The Gospel of John, Chapter 18: Before the Cock Crows

The Gospel of John, Chapter 18: Before the Cock Crows

Read Chapter 18 here.

The pace picks up quite a bit from the previous chapters.  Jesus and the disciples now truly do rise and get on their way, as Jesus said at the end of Chapter 14.  A blog reader has proposed that the words of the past few chapters were actually conversations that Jesus and the disciples had as they were walking from the supper to the garden. I like that idea - Jesus is praying for his disciples as his arrest is imminent.

The disciples and Jesus go into the garden.  Judas (the betrayer) meets them with soldiers and the temple police.  The text highlights Jesus’ omniscience:

Then Jesus, knowing all that was to happen to him, came forward and asked them, “Whom are you looking for?” (verse 4)

They say they are looking for Jesus, and he says, “I am he.”  This is not usually counted as one of this gospel’s famous “I am” statements, but a commentary I read posited that this is the most important “I am” statement of all.  The commentary said Jesus is quoting God’s name – “I am that I am” or “I will be what I will be” – as God reveals to Moses in Exodus 3:14.  A main theme of this gospel is Jesus’ authority and his being sent from God, so Jesus’ statement here is significant.  

The soldiers and police don’t move to arrest Jesus; rather they fall to the ground.  Are they worshiping him? Are they afraid of him? Whatever their motivation, their movement recognizes Jesus’ authority.  Jesus has to ask them again who they are after, and again Jesus says that he is the very person they seek.  He is not trying to escape or deny his identity.  He also asks for the police to let the disciples go.  

It is at this point that Peter gets belligerent, and cuts off the right ear of the slave of the high priest with his sword.  Yes, this gospel which has been on a high spiritual plane includes this precise detail.  Jesus chides Peter, telling him to put away his sword.  Jesus knows there is no use fighting the inevitable:

“Am I not to drink the cup that the Father has given me?”

Which means, I must drink the cup.

The soldiers and police arrest Jesus, tie him up, and bring him before the Jewish leadership, and then the local Roman ruler.  

First they take their prisoner to Annas, the father-in-law of the high priest Caiaphas.  The gospel author reminds us that Caiaphas is the one who said that the leaders should arrange to have one man die for all the people.  (11:51-53)

Two disciples, identified as Simon Peter and another disciples who “was known to the high priest”, attempt to follow Jesus.  The Other Disciple gets Peter into the inner courtyard of the high priest’s place.  The guard at the gate asks Peter if he is one of the prisoner’s disciples.  Peter says “I am not.”  Denial number 1.

I just have to pause to observe that 1) Peter has a sword,  2) one of the disciples knows the high priest and 3) the guard at the high priest’s gate is a woman.  These are unexpected.  But it’s what the text says.

The folks in the high priest’s courtyard have made a fire because it is cold.  This is the kind of detail that we are getting for this part of the story.  It is worthwhile to remember that it is also still night.  Peter is standing with the others, warming himself at the fire.

The scene now switches to the interrogation of Jesus (verses 19-23).  In response to the high priest’s questions about his teaching, Jesus only says, I’ve spoken openly in synagogues and the temple, and haven’t kept anything a secret, so why are you asking me this?  Ask those who were listening to me.  

This is a cheeky way to address the high priest, and one of the police slaps Jesus on the face, addressing Jesus in a demeaning way:  “Is that how you answer the high priest?”  Jesus says, if I have said anything wrong, testify as to how it is wrong.  But if I am speaking the truth, why do you hit me?

Then the text says that Annas sent Jesus to the high priest, whereas in verse 19 it said that “the high priest questioned Jesus” - an inconsistency, but I think the main point is that Jesus is being passed along to all the authorities.

We swing back to observe the courtyard where Peter is standing at the fire.  The others ask Peter if he is a disciple of Jesus.  Peter says again “I am not.”  Denial number 2.  I wonder if the phrasing here is meant to counter Jesus’ statement “I am he.” 

A relative of the poor guy whose ear was lopped off by Peter gets more pointed - Didn’t I see you in the garden with Jesus?  Peter denies it, and just then the cock crows.  Peter has denied Jesus three times, just as Jesus predicted back in 13:38.

Peter wanted to be loyal.  After Jesus’ arrest, he didn’t stand around wringing his hands.  He didn’t go home to try to sleep.  He has followed Jesus to the place of his interrogation, which is quite brave.  But Peter is unable to take the final step and openly declare his loyalty to Jesus to his enemies, to those who hold the weapons.  Just as the rest of us humans often do.

Next “they” take Jesus to Pilate’s headquarters.  The NRSV text doesn’t identify Pilate’s position, and this is the first time he is mentioned by name in this gospel.  The footnote says the word for “headquarters” is praetorium, and perhaps this is the clue to those hearing this story that Pilate is a Roman authority. Other translations say “to the Roman governor’s palace.”  From what follows we can surmise that Pilate is a man of great authority.

The text is clear that Jesus goes into the headquarters, but those who brought him do not, because to enter there would render them ritually unclean.  I wonder about the subtext of this - Jesus is just as Jewish as the Jewish leaders.  Is there a greater meaning to the fact that Jesus has entered the Roman praetorium?

The author also notes that “It was early in the morning.”  Jesus and those disciples who followed have been awake all night.  Everyone must be exhausted and on edge.

Pilate asks those who brought Jesus to him, what is your accusation against this man?  They evade the question:  “If this man were not a criminal, we would not have handed him over to you.” 

Pilate tells the Jewish leaders to handle this case themselves, but the leaders say they are not allowed to carry out the death penalty themselves.  

Pilate decides to interrogate Jesus himself.  

[Pilate] summoned Jesus, and asked him, “Are you the King of the Jews?”  Jesus answered, “Do you ask this on your own, or did others tell you about me?”

Jesus, once again in front of an authority, speaks as an equal, not subserviently.  Jesus and Pilate proceed to have a back-and-forth, but with less animosity than Jesus’ interactions with the Pharisees in the earlier chapters.  

Pilate says, I’m not a Jew, but your own people arrested you and brought you to me.  What did you do?  Jesus reverts to the more typical kind of answer he has given in this gospel:

Jesus answered, “My kingdom is not from this world. If my kingdom were from this world, my followers would be fighting to keep me from being handed over to the Jews. But as it is, my kingdom is not from here.” (verse 36)

Pilate is not cowed.  He asks, “So you are a king?”  Jesus says, that’s what you say.  And a more ethereal response:

For this I was born, and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone who belongs to the truth listens to my voice.”  (verse 38)

Pilate asked him, “What is truth?”

Indeed, that is the question.  There is no answer; that is the end of the interrogation.  We are left to answer the question for ourselves.

Pilate goes back to the Jewish leaders who arrested Jesus and says, I’ve found no reason for his arrest.  But the custom is for me to release a prisoner in honor of the Passover holiday. “Do you want me to release for you the King of the Jews?”  They shout that no, they want Pilate to release Barrabas, who was a robber.