John 18 - What Is Truth?

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Jesus Arrested

The Kidron Valley could also be described as a brook that went from the temple out to this valley. Water from the Passover season flowed from the altar and often contained the reddish blood from the Passover lambs. It was a foreshadowing of Jesus' blood, which would flow down from the cross.

The place where he went we know from the other gospels is the Garden of Gethsemane. He had spent the night there praying. In the other gospel accounts, we know Jesus had asked the disciples to stay awake praying for him, but they all fell asleep. In the meantime Judas had arranged for a detachment of Roman soldiers and Jewish officials to arrest him. 

The commentators say the word "detachment" would mean a large number of troops. It appears they were preparing for a conflict with Jesus and his disciples. Jesus asked them who they wanted and they replied, "Jesus of Nazareth". Rather than shying away from their inquiry he said, 

"I am he!" 

Most commentators think the "he" was added in which leaves the words, "I am". This is the name for "Yahweh"(God) in the Old Testament. This is yet another 'I am" statement in the gospel of John. You can see the effect his statement had on the officers. They were truly standing in the presence of the Almighty, which caused them to fall to the ground. 

Again Jesus asked them, "Who are you looking for?" And they said again, "Jesus of Nazareth!"

Jesus once again said, "I am he", and then he asked them to let the other men (his disciples) go. This time Peter pulled out his sword and cut off the High Priest's servant's ear. The other gospels mention this story, but only John tells us that it was Peter who did this. Maybe this was Peter's way backing his claim to "defend Jesus at all costs!"

They bound and arrested Jesus, and took him before Annas the . They apparently still regarded Jesus as a threat. Annas who was the high priest and father in law of Caiaphas, who had said that it was better for one man to die than a whole nation. Little did he know he was prophesying about Jesus' death for all mankind. 

Peter’s First Denial

One of the disciples, probably John, was allowed to go into the high priest's courtyard. When the disciple asked if Peter could come in, the servant girl questioned him. She asked him if he was one of Jesus disciples, and Peter answered, "No I am not!" Peter mixed in with the crowd of officials and servants around the fire hoping to go unnoticed. 

The High Priest Questions Jesus

When the high priest questioned Jesus about his teaching, Jesus replied that everything he taught openly and publicly. He had nothing to hide, so they could judge for themselves what they thought of it. He said, "Why don't you ask the others who have heard me?"

One of the officials thought Jesus was being disrespectful, so he slapped Jesus in the face. Jesus wondered why he was slapped in the face by being truthful. Jesus was appealing to the rights he had under Jewish law. 

In saying this, Jesus wasn’t being uncooperative, only asserting His legal right. There was to be no formal charge against the accused until witnesses had been heard and been found to be truthful. - Guzik

Peter’s Second and Third Denials

Another official asked Peter if he was one of the disciples it, and he denied it again. Then, a relative of the one whose ear got cut off said he recognized Peter in the Garden. Peter denied knowing Jesus for the third time and the rooster crowed, as Jesus had predicted. 

Jesus Before Pilate

The religious leaders then took Jesus to Pilate, the Roman governor in the area. Pilate wondered why they brought Jesus to him. The undertone is that Pilate had not really heard about anything Jesus had done wrong, so why did they send Jesus to him? Couldn't they handle this religious matter on their own?

The Jews told Pilate they would not have handed Jesus over if he hadn't been a criminal. When Pilate wondered why they couldn't handle the matter on their own, they replied in effect, "We can't execute someone. That is why we are bringing him to you!"

Without yet answering Pilates demand for a specific accusation, the religious leaders explained why they did not want to judge Him according to their own law. They wanted Jesus dead, and the Romans did not allow them to execute the guilty under their own law. - Guzik

Then, Pilate started questioning Jesus. First, he asked him, "Are you the king of the Jews?" Jesus answered coyly, "Is this your idea or did someone tell you?" Pilate basically says, 

"It's your leaders who handed you over, I am just trying to figure out what you did!"

Jesus then reveals to Pilate that his kingdom is not of this world, for if it were he would have been able to prevent his arrest in the garden. Pilate took this as an acquiescence of the fact that he viewed himself as a king. He then said to Jesus, 

"So you are a king then?"

This was the statement that interested Pilate. He didn’t mind religious leaders among the Jews, even crazy ones, as long as they kept the peace and did not challenge the rule of Rome. A rival king might challenge, and Pilate wanted to investigate this.

Jesus turns the subject on its head a little by saying that his real purpose was to reveal the truth. Those who were on the side of the truth would listen to him. 

This was the statement that interested Pilate. He didn’t mind religious leaders among the Jews, even crazy ones, as long as they kept the peace and did not challenge the rule of Rome. A rival king might challenge, and Pilate wanted to investigate this. - Guzik

We see Pilate's worldview when he retorts sarcastically, "What is truth?" 

Many in our day ask Pilate’s question, but from a different perspective. Noting that many things are true only on the basis of personal preference or perspective, they think all truth is personal, individual. They think there is no true truth about God; there is only my truth and your truth and one is as good as the other. Though this thinking is strong in our day, it denies the One who said: For this cause I was born, and for this cause I have come into the world, that I should bear witness to the truth. - Guzik

Pilate was not really interested in matters of the "truth". He merely wanted to keep order in his kingdom, so he could do what he wanted to do. This whole affair was a huge inconvenience to him. So he went out to the crowd of Jesus gathered and said, "I find no basis of charging this man!"

Pilate went as far as to say that it was a custom to release one Jewish prisoner at Passover. Maybe Jesus could be that one? But the Jews yelled back, "Give us Barabbas instead!"

Barabbas was a known criminal, who had actually participated in an insurrection plot. From Mark 15, we also know he was a murderer! He was actually someone Pilate had reason to fear. We should also note here that although the Jewish religious leaders were primarily the ones that instigated the arrest and trial of Jesus, the public was now getting into the act. They too had seen Jesus' ministry, the miracles, his compassion for the poor, but they too saw Jesus as a threat. His speaking the truth came a little too close to their belts.  

When the crowd chose Barabbas instead of Jesus, it reflected the fallen nature of all humanity. The name Barabbas sounds very much like son of the father. They chose a false, violent son of the father instead of the true Son of the Father. This prefigures the future embrace of the ultimate Barabbas – the one popularly called the Antichrist. - Guzik

1. When have you ever denied Jesus before others or in a crowd directly or indirectly? 

2. Do you believe Jesus is the truth? Meaning he speaks the truth about who we are and who God is. 

3. Do you think our world is any different than Jesus' world? How do people view truth today? Do people think Jesus is the truth?