John 18:3, commentary and pictures

The band comes to the garden over the brook Cedron, to Gethsemane, a place Judas knew because Jesus often resorted there with His disciples. Jesus had entered that garden with His disciples that night after the Passover meal. Judas, having received a band of men and officers from the chief priests and Pharisees, guides and leads them there to betray Jesus. They come to take Him by force under arrest.

They come equipped with lanterns and torches and weapons, because the seizure takes place in darkness before dawn. The arrest follows Jesus' long agony in the garden on His final night. That night is one of deep sorrow as He bears humanity's guilt.

Jesus knows all things that will come upon Him and goes forth to meet the band and ask whom they seek. When He answers that He is Jesus of Nazareth, the mob goes backward and falls to the ground. They fall because they cannot endure the sight of the bright flash of light from the angels of God present on the ground with Him, a display that should have restrained them from going further but did not. Their falling proves He could have delivered Himself from His enemies had He chosen, but having been sent to bear the sins of the world He must pay the penalty of human transgression, so He surrenders to them.

The armed band seizes Him and leads Him through dark, narrow streets to the high priest's palace, the palace of Caiaphas, where He is accused, questioned, and examined. During that humiliating examination His deepest pain comes when Peter denies Him with cursing and swearing. The arrest begins the process that leads to His condemnation by the Sanhedrin and His being brought before Pilate for legal judgment, marking the start of the great trial of betrayal, agony, condemnation, humiliation, and death on the cross.

Jesus foresaw this ordeal and knew who among His followers were unbelieving and weak in faith, so He deliberately brought on an earlier crisis that separated faint-hearted and undecided professed followers from the faithful few while He was still present to comfort and strengthen His chosen. Having already seen the fickleness of those who once followed Him and tested the inconstant favor of the world, the twelve were not overwhelmed with surprise when the multitude turned against Him. They did not hang their faith on the opinions of others or get carried away by apostasy, but were prepared for His betrayal and death. The chapter to which the verse belongs is especially important to believers and should speak to their hearts, since the record of Christ's suffering and death strengthens those who suffer for their faith, enables His followers to keep the faith, and brings His righteousness to those who hold fast.