesses. Being therefore exalted at the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, he has poured out this that you yourselves are seeing and hearing . . . Let all the house of Israel therefore know for certain that God has made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified.”

Jesus is Lord and God!

We have just noted that Peter says that Jesus is Lord and Christ. The term Lord, Kurios, is equivalent to the Hebrew term used in the Old Testament for Yahweh, Adonay. Christ is the Anointed One. In order to leave no doubt about what he has been writing concerning Jesus Christ, God’s Son, Savior, John records the testimony of one who doubted and did not truly believe that Jesus had risen from the dead. What does a skeptic say about Jesus? Remember they had seen Jesus taken and crucified. At first most of the disciples thought that those who had first seen him raised from the dead were hysterical and were not reliable witnesses. Then Jesus appeared to everyone except for Thomas who was absent. When Thomas came back to the group, he still could not believe it. Then, eight days after the resurrection and his appearance to the other disciples, Jesus appeared to Thomas and the disciples again. He pointedly offered the very proof that Thomas himself had previously demanded to see for himself before he would believe.

Thomas' declaration about Jesus, John 20:26-29 Eight days later, his disciples were inside again, and Thomas was with them. Although the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you.” Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here, and see my hands; and put out your hand, and place it in my side. Do not disbelieve, but believe.” Thomas answered him, “My Lord and my God!” Jesus said to him, “Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”

Notice that at this time the disciples were all hiding because they were afraid. A fourth reason to believe that the resurrection really happened is the change from cowards to fearless witnesses that takes place in the disciples’ lives. All of the Apostles would die willingly as martyrs with the exception of John who was tortured and exiled but lived to an old age. Thomas himself went east to India and died there as a martyr.

We have come to the end of this brief study. Many other things could be said. John 20:30-31 Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.

Ultimately, faith comes from God as a gift. It is his Spirit who creates it in a person who hears the Gospel. If you believe what the Word says, that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, Savior for you, then you have life in his name. I pray that this is true of each person who might happen to read these lessons. Amen.