John 18 NLT
Jesus Is Betrayed and Arrested
1 After saying these things, Jesus crossed the Kidron Valley with His disciples and entered a grove of olive trees. 2 Judas, the betrayer, knew this place, because Jesus had often gone there with His disciples. 3 The leading priests and Pharisees had given Judas a contingent of Roman soldiers and Temple guards to accompany him. Now with blazing torches, lanterns, and weapons, they arrived at the olive grove. 4 Jesus fully realized all that was going to happen to Him, so He stepped forward to meet them. “Who are you looking for?” He asked. 5 “Jesus the Nazarene,” they replied. “I AM He,” Jesus said. (Judas, who betrayed him, was standing with them.) 6 As Jesus said “I AM He,” they all drew back and fell to the ground! 7 Once more He asked them, “Who are you looking for?” And again they replied, “Jesus the Nazarene.” 8 “I told you that I AM He,” Jesus said. “And since I am the one you want, let these others go.” 9 He did this to fulfill His own statement: “I did not lose a single one of those You have given Me.” 10 Then Simon Peter drew a sword and slashed off the right ear of Malchus, the high priest’s slave. 11 But Jesus said to Peter, “Put your sword back into its sheath. Shall I not drink from the cup of suffering the Father has given Me?” 12 So the soldiers, their commanding officer, and the Temple guards arrested Jesus and tied Him up. 13 First they took Him to Annas, the father-in-law of Caiaphas, the high priest at that time. 14 Caiaphas was the one who had told the other Jewish leaders, “It’s better that one man should die for the people.”
They came at night to arrest Jesus. They didn't have the courage to arrest Him in public. They didn't have the courage to arrest Him in the light of day. They arrested Him in the dark of night in the woods.
Judas is with the soldiers. When Jesus says "I Am He" they all drew back and fell to the ground, that would include Judas, yet that did not convince them that Jesus is the Messiah.
They tied Jesus up. The ropes were unnecessary. Jesus would have gone willingly. He could have had the ropes fall off His wrists at any time yet "Shall I not drink from the cup of suffering the Father has given Me?"
"First they took Him to Anna's." Now we will see how no one wants to take responsibility for the death of Jesus. All the leaders want to be rid of Him, all the leaders see Jesus as a threat but none want to be the one responsible for His death.
I see a whole lot of fear in this passage. Fear of being seen, fear of losing power, fear of taking responsibility. I've heard it said the Bible states 365 times to "Fear not". I have never researched that to see if it's true but If it is, that's one for ever day of they year.
Today, as you go about your day, do not fear. Jesus is with you where ever you go.
Blessings, Cecilia
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