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Well, please turn with me in 
your Bibles to John's Gospel, John chapter 18. John chapter 18. Happy Mother's 
Day, by the way. I will address that tonight from 
Proverbs chapter 31. A buddy of mine has once observed 
that on Father's Day, we clobber men, and on Mother's Day, we 
coddle the women. Well, my purpose tonight is neither 
to clobber or coddle, but to be an encouragement and some 
exhortation from that wonderful passage in Proverbs 31 that describes 
the virtuous wife. But this morning, we're back 
in John's gospel. We're picking back up on the 
passion narrative proper. Remember that we've spent some 
time in some teaching blocks. Our Lord Jesus spends considerable 
amount of time in the upper room. We call that the Upper Room Discourse, 
instructing his disciples, preparing them for the eventuality as to 
when he returns back on high, and they will be then functioning 
as his apostles and ambassadors. And so he wants to get them ready, 
and that's what he does in the Upper Room Discourse in chapters 
13 to 16. He also teaches us many good 
things about himself and his relation to the Father and to 
the Holy Spirit. And then in chapter 17, we have what's called 
the High Priestly Prayer, where Jesus prays for himself, he prays 
for his apostles, and then he prays for disciples at large 
in all generations. So as I said, the narrative returns 
to the Passion proper. And we're going to look at the 
arrest of Jesus. So in the reading in Luke's gospel, 
we see his resolution. We see his determination. We 
see that ability to withstand the hardships associated with 
life in this present evil age. Well, we see that same resolution 
here in the arrest of our Lord Jesus. I'll read verses 1 to 
12, we'll pray, and then look at the arrest of Jesus Christ. 
When Jesus had spoken these words, he went out with his disciples 
over the brook Kidron. where there was a garden, which 
he and his disciples entered. And Judas, who betrayed him, 
also knew the place, for Jesus often met there with his disciples. 
Then Judas, having received a detachment of troops and officers from the 
chief priests and Pharisees, came there with lanterns, torches, 
and weapons. Jesus, therefore, knowing all 
things that would come upon him, went forward and said to them, 
whom are you seeking? They answered him. Jesus of Nazareth. Jesus said to them, I am. And 
Judas, who betrayed him, also stood with them. Now, when he 
had said to them, I am, they drew back and fell to the ground. 
Then he asked them again, saying, whom are you seeking? And they 
said, Jesus of Nazareth. Jesus answered, I have told you 
that I am. Therefore, if you seek me, let 
these go their way, that the saying might be fulfilled, which 
he spoke, of those whom you gave me, I have lost none. 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 the sheath. Shall I not drink the cup which 
my father has given me? Then the detachment of troops 
and the captain and the officers of the Jews arrested Jesus and 
bound him. Amen. Well, let us pray. Father, 
again, we pray for the ministry of the Holy Spirit as we consider 
this wonderful section of scripture. We see our blessed Savior, that 
one who took on our humanity, living for us, dying for us, 
being raised again the third day for us. We thank you for 
so great a Savior and for so great a salvation. And again, 
forgive us now from all of our sins and those things that darken 
our understanding. And we ask this in Jesus' name, 
amen. Well, as we approach the arrest 
of Jesus, on the one hand, we need to understand that this 
is the most criminal activity that's ever happened. He was 
wholly harmless and undefiled in the language of the apostle. 
In Hebrews chapter 7, he had done no crime. In fact, he himself 
says to them, I taught daily in your temple, and yet you come 
now with weapons against me. So it's a horrific thing, but 
it was the purpose and plan of God. And it means by which he 
would get to that destination of the cross. We know that our 
salvation costs the son of man. In other words, what we have 
by grace through faith in Jesus was by works accomplished in 
his life. He lived obediently to the Father 
at every jot and tittle. He died as a sacrifice and a 
substitute on the cross. He was raised again the third 
day. So it's a horrific scene on the 
one hand, but Jesus is in complete control of it entirely. So on the other hand, we see 
it as part and parcel of the mission of the Son of God. So 
I want to look at this section first under the betrayal of Jesus 
in verses one to three. Secondly, the glory of Jesus. 
in verses four to nine, and then finally the arrest of Jesus in 
verses 10 to 12. But notice first in terms of 
betrayal, we're told the location in verse one, when Jesus had 
spoken these words, he went out with his disciples over the Brook 
Kidron, where there was a garden, which he and his disciples entered. 
This is at the base of the Mount of Olives. Luke 22, parallel 
passage says it was at the Mount of Olives. There was a garden 
there called Gethsemane. So the synoptics, along with 
John, all put Jesus in this particular location at this particular time. So there was this garden. And 
it was a place that Jesus and his disciples went frequently. 
We know that because of the end of verse 2. Notice in verse 2, 
for Jesus often met there with his disciples. So in the midst 
of a busy feast time, in the midst of a busy, you know, press 
in terms of the crowds and the multitudes that were coming to 
the Lord Jesus Christ, it's typical for him to take his disciples 
to go into this garden and there to pray, to encourage one another, 
and to get that spiritual strengthening vitality that he would need for 
the things ahead. Now, in terms of the betrayal 
proper, we've got the internal threat, and then an external 
threat, and then, of course, the devil behind both. The internal 
threat is Judas Iscariot. And this isn't the first time 
that we've met Judas Iscariot, or that John has told us that 
he was traitorous, or that he would betray our Lord Jesus. 
We have in the synoptics, that's Matthew, Mark, Luke, we have 
Judas's trade, or deal, rather, with the Sanhedrin. Judas agreed 
to sell Jesus out for 30 pieces of silver. And so when we come 
to John's gospel, he doesn't record that specifically. There 
are some departures in terms of material covered that John 
takes and things that he doesn't say that Matthew, Mark, and Luke 
do. doesn't mean there's contradictions, it simply means the theological 
agenda of the particular author is driving their handling of 
the historical account. But if you go back for just a 
moment to see the announcement concerning this internal threat, 
John chapter 6, specifically at verse 70, "...did I not choose 
you, the twelve, and one of you is a devil? He spoke of Judas 
Iscariot, the son of Simon, For it was he who would betray him, 
being one of the twelve." So John the Evangelist, the theologian, 
the one that is writing this particular book under inspiration 
of the Holy Spirit, announces ahead of time that there's going 
to be a betrayer, there's going to be an intimate, there's going 
to be one from within the circle that dimes Jesus out. Notice as well in John 13. John 
13, in the upper room, specifically at verse 11. Well, verse 10, 
Jesus said to him, he was bathed, needs only to wash his feet, 
but is completely clean. And you are clean, but not all 
of you. For he knew who would betray 
him, therefore he said, you are not all clean. And then the betrayer 
is identified in the following section in John's gospel, specifically 
at verses 18 to 30. Verse 30, having received the 
piece of bread, he then went out immediately and it was night. 
So Judas goes, he makes the deal, he's gonna hand over Jesus. So 
back to our passage, he knows the garden, he knows that Jesus 
familiarly goes there with his disciples, and so he brings these 
troops, and that brings us to the external threat. If you notice 
specifically, Judas, according to verse 3, having received a 
detachment of troops and officers from the chief priests and Pharisees, 
came there with lanterns, torches, and weapons. So a Roman detachment 
could be a few men up to a thousand. The general consensus among commentators 
is that there were probably about 200 troops that were accompanying 
Judas at this time. If you ask the question, well, 
how did a guy like Judas, somebody that was basically unknown to 
the empire, how would he be able to get a detachment of 200 troops? 
Remember, this is a feast time. And it's been mentioned in the 
synoptic accounts that they're not going to take Jesus out in 
public because of that feast time. It would cause an uprising. There would be some kind of a 
problem or a situation. So during times like this, the 
Roman Empire would dispatch detachments to particular cities so that 
if there was an uprising or if there was a revolt, especially, 
there would be a detachment of troops on hand to quell that 
or to put that down. So there's already Roman soldiers 
in the city of Jerusalem at this particular Passover. And so Judas 
says, or Judas rather, goes to the Sanhedrin. No doubt the Sanhedrin 
alerts the Romans and says, hey, we've got this fellow. We're 
going to try to take him out stealthily. We're going to try 
to take him out by night. But if that gets out, there could 
be some problems. So it's not untoward that Judas 
would receive these troops. But it's not only the Roman soldiers 
during the feast time, but verse 3 tells us, and officers from 
the chief priests and Pharisees. In fact, in Luke's narrative, 
it includes elders and priests from the Sanhedrin. And so these 
were the temple officers, probably like police, to make sure that 
nobody engaged in sacrilege at the temple, no Gentiles entered 
into where they weren't supposed to enter in. Remember, they're 
subject now to the Roman Empire, they're living around foreign 
people, and they didn't want people to wander into their temple, 
so they had police. We've already met them in John's 
gospel in John chapter 7. So we've got priests and elders 
from the Sanhedrin, we've got these officers from the temple, 
we've got these Roman pagans, and we've got Judas Iscariot. 
But the devil is certainly present in all of this. Remember back 
in John 8, Jesus says to the unbelieving Jews, you are of 
your father, the devil, and the desires of your father you want 
to do. He was a murderer and a liar from the beginning. Whatever 
you see him do, you want to do. So the devil is present in this 
garden. As well, it says that Judas Iscariot, 
the devil entered into him according to Luke's gospel in Luke chapter 
22. And as far as the Roman pagans 
are concerned, Paul alludes to this in Ephesians 6, 11, and 
12. We don't wrestle against flesh 
and blood, but against principalities and powers and dark things that 
animate the living things that we see here on this earth. So 
for our Lord Jesus Christ, he's got all of these enemies. He's 
got the pagans, he's got the unbelieving Jews, but he's got 
this one that is a traitor to him. And this traitor is the 
most odious of them all. Remember, in Psalm 41, which 
is cited in John 13, it says, even my own familiar friend in 
whom I trusted, who ate my bread, has lifted up his heel against 
me. So on the one hand, the unbelieving 
Jews and the Roman pagans, somewhat understandable, though not condoned. But this man, Judas, who is one 
of the intimates, this familiar friend that ate bread with Jesus, 
now lifts up his heel against him. It is a wretched thing that 
Judas Iscariot did. It is a wretched thing that he 
led in terms of this betrayal. It is a wretched thing that he 
does in the synoptic accounts when he walks up to Jesus and 
gives him a kiss in order to identify him to this Roman mob 
or to this Roman detachment. Now that brings us to the glory 
of Jesus in verses 4 to 9. Note first his knowledge according 
to verse 4. Now remember John presents Jesus 
as God. In the beginning was the Word, 
and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The Word became 
flesh and dwelt among us. That's how the Gospel of John 
starts, and the Gospel of John formally ends on Thomas's confession, 
my Lord and my God. So of course, Jesus as God knows 
all things. Jesus as God purposed all things. But it could be according to 
his humanity. How would he know according to 
his humanity? Because he was a student of Holy Scripture. 
And Holy Scripture fleshed out for him the reality that even 
a familiar friend with whom I ate bread would lift up his heel 
against me. The scriptures fleshed out for 
him what you see in Psalm 22, which is interestingly what he 
quotes from the cross. My God, my God, why hast thou 
forsaken me? He describes the people at the 
base of the cross in beastly language. They're acting like 
animals. They're acting like beasts. So Jesus, according to 
his humanity, had that messianic consciousness of what lay in 
his future. He knows that he's gonna be arrested. He's announced it. Matthew 16, 
Matthew 17, Matthew 20. He says, I must go to Jerusalem. There I will be arrested. I will 
be handed over to the Jewish leaders and I will be crucified 
and I will be resurrected. So Jesus knows what's happening. 
And again, I want you to pay attention as we move through 
the narrative. Jesus is not caught unawares here. Jesus is in control 
here, and again, not according to his divinity as God, but his 
humanity as mediator for us men and for our salvation. So John 
tells us, Jesus therefore, knowing all things that would come upon 
him, went forward and said to them, whom are you seeking? Now, 
why does he ask that? Why does he ask, whom are you 
seeking? There's a lot of speculation. 
It was dark. That's why they had lanterns. 
They couldn't readily identify Jesus. But what he asks, or when 
he asks this, it's not deceptive and it's not based out of ignorance. It was initiation on his part 
of the arrest. Whom are you seeking? Who are you looking for? The 
fact that he answers and then asks them again, shows this to 
be the case. He is not trying to escape. He 
is not trying to evade. He is not trying to negotiate 
his way out of this any more than he does as he's tested or 
tempted by the devil in the wilderness. He is resolute. He is determined. We might say he's covenantally 
faithful and obedient to all that the Father had laid upon 
him in terms of our salvation. So the knowledge of Christ was 
the predicate for his going forth. And then the question of Christ 
was the initiation of the actual arrest. Listen to Gil. This question 
was put, not out of ignorance, for he knew full well who they 
were seeking after, nor was he designed to deceive them and 
make his escape. but to show that he was not afraid 
of them, and that they could not have known him, nor have 
taken him, had he not made himself known, and offered himself to 
them, and which makes it appear that he was willingly apprehended 
by them, and voluntarily suffered." That's one of the things you 
need to appreciate in the work of the Lord Jesus Christ. It 
is voluntary on our part. He doesn't go with a gun to his 
head. He doesn't go with his arm behind 
his back. He comes down for us men and 
for our salvation. He willingly takes on our humanity. He willingly obeys the Father. 
He willingly gets arrested. He willingly goes to the cross. 
He's willingly laid in the tomb. He's willingly raised from the 
dead. All of this. I think that's encouraging, brethren. 
Sometimes in this world, it doesn't always feel like everybody's 
for us, does it? Sometimes in this world, we have 
turmoil, we have hardship, we have trial. There's one that 
voluntarily laid down his life for us. In fact, that's how Paul 
describes Jesus in Galatians 2.20. He says, who loved me and 
gave himself for me. Isn't that encouraging? I think 
we need to adopt that sort of language when we reflect upon 
our blessed savior. And when we think about scenes 
like this, he goes into the garden with his disciples for a time 
to pray and a time to encourage one another. And here comes Judas. Here comes the officers from 
the temple. Here comes this Roman detachment, the devil behind 
them. And yet Jesus doesn't try to 
defer. Jesus doesn't try to sidetrack, 
but Jesus says, whom are you seeking? Now, that brings us 
to the glory of Jesus in verses five and six. So after the question, 
whom are you seeking? They answered him, Jesus of Nazareth. 
Jesus said to them, I am. The he there is supplied, so 
I'm leaving it out. And Judas who betrayed him also 
stood with them. Now, when he had said to them, 
I am, they drew back and fell to the ground. Now, to answer 
I am, is just about as simple a proposition as anybody could 
ever engage in. We're looking for Jesus of Nazareth, 
I am, or I am he, if we supply that word, which is perfectly 
legit, perfectly responsible, good translation. but it's hard 
to come to John 18, five and six, loaded as we've been with, 
I am, to not see its significance here. In other words, there are 
several places in John's gospel where you see Jesus say, I am, 
followed by a predicate that means something about the I am. 
In fact, those several places, I'll just rehearse again. I am 
the bread of life, John 6. I am the light of the world, 
John 8 and 9. I am the door of the sheep, John 
10. I am the good shepherd, John 10. I am the resurrection and 
the life, John 11. I am the way, the truth, and 
the life, John 14. And I am the true vine, John 15. But along 
the way, there are several instances where Jesus refers to himself 
as I am without a predicate. Now, I think the background here 
is Exodus chapter 3 and verse 14. Remember that call and commission 
of Moses, the man of God, to be the deliverer of Israel, to 
function as a covenant mediator, to be that go between the holy 
God and the sinful men such that they could get from point A to 
point B? What does Moses ask when he sees God in the burning 
bush? He says, who shall I say sent me? God answers, I am. I am who I am. I am being itself. I am pure act. I am eternal. I am from everlasting to everlasting. I am simply, that's it. So when Jesus uses this convention 
in his earthly ministry, his opponents understand what he's 
saying. In John 5, for instance, they 
say, or they understand that he made himself equal with God. 
In John 8, he says, before Abraham was, I am. What was their response? Well, you're mistaken. You can't 
be I am. No, they pick up stones to throw 
at him. Why? Because they understood all too 
well his assertion, I am. Same sort of thing happens in 
John's gospel in chapter 10. Jesus highlights his divinity 
to them and they pick up stones to throw at him. So again, with 
all that background, maybe if you just fell into John 18 and 
hadn't given any regard to the rest of John, you could just 
read it as a simple reply to a simple question. We're seeking 
Jesus of Nazareth. Why me? but we're not gonna do 
that. And I don't think their response 
lets us do that. So back to the text, notice in 
verse five, they answered him, Jesus of Nazareth. Jesus said 
to them, I am. And Judas who betrayed him also 
stood with them. Now, when he said to them, I 
am, they drew back and fell to the ground. That's interesting, 
simple answer to a simple question and they draw back and fall to 
the ground. If I bumped into somebody at 
Walmart and they said, are you Jim Butler? And I said, I am 
he, I guarantee you they're not gonna fall down backward unless 
there's a big can of peaches on the floor and they trip over 
it. Why do they do this? It's not because they're believers 
and have seen his divinity, but they're in the presence of a 
holy God. I've shared before, there's a 
man who pastored a church and he says that when he shaves his 
face, Jesus comes and talks to him in the morning. MacArthur 
heard about that and he says, so what do you do? Well, I talk 
to him. The MacArthur implication is 
you should fall down. You should fall down. When men, 
sinful men, are in the presence of a holy God, what do they do? 
They fall down. Again, I'm not suggesting these 
people saw his divinity, believed on him, confessed him as the 
great I am, and found salvation by grace through faith. That's 
not it at all. It's like those men at Beth Shemesh, when they 
wanted to look into the Ark of the Covenant of God Most High. 
What happened to them? They were slain. They were killed. Or when Nadab and Abihu offer 
up strange fire to the Lord, ah, he'll accept it. No, he doesn't. The fire that he sends down in 
Leviticus chapter 9 to accept the sacrifice is a fire that 
he sends down in chapter 10 to consume the sacrificers. Why? Because they were messing with 
a holy God. In Ezekiel, the visions that 
Ezekiel had, what happens when he sees those visions? He falls 
down as a dead man. Same thing in Daniel's prophecy 
in Daniel chapter 10. What happens with the Apostle 
Paul on the road to Damascus when the risen and glorified 
Christ appears to him? Oh, hey, Jesus, let me just keep 
shaving. No, he falls to the ground. What about John the seer, this 
John in Revelation chapter 1, when he's confronted with the 
glory of Jesus Christ? I fell at his feet like a dead 
man. Brethren, our God isn't nice, 
nice, nice. Our God is holy, holy, holy. Our God is supreme in majesty 
and glory. Our God is from everlasting to 
everlasting. Our God's not just a bigger version 
of us. Remember the prophet Isaiah and 
the indictment of the idolatry of his own day. It's obviously 
by the Spirit, so it's God's indictment of that. It's mocking 
the Babylonians. He's mocking the Babylonians 
whose God falls off the cart and they have to pick up their 
God and put it back on the cart. I've always said that if you 
have to pick up your God and put him somewhere, you have the 
wrong God. What about the psalmist in Psalm 
115 mocking the dunghill deities of the pagans? They have eyes, 
but they can't see. They have ears, but they can't 
hear. They've got mouths, but they can't talk. What about that 
time when the Ark of the Covenant is captured and they put it in 
the Temple of Dagon? What is that supposed to mean 
with subjugation of Yahweh? The Philistines beat Israel's 
God. And the way that they show that 
is by taking that Ark of the Covenant and putting it in the 
temple of their God. So what happens when they go 
to worship the next morning? Dagon's fallen over before the 
Ark of the Covenant. We better pick him back up. They 
go back in there the next day. What do they find? Well, his 
hand broke off. Get the gorilla glue. We've got 
to fix our God. The Philistines get to the point 
where they're like, we've got to get this ark out of us, away 
from us. Why? Because God is holy, holy, 
holy. The angels in Isaiah 6. Isaiah in Isaiah 6. In the year 
that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord. I saw him lofty. I saw the train filling the temple. I saw the glory of the majesty 
of God most high. What does he see? He sees those 
angels, those cherubim. They've got two wings with which 
they fly, two wings with which they cover their feet, and two 
wings with which they cover their eyes. Why? Because God's too holy for them. And they're angels. This idea 
that Jesus comes and sits on the end of our bed with us. Brethren, 
a detachment of Roman soldiers, battle hardened men that had 
no doubt seen a lot. I don't think the first century 
Roman soldier was like the 21st century Canadian soldier. He 
was used to snapping bones. He was used to using his sword. 
He was used to dispatching people. He was used to engaging in all 
kinds of military activity. So you've got a Roman detachment. 
You've got Judas the traitor. You've got these temple officers. 
And what happens when Jesus says, I am? They fall down at his feet. They fall down at his feet. Notice 
verse seven. Then he asked them again, saying, 
whom are you seeking? The question demonstrates his 
being in charge. One commentator, and I almost 
hesitate to say this, but he sees in it this kind of a question. 
Whom are you seeking? He's asked them, who are you 
seeking? I am, they fall down to the ground. Whom are you seeking? Who is it that you're looking 
for? The implication being, you don't know whose presence you're 
in. This second question shows that 
he's in charge. It demonstrates that he is not 
going to escape, and it demonstrates his willingness to undergo arrest 
by a traitor, by unbelieving Jews, and by a Roman detachment 
of soldiers. He is going to go through with 
this. Why? Because he loved us and gave 
himself for us. This isn't the time that you're 
gonna find the Savior say, you know, this is getting a bit much 
for me. I don't want these pagans touching 
me. I don't want this kind of treatment at the hands of these 
godless. No, this is what Jesus came to do. He will save his 
people from their sins. Notice they confirm verse eight, 
Jesus of Nazareth, verse eight, he confirms, I have told you 
that I am. Therefore, if you seek me, let 
these go their way. He's talking about the disciples 
here. He's talking about those disciples that are faithful to 
him. Notice at this moment of great 
grief, you know, I don't want to read me into Gethsemane. Nobody 
wants us to do that. But when you think through things, 
you know, if you're being arrested, you're surrounded by some close 
friends. Is your first priority their safety? I hate to admit it, my first 
priority might be my safety and my friends helping me to preserve 
that. But not the Savior. The Savior 
says, let these ones go. It's not their time. So who's 
in charge here? Who's presiding over this? Is 
it the detachment? Is it Judas the traitor? Is it 
the temple police? Is it the devil? No, no, no, 
no, no. It's the same Christ who in that 
temptation setting in Luke four, took out the sword of the spirit 
to dash at his enemy. So he confirms his identity and 
he highlights the protection of his disciples. He said this 
in John 13. You can turn back there. John 
13, specifically at verses 18 and 19. John 13, specifically at verse 
18, I do not speak concerning all of you. I know whom I have 
chosen, but that the scripture may be fulfilled. He who eats 
bread with me has lifted up his heel against me. Now I tell you 
before it comes, that when it does come to pass, you may believe, 
notice, that I am. And then recently in John 17, 
John 17, he's talking about the protection of his disciples, 
the protection of his apostles, the protection of these men. 
such that the Roman detachment does not haul them away alongside 
the Savior. John 17 at verse 11. Now I am 
no longer in the world, but these are in the world, and I come 
to you. Holy Father, keep through your name those whom you have 
given me, that they may be one as we are. while I was with them 
in the world, I kept them in your name. Those whom you gave 
me I have kept, and none of them is lost except the son of perdition, 
that the scripture might be fulfilled." So back to our text, verse 8, 
I have told you that I am, therefore if you seek me, let these go 
their way. I would say the reason that is given in verse nine has 
a specific application and a broader application, but note first the 
specific application that the saying might be fulfilled of 
which he spoke of those whom you gave me, I have lost none. 
But even before the application, look at the convention. And by 
that, I mean how it's reported. That the saying might be fulfilled. John, Matthew, Mark, Luke, Paul, 
New Testament authors often use a statement like that and then 
follow it up with a quotation from the Old Testament. That 
it might be fulfilled, which the prophet spoke. Notice though, 
which might be fulfilled that Jesus spoke. And of course, in 
John 13 and in John 17, the speaking of Jesus is for the security 
of these apostles, such that they do not be arrested with 
him, such that they can go, therefore, after the ascension and turn 
the world upside down for Jesus. But just as it would be hard 
to read I am disconnected from the rest of John and the use 
of I am, this last phrase is hard to disconnect generally 
from Jesus' mission to save his people from their sins. So back 
to verse nine, that the saying might be fulfilled, which he 
spoke of those whom you gave me, I have lost none. Yes, these 
apostles. Yes, they're not going to jail. 
Yes, they're not going to accompany Jesus in the crucifixion. But 
this losing none transcends that to the reality that He came to 
save His people from their sins. It hearkens back to John 6, 37, 
all that the Father gives me will come to me and the one who 
comes to me, I will certainly not cast out. Or John 6, 37 to 
40, this is the will of Him who sent me that I bring these into 
the heavenly Jerusalem. or the high priestly prayer. 
He doesn't lose any for whom he dies. It's a statement that 
affirms what he tells us throughout his gospel record, that he is 
able to save to the uttermost all who draw nigh unto him through 
faith. It is a blessed reality. He protects 
his apostles. But in this, he as well speaks 
concerning, of those whom you gave me, I have lost none. Then 
I wanna just look quickly at the arrest of Jesus in verses 
10 to 12. It shouldn't surprise us that 
Simon Peter does what Simon Peter does. Now, brethren, I'm gonna 
probably get in trouble here, but I understand, not condoning, 
not defending, not saying it's okay, but something of that zeal 
wherein Peter acts. Peter's a bit of a ready fire 
aim kind of guy. He's a bit impetuous. And it 
comes out in spades in this particular section. And there's things that 
John here tells us that the synoptics don't tell us. And there's things 
the synoptics tell us that John doesn't tell us. So quickly, 
let's look at what's going on here. Peter attempts to defend 
Jesus, right? That's the end game. And that's 
what I mean. That's good, right? You're around 
a bunch of pagans and they're blaspheming Jesus. I'm not suggesting 
take out your sword and chop their ear off, but I'm suggesting 
a defense of Jesus wells up in your heart. If you were in a 
place and somebody started to bad mouth your wife or your husband, 
you'd probably say, you know, I'm married to her or him. I'd 
prefer that you didn't bad mouth him or her in my hearing. What 
happens that way with Christians? We hear God's name blasphemed, 
we hear Jesus treated as if it's a curse word, and it bugs us. So again, I'm not condoning the 
actions of Peter here, but I kind of get it. He wants to defend 
his master. So in verse 10, Simon Peter having 
a sword, And just so you know, swords and having them are not 
condemned in this passage. It was Jesus in Luke 22 that 
told them to make sure they had a sword. So 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. 
Now the presence of the sword was most likely to defend against 
criminals and against beasts. You didn't have dog catchers 
in those days. He didn't have bear spray. He 
didn't have a glock on your head. So he had a sword. The sword here is not condemned 
by God's law, nor even by Roman law. Unless it's an argument 
from Silens, there's no evidence whatsoever that they confiscated 
Peter's sword. Luke tells us that Jesus healed 
Malchus's ear. That's probably the rationale 
as to why Peter didn't go to jail. The fact that Jesus picks 
up the ear and puts it right back on Malchus's head, there's 
no crime. So no need to arrest Peter. The use of the sword in this 
instance, I don't think he was just trying to send a message 
to the high priest. Look at what I've done to your 
servant. I cut his ear off. No, I think he was going for 
a head shot. Fisherman that he was, he wasn't skilled, strategically 
able to lop the head of Malchus off. But probably that's what 
he was going for. He wants to defend Jesus and 
somebody's putting their filthy hands on Jesus. Peter withdraws 
his sword. He's not going for an ear shot. There's a similarity in this 
instance with what we see of Peter in Matthew chapter 16. 
And Jesus' answer or Jesus' response to Peter confirms that this is 
the way of interpretation. Remember when Jesus announces 
that he must go to Jerusalem, he must be tried, he must be 
delivered up, he must be crucified. What does Peter do? Forbid it, 
Lord. These things are never gonna 
happen to you. Now, remember in that context, just a little 
bit ahead of that, Simon Peter confessed, thou art the Christ, 
the son of the living God. Jesus had pronounced, blessed 
are thou, Simon Bar-Jonah, for flesh and blood did not reveal 
this to you, but my father was in heaven. Jesus announces he's 
going to be tried, he's gonna be arrested, he's gonna be delivered 
up. Peter says, forbid it, Lord. What does Jesus say? Get behind 
me, Satan. Why? Because you're not mindful 
of the things of God. You're not looking at the bigger 
picture. And the same thing is true here, 
and that's confirmed by Jesus' response in verse 11. When Jesus 
says to him in verse 11, so Jesus said to Peter, put your sword 
into the sheath. He is not saying that every sword 
all the time must ever be placed in sheaths. He's not condemning 
the sword in the hand of the civil government. He's not condemning 
the sword in the hand of the military. He is condemning Peter's 
use of the sword, which would sidetrack the very purpose for 
which the Lord Jesus Christ came. And that's the rationale that 
he gives. Notice, put your sword into the 
sheath. Shall I not drink the cup which 
my father has given me? The arrest was according to the 
plan of God. The purpose was the salvation 
of sinners. This was the mechanism by which 
he'd get from this point to the cross, the crucifixion, and then 
the resurrection in order to save his people from their sins. 
And the particular language that Jesus highlights here shows there's 
a bigger concern for Jesus according to his humanity than Judas Iscariot, 
than the Roman detachment, the Jewish temple police, or even 
the devil himself. Jesus is functioning according 
to his father's purpose and plan. Notice, shall I not drink the 
cup which my father has given me? Not the Roman detachment, 
not Judas Iscariot, not the temple officers, but my father. Now 
what's this cup? If we had time, we'd go back 
to the Old Testament and you would see that it's used metaphorically 
to speak of God's wrath, God's curse, God's fury. We move into the New Testament, 
we see it used in a likewise manner. What's Jesus pray in 
Gethsemane in Matthew chapter 26? Father, if it is possible, 
let this what? Let this cup pass from me. What does that mean? It's the 
cup of God's wrath. It's the cup of God's fury. It's the cup of God's justice 
that rightly should fall upon your head and my head, but Jesus 
takes and Jesus resolves in that scene as well. Nevertheless, 
not my will, but thine be done. He speaks of the cup in two occasions. 
Remember when the sons of Zebedee are jockeying for position in 
John chapter 20? Lord grant that when you come 
in your kingdom, we can sit on your right and on your left. 
Jesus says, you don't know what you're asking. There's a baptism 
I must undergo and a cup that I must drink that you know nothing 
of. So the cup in this passage functions 
in a manner similar to that word hour, the hour referring to the 
passion, the death, the resurrection of our Lord Jesus. Well, the 
cup speaks specifically concerning the wrath that he will suffer 
on the cross as a result of God's justice. It is really just an 
amazing thing. And then finally, before we move 
to quickly, some thoughts in conclusion. Notice in verse 12, 
then the detachment of troops and the captain. Captain wasn't 
mentioned earlier. I think this puts it in the category 
of official status, mentioning the captain. So it says, then 
the detachment of troops and the captain and the officers 
of the Jews arrested Jesus and bound him. God willing, we'll 
pick up the trajectory next Sunday. But for now, I just want to make 
a couple observations and then conclude. First, the betrayal 
of Jesus. It was announced prophetically. 
It was announced prophetically, Psalm 2. Why did the nations 
rage and the people plot a vain thing? Why did the kings and 
the rulers set themselves against Yahweh and against his Christ? 
Well, in that apostolic prayer meeting in Acts chapter 4, they 
understand that what's going on, with reference to Herod and 
Pontius Pilate, is the fulfillment of that prophecy in Psalm 2. 
The betrayal of Jesus was announced prophetically beforehand. The 
fulfillment is right here before our eyes. On the one hand, as 
I mentioned, it's the greatest tragedy that's ever occurred 
in terms of civil justice. You think you've been mistreated? 
You're not wholly harmless and undefiled. If we ever get arrested, 
if it's not for that crime, there's probably something in our history 
that would validate what they're doing to us, but not with Jesus. and the absolute wretchedness 
ultimately of this deed. Look at what man is capable of 
with God himself. The word became flesh and dwelt 
among us. On the one hand, some beheld 
his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the father, 
full of grace and truth. On the other hand, they arrested 
him. They nailed him to a cross. They mocked him. They spat on 
him. They scoffed at him. They blasphemed him. The contrast 
in the passage between the disciple, Peter, again, not condoning the 
use of the sword against the civil government in such a manner, 
but with reference to this contrast, defending Jesus, loving Jesus, 
wanting to help Jesus. And on the other hand, these 
vicious haters of God Most High wanting to remove God Most High 
himself. Secondly, the mission of Jesus. He's in control of the entire 
scene. He goes forward, he identifies himself, he doesn't escape, and 
he stops Peter's defense. Again, brethren, it's a bad thing, 
but I probably said, okay, take his hat off. David does that 
with Benaiah. Benaiah said, I'll take that 
dog's hat off. Okay, go ahead. Dog, not canine, but the two-legged 
type. Jesus is obedient in the entire 
scene. Yes, to civil authority, he's 
not protesting, he's not gonna resist this, but to God the Father, 
that's the bigger issue. He is gracious in the entire 
scene as well. He protects his disciples. He 
picks up Malchus's ear and puts it back on his noggin. Again, 
brethren, I might be tempted to say, well, that'll teach you. 
That might be a lesson for you next time you try to put your 
glasses on, that you shouldn't do such things when it comes 
to service in the body politic. And he is resolute in the entire 
scene. And that scene in that last clause 
in verse 11, shall I not drink the cup which my father has given 
me? And then I wanna end here on what I'm gonna call the antitypical 
significance. Let me define my terms. If you 
ever come to our Wednesday night Bible studies, we work our way 
through the Old Testament. One of the things that we do 
from time to time is what's called typical significance. For instance, 
you've got Samson in the book of Judges. Supernatural birth. Spirit of the Lord comes upon 
him, destroying the enemies of God, dying as a substitute for 
his nation, and thus defeating the enemies of God. He, in his 
typical significance, points us to Jesus. Because Jesus' supernatural 
birth, Jesus vanquished the enemies of God, and Jesus does this ultimately 
through his own death. So there are those passages in 
the Old Testament that have typical significance. Moses was a mediator 
of the Old Covenant. Therein he typifies our Lord 
Jesus, who is the mediator of the New Covenant. The kingship, the monarchy, all 
of that, it's typical. It points forward to our Lord 
Jesus Christ. So the antitype is the fulfillment 
of the type. And it's not a direct one-to-one 
correspondence. The antitype is always greater. 
The antitype is fulfillment. The type wets our appetites and 
points us forward to the anti-type. And in this instance, in this 
garden, in this arrest, there are at least three of that. And 
the first hearkens back to 2 Samuel chapter 15. I think that John 
wants us to see that Jesus is David's greater son. 2 Samuel 15 comes a few chapters 
after 2 Samuel 12. And in 2 Samuel 12, David is 
caught in his sin. And God says to David that the 
sword is not gonna depart from your house. There are gonna be 
temporal consequences for your sin of adultery and murder. You're not cut out of heaven. 
You're not no longer my man, but you're gonna suffer in your 
own home. Second Samuel chapter 15, guess 
who rises up against David? His son, Absalom. Absalom works 
the crowd. Absalom forms a conspiracy. Absalom drives the hearts of 
the children of Israel after Absalom. Interestingly, David 
then leaves Jerusalem. And according to 2 Samuel 15, 
I'm guessing around verse 23-ish, yes, they cross over the brook 
Kidron. Interesting, that's the same 
brook mentioned in 18.1. As well, when David is conferring 
with his counselors, he recognizes God's absolute sovereignty. I 
hope it goes this way, and if it does, I'll know the favor 
of the Lord, and if it doesn't, then I'll know that I don't have 
the favor of the Lord. Sounds just like what we see 
of Jesus in this arrest. As well, there's a trusted counselor 
of David that joins the rebellion, that joins the conspiracy. His 
name is Ahithophel. So betrayal from within. Rejection from without, Absalom 
there being the covenant people in the first century that rejected 
and resisted our blessed Savior, and the presence of the faithful 
followers of David. So what do you have in 2 Samuel 
15? You have the rebel son, Absalom, 
rising up against his father, David. trying to usurp or take 
away the very kingdom itself. What do you get in the Garden 
of Gethsemane in John 18? You've got the obedient son, 
who's only ever advancing his father's kingdom through the 
tragic events that are falling upon him. What's another piece 
of anti-typical significance that we find in this passage? 
If we go back from 2 Samuel 15 to say Genesis 22, we have what 
commentators call there the binding of Isaac. The binding of Isaac. Remember that statement, Genesis 
22.1, Abraham is being tested by God. And remember, Abraham 
doesn't have Genesis 22.1. He doesn't know he's being tested 
by God. What's the nature of the test? 
Take your son, your only son, the son whom you love, to Mount 
Moriah, which is the future or the site of the future temple. 
Take him to Mount Moriah, tie him up, take a knife, and put 
it in him as a sacrifice so that I know that you love me. He binds 
him on the altar. He raises the knife and is about 
to plunge it into the son, the son of his love, his only son, 
when the angel of the Lord stops him. But Jesus is bound, but 
there will be no angel of the Lord stopping what goes on on 
the cross. In fact, when the son cries, 
my God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? There's no immediate 
delivery. There's no response as it were. 
There's no angel stopping the justice of God's sword upon the 
son of his love. We read Psalm 118 at the outset 
of worship. Psalm 118 is significant because 
it's the last of the Hillel Psalms. Psalms 113 to 118 are categorized 
as Hillel. This is what they sang at Passover. Remember, after that reading 
or that statement in Matthew's gospel, after they eat the bread, 
after they drink the cup, they depart and they go to do what? 
Sing a hymn. Well, they sang a hymn rather 
and went and departed. The last thing those disciples 
sang with the Savior was Psalm 118. And specifically in verse 
27, it says, God is the Lord and He has given us light. Bind 
the sacrifice with cords to the horns of the altar. That's what's 
going to happen to Jesus. He has bound the sacrifice. He is going to the cross for 
us men and for our salvation. And then the final piece of anti-typical 
significance predates even Genesis 22, and it's Genesis 1-3. Genesis 1-3. Look back at 18.1. When Jesus had spoken these words, 
he went out with his disciples over the brook Kidron where there 
was a garden. We hear garden, we think flowers. 
We hear garden, we think salad. We hear garden, we don't think 
Eden. Cyril of Alexandria, way back 
in his day, was doing biblical theology. He said, the place 
was a garden, fulfilling the type of the original paradise. 
It was a recapitulation, as it were, of places and a return, 
so to speak, of all things to their original condition. In 
paradise, the beginning of our suffering occurred. And in the 
garden, the suffering of Christ receives its beginning, which 
brought about restoration from all that had happened to us long 
ago. Isn't that beautiful? Or think of the Geneva Bible. 
Christ goeth of his own accord into a garden, which his betrayer 
knew to be taken, that by his obedience he might take away 
the sin that entered into the world by one man's rebellion, 
and that in a garden. Death comes in the garden, in 
Eden. but life comes in the garden 
as a result of Christ's willingness and obedience to swallow every 
drop of the wrath and fury of God to satisfy divine justice. I don't bring these things out 
so that we can say, wow, that's just cool. One, to see the consent 
of all the parts. The Bible is an amazing book. 
When you're reading 2 Samuel 15, you're reading about Jesus. 
When you're reading Genesis 22, you're reading about Jesus. When 
you're singing the latter part of Psalm 118, you're singing 
about Jesus, but as well. God most high, purpose to save 
us from our sins, from before the foundation of the world. 
He records it prophetically throughout the Old Testament, and he brings 
it to fruition in the mission of his son. If that doesn't steal 
the soul against the temptations of the devil, if that doesn't 
help us to walk in obedience to our Lord, If it doesn't help 
us in terms of perseverance, we should repent, because we've 
got a lot of good stuff that God has afforded to us for our 
well-being as God's people. So see, in the garden here, the 
glory, the majesty, and the excellence of Christ Jesus, that mediator 
of the new covenant, that divine son who took on our humanity 
such that he could drink the very wrath of God most high in 
that cup poured out to satisfy divine justice. May the Lord 
be glorified and may we think these thoughts and may we read 
our Old Testament thinking these thoughts and seeing Jesus from 
cover to cover. Well, let us pray. Our Father 
in heaven, we thank you for your word. We thank you for your blessed 
son, the Lord Jesus Christ, and what he accomplished on our behalf. 
Even to see him arrested like this is horrifying on the one 
hand, but God-glorifying and soul-delighting on the other 
hand. We thank you that he does all these things for sinners 
like us, and God bless that word as it's proclaimed throughout 
the earth, and may sinners believe on him. And we ask in Jesus' 
name, amen. will let us stand and sing the 
Gloria Patria page.