For This Purpose

Then they led Jesus from the house of Caiaphas to the governor's headquarters.  It was early morning. They themselves did not enter the governor's headquarters, so that they would not be defiled, but could eat the Passover. John 18:28

In Roman law, an accused person was innocent until proven guilty. John doesn’t give any detail about this meeting with Caiaphas. Obviously, the high priest didn’t know exactly how to deal with Jesus, so he sent Him on to Pilate, the governor of Judea. The time of day was about 5 a.m. and Jesus had already been through two interrogations by Jewish leaders.

This passage just drips with irony, regarding the hypocritical thinking of the religious leaders. The governor’s headquarters, also referred to as the Praetorium or hall of judgment, was a habitation of gentile soldiers; a military barracks. If a Jew entered the habitation of gentiles, he would be ceremonially unclean and could not celebrate the Passover. Therefore, they would not enter, even though their whole objective in being here was to assure the death penalty of a man who had committed no crime. They were plotting the death of the Lamb of God while keeping themselves “pure” for the celebration which represented His sacrifice for all mankind. Furthermore, they needed the verdict of the gentile rulers, whom they despised, to get that job done. They were not ashamed to plot murder, lie and manipulate the gentiles, but they must not defile themselves by entering the gentiles’ judgment hall. Evil motivation doesn’t have to make sense. Evil in the practice of religion seems to be normal procedure.

So Pilate went outside to them and said, “What accusation do you bring against this man?”  They answered him, “If this man were not doing evil, we would not have delivered him over to you.”  Pilate said to them,“Take him yourselves and judge him by your own law.” The Jews said to him, “It is not lawful for us to put anyone to death.” This was to fulfill the word that Jesus had spoken to show by what kind of death he was going to die. John 18:29-32

Pilate was accustomed to their pettiness, and he simply accommodated their hypocrisy by going out to them. He needed a charge, however, in order to prosecute. They didn’t have a legitimate charge, so they became defensive. “If he weren’t a criminal, we wouldn’t be bothering you with this!” “So,” Pilate said, “judge him yourselves.” Ah. Here we see their problem: “we don’t have the authority to put anyone to death.” They were not seeking justice. They were plotting murder by court action, and they needed a government official to pronounce the sentence.

So Pilate entered his headquarters again and called Jesus and said to him, “Are you the King of the Jews?” Jesus answered, “Do you say this of your own accord, or did others say it to you about me?” Pilate answered, “Am I a Jew? Your own nation and the chief priests have delivered you over to me. What have you done?” John 18:33-35

Well, this man had been brought to him for judgment, so Pilate was obligated to examine Him.  Would He claim to be the King of the Jews? Jesus redirected the issue, asking Pilate to state a reason for the question. “Is this of interest to you, or did someone tell you I’m the King? Have you actually considered who I am, governor, or are you just going through the motions? Think about it.”

Pilate’s boredom and irritation with this whole affair showed in his retort. “This has nothing to do with me or my belief! Your people have some reason for bringing you to me. What is the reason? What crime have you committed?”

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.” Pilate said to him, “What is truth?” John 18:36-38

Jesus emphasized that He had been turned over to the Jews. Jesus and Pilate both knew that the governor was just a tool to be used in this conspiracy. Pilate’s concern was political self-preservation. This might be a rival to Roman rule standing before him. Our Lord knew exactly what the issue was with this governor, and set Pilate’s mind at ease about that. “My kingdom is not about politics; not of human origin; not of the world system. My kingdom is not a threat to you or to Rome. If it were, I could not have been so easily taken.” Pilate pressed again about the kingship, now that Jesus had acknowledged it. Jesus’ answer: “You said it. This is my reason for being. I represent truth.”

“Everyone who is of the truth listens to my voice.”  There is our principle again, that those humans who had positive volition at God-consciousness recognize the truth in Jesus, and believe in Him. This is the case in every generation and in all circumstances of life. Those who are willing to believe will be given the truth, will believe the truth, and will be made free from the penalty of sin (John 7:17).

Pilate was frustrated, cynical and bored. He didn’t believe in the absolute. He wasn’t concerned with truth as a principle and had no concept of spiritual things. He did understand that this man posed no threat to himself or to Rome, so there was nothing to punish.

After he had said this (What is truth?), he went back outside to the Jews and told them, “I find no guilt in him. But you have a custom that I should release one man for you at the Passover. So do you want me to release to you the King of the Jews?” They cried out again, “Not this man, but Barabbas!” Now Barabbas was a robber. John 18:38-40

He thought there might be a way to defuse this situation: Let’s use your own Jewish custom to resolve this dilemma. I can release one man because of Passover. Shall I give back to you the King of the Jews?

There was another Jewish man in custody. He was a career criminal, an insurrectionist and a robber. His lifestyle was rebellion and hatred of Rome. His ambition was to see Roman rule overthrown. No, the Jews did not want their gracious King released to them.

“Not this man, but Barabbas!”

Denial

Simon Peter followed Jesus, and so did another disciple. Since that disciple was known to the high priest, he entered with Jesus into the courtyard of the high priest, but Peter stood outside at the door. So the other disciple, who was known to the high priest, went out and spoke to the servant girl who kept watch at the door, and brought Peter in. The servant girl at the door said to Peter, “You also are not one of this man's disciples, are you?” He said, “I am not.” Now the servants and officers had made a charcoal fire, because it was cold, and they were standing and warming themselves. Peter also was with them, standing and warming himself. John 18:15-18

After the shock of seeing Jesus arrested in the garden, Peter followed Jesus. John doesn’t mention the arresting officers or anyone else in the group, but Peter and he, John, were following their Lord Jesus, to see for themselves what would happen next. John also makes no mention of the other nine disciples, who apparently had scattered in the dark, after Jesus was taken. Each man has his own reaction to fear and stress. Peter and I will follow and watch.

John seems to have had acquaintance with the high priest, so he was allowed to walk right in with Jesus and His captors. Peter lurked outside, and John used his familiarity with the leadership to have Peter admitted into the courtyard. The girl keeping the door thought Peter might be one of Jesus’ disciples, but he denied it, and stood warming himself by the enemies’ fire.

Stunned, confused, afraid of what would be done with Jesus, and certainly not wanting to bring attention to himself, Peter hovered nearby and waited. He was not the boisterous loudmouth now, but the quiet observer, trying to be anonymous. It wasn’t easy.

The high priest then questioned Jesus about his disciples and his teaching. Jesus answered him, “I have spoken openly to the world. I have always taught in synagogues and in the temple, where all Jews come together. I have said nothing in secret. Why do you ask me? Ask those who have heard me what I said to them; they know what I said.”When he had said these things, one of the officers standing by struck Jesus with his hand, saying, “Is that how you answer the high priest?” Jesus answered him, “If what I said is wrong, bear witness about the wrong; but if what I said is right, why do you strike me?”  Annas then sent him bound to Caiaphas the high priest. John 18:19-24

The high priest (emeritus - Annas) had to start somewhere, so he proceeded to ask Jesus pertinent questions about His ministry, especially His doctrine. Jesus’ answer: bring witnesses. There are no secrets. I teach in public, where all the Jews could hear and have heard me. Ask them what I’ve taught. By now, everyone knew what Jesus taught. The Pharisees had watched His every move and had heard Him teach.The questions were just formality.

His words elicited a blow from an officer, for insubordination (they didn’t like the answer). Jesus observed that they may not like His answer, but could not deny the truth of what He had said. Annas had had enough and sent Him on to Caiaphas, the official high priest and his own son-in-law. Of course, we recognize this series of interviews as the inner workings of a “good ol’ boy” organization, and it had only just begun.

Now Simon Peter was standing and warming himself. So they said to him, “You also are not one of his disciples, are you?” He denied it and said, “I am not.”  One of the servants of the high priest, a relative of the man whose ear Peter had cut off, asked, “Did I not see you in the garden with him?” Peter again denied it, and at once a rooster crowed. John 18:25-27

Peter was still hovering by the fire, as Jesus was sent to His second interrogator. Someone else seemed to recognize him. “Aren’t you one of his disciples?” “I am not.” Another one, who had been in the garden when Malchus’ ear was cut off, insisted that he had seen Peter there. Peter denied it the third time, and then heard the rooster crow.

Jesus had warned Peter of this very incident in His farewell message to the eleven at supper (John 13:36-38), after Judas had been dismissed. It must have been painful for Jesus to tell Peter about this coming failure. We know it was devastating for Peter to realize what he had just done. Peter’s flaming, human zeal had driven him to cut off a man’s ear (probably meaning to behead him) in defense of his Master. Now the zeal had fizzled in response to enemy oppression, but the human viewpoint was still operating, in Peter’s instinct for self-preservation.

John was apparently not even questioned. He did a better job of blending in, I guess, without needing to give account for his presence there. As he mentioned, the high priest was familiar with him. For the servants to hone in on Peter and heckle him in such a way seems to indicate a dislike for him, and a desire to bring criminal charges against him, also. Simon Peter didn’t go unnoticed, ever, I suspect.

The other nine didn’t have to endure this ordeal, because they were not present, and no one seemed concerned about them. The Jewish religious leaders had their man, and would perform whatever illegal maneuvers necessary to put Him to death “for the benefit of the people.”

Peter and John were there. Whatever was to happen, they would witness, even if from a dark distance, and even in spite of Peter’s shameful lies. We know he meant it when he declared he would lay down his own life for Jesus. Jesus knew he meant it, too. Jesus also knew the weakness of the flesh, and the terrible self-delusion of the carnal mind, especially in fear. Peter had been proud and presumptive before, certain of what he would and would not do in a given situation.

Never again.

Betrayed!

When Jesus had spoken these words, he went out with his disciples across the brook Kidron, where there was a garden, which he and his disciples entered. John 18:1

The words our Lord had just spoken were the entire chapter of John 17; His high priestly prayer for His Father’s and His own glorification, for the protection and comfort of His apostles as they would continue without His presence in the world, and for the Church which was yet to be born, through the witness and leadership of those same apostles.

As the spiritual storm clouds gathered, Jesus knew the event He came to execute was very near. There was an important date with destiny just about to transpire. He chose to meet the enemy in familiar territory. The place was familiar to Him and to His disciples. All twelve of them.

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.  So he asked them again, “Whom do you seek?” And they said, “Jesus of Nazareth.” Jesus answered, “I told you that I am he. So, if you seek me, let these men go.” This was to fulfill the word that he had spoken: “Of those whom you gave me I have lost not one.” John 18:2-9

Judas was following through on the bargain he’d made with Jesus’ enemies. Our Lord didn’t hide away, but waited for the band of soldiers and temple officials in the place he’d often met with His disciples, knowing Judas would bring his conspirators there. Jesus was far better prepared for this meeting than the soldiers were. They came as if seeking a monstrous criminal, with torches and weapons. He met them with His gentle affirmation, “I AM.”  In these verses 4,6 and 8 the “he” is in italics, which means it was not included in the original text. His self-identification was simply “I AM.”  The self-identification of God. The eternal, self-existing one. The creator and sustainer of the universe. The posse clearly understood the meaning of His words. They understood, and were terrified.

Here I AM. I AM. Let the others go. He had not yet and would not lose any of those who believed in Him. The son of perdition never believed to begin with.

“Judas Iscariot never fell from grace, for he never had it, he was the ‘son of perdition,’ he was ‘a thief,’ he was ‘a devil,’ and the Scripture was fulfilled in his fall, for long ago it had been foretold. And the Lord Himself alludes to the fact, 

“I speak not of you all; I know whom I have chosen: but that the Scripture may be fulfilled, He that eateth bread with me hath lifted up his heel against me” (John 13:18)
- Marcus Rainsford – Our Lord Prays For His Own

Then Simon Peter, having a sword, drew it and struck the high priest's servant and cut off his right ear. (The servant's name was Malchus.)  So Jesus said to Peter, “Put your sword into its sheath; shall I not drink the cup that the Father has given me?” John 18:10-11

Who could be surprised at this reaction from boisterous Peter? (We can’t just let this happen. We must DO something!) Peter showed great zeal, as do many believers, but without solid spiritual knowledge. Jesus gently corrected the frustrated fisherman-warrior. This must come to pass. Now is not the time to resist. The Father has decreed My destiny, and I will accept it. Your human response is not appropriate for this occasion. Put away your weapon. Please notice Jesus did not tell Peter he shouldn’t have the weapon, just that this is not the time to use it.

So the band of soldiers and their captain and the officers of the Jews arrested Jesus and bound him. First they led him to Annas, for he was the father-in-law of Caiaphas, who was high priest that year. It was Caiaphas who had advised the Jews that it would be expedient that one man should die for the people. John 18:12-14

Our Lord stood calmly and allowed Himself to be bound, as an offering for sacrifice, then led as a lamb to slaughter (Isaiah 53) to the political boss Annas.  John reminds us that Annas’ son-in-law Caiaphas, the high priest, was the person who declared that Jesus’ death would be suitable to achieve the desired end for the Jews. 

The nightmare had begun. The next few hours would be worse for the disciples of Jesus than anything they could have ever imagined, in their time with Him before. What they were about to witness and endure would affect every decision they would make and every action they would take for the rest of their earthly lives. The instructions and words of comfort Jesus had spoken to them over the last day and night would come back to them, but later and in segments, as they collected their wits about them and waited for the fulfillment of His promises.

But this night, as frightened children, they were simply confused and undone.                            

I Have Given Them Your Word

Jesus spoke these things; and lifting up His eyes to heaven, He said, “Father, the hour has come; glorify Your Son, that the Son may glorify You, even as You gave Him authority over all flesh, that to all whom You have given Him, He may give eternal life.  This is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent. I glorified You on the earth, having accomplished the work which You have given Me to do.  Now, Father, glorify Me together with Yourself, with the glory which I had with You before the world was. John 17:1-5

“These things” spoken by Jesus were the instructions and promises, given over the past 24 hours to his disciples; chapters 13-16 of John’s gospel. It has been a crash course in Church age doctrine, before the Church was actually born. These eleven men were the nucleus of that Church-to-be. Jesus spoke this prayer in their hearing, apparently to be included in the words of faith and assurance they would store in their souls for the coming transitional period, and for the rest of their lives.

Looking up, as if into the face of the Father, he acknowledged that His final hour had come. This final period of earthly incarnation would be characterized by intense physical, spiritual and emotional agony, but in this moment those things were not foremost in His mind. He was eagerly looking forward to His own glorification, and the resulting glorification of the Father through His work. The Father had authorized the Son to do this work, and to make the work known to all humanity. Those who belong to Jesus have been given to Him by the Father, and the Son has given them eternal life.

Eternal life means knowing the only true God (Father) and Jesus Christ (Son) whom He has sent. Jesus referred to Himself here in verse 3 by His full title: Jesus (Savior) Christ (Messiah, anointed one), making clear again that there is only one way of salvation and He is it.

In these words to the Father on that night, Jesus seems to have already spiritually and mentally departed from the earth. He spoke of His assigned work having been accomplished. In the eternal realm, we know it was. His public ministry was over. He saw the work as done, and His Father and Himself as glorified. He saw Himself as already back in the eternal state He had left to come and purchase our salvation. The upcoming hours of agony were apparently just details that He would deal with as they arrived. In His mind, it was a completed fact. He was feeling close to home; close to the glory He shared with the Father “before the world was.”

God the Son came to be the propitiation for our sins; the only possible sacrifice acceptable to the Father. In these opening words of this prayer, He anticipated the completion of that work and the total acceptance by the Father of that perfect sacrifice. This was a precious comfort to Him in these final hours. It would be over soon.

“Father, I’m coming home.”

I have manifested Your name to the men whom You gave Me out of the world; they were Yours and You gave them to Me, and they have kept Your word. Now they have come to know that everything You have given Me is from You;  for the words which You gave Me I have given to them; and they received them and truly understood that I came forth from You, and they believed that You sent Me. I ask on their behalf; I do not ask on behalf of the world, but of those whom You have given Me; for they are Yours;  and all things that are Mine are Yours, and Yours are Mine; and I have been glorified in them.  I am no longer in the world; and yet they themselves are in the world, and I come to You. Holy Father, keep them in Your name, the name which You have given Me, that they may be one even as We are. While I was with them, I was keeping them in Your name which You have given Me; and I guarded them and not one of them perished but the son of perdition, so that the Scripture would be fulfilled.

But now I come to You; and these things I speak in the world so that they may have My joy made full in themselves. I have given them Your word; and the world has hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.  I do not ask You to take them out of the world, but to keep them from the evil one. They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. Sanctify them in the truth; Your word is truth.  As You sent Me into the world, I also have sent them into the world. For their sakes I sanctify Myself, that they themselves also may be sanctified in truth. John 17:6-19

Continuing His prayer to the Father, in the hearing of His disciples, Jesus now began to make specific intercession for them.

 “I have manifested Your name to them” by teaching them Who and What God is, and about His perfect plan of grace, revealed in His Son. He had taught them to recognize their distinct identification with the Father, through Himself. “

“they were Yours” God knew from eternity past which humans would be willing to believe in Him and be part of His kingdom and His Church (positive volition at God-consciousness). These are the ones who were ready to believe in Jesus when He began His earthly mission (positive volition at gospel hearing). They belonged first to the Father, and He gave them to His Son. These common men had been sincere believers in God as they understood Him, so when the Son actually showed them the reality of God, they accepted the truth from Him. Their lives demonstrated a pattern of commitment to the truth.

“they have kept  (Greek: tereo—guarded carefully, held fast, cherished) Your Word." This is the key to knowing and understanding God. He reveals Himself through His perfect word of truth. Communication of doctrine. Jesus is the Word incarnate. Every Word of God is embodied IN HIM. Our understanding of  and response to that Word determines our own level of spiritual maturity. Emotions cannot think. Our faith depends on keeping God’s Word. Our testimony is the sharing of it.

“the world” (kosmos) is Satan’s domain. Jesus came to redeem His people out of the world. His prayer was for His people, that their faith would be sustained through the remainder of the time they would have to be in the world. In verse 11, we see again that Jesus considered His work complete and Himself already gone from the world and back into His eternal glory. “I’m detached from the kosmos, but these men will have to remain here a while. Please, since they wear Your name and belong to Me, protect them from the evils of the kosmos, as I have done up to now.”  The only one lost was Judas, the “son of perdition” (Greek: apoleia—damnation, destruction, ruin). He, too, was known from all eternity for exactly who he was: Satan’s tool; evil traitor. Sinister component of prophecy.

Jesus was “sensing” home. He couldn’t ask for the removal of His disciples from the world, because they had important work to do in the world, which hated them.  They would surely be harassed by Satan at every turn, if not for God’s gracious guardianship of their lives. Jesus spoke these things in the world, and in their hearing, so that they would have that assuring memory in the days ahead. It would be a joy and comfort to them as they faced the battlefield of the angelic conflict.

“sanctify” means to be set apart for a specific purpose. In this case, the purpose is to do the work of God. Jesus was set apart as the Messiah, the Savior of fallen humanity. He received the chosen ones from His Father and set them apart to continue His work of telling the good news of salvation and growing His Church. He is in the Father, the Father is in Him and we are in Him and in the Father. Those disciples were, and we are, as He is in the world. They were, and we are IN HIM for all eternity, which makes us aliens here, on a mission of mercy.

They were, and we are, sanctified by truth: the Word of God. That Word in our souls is what makes us different from the world. The Word separates. We are separated; set apart; sanctified unto HIM.

“I do not ask on behalf of these alone, but for those also who believe in Me through their word;  that they may all be one; even as You, Father, are in Me and I in You, that they also may be in Us, so that the world may believe that You sent Me.

The glory which You have given Me I have given to them, that they may be one, just as We are one; I in them and You in Me, that they may be perfected in unity, so that the world may know that You sent Me, and loved them, even as You have loved Me. Father, I desire that they also, whom You have given Me, be with Me where I am, so that they may see My glory which You have given Me, for You loved Me before the foundation of the world.

“O righteous Father, although the world has not known You, yet I have known You; and these have known that You sent Me;  and I have made Your name known to them, and will make it known, so that the love with which You loved Me may be in them, and I in them.” John 17:20-26

Jesus had prayed for His own return to glory, reporting to the Father that He had given His disciples “the words which You have given to Me.” Our Lord's emphasis throughout this prayer was on God's Word. The Father gave it to the Son and the Son imparted it to those men who were given to Him out of the world.  His Word is the basis of our faith. Holding fast to His Word is our security in the devil’s world. That was Jesus’ highest commendation of His people: “they have received the words which You gave Me.” The highest commendation for Himself: “I have given them the words which You gave Me."

There is nothing more important than the Word of God. Without the Word, we are free-falling in a world of confusion. No standards, no authority. Disoriented. Every man for himself. Jesus always quoted and honored the written Word in His teaching. In His time with the disciples, the words He spoke were of primary importance. The miracles performed called attention to His power, but His Words were the life-giving force of His ministry. If what we see, feel and experience conflicts with the Word of God, what we see, feel and experience is wrong. God's Word is more reliable than anything the world offers.

John 5:24 “Truly, truly, I say to you, he who hears My word, and believes Him who sent Me, has eternal life, and does not come into judgment, but has passed out of death into life.” 

John 14:23-24: Jesus answered and said to him, “If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our abode with him. He who does not love Me does not keep My words; and the word which you hear is not Mine, but the Father’s who sent Me.”

Jesus didn’t pray for the world, because He had made atonement for the world. If His atonement is rejected, there is no more sacrifice for sins. Those who receive and believe His Word, however, are His own, and He prayed for their protection in hostile territory.

In verse 20, we find His prayer for us. We modern believers are those who believe in Jesus through the word of His disciples. They knew Him personally, believed totally in His Word and His work. They continued to believe and honor Him for the rest of their persecuted lives. They faithfully recorded His words and the words later given to them by the Holy Spirit (the New Testament). That written Word, read and studied with reverence and a willingness to understand, does the same thing in modern man that Jesus’ spoken words did for the early disciples. It transforms the person studying and believing it. We become Body of Christ. We are one with Him and with the Father. We are one with all other believers in the Lord Jesus Christ. The supernatural bond of the Church universal is evidence in the world that Jesus is Who He says He is, and that the Father sent Him. He loves us as the Father loves Him—eternally and completely. His desire is that we be with Him, and He has prepared the way for that reality. We, lowly creatures that we are, actually glorify Him.

Our weakness displays His strength more than angelic might can do. Our poverty displays His fullness more than the riches of heaven. The praises of the redeemed; the grateful love of His pardoned people for the complete covering of our sins….these things manifested in us who are saved by faith in His finished work…these are the things that glorify Him.

Jesus became human in order to redeem humanity. God decreed it so, and He chose to communicate His eternal truth through human language, delivered by men to men in every dispensation.

It was revealed to them (the Old Testament Prophets) that they were not serving themselves but you, when they spoke of the things that have now been told you by those who have preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven. Even angels long to look into these things. I Peter 1:12

The steadfast faith we have in God’s Word is what gives us life and separates us from the kosmos. We who love our Lord will keep His Word, and it will guard our souls. That’s Jesus’ commendation of us to the Father, and it is Jesus’ promise to us.