Who Did It?

John 18:1-11

Whose Fault Is it?

Kids were playing downstairs at our Advisory Board meeting this past Thursday when all of a sudden we heard this loud crash. “Okay, who did what to who?” Whose fault is it? Who do I need to punish?

Now there are a lot of ways to get hurt in my basement, so I waited for the cry… but there was none.

But then Dylan comes up and says “Dad, that stick with the big black wheels on it fell down and we need your help.”

The stick with the “big black wheels on it” is a barbell with weights on it. So now I run downstairs because either a kid has been crushed or is about to be crushed by the weight.

And sure enough, one side of the barbell is up on its hooks, but the other side is off the hook, falling down diagonally, and all the weights on that side of the barbell are just hanging on by friction…

And there is Elijah and Sam, and Dylan marches over to stand with them… right under where the weights will fall if the slide off. And really, they should have slid off by now.

So I grab the weights and lift the bar back onto the hooks. But it’s pretty heavy. The bar is 45 pounds, I think there were 25 pound weights on each side. I said, “first of all, you guys cant play on the barbell or with the weights, these are dangerous, don’t ever lift them up or off, etc…”

Then… “also, how in the world did you do it? This is really heavy!”

And Elijah, big grin on his face said, “we worked together. Teamwork!” with a little fist pump. It was awesome.

They all did it! They were all at fault! Thankfully, no one was crushed by that stick thing with the big black wheels on it.

Whose Fault Was It?

We are, in John, approaching the moment where Jesus is arrested, tried, and executed.

For thousands of years, there has been finger pointing about who is to blame for Jesus’ death. This has been for centuries a seed of anti-Semitism. The Jewish leaders did it! Or the Romans did it! Or the Jewish people, the mob did it! But Judas did it, so he is called the greatest sinner of all time (along with Brutus).

I picture the sun going black midday and the earth shaking, and the curtain being torn asunder, and Jesus dies… and hearing all the noise and racket God the Father stomps in and says “What happened? Okay… who did it?!” And the finger-pointing begins.

Who is responsible for killing Jesus? Obviously Jesus is the victim here, who did it?

But John gives us a radically different picture of who is responsible for Jesus’ death.

Read John 18:1-11

These 11 verses are so action packed, so cinematic, let’s go in a bit of slow motion.

Jesus is Arrested

John 18:1-11

When Jesus had spoken these words, he went out with his disciples across the brook Kidron, where there was a garden, which he and his disciples entered.

So, from the Upper Room, which was in Jerusalem. Jesus led the disciples down the valley, likely right down by the temple steps, then across this tiny little stream that only runs when it rains. Then up the hill across from the temple, called the Mount of Olives. And up on that hillside, a garden, likely enclosed by walls, probably filled with olive trees. The Garden of Gethsemane.

Now John isn’t going to tell us anything about what occurs in that Garden. The intensely human, beautiful prayer, the intense stress Jesus reveals. Most of the night they spend in that place, the disciples continually falling asleep on watch.

John doesn’t speak of the garden… he has a different purpose for his gospel, and so he jumps right to the moment of action.

But it is important that Jesus went to this place. It was a favorite place, one he had used before. As part of the Passover Jesus had to stay within the city limits which included the Mount of Olives, and he had probably used this location in past years’ Passovers.

Which meant this: Judas knew where Jesus would be. And Jesus knows that Judas knows. So, even though Jesus knows he is to be betrayed and knows that the religious leaders are ready and seeking to arrest him… and even in the midst of the stress of what is coming.

Jesus chooses a place where he knows he can and will be found. Jesus chooses the place.

2 Now Judas, who betrayed him, also knew the place, for Jesus often met there with his disciples. 3 So Judas, having procured a band of soldiers and some officers from the chief priests and the Pharisees, went there with lanterns and torches and weapons.

Here comes the procession. This is so cinematic, by torchlight, lanterns, the firelight glinting off the weapons. They are prepared for resistance. The soldiers are Roman soldiers in their armor, the priests and Pharisees in their robes… ready for confrontation.

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

“Hey guys, what’s up?” Can I read a little sarcasm in there? The irony is right there. Jesus knowing all that would happen to him asks a question he fully knows the answer to. 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.

Notice that John doesn’t mention Judas’ kiss. It was likely at this point that it happened, but John stresses that Jesus identifies himself. Jesus picked the place in the garden. Jesus picked the time as he comes out of the garden. Jesus identifies himself to the authorities.

But… the way he identifies himself.

“I am he.” What he says is eigo eimi which is the way he has said all of the “I AM” statements. But here, without any following referent, while it could be a simple answer to the question… it is almost certainly an echo of the name of God “I AM”. Especially since he is answering in Aramaic, he speaks something very close to YAWHEH.

And…

6 When Jesus said to them, “I am he,” they drew back and fell to the ground.

Maybe Jesus like pulled back the veil a tiny bit and his glory just knocked them back. Maybe they were so astounded that he would readily speak and admit his blasphemy here at the last. Maybe all of the above.

Jesus has this AOE attack: I am he. Bam, everyone falls down.

And then, he does it again.

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.”

The arrest is basically complete. Jesus has picked the time, picked the place, identified himself.

But then there’s Peter. Ignorance on fire. I picture him, out of nowhere, screaming “NOT MY JESUS” and just rushing forward to the attack.

10 Then Simon Peter, having a sword, drew it and struck the high priest's servant and cut off his right ear. (The servant's name was Malchus.)

Who attacks someone in the ear?! That is not competence, man. “Who throws a shoe?”

Malchus screams “OOOW. That’s my ear, what the heck, man.” Peter probably pictured himself like taking out the guards and carving a path to freedom… but he doesn’t even get past the first swing, and doesn’t even damage a priest. A minor flesh wound to one guard.

Only Luke mentions that Jesus healed the guy.

Only John outs who it was that hit the guy’s ear. (It was totally Peter).

But every gospel writer includes this story. It’s just too hilarious. “I kid you not, one of the disciples, not going to say who (John: cough, it was Peter) totally CUT A GUY’s EAR OFF!

11 So Jesus said to Peter, “Put your sword into its sheath; shall I not drink the cup that the Father has given me?”

Jesus stops the play for freedom. He has chosen the place. He has chosen the time. He has identified himself. And he surrenders willingly.

He is not a victim. He is a willing sacrifice.

“Shall I not drink the cup…”

He echoes the words in the garden “take this cup, but not my will but yours be done.”

He echoes back to the cup he offered to the disciples, a new covenant in his blood.

Jesus goes willingly to be the sacrifice for the sins of the world.

God Takes Responsibility

What does this mean?

Everyone there is responsible for what they have done. Judas is called a betrayer here in the story… and he is held responsible for his actions, responsible for his sins.

The Jewish religious leaders, priests and Pharisees, they believe they act in the name of God but are rejecting, arresting and condemning God himself. They are wrong, they are blind in their arrogance, they are responsible for their sin.

The soldiers are just following orders, representatives of the Roman government, but they too are guilty of their participation. That’ll be clearer as we get to Pilate’s part in the story.

Peter is responsible for his ignorance… how could he not get it at this point? And he is responsible for his incompetence. That’s embarrassing, man.

The sin and stupid of all these contribute to this moment.

But John shows the way in which God’s purpose pulls all of these things together, Jesus’ words and actions at every step. Drinking the cup.

Jesus chooses the time, the place, the moment, identifies himself, and surrenders peacefully.

Jesus is not a victim, he goes willingly to the sacrifice.

And having just called himself “I AM”, Yahweh, God himself…

This is God himself taking responsibility for the sins of the world.

The act of sacrifice didn’t start on this night. It didn’t happen last minute on the cross. It started the moment God took on flesh. And every step has been walking towards this, now revealed, the road to the cross.

God himself living and then walking purposefully, willingly, to judgment and execution.

Not a victim, but a victor.

The cross is not God the Father taking out his anger on his Son, like some divine child abuse.

Jesus walks, knowing everything that is going to happen to him, to drink the cup set before him.

Jesus walks, identifying himself as “I AM”, one in heart and mind, one in being, with God the Father.

My Purposeful Savior

As we approach the cross in our text, we approach with reverence. And there is great emotion here.

I remember going to see the Passion and inviting a close friend who was not a Christian. He felt super awkward because he was watching an interesting possibly-historical movie. We were watching someone we love die. So we were a mess.

And there is emotion and grief as we approach the cross.

And often there is guilt. We are told “your sin put Jesus on the cross.” And we say “he died for my sins” and there is the image of Jesus as a victim, killed because we lied and stole and hated and lusted and were proud and stupid and all of the things.

But Jesus isn’t a victim. He isn’t ever a victim. He chose us, he chose to rescue us. From the Fall, God (Father, Son and Holy Spirit) enacted their plan of redemption. Of rescue. Of sacrifice.

And you are responsible for every sin. But God took responsibility to save you from it. Through purposeful, willing, perfect sacrifice.

Who did it? I DID IT!

I think of the boys downstairs. I am looking for fault. Who lifted this weight off, someone could have died. They see only a tremendous accomplishment. We did it together!

Even though there is pain and brutality and sadness in the cross, it is also the greatest accomplishment, the greatest, the central event of the world. The death and resurrection and glorification of Jesus. And to ask who’s fault it is? The Father, Son and Holy Spirit are high-fiving each-other (inside the existential unity of the being of God of course)… they are saying “we did it!”

Jesus is not a victim.

And Jesus, “knowing all that would happen to him” drank the cup that the Father gave him.

And Jesus, “knowing all that would happen to him” says to us “Whom do you seek?”

We aren’t called to respond by feeling real guilty.

We respond with gratitude to our Savior.

We respond with worship to our Lord.

We respond by following in his footsteps in heroic obedience, heroic sacrifice.

Not a victim, but a victor.