John 18 // The Betrayal

The Betrayal

Opening Questions:

1. What is the definition of betrayed?

- to lead astray to deliver to an enemy by treachery

- to fail or desert especially in time of need

- to reveal unintentionally

- to disclose in violation of confidence

2. Have you been betrayed before?

3. What was that like?

John 18 ultimately showcases the betrayal of everyone. Here we see:

The Betrayal of Judas (V1-11)

The Betrayal of Peter (V17 and 25-27)

The Betrayal of the Jews (V38-40)

Review the Chapter

Verse 1-14 Jesus is Arrested

Arrested at a Garden just like Adam and Eve

A band of soldiers often meant 50+ and there was also other officers from the chief priests and the Pharisees.

Judas betrayed Jesus by revealing the location of where He would be

They feared Jesus that when He said “I am He”, they drew back and fell to the ground (Verse 6)

Jesus wanted His disciples to be let go and protect them. They would die for Him later but now was not the time. (Verse 8)

They take Him to Caiaphas the High priests

Verse 15-19 The first time Peter Denies Jesus

After Jesus is arrested and enters the courtyard of the high priest, Peter stays outside

A servant Girls asks him John 18:17

John 18:17 ESV

17 The servant girl at the door said to Peter, “You also are not one of this man’s disciples, are you?” He said, “I am not.”

Think about this question, why do you think Peter would deny this?

Verses 19-24 Jesus is brought into for questioning by the High Priest, Caiaphas

Jesus is questioned by the High Priest and he’s basically saying why do you ask what I teach? Everyone knows, i’ve done this openly.

here starts the first of the beatings that would come in the next several hours

John 18:22 ESV

22 When he had said these things, one of the officers standing by struck Jesus with his hand, saying, “Is that how you answer the high priest?”

I love how we see in John 17 this great High Priestly Prayer on how amazing Jesus is because He is the great high priest, and now He get’s questioned by the so called high priest who truly doesn’t get it.

Verses 25-27 The second and third time Peter would deny Jesus

Let’s read these verse together

Verses 28-37 The conversation between Jesus and Pilate

Pontius Pilate was a real person who really did exist. He was the fifth governor of Rome and several outside sources of the bible mention of his existence and reign.

It’s early morning and Pilate is now asking the Jews why do you bring him here, what is your accusation? (They had no accusation but just said we wouldn’t bring Him here if He wasn’t evil) (Verse 30)

Pilate questions him, let’s look at some of his questions to Jesus (read verses 33 to 37)

He sticks with His purpose, the He has come into this world and to bear witness to the truth. Pilate asks “What is truth?”

I’ll ask you guys, what is truth?

Verse 38-40 Pilate hands Jesus over to the Jews

Read John 18:38-40

John 18:38–40 ESV

38 Pilate said to him, “What is truth?” After he had said this, he went back outside to the Jews and told them, “I find no guilt in him. 39 But you have a custom that I should release one man for you at the Passover. So do you want me to release to you the King of the Jews?” 40 They cried out again, “Not this man, but Barabbas!” Now Barabbas was a robber.

To recap we have

Jesus was Arrested because He was betrayed by Judas, brought into questioning from the High Priest, Peter stays on the outside of all of what’s going on and denies Jesus 3 times, Jesus then is questioned by Pilate who is a real figure in History, and then Jesus is handed over and betrayed by His own Jewish people to die on a cross rather than the murderer Barabbas.

The two themes I see here is Betrayal but also Purpose

John 18 is all about how Jesus is basically betrayed by everyone but since He knows His purpose, He keeps going and He does the what God wanted Him to do, so that He might be glorified.

The Betrayal of Judas (V1-11)

The Betrayal of Peter (V17 and 25-27)

The Betrayal of the Jews (V38-40)

What makes this betrayal so important though as we see tomorrow morning the death of Jesus, is that the betrayal shows how bad people are without God. We’ve already seen time and time again of how Jesus tells people to sin no more and that He is the saviour but this event truly showcases how there is no way to get to heaven to a perfect God without Jesus dying on the cross for us.

This is the purpose though as we see in John 18:37

John 18:37 ESV

37 Then Pilate said to him, “So you are a king?” Jesus answered, “You say that I am a king. For this purpose I was born and for this purpose I have come into the world—to bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth listens to my voice.”

This purpose that Jesus mentions is that we sinned and were separated by God and Jesus had to die on the cross for us because we betrayed God, we sinned against Him, and He decided to offer forgiveness if we confess that Jesus is Lord and that He has raised from the dead and believe that in our hearts.

I have a reflection question for you:

How have you betrayed Jesus? Why do you keep betraying Him?

Jesus forgave us, who can you forgive in your life for someone who has betrayed you?

How do you do this? How do you keep doing what God wants?

Remember your new purpose in life as a believer, to love God with all your heart soul and mind, and love the people around you as yourself.

Remember why Jesus came into this world: “to bear witness to the truth”

Remember how Jesus was betrayed, 2000 years ago and by us to this day, but because He is filled with grace and mercy, we will see tomorrow that He is going to die on the cross and bear all the sin that separates us from God, and save us.

Remember this.