Reader’s Guide: “The Word for Today” Monday, March 31, 2014 Read John 18:1-11 We have already dealt somewhat with the story of Jesus in the garden at the foot of the Mount of Olives. As we noted before, John omits any mention of a prayer by Jesus in the garden – though as we noted John does mention Jesus asking his disciples, “Am I not to drink the cup that the Father has given me?” It appears perhaps John was aware of the prayer after all. The main reason why John would omit such a pray is that he has portrayed Jesus is fully in charge of his own destiny and fully aware of that destiny from the very beginning. Jesus is fully in control in John’s gospel. To have portrayed Jesus as agonizing over his destiny would have violated the picture John has been painting. It may be significant that John tells his readers that the soldiers who come to arrest Jesus needed to bring lanterns and torches – they are, after all, part of the darkness. John’s symbolism is a fascinating part of his story. The actual arrest of Jesus is peculiar to John. When the arresting soldiers arrive Jesus asks them who they are looking for. They tell him, “Jesus of Nazareth.” Our English translation of Jesus’ response distorts the power of his response. Jesus responds by saying, “I am.” The “he” inserted in our English translation is not present in the Greek. The “he” is there to provide for convenience of reading. Jesus response is nothing less than a claim that God is present. “I am” as we have noted many times is the divine name in the OT and Jesus has appropriated it for himself. The response of those who were about to arrest Jesus is the only appropriate response to “I am!” John tells us that those who came to arrest Jesus fall to the ground on their faces in worship. That is how one responds to God. It is as if they know that Jesus is God in human flesh. Of course they really do not know that but John has not missed an opportunity to display to his readers who Jesus really is. The whole scene puts Jesus fully in charge – he is even in charge of his arrest. In John’s gospel Jesus has said, “no one takes my life from me, I lay it down on my own accord” (John 10:18). Those who arrest Jesus do not do so by their own power – Jesus controls his arrest. If it was not the will of God and the choice and desire of Jesus they would have been powerless. Once arrested Jesus pleads for the release of his followers and apparently his request was granted. John does not tell of the flight of the disciples. Jesus had promised that he would lose none of his followers and his word comes true. Peter’s attempt to defend Jesus is met with rejection by Jesus. Peter was attempting to keep his word too – he had said he would die for Jesus. But that is not what Jesus wants. Peter is thwarted. He will soon find himself denying that he even knows Jesus – something Jesus had said would happen even though Peter is trying very hard not to fail. With the garden scene ended, Jesus is now brought before the high priest.