The King's Questions: Fulfilled Scripture

Notes:

January 22: John 18:1-11 and John 20

WHOM DO YOU SEEK?

Same question used for the band of soldiers before his crucifixion and Mary after the resurrection.

Mount of Olives

Large band of soldiers approaches Jesus: Torches, clinking of armor, lanterns

Difficult to say how many, could have been a fairly large number of soldiers…

POINT: Intimidating force coming towards Jesus:

‌v. 4: “Then Jesus, knowing all that would happen to him, came forward and said to them, “Whom do you seek?””

Luke records parts of another conversation with 2 questions:

John=Peter cuts Malchus’ ear off

Luke=Right ear of the high priest’s slave, Jesus healed the man

“D. Daube argues from the fact that slitting an ear disqualified a man from being a high priest to the thought that here the high priest is being insulted through his slave.” Leon Morris OR, Peter just wasn’t a very good sword-man!

“Peter saw the use of his sword as the way of deliverance from the present trouble, but Jesus viewed it as out of character with all that he stood for.” Morris

Judas Kiss: Band=Rebellion!

“The designation ‘friend’ (hetairos) is found three times in Matthew. The preceding two times Jesus used it in parables to address a person who abused a privileged relationship… Here Judas has violated the most privileged relationship with Jesus Messiah. He has scorned and take advantage of the love and friendship Jesus extended to him.” Wilkins

Matthew 20:11-15 “11 And on receiving it they grumbled at the master of the house, 12 saying, ‘These last worked only one hour, and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden of the day and the scorching heat.’ 13 But he replied to one of them, ‘Friend, I am doing you no wrong. Did you not agree with me for a denarius? 14 Take what belongs to you and go. I choose to give to this last worker as I give to you. 15 Am I not allowed to do what I choose with what belongs to me? Or do you begrudge my generosity?’”

Matthew 22:11-13 “11 “But when the king came in to look at the guests, he saw there a man who had no wedding garment. 12 And he said to him, ‘Friend, how did you get in here without a wedding garment?’ And he was speechless. 13 Then the king said to the attendants, ‘Bind him hand and foot and cast him into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’”

“Jesus response can be rendered as a question (“Why are you here?”), but the NIV appropriately renders it as a command, “Do what you came for?”

v.52, “Put away your sword...” NOT a proof text for passivism. Not a proof text to carry and conceal. Takes more scripture to argue for either one of those positions… “He does reject the notion that God’s will is advanced or should be imposed on others through violent means… Peter’s use of force is not guided by kingdom priorities but by the human desire to retaliate.” Wilkins

v. 53: “Do you think…?”

Morris: “Did he really think that his Master was defenseless?… Did Peter really think that he could not ask the heavenly Father for help?

Legion=12,000 foot soldiers “Jesus makes it clear to his servant that if force were needed there were better means of providing it than resorting to the puny efforts of a man who could do no better than slice off a slave’s ear.” Morris

Submission to God’s Word stops Jesus from fighting back!

“It must be thus!” “What was taking place was fulfilling the divine purpose, a purpose that must necessarily come to pass.” Morris

All three Synoptics= “As a robber did you come out with swords and clubs...”

“All is significant; there was not one of his intimate followers who was prepared to suffer alongside his leader… They left Jesus to suffer alone.” Morris

Jesus won’t Appeal Due to Scripture Fulfillment

v.53: “Do you think that I cannot appeal to my Father, and he will at once send me more than twelve legions of angels?” v. 54: “But how then should the Scriptures be fulfilled, that it must be so?”

Legion of Angels=6,000 soldiers. 12x6! 72,000 angels!

Scriptures:

Wasn’t Arrested for the Scriptures (of the Prophets) to be Fulfilled

v.55: “Have you come out as against a robber, with swords and clubs to capture me?”

Robber=Same word used to describe the two other criminals on the cross.

Isaiah 53:12: “He was numbered with the transgressors.”

Zechariah 13:7 “7 “Awake, O sword, against my shepherd, against the man who stands next to me,” declares the Lord of hosts. “Strike the shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered; I will turn my hand against the little ones.”

Scripture Fulfillment:

To the church: Jesus can’t protect himself!