The Garden
After the extended discourses with His disciples, Jesus went to the Garden near the brook Cedron, identified elsewhere as Gethsemane. It was a peaceful place where Jesus and the disciples, including Judas, often went. The account in John 18:1-9 doesn't include the disciples exhaustion nor does it include Jesus going off to pray while waiting. But the account picks up with Judas leading a group of men and officers of the chief priests and Pharisees to where he suspected Jesus would be.
There aren't any accounts, of course, of what this garden looked like at the time of Christ. I suspect it was quite unlike the gardens we of European extraction might think of as a garden. But one characteristic that I believe was common to what we might think of as a garden is that it was probably lightly traveled, especially in the evening. Finding a quiet place to pray is important. Getting away from the hustle and bustle of life is also important. If Jesus needed to find a quiet spot leading into a time of upheaval of His life, how much more do we need to find quiet spots when we know that we are going to face problems? How much more do we need to pray and seek God when we know trouble is coming? I suspect we would all be better off if we followed Jesus example.
When Judas and the guards arrive, Jesus asks who they are seeking. It is interesting to note that when Jesus replied that He was the one they were seeking, they all fell backward to the ground. He asks again and when they repeat they are after Jesus, He again answers that He is the one they are seeking and asks that the other disciples be allowed to leave in peace.
How like or Savior to try to protect His followers even when He was about to be arrested, tried, and killed. How like our Savior to accept what was planned for Him by the priests and God Himself and not press His probably armed advantage when those who had come to take Him away were still down on their butts wondering what had just happened to them! He still wanted to ensure that His disciples were safe and ready to build a new religion that would last through all the struggles that were to come.
The Cup
In John 18:10-11 there is an interesting aside. Peter, good old impulsive Peter, takes his sword and cuts off the ear of the priest's ear. This act, and Jesus subsequently restoring the man's ear to him, got his name known forever: Malchus. He'd probably rather have never been named. I doubt Malchus was a very popular name among Christians for a long time to come. similar to Annus or Caiaphas. Many people get named after one of the disciples or prophets. Not so much the Jewish leaders of the time.
But the key thing that is important about this verse is Jesus response to Peter. "Put up thy sword into the sheath: the cup which my Father hath given me, shall I not drink it?". I don't know about you, but there have been many cups that I would have liked to pass by in my life. I won't know till I get to heaven, probably, whether any of the cups I have had to drink were sent by God or not. Jesus was one with the Father, and He knew everything that was about to happen. And He went willingly to do the will of the Father. When God asks us to do a tough thing, can we be just as strong as Christ? Can we say not my will, but thine be done? Can we pick up the ear of one who is going to take us to die and put it back on his head healing his ear and hearing? That is the equivalent of what God calls each of us to do.
We may never face a Malchus. We will probably not be led off to be crucified. But that doesn't mean our way will always be smooth. We will be betrayed. We will be harassed. We will have friends and family reject us for the stance we take for God. The cup is frequently bitter. But it is still the cup the Father holds out for us to drink. Remember that if you are reviled for the gospel's sake, we are to rejoice because Jesus was persecuted first. Never give up. Go through with what God has impressed you to do or what He has impressed you to say. Take the cup. Don't reject it. In the end, maybe one more person will accept Jesus as Savior. Be aware that there may be nobody else around who is able to take the cup. You might be it.
Jesus Before Annas and Caiaphas
In John 18:12-14,19-24, we have John's account of Jesus before Annas and later the high priest. He had willingly identified Himself, healed the ear of Malchus, but was still bound like a dangerous criminal. If the people Judas led truly understood just who Jesus was, they'd have been petrified to try to come and arrest Him. It wasn't for nothing that Jesus would say legions of angels were at His disposal to be free and not go through with God's plan had He so desired. When you realize the power of just one angel against military might, the denial must have been huge, especially after the ear healing, to even try to carry out the plot against Jesus.
The high priest inquired of Jesus about both His followers and what his doctrine or beliefs were. Jesus replied that He hadn't done anything in secret. What He preached was out there for their world to hear and judge. Jesus taught in the synagogue often, letting everyone know what He was about. Jesus instructs the high priest to ask those who He preached to if Caiaphas was curious about what was said.
For that rather impertinent answer, one of the officers of the temple struct Jesus with a hand slap and upbraided Him. Again, given what had just happened in the garden, that was a gutsy move on the officers' part. Jesus again replies that if He had said something evil, they needed to bring witnesses to that effect. but if not, for what reason was He slapped? When the high priest was unsuccessful in getting anything out of Jesus, He was sent to Pilate as the Jews didn't have the authority to crucify anyone and the Jewish leadership wanted Jesus dead.
Peter's Denials
In John 18:15-18,25-27, we have the parallel story of Peter denying that He knew Jesus, followed by the rooster crowing. It's easy to be confident and sure while the boss is with you. It's much more nerve wracking when the boss is taken away in hand cuffs for trial to be strong. Christians today have it easy, and I would hope that none would judge Peter harshly. Jesus had just told them He was going to die, and had indicated what manner of death He was going to face. I bet most Christians today would also deny Christ if they knew that acknowledging Jesus was likely to be a one way ticket to a cross.
Regardless, Peter denied knowing Christ three times, and when the rooster crowed, he remembered what Jesus had prophesied would happen and went away sorrowful.
Jesus and Pilate
Because they didn't want to be unclean for the Passover meal, they sent Jesus on to Pilate for judgment. How little they understood the symbolism of that first Passover in Egypt. They were sending Christ to be the Passover lamb for all humanity, once and for all, but they couldn't see that. They were only interested in the forms and rituals of their religion. As His church today, we need to ensure that we aren't so wrapped up in our own forms and rituals that we miss what the Holy Spirit is asking us to do. It's easy to do. It's easy to get busy or just occupied with other unimportant things and totally miss or fail to implement what God wants done.
Jesus didn't fall into that trap, and we can't either. In John 18:28-40, we see some of the account of what went on before Pilate. Pilate wants to know why Jesus was brought before him. The Jewish leaders tell Pilate that Jesus is a malefactor. The Jews don't give a good answer recorded here, but simply say if he didn't have a criminal record, Jesus wouldn't be there.
Pilate wants to wash his hands of Jesus and tells the Jews to judge Him themselves, but they refuse because they can't put someone to death. That was reserved for the Romans. So the interrogation begins. Pilate wants to know if Jesus really is the king of the Jews, but Christ deflects and says that His kingdom isn't of this world. Clearly if it wasn't of the world Caesar inhabited, then it wasn't of interest to the Roman government. He again tries to pass Jesus back to the Jews.
Pilate finally tries to return Jesus to His people, offering one of Barabbas or Jesus to the people as was his custom at Passover. The people cried out they wanted Barabbas who was a confirmed robber, instead of Jesus who had gone about healing, teaching, and doing good works with few breaks in His schedule for the very few years He was preaching. Think of that. The Jews wanted a known robber instead of the Messiah. Things aren't much better today/ All too often we choose the wrong paths, the wrong people, the wrong words, the wrong actions instead of the good that God puts before us.
Peer pressure? The subtle hints and nudges of evil spirits and our own fleshly sin nature? Bad men and women seeming more exciting than boring old good men and women? What are you choosing today? Don't be like the Jews, picking Barabbas when there's a Jesus standing right there! Turn away from the world and turn to God. Make the right choice, even if it seems boring. God wants to be your champion, but you need to accept Him as your savior first. Don't wait.