Anchor My Faith

Previous Lesson
Next Lesson
Author: Stephen Weller
699 words, 4 minutes read time

Crowd Control by Jesus

Scripture: John 18:4-9

In the previous lesson we witnessed Judas leading those who would arrest Jesus to where he was located and then identifying him with a kiss of friendship. In this lesson we find that Jesus maintains control of the situation.

^{Jn 18:4} Then Jesus, knowing all that would happen to him, came forward and said to them, “Whom do you seek?” ⁵ They answered him, “Jesus of Nazareth.” Jesus said to them, “I am he.” Judas, who betrayed him, was standing with them. ⁶ When Jesus said to them, “I am he,” they drew back and fell to the ground.

I find it interesting to note that once Jesus was identified by Judas that the crowd didn’t rush up and take Jesus but seemed to stand back enough that Jesus came forward to them and said, “Whom do you seek?” to which they responded, “Jesus of Nazareth.” To verify the kiss of Judas in identifying Jesus, he said to them, “I am he.”

When Judas and the crowd came, the crowd apparently stopped at the entrance to the garden and Judas entered to seek out Jesus, who at the time was apparently near the entrance. At the time of this conversation between Jesus and the crowd, Judas was near Jesus and they were some distance from the crowd. Judas, Jesus and the disciples apparently move closer to the entrance to ask the question.

To the crowd’s response that they were seeking Jesus, Jesus responds with “I am he.” which has connotations of deity. In John 6:20 when Jesus approached the boat walking on the sea, he said to his disciples, “It is I.” In John 6:35, Jesus said, “I am the bread of life.” In John 8:24, Jesus said, “Unless you believe that I am he you will die in your sins.” In John 8:58, Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, “I am.” These responses along with Jesus saying to the crowd, “I am he.” all suggest deity.

As a result of this statement there seemed to be a sense of authority or glory present which caused the crowd to draw back and fall to the ground. It is clear that the power of God is there and is controlling the crowd. If they are to arrest Jesus, he will have to voluntarily give himself to them.

^{Jn 18:7} So he asked them again, “Whom do you seek?” And they said, “Jesus of Nazareth.” ⁸ Jesus answered, “I told you that I am he. So, if you seek me, let these men go.” ⁹ This was to fulfill the word that he had spoken: “Of those whom you gave me I have lost not one.”

Once again Jesus said to them, “Whom do you seek?” and once again they respond with, “Jesus of Nazareth.” and once again Jesus says to them, “I am he” but adds, “So, if you seek me, let these men go.” Jesus is looking out for his disciples and fulfilling the word spoken: “Of those whom you gave me I have lost not one.” This concern Jesus has for his disciples points back to John 17:12 ESV: “While I was with them, I kept them in your name, which you have given me. I have guarded them, and not one of them has been lost except the son of destruction, that the Scripture might be fulfilled.”

This security we have in Jesus is illustrated in John 6:39 ESV: “And this is the will of him who sent me, that I should lose nothing of all that he has given me but raise it up on the last day.” and in John 10:28 ESV: “I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand.”

Conclusion

Here in the garden, Jesus is demonstrating that he is the “good shepherd” by protecting his disciples and his willingness to lay down his life to protect his sheep (John 10:11, 15, 17-18, 28), but as we will see in the next lesson, the disciples don’t yet understand.