Bible Reading
Jesus Arrested
18 When he had finished praying, Jesus left with his disciples and crossed the Kidron Valley. On the other side there was a garden, and he and his disciples went into it. 2 Now Judas, who betrayed him, knew the place, because Jesus had often met there with his disciples. 3 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. 4 Jesus, knowing all that was going to happen to him, went out and asked them, “Who is it you want?” 5 “Jesus of Nazareth,” they replied. “I am he,” Jesus said. (And Judas the traitor was standing there with them.) 6 When Jesus said, “I am he,” they drew back and fell to the ground. 7 Again he asked them, “Who is it you want?” “Jesus of Nazareth,” they said. 8 Jesus answered, “I told you that I am he. If you are looking for me, then let these men go.” 9 This happened so that the words he had spoken would be fulfilled: “I have not lost one of those you gave me.” 10 Then Simon Peter, who had a sword, drew it and struck the high priest’s servant, cutting off his right ear. (The servant’s name was Malchus.) 11 Jesus commanded Peter, “Put your sword away! Shall I not drink the cup the Father has given me?” 12 Then the detachment of soldiers with its commander and the Jewish officials arrested Jesus. They bound him 13 and brought him first to Annas, who was the father-in-law of Caiaphas, the high priest that year. 14 Caiaphas was the one who had advised the Jewish leaders that it would be good if one man died for the people.
Peter’s First Denial
15 Simon Peter and another disciple were following Jesus. Because this disciple was known to the high priest, he went with Jesus into the high priest’s courtyard, 16 but Peter had to wait outside at the door. The other disciple, who was known to the high priest, came back, spoke to the servant girl on duty there and brought Peter in. 17 “You aren’t one of this man’s disciples too, are you?” she asked Peter. He replied, “I am not.” 18 It was cold, and the servants and officials stood around a fire they had made to keep warm. Peter also was standing with them, warming himself.
The High Priest Questions Jesus
19 Meanwhile, the high priest questioned Jesus about his disciples and his teaching. 20 “I have spoken openly to the world,” Jesus replied. “I always taught in synagogues or at the temple, where all the Jews come together. I said nothing in secret. 21 Why question me? Ask those who heard me. Surely they know what I said.” 22 When Jesus said this, one of the officials nearby slapped him in the face. “Is this the way you answer the high priest?” he demanded. 23 “If I said something wrong,” Jesus replied, “testify as to what is wrong. But if I spoke the truth, why did you strike me?” 24 Then Annas sent him bound to Caiaphas the high priest.
Peter’s Second and Third Denials
25 Meanwhile, Simon Peter was still standing there warming himself. So they asked him, “You aren’t one of his disciples too, are you?” He denied it, saying, “I am not.” 26 One of the high priest’s servants, a relative of the man whose ear Peter had cut off, challenged him, “Didn’t I see you with him in the garden?” 27 Again Peter denied it, and at that moment a rooster began to crow.
Jesus Before Pilate
28 Then the Jewish leaders took Jesus from Caiaphas to the palace of the Roman governor. By now it was early morning, and to avoid ceremonial uncleanness they did not enter the palace, because they wanted to be able to eat the Passover. 29 So Pilate came out to them and asked, “What charges are you bringing against this man?” 30 “If he were not a criminal,” they replied, “we would not have handed him over to you.” 31 Pilate said, “Take him yourselves and judge him by your own law.” “But we have no right to execute anyone,” they objected. 32 This took place to fulfill what Jesus had said about the kind of death he was going to die. 33 Pilate then went back inside the palace, summoned Jesus and asked him, “Are you the king of the Jews?” 34 “Is that your own idea,” Jesus asked, “or did others talk to you about me?” 35 “Am I a Jew?” Pilate replied. “Your own people and chief priests handed you over to me. What is it you have done?” 36 Jesus said, “My kingdom is not of this world. If it were, my servants would fight to prevent my arrest by the Jewish leaders. But now my kingdom is from another place.” 37 “You are a king, then!” said Pilate. Jesus answered, “You say that I am a king. In fact, the reason I was born and came into the world is to testify to the truth. Everyone on the side of truth listens to me.” 38 “What is truth?” retorted Pilate. With this he went out again to the Jews gathered there and said, “I find no basis for a charge against him. 39 But it is your custom for me to release to you one prisoner at the time of the Passover. Do you want me to release ‘the king of the Jews’?” 40 They shouted back, “No, not him! Give us Barabbas!” Now Barabbas had taken part in an uprising.
18 When he had finished praying, Jesus left with his disciples and crossed the Kidron Valley. On the other side there was a garden, and he and his disciples went into it. 2 Now Judas, who betrayed him, knew the place, because Jesus had often met there with his disciples. 3 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. 4 Jesus, knowing all that was going to happen to him, went out and asked them, “Who is it you want?” 5 “Jesus of Nazareth,” they replied. “I am he,” Jesus said. (And Judas the traitor was standing there with them.) 6 When Jesus said, “I am he,” they drew back and fell to the ground. 7 Again he asked them, “Who is it you want?” “Jesus of Nazareth,” they said. 8 Jesus answered, “I told you that I am he. If you are looking for me, then let these men go.” 9 This happened so that the words he had spoken would be fulfilled: “I have not lost one of those you gave me.” 10 Then Simon Peter, who had a sword, drew it and struck the high priest’s servant, cutting off his right ear. (The servant’s name was Malchus.) 11 Jesus commanded Peter, “Put your sword away! Shall I not drink the cup the Father has given me?” 12 Then the detachment of soldiers with its commander and the Jewish officials arrested Jesus. They bound him 13 and brought him first to Annas, who was the father-in-law of Caiaphas, the high priest that year. 14 Caiaphas was the one who had advised the Jewish leaders that it would be good if one man died for the people.
Peter’s First Denial
15 Simon Peter and another disciple were following Jesus. Because this disciple was known to the high priest, he went with Jesus into the high priest’s courtyard, 16 but Peter had to wait outside at the door. The other disciple, who was known to the high priest, came back, spoke to the servant girl on duty there and brought Peter in. 17 “You aren’t one of this man’s disciples too, are you?” she asked Peter. He replied, “I am not.” 18 It was cold, and the servants and officials stood around a fire they had made to keep warm. Peter also was standing with them, warming himself.
The High Priest Questions Jesus
19 Meanwhile, the high priest questioned Jesus about his disciples and his teaching. 20 “I have spoken openly to the world,” Jesus replied. “I always taught in synagogues or at the temple, where all the Jews come together. I said nothing in secret. 21 Why question me? Ask those who heard me. Surely they know what I said.” 22 When Jesus said this, one of the officials nearby slapped him in the face. “Is this the way you answer the high priest?” he demanded. 23 “If I said something wrong,” Jesus replied, “testify as to what is wrong. But if I spoke the truth, why did you strike me?” 24 Then Annas sent him bound to Caiaphas the high priest.
Peter’s Second and Third Denials
25 Meanwhile, Simon Peter was still standing there warming himself. So they asked him, “You aren’t one of his disciples too, are you?” He denied it, saying, “I am not.” 26 One of the high priest’s servants, a relative of the man whose ear Peter had cut off, challenged him, “Didn’t I see you with him in the garden?” 27 Again Peter denied it, and at that moment a rooster began to crow.
Jesus Before Pilate
28 Then the Jewish leaders took Jesus from Caiaphas to the palace of the Roman governor. By now it was early morning, and to avoid ceremonial uncleanness they did not enter the palace, because they wanted to be able to eat the Passover. 29 So Pilate came out to them and asked, “What charges are you bringing against this man?” 30 “If he were not a criminal,” they replied, “we would not have handed him over to you.” 31 Pilate said, “Take him yourselves and judge him by your own law.” “But we have no right to execute anyone,” they objected. 32 This took place to fulfill what Jesus had said about the kind of death he was going to die. 33 Pilate then went back inside the palace, summoned Jesus and asked him, “Are you the king of the Jews?” 34 “Is that your own idea,” Jesus asked, “or did others talk to you about me?” 35 “Am I a Jew?” Pilate replied. “Your own people and chief priests handed you over to me. What is it you have done?” 36 Jesus said, “My kingdom is not of this world. If it were, my servants would fight to prevent my arrest by the Jewish leaders. But now my kingdom is from another place.” 37 “You are a king, then!” said Pilate. Jesus answered, “You say that I am a king. In fact, the reason I was born and came into the world is to testify to the truth. Everyone on the side of truth listens to me.” 38 “What is truth?” retorted Pilate. With this he went out again to the Jews gathered there and said, “I find no basis for a charge against him. 39 But it is your custom for me to release to you one prisoner at the time of the Passover. Do you want me to release ‘the king of the Jews’?” 40 They shouted back, “No, not him! Give us Barabbas!” Now Barabbas had taken part in an uprising.
Devotional
Jesus and His disciples celebrated the Passover in the Upper Room on Thursday evening. In that place, Jesus washed the disciples feet and instituted the Lord’s Supper (John 13; Matthew 26). He also called out His betrayer who would manifest his disloyalty toward Him later that night: “As they were eating, He said, ‘Truly I say to you that one of you will betray Me.’ And Judas, who was betraying Him, said, ‘Surely it is not I, Rabbi?’ Jesus said to him, ‘You have said it yourself’” (Matthew 26:21, 25).
As the narrative begins in John 18, Jesus has just finished praying what is called the “high priestly prayer” (John 17). A main theme of that prayer is His request of the Father regarding His disciples that the Father would “keep them” in His name (John 17:11). Jesus then proclaims that He “guarded them and not one of them perished but the son of perdition” (John 17:12). This is the vibe among the disciples and their Master as things transition late that evening from the Upper Room to the Garden of Gethsemane, and eventually later that morning to the cross on Calvary.
Perhaps somewhere around midnight, Judas left the Upper Room (John 13:30) to go meet up with his co-conspirators while Jesus took His disciples to the Garden of Gethsemane. The garden was just far enough away from the city (about one mile) to be sure to have some privacy away from the activity of the many pilgrims who were in Jerusalem for the Passover. In route to the garden, they would pass over the Kidron Valley; a name which means “gloomy” in keeping with it’s dark waters stained by the blood that came from the sacrifices made at the Temple. Gethsemane itself means “oil press.” Still to this day, the Garden of Gethsemane is filled with olive trees. This Garden – this “oil press” or “wine press” – would come to symbolize the suffering and judgment that would be necessary to “squeeze out” that which was precious.
As is written in Isaiah, “Why is Your apparel red, and Your garments like the one who treads in the wine press? I have trodden the wine…in My anger and trampled them in My wrath; and their lifeblood is sprinkled on My garments, and I stained all My raiment. For the day of vengeance was in My heart, and My year of redemption has come” (Isaiah 63:2-4).
And so, just hours before going to the cross and shedding His “Kidronish” sacrificial blood, Jesus winds up in a garden; a garden of suffering produced by the dynamic of obedience and submission as that which gains victory over temptation. Temptation does not fall away easily. In this war, Jesus’ suffering was so intense that “being in agony He was praying very fervently; and His sweat became like drops of blood, falling down upon the ground” (Luke 22:44). The war of wills – the fight for submission – had to be fought, and so “He knelt down and began to pray, saying, ‘Father, if You are willing, remove this cup from Me; yet not My will, but Yours be done’” (Luke 22:41-42).
What was lost in the original garden by Adam was regained in the next garden by the last Adam: “So also it is written, ‘The first man, Adam, became a living soul.’ The last Adam became a life-giving spirit” (1 Corinthians 15:45). That last Adam yields life as it is born through death (John 12:24). Indeed, the cross generates the resurrection. Even as the Garden of Eden (post-Fall) necessitates the Garden of Gethsemane, so too that garden of the “oil press” triumphantly results in the garden that John will later describe in Revelation 21-22 where there will no longer be any sin or death; a garden that looks obviously similar to the original Garden of Eden (pre-Fall).
The war begins in a garden, is fought in a garden, and ends in a garden. This war is a different kind of war. It is a spiritual war. It is not a physical war; not a fight against, or a fight fought with, the structures of this world. In the Garden of Gethsemane, Peter still did not quite understand this; “then, having a sword, drew it and struck the high priest’s slave, and cut off his right ear…So Jesus said to Peter, ‘Put the sword into the sheath; the cup which the Father has given Me, shall I not drink it?’” (John 18:10-11). The movement from garden to garden is an otherworldly reality.
Jesus put it this way, “My kingdom is not of this world. If My kingdom were of this world, then My servants would be fighting so that I would not be handed over to the Jews; but as it is, My kingdom is not of this realm” (John 18:36). Jesus wins the war on our behalf by moving us from a garden disaster (Garden of Eden) to a garden fight (Garden of Gethsemane) to a garden victory (new heavens and new earth). And so, all us “gardeners” cry out “Come, Lord Jesus” (Revelation 22:20) as we anticipate the greatest “garden party” ever!
As the narrative begins in John 18, Jesus has just finished praying what is called the “high priestly prayer” (John 17). A main theme of that prayer is His request of the Father regarding His disciples that the Father would “keep them” in His name (John 17:11). Jesus then proclaims that He “guarded them and not one of them perished but the son of perdition” (John 17:12). This is the vibe among the disciples and their Master as things transition late that evening from the Upper Room to the Garden of Gethsemane, and eventually later that morning to the cross on Calvary.
Perhaps somewhere around midnight, Judas left the Upper Room (John 13:30) to go meet up with his co-conspirators while Jesus took His disciples to the Garden of Gethsemane. The garden was just far enough away from the city (about one mile) to be sure to have some privacy away from the activity of the many pilgrims who were in Jerusalem for the Passover. In route to the garden, they would pass over the Kidron Valley; a name which means “gloomy” in keeping with it’s dark waters stained by the blood that came from the sacrifices made at the Temple. Gethsemane itself means “oil press.” Still to this day, the Garden of Gethsemane is filled with olive trees. This Garden – this “oil press” or “wine press” – would come to symbolize the suffering and judgment that would be necessary to “squeeze out” that which was precious.
As is written in Isaiah, “Why is Your apparel red, and Your garments like the one who treads in the wine press? I have trodden the wine…in My anger and trampled them in My wrath; and their lifeblood is sprinkled on My garments, and I stained all My raiment. For the day of vengeance was in My heart, and My year of redemption has come” (Isaiah 63:2-4).
And so, just hours before going to the cross and shedding His “Kidronish” sacrificial blood, Jesus winds up in a garden; a garden of suffering produced by the dynamic of obedience and submission as that which gains victory over temptation. Temptation does not fall away easily. In this war, Jesus’ suffering was so intense that “being in agony He was praying very fervently; and His sweat became like drops of blood, falling down upon the ground” (Luke 22:44). The war of wills – the fight for submission – had to be fought, and so “He knelt down and began to pray, saying, ‘Father, if You are willing, remove this cup from Me; yet not My will, but Yours be done’” (Luke 22:41-42).
What was lost in the original garden by Adam was regained in the next garden by the last Adam: “So also it is written, ‘The first man, Adam, became a living soul.’ The last Adam became a life-giving spirit” (1 Corinthians 15:45). That last Adam yields life as it is born through death (John 12:24). Indeed, the cross generates the resurrection. Even as the Garden of Eden (post-Fall) necessitates the Garden of Gethsemane, so too that garden of the “oil press” triumphantly results in the garden that John will later describe in Revelation 21-22 where there will no longer be any sin or death; a garden that looks obviously similar to the original Garden of Eden (pre-Fall).
The war begins in a garden, is fought in a garden, and ends in a garden. This war is a different kind of war. It is a spiritual war. It is not a physical war; not a fight against, or a fight fought with, the structures of this world. In the Garden of Gethsemane, Peter still did not quite understand this; “then, having a sword, drew it and struck the high priest’s slave, and cut off his right ear…So Jesus said to Peter, ‘Put the sword into the sheath; the cup which the Father has given Me, shall I not drink it?’” (John 18:10-11). The movement from garden to garden is an otherworldly reality.
Jesus put it this way, “My kingdom is not of this world. If My kingdom were of this world, then My servants would be fighting so that I would not be handed over to the Jews; but as it is, My kingdom is not of this realm” (John 18:36). Jesus wins the war on our behalf by moving us from a garden disaster (Garden of Eden) to a garden fight (Garden of Gethsemane) to a garden victory (new heavens and new earth). And so, all us “gardeners” cry out “Come, Lord Jesus” (Revelation 22:20) as we anticipate the greatest “garden party” ever!