Then Jesus, knowing all that would happen to him, came forward and said to them, “Whom do you seek?” They answered him, “Jesus of Nazareth.” Jesus said to them, “I am he.” Judas, who betrayed him, was standing with them. When Jesus said to them, “I am he,” they drew back and fell to the ground. So he asked them again, “Whom do you seek?” And they said, “Jesus of Nazareth.”
(John 18:4-7 ESV)
How can we worship someone who died. Surely is he was the son of God, then he, or God could have stopped it. What sort of God can be killed by his creatures? If I can physically destroy God, why should I worship that God?
Throughout Jesus' betrayal, arrest and trials in John 18, we are reminded over and over again that Jesus is in charge here.
- v4 Jesus knows what is about to happen
- v4 He comes forward
- v6 He speaks and knocks them over! For a moment we get a glimpse of the reality. Soldiers are coming up against the Lord of heaven’s armies. The only way this arrest is happening is if Jesus lets it happen. And he does let it happen.
- v9 "to fulfil the word he had spoken" Jesus had predicted these events
- v11 He doesn’t want to fight - "shall I not drink the cup?" The cup is an image used throughout the bible for the wrath of God. Jesus is going to drink that cup
- v14 a reminder of Caiaphas’ “prophecy”
- v32 "this was to fulfil" - again, Jesus had predicted all of this
- v37 for this purpose I have come
This is the King of Kings, Lord of Lords, creator, sustainer and ruler of the universe, willingly submitting to betrayal, arrest, slapping, interrogation and death.
No one takes my life from me, I lay it down of my own accord.
John 9:18
He is in charge, he is in control, this is not out of control, this is the plan. This is his hour.
He was in charge in the darkest hour of human existence. He’s still in charge now.