The entire study of the Gospel according-to-John has been leading up to the events that are recorded in the last few chapters, and the ground now having been prepared, Jesus leads His disciples to the Garden.
Now this account is very vivid; in fact, it could be rated "R", for restricted...18 years plus. But it was these events which assured our eternity, and the sending of Holy Spirit, and of the building of His church, and His eventual return to rule the earth...all these being dependent upon the putting-to-death and resurrection of our Lord. But notice who it is that Holy Spirit brings to our attention...Judas, "the son of perdition"...not Peter, or James, or Andrew, or any other of His followersB. So just before the crisis, it's the betrayer who is in the spotlight. Nothing is told us by John, but we know from the other gospel accounts that the Lord had given James and John responsibility for "watching and waiting"; nothing is said about Jesus' painful season of prayer, such as Luke has described for us...not His bloody sweat, or His agony before the Father, or of the comforting angel. Rather, other details are brought to our attention.
Now remember, Jesus is the Lamb of God, prophesied in the Old Testamant account of the Passover, when the death angel passed over Egypt, killing off the first born males...except those of the families of the Jews. Remember the life-sustaining blood of the Passover lambs which had been applied to their doorposts, after the command of God? Well here we see the Lamb, provided for all mankind, so that when the death angel passes our way, we'll be found to be wearing that precious badge of salvation...the precious, shed, saving, sin-erasing blood of the Lamb of God! And so, Jesus, as recorded in Hebrews 13, "...went without the gate to pray, and to await His betrayal." And He retreated to a spot, well known by Judas; possibly a prearranged meeting place for Jesus to spend the night with His disciples following the Passover feast. And of course, it provided the perfect location for what was to be a very public arrest, which constituted the voluntary submission of His will, to what had to be. What an example for a time of crisis...a willingness to do what heaven expects of all Believers..to drink the cup of obedience to the Father!
Now in vs. 3, we have the only gospel record which identifies the make-up of the posse led by Judas, as being commissioned by the religionists of the day...officers of the chief priests and the Pharisees. The other gospels record them as being "a great multitude", or perhaps "a motley crew", or "a lynch mob", fully armed with torches and weapons of destruction. Just consider that it was these men too, for whom Jesus was sent to die!
But in vs. 4 we read that "Jesus knew all that was about to come upon Him". How often have we considered the omniscient, all-knowing God! You know, many Believers have always made up their own brand of truth, in the name of our Lord. And many others, as well, claim to know this, that, or the other thing, refusing to be moved when it comes to their own measley conceptions of the way things are, and the way things must be! But we're told that Jesus "knew all things that should come upon Him"! He knew that the Father had put all things into His hand, and that He would one day "put all things under His feet"! But at this point, "all things" would be taken from Him.
In chapt. 13 He spoke of His glory; here, of His suffering. But He knew that it was all according-to the perfect will of God. And He knew that the Father had, by Holy Spirit, decreed His will for Him throughout the Old Testament scriptures; and He had agreed from eternity past, with the Father's plan for the provision of grace through His birth, life, death, burial, resurrection and return to glory, for all who would believe and receive. But, still, knowing all, went forward to meet the enemy!
So He asked (knowing all things), "Whom seek ye?" Now that's a sure sign of Jesus' commitment to His task, Holy Spirit being His strength, His peace, and "the Lifter of His head"...more than at any other time in His life. He was more than willing to take His place upon the rude throne of the cross of His sacrifice and suffering and shame...not to get the glory, but to be made the glory, and to ensure the glory for you and for me; so He "went forth"!
You know, this is in pretty sharp contrast to the guilty parties who first practiced sin, back in that other garden. We're told that rather than going forth to face the penalty, they went back, and hid themselves in guilt and shame from their Creator. That's what sin has made us...guilty, shameful inhabitants of the dark side, trying to avoid the Truth-revealing Light of the World. But Jesus "went forth" for us, to meet His accusers, and to bear the penaly for that first, and for all sin.
You know, those fooligans really had no idea as to Who they were dealing-with! If they had, they would have fallen on their faces and worshiped Him; instead of boldly replying, "Jesus of Nazereth", they should have cried out with tears..."the Christ, Son of the Living God!" But that was not to be. So our Lord, the Lamb-like Sacrifice chosen from eternity-past, simply... humbly replied, "I Am He." And as soon as He spoke it, those instruments of Satan backed-off and fell upon the ground, staring open-mouthed, toward the heavenlies.
May we, fellow Believers, always remember our place before The King. He willingly, and humbly faced His captors, knowing full well that His fate hung not in the balance of justice, but on the side of justice; and not because of His own sin, but because of mine and your's.
Again, O how He loved you and me!
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