John 18

Introduction

• The Johannine Passion Narrative (JPN; John 18-19) is the most intricate of the four passion narratives, both in theological symbolism and literary terminology.
• The JPN is held together by an inclusio, a literary device that builds a frame around similar material. It is also called an “envelope structure.”
  a. 18:1—Jesus goes to pray in a garden and is eventually arrested.
  b. 19:41—Jesus will be buried in a garden tomb.

John 18:1-14

• 18:1—The stream in the Kidron Valley was dry except during the rainy season.
• 18:2—Judas was familiar with the Garden because Jesus often prayed there with His disciples. Where is your secret place to meet with Jesus?
• 18:3—It appears that Judas is guiding two groups:
  a. Temple police who were sent to arrest Jesus.
  b. Roman soldiers who were sent for riot control. A “detachment” was around 600 men, although it is unlikely that all of them came.
• 18:4—Jesus is not caught off guard, whether He knows the final act or not (Morris, p. 658).
• 18:5; cf., Exodus 3:16—Jesus says, “I am he,” to identify Himself. Is a double-meaning here?
  a. 18:6—The soldiers, both Jewish and Roman, are amazed at the statement.
  b. 18:8-9; cf., 6:39, 10:11—Jesus, confronting armed soldiers, asks that the disciples be released, just as a good shepherd would do when trying to protect his flock.
• 18:10—Peter seeks to stop Jesus’ arrest. While his actions are rash, Peter is certainly not a coward.
• 18:11 and 36—Some use this as supporting pacifism.
• 18:12—Annas was high priest from AD 6-15.
  a. Luke 3:2—Caiaphas (AD 18-36) was Annas’ son-in-law, and it appears that they ruled together.
  b. John 18:14; cf., 11:49-52—Caiaphas said that it was better “to have one man die for the people.”

John 18:15-27

• 18:15—Who is this disciple?
  a. He was someone known to the high priest.
  b. Floyd Filson says that this is another reference to Lazarus because he was influential and loved by Jesus.
• 18:17—Peter’ first denial was only a short time after cutting an ear off.
  a. Jesus will confess three times and Peter will deny being a disciple three times.
  b. 18:18—Peter is standing with the same crowd that arrested Jesus.
  c. 18:5—This is the same crowd that Judas guided.
• 18:19-24—Jesus is questioned by Annas.
  a. 18:23—Jesus says, “Produce witnesses!”
  b. Deuteronomy 13:1-10—God forbade Israel from listening to those who would teach in secret.
• 18:25-27—Peter’s second and third denials.
  a. 18:25—He is still with the crowd that arrested Jesus.
  b. 18:27—With the crowing of the rooster, Peter’s world falls apart; he is now lost and without direction.
  c. We most often deny or fail Jesus when we follow at a distance or get caught up in being “comfortable.”

John 18:28-32

• 18:28-32—Jesus’ trial before Pilate.
  a. 18:28a—Romans went to work around 6 a.m.
  b. 18:28b—What is inconsistent about the religious leaders’ concern about entering Pilate’s palace and their present course of action?
  i. The irony is that the Jewish leaders have already performed an illegal trial.
  ii. Where do we see this in our own lives?
  c. If Jesus is to be lifted up, it will be by Roman hands.
  d. How do we answer the charges of John being anti-Semitic? He has gone to great lengths to distinguish between the religious leaders and the crowds.

John 18:33-40

• 18:33-38a—Dodd says that neither one of these people wants to be here (p. 427).
  a. Pilate knows that Rome has made special concessions with the Jews and he wants to avoid any theological (or political) debates.
  b. 18:36—Did Jesus intend on establishing an earthly kingdom? What does this mean to our understanding of how the Church functions and is to function?
  c. 18:38a—Pilate’s only encounter with the Truth is standing before him and he dismisses Him. Pilate says he lives in an expedient world where he has no time for this discussion.
• 18:38b-40—Pilate releases Barabbas, a “bandit.”
  a. 18:39; cf., Mark 15:6—This appears to be a custom of Pilate’s alone (Morris, p. 683).
  b. Barabbas means “son of Abba (or, “son of the father”). Is there any irony in this?
  c. 10:8—The people choose a false shepherd.
  d. 18:38b—Brown says that John lessens Rome’s guilt, although it appears worse because it is Rome that ultimately dismisses Jesus (1970, p. 871-872).
  e. The world is on trial because Rome and the Jewish leaders wind up in bed together.

References

Raymond Brown, The Gospel According to John XIII-XXI, Anchor Bible 29a (Garden City, NY: Doubleday, 1970).

C. H. Dodd, The Interpretation of the Fourth Gospel (Cambridge, England: Cambridge University Press, 1953).

Leon Morris, The Gospel According to John, rev. ed., New International Commentary on the New Testament 4 (Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 1995).