The Gospel According to John

Biblical Research Monthly
October, 1957
Dr. David L. Cooper
(Installment Thirty-three)

THE ARREST AND TRIALS OF JESUS

In John 18:1-19:16, the Apostle discusses two phases of the final experience of Christ—the arrest and trials. Each of the four evangelists is very expressive in his description of these experiences. After Jesus had finished His high-priestly prayer (John, chapter 17), He went with His disciples over the brook Kidron into a garden, which in other places in the Scriptures is called Gethsemane; and there He prayed. The three synoptic writers tell us about His praying in the Garden of Gethsemane, but John omits it.

The Arrest of Jesus

John 18:1-11 gives the account of the arrest of Jesus. During the observance of the Passover Supper, Jesus told Judas to do quickly what he intended to do. Then Judas went out. We do not see him again until he appears with the soldiers to arrest Jesus. Judas knew the place where Jesus was accustomed to go for prayer. Having made his deal with the Chief Priest to betray Jesus to them, he came with a band of soldiers and officers from the High Priest and Pharisees, as if they were going out against a thief or robber. When they approached the Lord Jesus, He asked, "Whom seek ye?" They replied that they were seeking Jesus. Stepping forward boldly and bravely, He immediately informed them that He was the One for whom they were looking. The soldiers with Judas went backward and fell to the ground. Once more Jesus asked for whom they were looking. Their reply was the same as the first. If they were seeking for Him, He declared, they should let His disciples go away. He spoke thus in order that the Word might be fulfilled which He had spoken, "While I was with them, I kept them in thy name which thou has given me; and I guarded them, and not one of them perished, but the son of perdition; that the scripture might be fulfilled" (John 17:12).

In preparation for that which was about to be enacted, Jesus had said to the disciples that he that had no sword should sell his cloak and buy one. "For I say unto you that this which is written must be fulfilled in me, And he was reckoned with transgressors: for that which concerneth me hath fulfillment" (Luke 22:37). Isaiah had foretold that Christ would be numbered among transgressors (Isaiah 53:12). Since that Scripture had to be fulfilled, Jesus saw to their having a sword. The Apostles told Him that they had two swords. They were sufficient for the purpose. Thus the soldiers came out against Jesus as against a robber, a bandit. When the soldiers attempted to arrest Jesus, Peter drew his sword, struck at a servant of the High Priest, and cut off his right ear. Jesus then told him to put up his sword in its sheath. The Apostles were to make no resistance, for it was the will of God that Jesus should suffer and die; hence He said, "The cup which the Father hath given me, shall I not drink it?" (John 18:11b). Thus Jesus was arrested without any resistance on His part and without any further opposition from His disciples.

Trials of Jesus

When the officers arrested Jesus, they bound Him and led Him away to Annas, who was father-in-law to Caiaphas, high priest that year. Thus Jesus had a preliminary trial before the ex-high priest. According to the law of Moses, there should be one high priest at a time; but, when the Romans took possession of Palestine, they changed the government of high priest at will, usually allowing one year for the term of office. Then they removed him and put another in his place. This practice was apparently a precautionary measure to prevent a high priest from gaining too much authority and power.

In John 18:12-24 is an account of the trial before Annas. Simon Peter followed Jesus along with another disciple who was none other than John, the writer of the Gospel. When Jesus was arrested and was being led to the court of the high priest, the Apostle Peter followed afar off. Upon arrival at the court of Annas, Peter stopped and stood without the door. The other disciple talked to the maid at the door and brought Peter in. This maid asked Peter, "Art thou also one of this man's disciples?" Peter made an emphatic denial, saying, "I am not."

Apparently the high priest started the trial by asking Jesus concerning His teaching. His reply was that He had spoken in synagogues and in the Temple and that He had not spoken in secret; the high priest, therefore, could inquire from those who had heard Him what His teaching was. At this reply, one of the attendants struck Jesus with his hand saying, "Answereth thou the high priest so?" Jesus said that, if He had spoken any evil, the attendant should call attention to the evil. If, however, He had not spoken anything wrong, He asked why the attendant had smitten Him. This incident seems to have stopped the trial. Annas, therefore, sent Jesus to Caiaphas.

Being bound and sent to Caiaphas, Christ was put on trial before the Jewish Sanhedrin. John records this trial in only three verses (John, 18:25-27). At the palace of Caiaphas, Peter was again standing before the fire, warming himself. Someone approached him asking, "Art thou also one of his disciples?" Peter denied, saying "I am not." At this point a kinsman of Malchus, the servant of the high priest whose ear Peter had cut off, said to him "Did not I see thee in the garden with him?" Peter denied, and straightway the cock crew. This trial before Caiaphas and a part, at least, of the Sanhedrin occurred at night (Luke 22:54-71). In verse 66 appears this statement, "And as soon as it was day, the assembly of the elders of the people gathered together, both chief priests and scribes; and they led him away into their council. . ." This statement shows that the first part of the trial was at night. According to Jewish law, no criminal could be tried for his life at a night session of the Jewish Sanhedrin, Supreme Court. Doubtless because of this enactment, the entire Sanhedrin was called together as soon as it was day. In this day session, the court pronounced the death sentence upon Jesus.

To get a clear picture of the three Jewish trials of Jesus, one must study the four records of the Gospels, because the information given by one is frequently supplementary to facts given by the others.

As soon as Jesus was found guilty, according to the testimony of false witnesses, He was led away from Caiaphas to Pilate. The account of the trial before Pilate is found in John 18:28-19:16.

When the Jewish officials turned Jesus over to the Roman authorities, it was still early in the day. Because it was the Passover season, the Jews would not enter into the Praetorium lest they should defile themselves ceremonially. Pilate, therefore, went out to them and asked what accusation they were bringing against Jesus. Having nothing which they could bring against Him, they dodged the issue, saying, "If this man were not an evil-doer, we should not have delivered him up unto thee." Seeing the situation clearly, Pilate said, "Take him yourselves, and judge him according to your law." The Jewish authorities replied, "It is not lawful for us to put any man to death..." This statement shows that they had already found Him guilty and had condemned Him to death.

Sometime during the trial before Pilate, an incidental remark was made concerning Jesus' having taught in Galilee. Pilate instantly seized this opportunity to send Jesus to Herod, who was governor of Galilee, and who was at that time in Jerusalem.

Having for a long time been very eager to see Jesus, interview Him, and observe His performing a miracle, Herod was delighted at the prospect of having his desire regarding Jesus. Herod asked Him many questions, but He replied to none of them. Baffled by this conduct, Herod became enraged and had his soldiers mock Jesus. Then he sent Jesus back to Pilate (Luke 23:1-12). Up to this time, Pilate and Herod had been enemies, but this circumstance brought them together, and they became friends.

It is quite possible that, when Jesus was brought back to Pilate, the governor entered into the Praetorium and spoke to Jesus again, saying, "Art thou King of the Jews?" In reply Jesus asked Pilate, "Sayest thou this of thyself, or did others tell it thee concerning me?" (John 18:34). This question enraged Pilate, who said "Am I a Jew? Thine own nation and the chief priests delivered thee unto me: what has thou done?" (v. 35). In reply Jesus told Pilate that His kingdom was not of this world, adding, "If my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews: but now is my kingdom not from hence" (v. 36). This statement confounded Pilate. Again he asked Jesus, "Art thou a king then?" Jesus replied in the affirmative and then made a marvelous revelation: "To this end have I been born, and to this end am I come into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth" (v. 37). Jesus was conscious of His having been in Heaven; of His having laid aside the glory which He had had with the Father from all eternity; and of His having entered the world by miraculous conception and virgin birth. He, therefore, could speak of His birth as His coming into the world, something that no one else can say. He came for one purpose, namely, to bear witness to the truth, the truth of God. The sum of God's Word is Truth. Everything that Jesus did was in accordance with the truth, with the revelation of God.

Jesus added this significant statement, "Every one that is of the truth heareth my voice" (v. 37). This truth is one that Jesus frequently expressed. He said that His sheep know His voice and follow Him. Those who are of the truth respond to the truth, said Jesus, and follow Him. Sometimes people doubt as to whether they have been born again. A sure way to know that the one who has accepted Christ is one of His sheep is to see whether or not such a one hears the voice of Christ gladly and follows Him. The fact that one hears His voice, loves Him, and follows Him is proof that that one is His sheep.

Convinced that Jesus was innocent, Pilate did all within his power to have Him released, but the opponents were blinded and were determined on His destruction. As a last resort, Pilate fell back upon the custom of releasing at the Passover season whatever prisoner might be in Roman custody whom the Jews wanted set free. At that time there was a notorious criminal by the name of Barabbas. Pilate offered to release either of the two whom the Jews would designate. He thought that surely they would want Jesus, their king, but their prejudice and hatred would not allow them to ask for Him. Rather, they cried for His execution.

Pilate finally resorted to an unusual measure in order to have Jesus delivered from crucifixion. He had Jesus scourged in order that His appearance might be most appealing for sympathy. Then he had a crown of thorns placed on the head of Jesus and a purple robe put on Him. He had Jesus, thus attired, brought out to the Jews and the multitudes, His enemies. Then Pilate declared to the Jews that he found no fault with Christ. He called their attention to Jesus by saying, "Behold, the man!" Their cry was, "Crucify him, crucify him." They were so very insistent that all the efforts of Pilate availed nothing. He, therefore, delivered Christ to be crucified.

Jesus was executed about nine o'clock in the morning and expired on the cross around three in the afternoon. Thus ended the tragedy of the ages.