John 18:3 - Printer Friendly

ESV: So Judas, having procured a band of soldiers and some officers from the chief priests and the Pharisees, went there with lanterns and torches and weapons.

NIV: So Judas came to the garden, guiding a detachment of soldiers and some officials from the chief priests and the Pharisees. They were carrying torches, lanterns and weapons.

NASB: So Judas, having obtained the Roman cohort and officers from the chief priests and the Pharisees, *came there with lanterns, torches, and weapons.

CSB: So Judas took a company of soldiers and some officials from the chief priests and the Pharisees and came there with lanterns, torches, and weapons.

NLT: 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.

KJV: Judas then, having received a band of men and officers from the chief priests and Pharisees, cometh thither with lanterns and torches and weapons.

NKJV: Then Judas, having received a detachment of troops, and officers from the chief priests and Pharisees, came there with lanterns, torches, and weapons.

Christ and His disciples have come from the Last Supper (John 13—17) and crossed over a small brook called Kidron (John 18:1). This was the same place where David learned he had been betrayed by a former ally (2 Samuel 15:23–31). Jesus is about to have a parallel experience: one of His twelve closest followers has conspired with local religious leaders (John 13:2–3; Matthew 26:14–16). Their intent is to capture Jesus away from supportive crowds, so they can put Him through a series of sham trials, and eventually put Him to death (John 18:12–14).

Judas arrives with heavily armed men, which has more to do with the other disciples than it does with Jesus. The Greek term here is speria, which could mean as many as 600 soldiers. It's not likely anywhere near that many arrived in Gethsemane, but the Roman government had made at least that number available. Luke records Jesus' remark that He's done nothing suggesting violence (Luke 22:52–53). The men He is with, however, may have it in their mind to fight back (Luke 22:38; John 13:36–38). Peter, in fact, will do just that (John 18:10), despite Jesus negotiating for their freedom (John 18:8).

Since beginning His public ministry, Jesus has been active: He has directly controlled the pace and timing. Nothing that has happened has been outside of His control. What is about to happen won't be beyond His power, either. However, once Jesus is arrested by His enemies, He will assume a passive role, allowing others to condemn and murder Him. Before that, Christ will put a final exclamation point on His power—making it clear that He goes willingly to His own death (John 18:4–6).

John 18:1–11 occurs after Jesus' High Priestly Prayer (John 17). The garden setting evokes both the beginning and end of human history (Genesis 2:8; Revelation 22:1–5). Christ's obedience contrasts with the disobedience of Adam (1 Corinthians 15:45; Philippians 2:8; Genesis 3:12). Writing after the other Gospels were in circulation, John skips over Jesus' prayers in the garden (Matthew 26:36–46). Judas arrives to identify Jesus so He can be arrested. Christ provides a last demonstration of power before submitting to His enemies. Peter's maiming of a servant is mentioned, along with Jesus' rebuke of Peter, but not the healing of the servant's ear (Luke 22:50–51), or the disciples retreat (Matthew 26:56). David, also, experienced betrayal by a close ally while crossing Kidron on the way to the Mount of Olives (2 Samuel 15:23–31).

Jesus is secretly, quietly arrested in the garden of Gethsemane and taken to a series of sham trials before Jewish leadership. This leads to His encounter with the local Roman governor. Jesus accepts being described as "King" but denies that His current purpose is earthly rule. A mob assembled by Jesus' enemies reject Pilate's attempt to free Jesus. In the meantime, Peter fulfills Christ's prophecy about a three-fold denial.

John's Gospel was written well after the other three, so he frequently chooses to present different details. Chapter 17 detailed Jesus' High Priestly Prayer, just before He entered the garden of Gethsemane. This chapter describes Jesus' arrest, sham trials before Jewish leadership, and the beginning of His trial before the Roman governor. In the following chapter, Jesus will be unfairly condemned, executed, and buried.

The gospel of John was written by the disciple John, decades later than the gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke. The author assumes that a reader is already familiar with the content of these other works. So, John presents a different perspective, with a greater emphasis on meaning. John uses seven miracles—which he calls “signs”—in order to prove that Jesus is, in fact, God incarnate. Some of the most well-known verses in all of the Bible are found here. None is more famous than the one-sentence summary of the gospel found in John 3:16.