As soon then as he had said unto them, I am he, they went backward, and fell to the ground.
When Jesus answered that he was the one they sought in Gethsemane at night, the armed band led by Judas staggered backward and fell to the ground as helpless dead men. Divinity flashed through his humanity with glorifying light upon his face, and the angel who had strengthened him stood between him and the mob in brightness they could not endure. The collapse proved he could have left his captors helpless and gone free unharmed, yet he restrained his power and let himself be bound and humiliated. He yielded to be taken because he came to bear the sins of the world and give his life as man's substitute, thinking in that hour not of himself but of shielding his disciples.
Glory That Felled Mob
As soon as he said to those who came to arrest him that he was the one they sought, they staggered backward and fell helpless to the ground as dead men. An unseen power in his words threw them down powerless, and angels surrounding him made the armed crowd reel to the ground. The fall took place in Gethsemane at night after his agony, when Judas brought a band of men and soldiers to seize him while he was bearing humanity's guilt and feeling deprived of God's sustaining presence. The arresting party that came for him was an armed mob made up of priests, elders, soldiers, Judas and others, including hardened soldiers and a band of men.
In that moment divinity flashed through his humanity, and divine power and glory in his words filled their wicked, sinful hearts with terror so they could not stand for a moment in his presence. A divine light shone upon Jesus and glorified his face, illuminating him while a dove-like form overshadowed him. The angel who had just strengthened and ministered to him in his anguish moved to stand between him and the mob, and angels of God were right on the ground with Jesus surrounding him. The men could not remain standing before that divine glory and could not endure the sight of the bright flash of light from the angels, so they dropped prostrate and helpless.
Jesus had stood in advance of his disciples to meet the mob, and he stood calm and glorified in the midst of the prostrate men around him. When the angel withdrew and the light faded he still remained standing calm and self-possessed before them, with the moon shining upon his pale face. The disciples were too amazed to speak as they watched him glorified amid that coarse and hardened band.
Power Restrained by Choice
The backward fall left the arresting force helpless on the ground and gave clear proof that the prisoner held power to free himself and walk away unharmed had he chosen to do so. An unseen power in his answer had reeled them to the earth, so that with his captors prostrate he stood free with ample opportunity to escape. He could have delivered himself from their hands and left them powerless, yet he did not use that power against them.
He restrained that power and calmly remained to let himself be taken rather than fleeing when escape lay open before him. He allowed himself to be bound and humiliated and made to suffer, submitting to arrest after the light faded instead of asserting his strength. His arrest and suffering were therefore voluntary, not compelled by weakness or by the numbers and arms against him.
He yielded because he was sent to bear the sins of the world and must pay the penalty of transgression. He chose to endure humiliation, agony and death for the life of the world, giving his own life as humanity's substitute and surety. What looked like surrender was the appointed path to atonement through suffering.
In that hour his thoughts were not for himself but for his beloved disciples, to shield them from any further trial of their strength. He chose to remain and protect them rather than save himself, asking that they be let go. Even while accepting his own arrest he interposed for their release.
Human Responses and Parallel
That display of divine glory should have held the arresting party back from any further action against him, yet it did not. When the angel departed the soldiers rose together with the priests and Judas, ashamed of their weakness and fearful that he would escape, and gathered about him. Their boldness returned only when they saw Judas boldly touching him, and then they violently laid hold of him and roughly bound the hands that had always been used in doing good.
The disciples knew he could deliver himself, yet seeing him insulted and apparently powerless tested them. They were offended at his acceptance of humiliation and suffering, and forsook him and fled. They scattered and left him alone, as he had foretold, while the Father remained with him. He had power to resist capture, yet he allowed himself to be bound and humiliated, and they struggled to understand why he did not deliver himself.
The betrayal, condemnation, humiliation and death formed a most trying ordeal for the disciples. In it the multitude that had hailed him as king hissed at him, reviled him, and mocked him as one doomed to the cross, crying for his crucifixion, and those who had professed to love him turned from him in his trouble. He knew beforehand that this trial was coming and knew who among his followers were unbelieving and who were of weak, undecided faith. He therefore deliberately brought about an earlier crisis that turned many away while he was still present to comfort and strengthen the chosen, in order to sift out the weak in character. By this the faithful few, when the great trial of betrayal and death came, would not be overwhelmed with surprise, would not sink beneath fear and disappointment, would not be carried away by the example of apostasy, and would not hang their faith upon the opinions of others or the inconstant favor of the world.
The same kind of helpless fall will occur when the wicked rush to seize the saints. When the saints stretch out a hand in the Lord's name, their attackers fall powerless to the ground.
When Jesus answered that he was the one they sought in Gethsemane at night, the armed band led by Judas staggered backward and fell to the ground as helpless dead men. Divinity flashed through his humanity with glorifying light upon his face, and the angel who had strengthened him stood between him and the mob in brightness they could not endure. The collapse proved he could have left his captors helpless and gone free unharmed, yet he restrained his power and let himself be bound and humiliated. He yielded to be taken because he came to bear the sins of the world and give his life as man's substitute, thinking in that hour not of himself but of shielding his disciples.
Glory That Felled Mob
As soon as he said to those who came to arrest him that he was the one they sought, they staggered backward and fell helpless to the ground as dead men. An unseen power in his words threw them down powerless, and angels surrounding him made the armed crowd reel to the ground. The fall took place in Gethsemane at night after his agony, when Judas brought a band of men and soldiers to seize him while he was bearing humanity's guilt and feeling deprived of God's sustaining presence. The arresting party that came for him was an armed mob made up of priests, elders, soldiers, Judas and others, including hardened soldiers and a band of men.
In that moment divinity flashed through his humanity, and divine power and glory in his words filled their wicked, sinful hearts with terror so they could not stand for a moment in his presence. A divine light shone upon Jesus and glorified his face, illuminating him while a dove-like form overshadowed him. The angel who had just strengthened and ministered to him in his anguish moved to stand between him and the mob, and angels of God were right on the ground with Jesus surrounding him. The men could not remain standing before that divine glory and could not endure the sight of the bright flash of light from the angels, so they dropped prostrate and helpless.
Jesus had stood in advance of his disciples to meet the mob, and he stood calm and glorified in the midst of the prostrate men around him. When the angel withdrew and the light faded he still remained standing calm and self-possessed before them, with the moon shining upon his pale face. The disciples were too amazed to speak as they watched him glorified amid that coarse and hardened band.
Power Restrained by Choice
The backward fall left the arresting force helpless on the ground and gave clear proof that the prisoner held power to free himself and walk away unharmed had he chosen to do so. An unseen power in his answer had reeled them to the earth, so that with his captors prostrate he stood free with ample opportunity to escape. He could have delivered himself from their hands and left them powerless, yet he did not use that power against them.
He restrained that power and calmly remained to let himself be taken rather than fleeing when escape lay open before him. He allowed himself to be bound and humiliated and made to suffer, submitting to arrest after the light faded instead of asserting his strength. His arrest and suffering were therefore voluntary, not compelled by weakness or by the numbers and arms against him.
He yielded because he was sent to bear the sins of the world and must pay the penalty of transgression. He chose to endure humiliation, agony and death for the life of the world, giving his own life as humanity's substitute and surety. What looked like surrender was the appointed path to atonement through suffering.
In that hour his thoughts were not for himself but for his beloved disciples, to shield them from any further trial of their strength. He chose to remain and protect them rather than save himself, asking that they be let go. Even while accepting his own arrest he interposed for their release.
Human Responses and Parallel
That display of divine glory should have held the arresting party back from any further action against him, yet it did not. When the angel departed the soldiers rose together with the priests and Judas, ashamed of their weakness and fearful that he would escape, and gathered about him. Their boldness returned only when they saw Judas boldly touching him, and then they violently laid hold of him and roughly bound the hands that had always been used in doing good.
The disciples knew he could deliver himself, yet seeing him insulted and apparently powerless tested them. They were offended at his acceptance of humiliation and suffering, and forsook him and fled. They scattered and left him alone, as he had foretold, while the Father remained with him. He had power to resist capture, yet he allowed himself to be bound and humiliated, and they struggled to understand why he did not deliver himself.
The betrayal, condemnation, humiliation and death formed a most trying ordeal for the disciples. In it the multitude that had hailed him as king hissed at him, reviled him, and mocked him as one doomed to the cross, crying for his crucifixion, and those who had professed to love him turned from him in his trouble. He knew beforehand that this trial was coming and knew who among his followers were unbelieving and who were of weak, undecided faith. He therefore deliberately brought about an earlier crisis that turned many away while he was still present to comfort and strengthen the chosen, in order to sift out the weak in character. By this the faithful few, when the great trial of betrayal and death came, would not be overwhelmed with surprise, would not sink beneath fear and disappointment, would not be carried away by the example of apostasy, and would not hang their faith upon the opinions of others or the inconstant favor of the world.
The same kind of helpless fall will occur when the wicked rush to seize the saints. When the saints stretch out a hand in the Lord's name, their attackers fall powerless to the ground.