Betrayal

Over the last several weeks we have read through and studied the final teachings of Jesus when it comes to his disciples.

He was preparing him for his departure.

He was commissioning them for their mission.

He was teaching them to love and serve one another.

And all that is leading up to this moment.

We are coming to the climax of John’s Gospel.

As we have seen before John is a master storyteller.

He has prepared us for this moment from the opening chapters.

Jesus has continually reminded us that it was not his time.

All the while knowing that the time is coming.

The time is now.

This is the moment we have been anticipating since the beginning of the book.

The next two chapters 18-19 that we will cover over the next 3 weeks are going to be focused on the last day of Jesus’ life.

The 27 verses we are going to look at this morning are going to highlight the betrayal felt by Jesus.

Betrayal is going to be felt on three fronts in these verses.

Judas’ betrayal in the Garden.

Peter’s in Two Parts.

Religious Leaders Betrayal.

Outside of Jesus and John all the major players in the next part of this story are spineless, weak, and broken people who demonstrate unfaithful and godless characteristics.

One thing I want us to keep our eyes and ears open for as we read through these verses is the fact that Jesus isn’t shaken by the betrayals.

He is still in complete control.

He is put off our confused by what’s happening.

He knew it was going to happen.

He knew that the struggle was coming.

He knew that the cross was inevitable.

So he stared headlong into his future and was resolute to continue.

He was focused and determined to die for our salvation.

John 18:1–3 CSB

1 After Jesus had said these things, he went out with his disciples across the Kidron Valley, where there was a garden, and he and his disciples went into it. 2 Judas, who betrayed him, also knew the place, because Jesus often met there with his disciples. 3 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.

Betrayal in The Garden

Jesus had just finished teaching and praying for his disciples in John 13-17.

And now it was time for him to make his death march toward the cross.

John tells us that Jesus took his disciples across the Kidron Valley to a garden.

One thing of note, is that part of the Kidron valley was where the blood would drain from the temple sacrifices.

The valley was dry most of the year and would flow with water during the wet season, but @ Passover it was dry and so Jesus and the disciples would walk over the valley to get to the garden.

I noted several weeks ago that all men were instructed to come to Jerusalem for Passover.

The population would swell from 70,000 to over 250,000 and each of those families would have to offer a lamb for sacrifice during Passover.

About 30 years after his death, a census was taken and about 250,000 lambs were sacrificed on the day of passover that year.

Doubtless had Jesus made that journey several times in his life.

And he knew the amount of blood that would be directed to the Kidron Valley.

And he was probably thinking about his blood that was about to spill as well.

He had been called by John the Baptist the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.

And the thought about his blood being spilled as he was walking across that valley did not detour him.

He continued on the journey.

Knowing the pain.

Knowing his death was coming.

Jesus and the disciples finally made it across the valley to the garden.

This would have been a Garden on the Mount of Olives.

Near where the Gethsemane event would take place.

But notice John doesn’t talk about the Gethsemane event.

That is covered in the other gospel accounts.

But John does tell us something about the garden that is important to note.

Judas knew that Jesus frequented the garden.

In fact, in Luke's account 21:37 and 22:39, we read that Jesus was basically at that garden every night leading up to Passover.

So Jesus would go to that Garden with his disciples and prepare his heart and mind for what was about to happen.

Notice this, Jesus created this pattern with his disciples.

Including Judas. So he was being predictable.

He could have gone somewhere else.

He could have stayed away from the garden.

He could have gone anywhere else.

But he knew this was the time to face what was going to happen at the Garden head on.

I think it’s interesting to note that the First betrayal of God happened in a Garden.

The Garden of Eden where mankind, Adam and Eve, betrayed God in the search of self-fulfillment.

Where they abandoned the security and truthfulness of God’s Words and betrayed him for lies from the enemy.

God was betrayed by his creation in Eden and now Jesus, God Incarnate, was betrayed by his friend and follower.

But it was in the Garden of Eden that God made a promise to restore what was broken.

To bring back unity between God and man.

In Gen 3:15, God promised there would be one who would crush the head of the serpent.

That he would destroy the one who led the betrayal.

But also in that destruction, the Savior would be wounded.

And all that is coming to fulfillment here in this garden.

Jesus is the one sent by God to restore humanity.

He is the one that crushes the head of the serpent.

He is the one who fulfilled Scripture’s Promises of a redeemer.

What fell apart in a garden, is restored through another betrayal in the Garden.

Judas knew Jesus would be there.

He knew that the disciples would be with him.

Which he told those that were hunting Jesus.

And they didn’t want to risk a revolt or an uprising.

They didn’t want there to be a problem.

So Judas was allowed to bring with him soldiers and officials.

The Greek Word here used for company of soldiers usually refers to 600 soldiers, but could refer to a smaller unit of 200 soldiers.

Nevertheless, there were between 200 and 600 soldiers there to arrest Jesus.

And these soldiers and officials came bearing Lanterns, Torches, and weapons.

They were ready to face whatever may come.

They were coming to intimidate and force Jesus to comply.

They planned on using their numbers and equipment as a forceful reminder of who is in charge, and that Jesus will comply whether he wants to or not.

But how Jesus responds to the crowd is nothing short of epic.

Jesus doesn’t cower in fear.

He doesn’t tremble with anxiety.

Rather he goes and boldly confronts the men.

John 18:4–9 CSB

4 Then Jesus, knowing everything that was about to happen to him, went out and said to them, “Who is it that you’re seeking?” 5 “Jesus of Nazareth,” they answered. “I am he,” Jesus told them. Judas, who betrayed him, was also standing with them. 6 When Jesus told them, “I am he,” they stepped back and fell to the ground. 7 Then he asked them again, “Who is it that you’re seeking?” “Jesus of Nazareth,” they said. 8 “I told you I am he,” Jesus replied. “So if you’re looking for me, let these men go.” 9 This was to fulfill the words he had said: “I have not lost one of those you have given me.”

Betrayal in The Garden

Jesus knowing the events that lay before him.

Knowing the betrayal that awaited him.

Knowing the road he was about to travel.

Didn’t hide behind his followers.

He didn’t run from his captors.

No, John tells us that he went out to them.

He sought them out.

He Boldly confronted them with.

Just as a quick aside.

Too often we don’t view Jesus for as he is.

Jesus wasn’t some wimpy, quite man.

He wasn’t some pushover.

Jesus was brave.

Jesus stood up for the truth.

Yes, Jesus was kind.

Yes, Jesus was gentle.

Yes, Jesus was compassionate.

Yes, Jesus was loving.

Yes, Jesus is the lamb of God.

But that’s not all that Jesus is.

Jesus is strong.

Jesus is brave.

Jesus isn’t afraid to confront his accusers.

He is King.

Jesus is the lamb of God, but he is also the Lion of Judah.

Yet how does Jesus choose to show his bravery?

His strength?

His kingship?

Through his sacrifice.

Through willingly offering himself as an offering.

It is through his slaughter that we see him as he truly is.

It is through his sacrifice that we can see his beauty and strength.

And we see this on full display here in this confrontation of those seeking him out.

He goes to them.

He searches them out.

And he begins to ask the questions.

Jesus is a commanding figure who is in charge.

Not those guys with the torches and weapons.

Jesus was the one running this interaction.

He was the one controlling the situation.

“Who is it that you’re seeking?”

He knew who they were looking for.

They knew who they were looking for.

This is a strange question to ask, but Jesus wants them to know that he is the one in charge.

That he knows and sees all that is about to happen.

There can be no question in the minds of the readers of John’s gospel who is actually in control.

Jesus is in control of the whole situation.

After he asks them they answer “Jesus of Nazareth”.

And his response literally takes them aback.

Jesus says “I am He” and John tells us that “they stepped back and fell on the ground.

What’s going on here?

This phrase is used multiple times in John’s gospel.

“I am” or the Greek “Ego Eimi”

This simple statement aligns Jesus with God the Father.

Real quick if you don’t remember, when Moses meets the burning bush in the wilderness he is confronted with the God.

And Moses asks him in Ex 3:13 who he should tell the Israelites sent him.

God responds in Ex 3:14 “14 God replied to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM. This is what you are to say to the Israelites: I AM has sent me to you.””

This is God’s divine name revealed in the OT.

YHWH.

And when the Israelite people translated their scriptures into Greek, in a translation called the Septuagint, the way they translated God’s Name was this same way “Ego Eimi”

And what we can see throughout John’s gospel, is that he doesn’t shy away from the fact that Jesus is God in the flesh.

That he is not just another man, but he is divine.

This revelation of Jesus as God in the Flesh leaves the men standing before him weak.

They cannot stand before God and not bow the knee.

Remember these aren’t just run of the mill men.

They are soldiers.

They are prepared for battle.

They are prepared for engagement.

They are trained to stand firm.

And at the simple phrase from Jesus “I Am He”

They are taken aback.

Jesus is in control.

Even though it looks like these things are happening to him.

He allows them to happen.

B/c he knows what must happen for his mission to be complete.

And b/c he is in control, he tells the group who has come to get him that he will go with them, but they need to leave his disciples alone.

They must go free.

The disciples are not the ones that the soldiers and elders are looking for.

so they are untouched.

John tells us that Jn 18.9 “9 This was to fulfill the words he had said: “I have not lost one of those you have given me.””

Previously, Jesus has said that he will keep those that are his.

Jn 6:39 “39 This is the will of him who sent me: that I should lose none of those he has given me but should raise them up on the last day.”

Jn 10:28 “28 I give them eternal life, and they will never perish. No one will snatch them out of my hand.”

Jn 17:12 “12 While I was with them, I was protecting them by your name that you have given me. I guarded them and not one of them is lost, except the son of destruction, so that the Scripture may be fulfilled.”

Jesus is protecting his disciples.

He is the good shepherd protecting his sheep.

He is willingly laying down his life for his sheep.

This is John 10:11 in action. “11 “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.”

Jesus is willingly giving himself over to the authorities.

He demonstrates his power and authority over the situation, but demanding the opposition leave his people alone.

But not everyone is willing to allow this to take place.

In a somewhat brave and stupid move, Peter steps out to “protect” Jesus.

John 18:10–12 CSB

10 Then Simon Peter, who had a sword, drew it, struck the high priest’s servant, and cut off his right ear. (The servant’s name was Malchus.) 11 At that, Jesus said to Peter, “Put your sword away! Am I not to drink the cup the Father has given me?” 12 Then the company of soldiers, the commander, and the Jewish officials arrested Jesus and tied him up.

Betrayal in The Garden

Peter made a bold move, but he got a stern rebuke.

Peter was wanting to protect Jesus neglecting the reality of all that just went on.

Jesus didn’t need protecting.

With just one phrase he knocked everyone back.

I’m not sure what Peter was thinking.

But if we know Peter, thinking was the furthermost thing from his mind.

Again, all that was happening was not a surprise to Jesus.

And it shouldn’t have been a surprise to the disciples.

Jesus had just spent the evening teaching them and preparing them for this moment.

And Peter completely missed it.

The Gospel according to John John 18:10–11

The blow was as clumsy as Peter’s courage was great; the tactic was as pointless as Peter’s misunderstanding was total.

Jesus’ statement Jn 18:11 “Am I not to drink the cup the Father has given me?””

Is Jesus reminding Peter that his purpose was to die.

To take the wrath of God upon himself so that humanity could be reconciled to God.

Peter wanted to revolt.

Jesus wanted to reunite.

Luke tells us that Jesus healed this man’s ear after Peter cut it off.

Then Jesus hands himself over to the authorities again willingly going with them.

John 18:13–14 CSB

13 First they led him to Annas, since he was the father-in-law of Caiaphas, who was high priest that year. 14 Caiaphas was the one who had advised the Jews that it would be better for one man to die for the people.

Betrayal in the Garden

Jesus is arrested then taken before Annas.

This is an interesting note b/c Annas wasn’t High Priest, Caiaphas was.

So what’s going on here.

Why was Jesus led to Annas?

Annas was appointed High Priest around the time of Jesus’ Birth.

He was later stripped of that title by a Roman official that didn’t like Annas.

But according to Jewish Law, if you were appointed High Priest it was a calling for life.

So Annas still had influence and sway among the Jewish Elite.

So Jesus was taken there in order to first be questioned by the Jewish Leaders.

The other tidbit that John reminds us of is that Caiaphas had made a prophecy about Jesus’ death after Lazarus had been raised from the dead.

In John 11:50, Caiaphas said, “50 You’re not considering that it is to your advantage that one man should die for the people rather than the whole nation perish.””

And that’s all we get from this first Betrayal scene, John now as the master story teller he is switches to a scene with Peter.

John 18:15–18 CSB

15 Simon Peter was following Jesus, as was another disciple. That disciple was an acquaintance of the high priest; so he went with Jesus into the high priest’s courtyard. 16 But Peter remained standing outside by the door. So the other disciple, the one known to the high priest, went out and spoke to the girl who was the doorkeeper and brought Peter in. 17 Then the servant girl who was the doorkeeper said to Peter, “You aren’t one of this man’s disciples too, are you?” “I am not,” he said. 18 Now the servants and the officials had made a charcoal fire, because it was cold. They were standing there warming themselves, and Peter was standing with them, warming himself.

Peter’s Betrayal Pt. 1

After Jesus is bound and removed from the garden we get this vignette focused on Peter.

What we see here is completely different from the brave and foolish Peter that we saw in the Garden.

Here we read about a sheepish and cowardly Peter that betrays his teacher.

Peter and “another disciple” make their way to the courtyard of the High Priest where Jesus was taken.

As an aside, the “another disciple” is John the author of this gospel.

John in his gospel never uses his own name and always refers to himself as either another disciple or the disciple that Jesus loved.

It’s simply an artistic decision on his behalf.

Peter is confronted by a servant girl about being one of Jesus disciples.

The way she asks the question expects that the answer is going to be negative.

And based on the way that Peter just acted in the Garden, we would expect for Peter to be bold to stand up and declare that he is a disciple.

And not just any disciple.

Peter was one of the inner circle.

He was one of the close and intimate disciples of Jesus.

And he declared that he wasn’t with Jesus.

In an emphatic way.

Peter responded to this servant girl in the complete opposite way that Jesus responded to the mob in the garden.

“I Am NOT”

John wants us to feel the contrast in Jesus’ statement and in Peter’s.

When faced with an arrest that will eventually lead to his death, Jesus was bold in proclaiming who he was.

But Peter when faced with a question by someone who held no authority he buckled.

He lost all his courage and abandoned his Rabbi.

We leave him standing there warming himself by a charcoal fire.

The scene shifts over to Jesus standing before Annas

John 18:19–24 CSB

19 The high priest questioned Jesus about his disciples and about his teaching. 20 “I have spoken openly to the world,” Jesus answered him. “I have always taught in the synagogue and in the temple, where all the Jews gather, and I haven’t spoken anything in secret. 21 Why do you question me? Question those who heard what I told them. Look, they know what I said.” 22 When he had said these things, one of the officials standing by slapped Jesus, saying, “Is this the way you answer the high priest?” 23 “If I have spoken wrongly,” Jesus answered him, “give evidence about the wrong; but if rightly, why do you hit me?” 24 Then Annas sent him bound to Caiaphas the high priest.

Religious Leaders Betrayal

Annas had two primary questions he wanted Jesus to answer.

The questions were about his disciples and about what He was teaching.

Now Jesus doesn’t pull back any punches.

He tells the High Priest that his teachings were public.

He wasn’t meeting in secret to over through the rulers.

He wasn’t plotting to start a revolt.

His teachings were heard in public spaces.

Not just any public spaces, but in synagogues and in the Temple.

Jews from all over had heard his teachings.

Here’s where things get a little heated up.

Jesus confronts this court.

This isn’t how court was supposed to be held.

Under the cover of darkness.

And, in fact, according to Jewish law and custom, it wasn’t the accused that was supposed to interrogated, it was the witnesses to the crimes.

So when Jesus says this he is insulting the High Priest.

He is accusing the High Priest of betraying the Law of Moses.

Of Betraying the Word of God for an expedient case against Jesus.

So the betrayal wasn’t against Jesus so much as it was against the God and scriptures they claimed to hold fast to.

B/C Jesus said these harsh words to Annas, one of the people near him Slapped him in the face.

Jesus’ rebuke against Annas is like a mirror shining on Annas’ disobedience to the law he claimed to love.

Annas was a hypocrite and was betraying his position in authority.

Annas was an unfaithful and false high priest.

He was letting his own desires and fears dictate what he was going to do rather than letting the truth of God’s word lead him.

Jesus however, was acting as the faithful and true High Priest.

Making a stand for the truth.

Taking the place of sinners.

Standing in the gap for those that trusted him and love him.

It doesn’t matter who you put your faith in.

People will always fail you.

Systems will always fall short.

Ideologies will always dissatisfy.

But Jesus never will.

Jesus will always be faithful.

He will never fall short.

He will always satisfy.

Jesus is faithfully facing the plan that was set out from the beginning.

Jesus is enduring this Kangaroo Court that Annas has put on display b/c he is faithful to his mission.

He has come to save sinners.

And this is one step that he has to go through to ensure that his mission is accomplished.

He endured the betrayal in the garden and he is now enduring the betrayal of those called to serve him.

Those appoint in positions of authority and power over his people.

Called to uphold the Law of God.

Called to and entrusted with God’s calling.

And they are making a mockery out of it all right now.

But Jesus is faithful.

He is always faithful.

Jesus is bound once again and led away from Annas to Caiaphas.

Annas can’t handle Jesus’ rebuke and retort so he is going to hand him over to another and have him deal with him.

And John switches back to another vignette of Peter.

John 18:25–27 CSB

25 Now Simon Peter was standing and warming himself. They said to him, “You aren’t one of his disciples too, are you?” He denied it and said, “I am not.” 26 One of the high priest’s servants, a relative of the man whose ear Peter had cut off, said, “Didn’t I see you with him in the garden?” 27 Peter denied it again. Immediately a rooster crowed.

Peter’s Betrayal Pt. 2

Peter is still standing there warming himself and he is again confronted by people wanting to know if he know’s Jesus.

And twice more Peter denies being a follower of Jesus.

John retells the events in this way contrasting the reality that Jesus stands up and denies nothing, while Peter denies everything.

Peter’s humanity is on full display in his denial of Jesus.

This was to fulfill what happened earlier in John’s gospel.

In John 13:36-38, we read this:

John 13:36–38 CSB

36 “Lord,” Simon Peter said to him, “where are you going?” Jesus answered, “Where I am going you cannot follow me now, but you will follow later.” 37 “Lord,” Peter asked, “why can’t I follow you now? I will lay down my life for you.” 38 Jesus replied, “Will you lay down your life for me? Truly I tell you, a rooster will not crow until you have denied me three times.

Jesus knew Peter would fail.

Jesus knew Peter would betray him.

Jesus knew the reality of what would come.

But I want us to know this:

You don’t have to be perfect to be a follower of Jesus.

That’s what Peter shows us.

Peter’s story isn’t over yet.

Eventually, Peter is restored and is one of the prominent leaders of the church.

He becomes a bold evangelist ready to talk about Jesus where ever he goes.

Teaching and preaching despite the reality of prison and death hanging over his head.

And that’s the good news of the gospel message.

It’s not about my failures.

It’s about Jesus’ faithfulness.

We can fail.

And we will

We can betray Jesus with a lack of faithfulness.

And we will.

But as long as we return to him, he will embrace us as his own.

That is the grace found in the arms of Jesus.

Peter couldn’t be restored or emboldened until he understood the power of Jesus’ death and the beauty of his resurrection.

Those are the truths that we must hold onto.

The gospel is the message we must cling to daily.

Because of our unfaithfulness:

We are unworthy of God’s love.

We are unworthy of God’s grace.

We are unworthy of God’s goodness.

But b/c of his faithfulness we receive his love, grace, and goodness.

It’s all about Jesus.

All of the Time.

Our lives should be billboards about the goodness, grace, and love of God.

I want us to be careful hear though.

Just b/c God will grant us forgiveness and grace in our unfaithfulness, doesn’t mean that we are free to behave however we want.

We are to pursue holiness.

We are to pursue faithfulness.

We are to pursue the good works God has planned before us.

Knowing all the while that when we fail there is grace.

Grace greater than all our sin.

Let’s Pray.