Then asked he them again, Whom seek ye? And they said, Jesus of Nazareth.
In Gethsemane He calmly asked the armed band a second time whom they were seeking, and they again answered Jesus of Nazareth. He asked again after His first answer had flashed forth divine power and glory that drove priests, soldiers and Judas backward to the ground powerless. His repeating the question proved His surrender was willing, for He could have delivered Himself but stayed to bear the sins of the world and pay the penalty of transgression. When they named Him again He owned Himself as the one they sought, yielded to be taken, and bade them let His disciples go their way, thinking even in humiliation not of Himself but of them. He shielded them because He knew how weak their faith was and how little trial they could bear, giving Himself for them and thus fulfilling His word that of those given Him He had lost none.
Arrest in Gethsemane
The verse records a second exchange in which Jesus calmly asks the armed arresting party whom they are seeking, and they again answer Jesus of Nazareth. The repeated question follows His first answer, which revealed divine power and glory that drove priest, elders, soldiers and Judas backward and left them fallen powerless on the ground. Even after that display they again name Him as the one they want, despite the evidence that He is the Son of God.
He stands at that moment calm and self-possessed in bright moonlight among His prostrate foes, after the divine light has faded and the angel has withdrawn. The disciples are too amazed to speak while He stands glorified with pale face in the moonlight, still surrounded by prostrate helpless men. Then the Roman soldiers rise to their feet ashamed of their weakness, and with Judas and the priests gather closely about Him as though fearful He will escape. He steps forward out in front of His disciples as the world's Redeemer to ask again.
The exchange belongs to His final night bearing humanity's guilt with profound sorrow under the weight of sin. It comes after His agony in Gethsemane, when Judas, one of His professed disciples, betrayed Him and armed men came to seize Him. The question and answer identify Jesus as the one they had come to take.
Willing Sacrifice for Disciples
His repeated question proves His surrender was willing, for He could have delivered Himself from His enemies had He chosen to do so. He did not escape because He was sent to bear the sins of the world and must pay the penalty of man's transgression. When they again answered Jesus of Nazareth He declared He is the one they seek, accepted their demand to take Him, and directed them to let His disciples go their way. He met the armed arresting party calmly a second time and secured the release of His disciples even as He gave Himself into His enemies' hands.
Even in this hour of trial and humiliation His thoughts were not for Himself but for them. He acted to shield them because He knew how weak their faith was and how vulnerable they were to temptation and trial. He desired to save them from any further trial of their strength, being ready to sacrifice Himself for them. By demanding that they be let go He fulfilled His word that of those given Him He had lost none.
The betrayal tested the disciples, but He had prepared His faithful followers for the rejection, humiliation and death that followed. He did so that the fickleness of others would not take them by surprise or shake their faith.
In Gethsemane He calmly asked the armed band a second time whom they were seeking, and they again answered Jesus of Nazareth. He asked again after His first answer had flashed forth divine power and glory that drove priests, soldiers and Judas backward to the ground powerless. His repeating the question proved His surrender was willing, for He could have delivered Himself but stayed to bear the sins of the world and pay the penalty of transgression. When they named Him again He owned Himself as the one they sought, yielded to be taken, and bade them let His disciples go their way, thinking even in humiliation not of Himself but of them. He shielded them because He knew how weak their faith was and how little trial they could bear, giving Himself for them and thus fulfilling His word that of those given Him He had lost none.
Arrest in Gethsemane
The verse records a second exchange in which Jesus calmly asks the armed arresting party whom they are seeking, and they again answer Jesus of Nazareth. The repeated question follows His first answer, which revealed divine power and glory that drove priest, elders, soldiers and Judas backward and left them fallen powerless on the ground. Even after that display they again name Him as the one they want, despite the evidence that He is the Son of God.
He stands at that moment calm and self-possessed in bright moonlight among His prostrate foes, after the divine light has faded and the angel has withdrawn. The disciples are too amazed to speak while He stands glorified with pale face in the moonlight, still surrounded by prostrate helpless men. Then the Roman soldiers rise to their feet ashamed of their weakness, and with Judas and the priests gather closely about Him as though fearful He will escape. He steps forward out in front of His disciples as the world's Redeemer to ask again.
The exchange belongs to His final night bearing humanity's guilt with profound sorrow under the weight of sin. It comes after His agony in Gethsemane, when Judas, one of His professed disciples, betrayed Him and armed men came to seize Him. The question and answer identify Jesus as the one they had come to take.
Willing Sacrifice for Disciples
His repeated question proves His surrender was willing, for He could have delivered Himself from His enemies had He chosen to do so. He did not escape because He was sent to bear the sins of the world and must pay the penalty of man's transgression. When they again answered Jesus of Nazareth He declared He is the one they seek, accepted their demand to take Him, and directed them to let His disciples go their way. He met the armed arresting party calmly a second time and secured the release of His disciples even as He gave Himself into His enemies' hands.
Even in this hour of trial and humiliation His thoughts were not for Himself but for them. He acted to shield them because He knew how weak their faith was and how vulnerable they were to temptation and trial. He desired to save them from any further trial of their strength, being ready to sacrifice Himself for them. By demanding that they be let go He fulfilled His word that of those given Him He had lost none.
The betrayal tested the disciples, but He had prepared His faithful followers for the rejection, humiliation and death that followed. He did so that the fickleness of others would not take them by surprise or shake their faith.