The Lord had often gone to the Garden of Gethsemane in the Mount of Olives to pray and to be alone with His disciples. Judas knew this and was able to lead a large group of people to the place. They said that they were seeking Jesus of Nazareth. When Jesus answered, “I am,” they went backward and fell to the ground. It was just a little display of God’s power, but it did not change their evil purpose. How often God gives us warnings that we are doing wrong!
The disciples saw that their Lord was about to be taken. Peter had a sword and was going to defend his Master. He swung his sword and cut off the right ear of the high priest’s servant, whose name was Malchus. Sometimes we can lose our temper and cut off a person’s ear with sharp words. Poor Peter was in a bad state of soul. Now he gets into the company of the ungodly. It wasn’t long before he even denied his Lord before the damsel who kept the door. A believer can become very cowardly when not in communion with Jesus. Do you not think that Jesus knew we would be such failures? He even told Peter beforehand that after he denied Jesus the third time, the cock would crow. Peter did deny Jesus, but the Lord still loved him, and He loves us too!
First they led Jesus to Annas and then to Caiaphas the high priest because it was still too early. Next they brought Him before Pilate, the ruler of the land. Pilate wanted to know what evil Jesus had done. Jesus said that He was a king but that He came into the world to bear witness to the truth and that everyone that was of the truth heard His voice. Do you think that Pilate really wanted to hear the truth of God? If so, he would have stayed in the presence of the Lord, but instead we read that “he went out” and delivered Jesus to be crucified.
1. When Jesus said “I am” to the people seeking Him, what happened? __________ John 18:___
2. Who cut off the right ear of the high priest’s servant? __________ John 18:___
3. What answer did Peter give to the damsel who kept the door? __________ John 18:___
4. When Peter denied the Lord for the third time, what happened? __________ John 18:___
5. Why was the Lord born and for what cause did He come into the world? __________ John 18:___