THE LION AS LAMB – John 18:1-11

Posted by Angella Diehl, Webmaster on April 9, 2014 under PM Bible Study |

PM Home Bible Study Group; April 9, 2014

John 18:1-11

Theme: In the garden, He who is the Son of God exhibited great meekness in laying down His life for us.

(Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture references are taken from The Holy Bible, New King James Version; copyright 1982, Thomas Nelson, Inc.)

Over the past several months, we have been studying together from the story in John’s Gospel of Jesus’ final meal with His disciples. As we have seen, He had taught them wonderful truths about what it was that He was about to do for them on the cross. He even closed that evening’s time together with a prayer that revealed His obedience to the Father, and the glorious outlook He expected for Himself and for them as a result of His sacrifice. And now, with the beginning of Chapter 18 and going all the way on to Chapter 19, we see that the time of teaching is over; and that the story of His gracious sacrifice for our sins is told.

The prophet Isaiah wrote of what is about to happen—750 years before it occurred. He wrote of Christ and said,

Surely He has borne our griefs

And carried our sorrows;

Yet we esteemed Him stricken,

Smitten by God, and afflicted.

But He was wounded for our transgressions,

He was bruised for our iniquities;

The chastisement for our peace was upon Him,

And by His stripes we are healed.

All we like sheep have gone astray;

We have turned, every one, to his own way;

And the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all (Isaiah 53:4-6).

In reading of that sacrifice, we must always remember that the One who was smitten and afflicted at the hands of men was also—at the same time—the Son of God. Every hand that struck Him and abused Him was a hand that He had created; and that was utterly dependent upon Him for its very existence. We read in other Gospel accounts that He could have spoken but a word to His Father; and that twelve legions of mighty angels would have come obediently and swiftly to His rescue. And remembering this fact makes the words of Isaiah 53:7 even more remarkable; that . . .

He was oppressed and He was afflicted,

Yet He opened not His mouth;

He was led as a lamb to the slaughter,

And as a sheep before its shearers is silent,

So He opened not His mouth (Isaiah 53:7).

So; as we begin our study of the story of His sacrifice for us, let’s consider the ways that the mighty Son of God willingly and meekly submitted Himself to be crucified at the hands of wicked men. Let’s consider how the Lion of the tribe of Judah (Revelation 5:5) conducted Himself like a Lamb for the slaughter on behalf of sinners . . .

I. IN GOING WILLINGLY TO THE PLACE OF HIS BETRAYAL (vv. 1-2).

A. It had already been established at the beginning of the Upper-Room Discourse—in John 13:1—that He “knew that His hour had come that He should depart from this world to the Father”. In the middle of His dinner-time discussion with them, He had already said, “Arise, let us go from here” (14:31); and had already begun to walk His disciples to the garden even as He spoke to them and prayed for them. And so, we’re told, “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” (v. 1). In Luke’s Gospel, we’re told, “Coming out, He went to the Mount of Olives, as He was accustomed, and His disciples also followed Him.” The name Gethsemane (see Matthew 26:36; Mark 14:32) means “Olive Press”. This garden was at the foot of the Mount of Olives—just over the brook Kidron; and it was no doubt given this name because it was the place at which olives were pressed that were grown upon the mountain. It’s a significant name; because it was here that He was “pressed”—as it were—in His anguish before His arrest (see Matthew 26:36-46; Mark 14:32-42; Luke 22:39-46); His sweat becoming like great drops of blood falling down to the ground (Luke 22:44).

B. This was the place that Jesus took His disciples to, knowing that Judas—His betrayer— would know that He would go there. John tells us, “And Judas, who betrayed Him, also knew the place; for Jesus often met there with His disciples” (v. 2). In fact, Judas was so confident that Jesus would be found there that He didn’t appear to even need to search for Him. And it’s in this that we see the meekness of our Lord. He could have avoided the cross if He wished. Knowing perfectly well all that was about to happen, He could have gone anywhere else. He could have carried Himself about secretly (John 7:10), as He had done before. But instead, as the Lamb of God, He went willingly to a place at which He knew He would be found, betrayed, bound, arrested, and handed over for execution.

II. IN PRESENTING HIMSELF MEEKLY TO HIS CAPTORS (vv. 3-6).

A. In allowing Himself to be found by those who would arrest Him, He nevertheless remained bold before them. We’re told of how He went courageously forward—taking, as it were, the initiative toward those who would harm Him. John writes, “Then Judas, having received a detachment of troops, and officers from the chief priests and Pharisees, came there with lanterns, torches, and weapons” (v. 3). What a threatening scene that must have been. But John goes on to say, “Jesus therefore, knowing all things that would come upon Him, went forward and said to them, ‘Whom are you seeking?’” (v. 4).

B. But in His bold approach to the arresting party, He presented remarkable meekness. Remember that ‘meekness’ does not mean ‘weakness’. True meekness means ‘strength kept under control’. When He asked them who they sought, “They answered Him, ‘Jesus of Nazareth.’ Jesus said to them, ‘I am He.’ And Judas, who betrayed Him, also stood with them” (v. 5). In the original language, what Jesus literally said was simply, “I am”—and this reflects the name by which had God identified Himself to Moses at the burning bush; saying, “I AM WHO I AM” (Exodus 3:14). In saying these words, Jesus was doing far more than simply identifying Himself. He was identifying Himself as the very same God that Moses had worshiped, and who later delivered His people mightily from bondage in Egypt. As if to give proof to this, we’re told, “Now when He said to them, ‘I am He,’ they drew back and fell to the ground” (v. 6). He had the power to cause the soldiers and arresting officers, and Judas among them, to all reel backwards helplessly and hit the ground with—as it were—the sword of His mouth. He could have most certainly done much more if He had wished. But He didn’t.

III. IN SOVEREIGNLY ALLOWING ONLY HIMSELF TO BE TAKEN (vv. 7-9).

A. Imagine the soldiers and officers struggling to get back upon their feet—straightening their helmets and setting their weapons back in place. Would they have had a sober realization that this was no mere man they were attempting to arrest while under orders? Would Judas Himself—who fell among them—have begun to have second thoughts about who it was that he was betraying? It could have all ended right then— just as with the soldiers who once went to arrest Him, but who came back without Him; saying, “No man ever spoke like this Man!” (John 7:46). But He was not arrested back at the time of the feast because it was not yet His time. His time had now come in the garden; and even if the soldiers and the betrayer were all about to talk themselves out of this wicked act, Jesus nevertheless brought them back to their God-appointed task. His arrest was not up to them, ultimately, but rather was according to the divine appointment of His Father; and the Father’s will would be accomplished for our salvation. “Then He asked them again, ‘Whom are you seeking?’ And they said, ‘Jesus of Nazareth’” (v. 7).

B. It’s then that something happened that is just as remarkable as the soldiers falling backward. “Jesus answered, ‘I have told you that I am He. Therefore, if you seek Me, let these go their way’” (v. 8). Even though our Lord’s disciples had already purposed that they would stand with Him even to the death (Matthew 26:35)—making themselves, as it were, ‘partners’ with a wanted man—none of them were arrested. Jesus remained in perfect control; allowing only Himself to be taken by them. In fact, as John goes on to tell us, this occurred “that the saying might be fulfilled which He spoke, ‘Of those whom You gave Me I have lost none’” (v. 9). This was in accordance with the expressed will of the Father. As He said in John 6:39, “This is the will of the Father who sent Me, that of all He has given Me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up as the last day.” It’s in accordance with what Jesus prayed for in John 17:12; “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.” Think of the precision of Jesus’ perfect authority over the situation. Only Judas would betray Him—as was promised in Psalm 41:9; and only Judas would be lost—as was promised in Psalm 109:8. All the others would be allowed to scatter from Him safely—as was promised in Matthew 26:31 in fulfillment of Zechariah 13:7. And in all of it, it would only be Jesus Himself—with all His manifest divine authority—that would be taken in betrayal. What an affirmation this is of what He declared in John 10:17-18; “Therefore My Father loves Me, because I lay down My life that I may take it again. No one takes it from Me, but I lay it down of Myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This command I have received from My Father.”

IV. IN REFRAINING FROM BEING DELIVERED (vv. 10-11).

A. We see one more picture of Jesus’ meekness in His sacrifice for us. We’re told, “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” (v. 10). This man was also the relative of another servant of the high priest (see v. 26); and it may be that the reason the apostle John was able to give his name was because he himself was known by the high priest (see v. 16). So this rash act on the part of Peter could have been disastrous. But the Gospel writer Luke—a physician—tell us that Jesus said, “Permit even this”; and touched the man’s ear and healed it (Luke 22:51). Not only would there be no wound for which Peter could be found guilty, but the high priest would have surely heard of this gracious and marvelous miracle.

B. Whether Peter was a remarkably accurate swordsman, or just happened to be a very bad one, is up for debate. But his bold effort to defend the Lord was not God’s will. As we’re told in Matthew’s Gospel, Jesus rebuked Peter for this; saying, “Put your sword in its place, for all who take up the sword will perish by the sword. Or do you think that I cannot now pray to My Father, and He will provide Me with more than twelve legions of angels? How then could the Scriptures be fulfilled, that it must happen thus?” (Matthew 26:52-54). As John has it, we’re told, “So Jesus said to Peter, ‘Put your sword into the sheath. Shall I not drink the cup which My Father has given Me?’” (v. 11). Jesus was not resisting arrest. He was willingly submitting to it. He did not need to be delivered from the hands of wicked men. He was seeking to deliver them from their lost condition.

* * * * * * * * * * *

The Lord Jesus gave Himself to be arrested, and then—later that day—to be crucified. He arose from the dead victoriously, and accomplished the salvation of His people. The news about Him spread, and people everywhere believed on Him. And bearing His name in a fallen and hostile world, they suffered for Him. And this same apostle Peter—writing about thirty years later—said this to His suffering brothers and sisters in Christ:

For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that you should follow His steps:

“Who committed no sin,
Nor was deceit found in His mouth”;

who, when He was reviled, did not revile in return; when He suffered, He did not threaten, but committed Himself to Him who judges righteously; who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness—by whose stripes you were healed. For you were like sheep going astray, but have now returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls (1 Peter 2:21-25).