An
Intentional Death John 18:1-14
Jesus’ looming death is in God’s plan and not a
mistake - in order that Scriptures had to be fulfilled.
Jesus is in complete control of events. He’s
not a helpless victim. He is God. He is Yahweh himself – the great I AM – that
name (Exodus 6:2; Isaiah 42:8) is used 2 times by Jesus in identifying himself between
v5-v8. Indeed, so much in control is he that in v6: the mere sound of his voice
is enough to cause his arresting party to fall to the ground at his feet.
He’s the one who takes the lead in conversation,
he’s the one dictating terms, he’s willing – even choosing – to die.
And v11 tells us why taking us to the heart of
everything. The cup of which Jesus speaks is not the cup of suffering in
general but the cup of God’s judgment (Jeremiah 25:15; Isaiah 51:22). Man is
already under God’s judgment.
He’s determined to die, in order that he might
the drink the cup of his Father’s wrath and do it for God’s new people.
Substitutionary
Death John 18:12-27
This is the heart of what’s going on at the
cross: Jesus is completely innocent
and we are totally guilty. It’s all about substitution. And John gives us pictures of substitution to help us see what’s going on.
Firstly, John sets up the cross in the context
of the Passover 18:28 & 18:39. This is the time when God’s people remember
being rescued out of slavery by a perfect lamb dying in the place of the 1st
born son. Now we see why Jesus’ innocence is necessary as the perfect lamb of
God who takes way the sin of the world (John 1:29). He’s taking God’s anger at
our rebellion and rejection of him. Just as the Lord passed over the households
where there was blood on the doorframe, so God’s wrath is averted by Jesus’
death as Jesus takes upon himself.
Secondly, there is Barabbas - a man clearly
guilty of robbery, insurrection and murder facing deserved death. Another man:
innocent, perfect, blameless. Jesus heads towards the cross as Barabbas is set
free. The guilty man is released at the expense of the innocent one’s death.
Expediency
John 18:12-14
Just look: one word in v14 – expedient or good.
The English translation in 11:50 “better” is the same word as “expedient” or
“good” here.
Jesus’ death is good. It is expedient for the
people, that Jesus dies, not them. It is better for me that Jesus dies on the
cross, not me. This is a death to celebrate.
Testing
John 18:15-18; 25-26
Peter is the best of the disciples to be put to
the test. If Peter can do it, then maybe we all could. But if Peter can’t, then
the people, the nations, FBC, you & me - we need to give up trying and say
“it’s better Jesus dies for me”.
Peter is a close friend of Jesus who gives him
the nick name Peter which means “Rock”. He’s Jesus’ rock. Where loads of Jesus’
disciples are deserting him, Peter becomes spokesman & says:”To whom shall
we go? You have the words of eternal life.” He’s the rock.
Peter showed his bravery with the sword and has
such big hopes in wanting to follow Jesus wherever that will lead him. Jesus
knows better. The cock will not crow until Peter has denied him 3 times.
2 men taking a test: Peter taking his in a
courtyard where there is a group of people. But Jesus takes his test standing
alone inside a house. Peter can walk out of the door any time he wants. Jesus
is tied up & guarded.
We see Jesus brave and strong, facing his arrest.
And Jesus said: I Am, twice when they asked him.
Now we see Peter, feeble & weak, and he
says: I am not, twice.
The death of Jesus is expedient, in the sense,
that left to ourselves, the only place I’m going is the very bottom pit of
hell. It is the hardest thing to accept:
Christianity is only for failures.
That’s why Peter is here – Peter is such a
failure. Peter’s failure stands for his failure to follow Jesus and that says
that you and I can’t follow Jesus either.
High
Priest John 18:19-24
Jesus is alone but he is completely in control. Jesus’ openness is contrasted with his
captors’ secrecy in plotting his death. His stand on the truth in contrast with
the illegal nature of his trial: can’t find anything wrong with him, no
witnesses.
While Annas & Caiaphas secretly and wrongly
plot away to use Jesus as a sacrifice, the true high priest (Jesus is called
the true High Priest 15 times in the Letter to Hebrews), stays calm and
prepares to offer himself as a sacrifice, openly & rightly.
Jesus is high priest but Jesus is also the
sacrificial victim. Jesus said in v8: take me & let these men go, we learn
his death is all about stepping in, taking the place of the people he’s saving from
the cup full of God’s anger & punishment for sin.
Because John puts Peter’s failure next to
Jesus’ sacrifice, you can see how much we need it and how good it is that Jesus
to die rather than us. So let’s be clear: Christianity is only for failures and
Christianity is only, by sacrifice.
JUDGING
JUDGES John 18:28-40
Jesus is the judge – judging
the judges who are judging him.
Guilt and
Hypocrisy John 18:28-32
This trial of Jesus is in reality the trial of
Pilate and the Jewish leaders before Jesus. What is exposed is the guilt and
hypocrisy of the Jews and Pilate. In v28, the Jewish leaders show utter
hypocrisy by wanting to stay ritually pure so they can eat the Passover whilst
having an innocent man put to death. When Pilate’s job is on the line, when his
reputation is at stake, he abandons truth because he fears men more than he
fears God.
They refused to acknowledge who is standing
right in front of them (John 1:10,11) and instead line up against him.
Kingship
John 18:33-38
This is Jesus’ enthronement, coronation – a crown
of thorns placed on his head, dressed in purple. Jesus had earlier referred to
his kingdom as not of this world but from another place. Here he is
establishing it. Pilate loves to annoy the Jewish leaders by referring to Jesus
as the king of the Jews v39. But we see the remarkable truth that this really
is THE King of God’s people.
Jesus is the King and he’s heading to his
death. But what’s shocking is his total, complete and utter innocence.
Innocence
John 18:38-40
Pilate declares that Jesus is innocent v38. So
convinced is Pilate of Jesus’ innocence, that he tries to set him free v39.
Why is it important that Jesus is innocent?
Only one without sin could take our sin. This
is why Jesus died, his death brings life to the guilty. And this was always the
plan.
Jesus’ death in our place, the innocent for the
guilty – it’s so necessary, so central and yet so offensive to our
sensibilities – that we need a rescue like this, that we can do nothing to save
ourselves.
We naturally oppose Jesus and that is why we so
desperately need a rescuer. Each time we reject Jesus’ rightful rule over our
lives in what we do, say or think – it’s another reminder that the cross is the
ultimate expression of our sin. We want to run our lives on our own terms, our
own way. We all have the same heart that naturally rejects Jesus as the
rightful King over our lives.
This truth is constantly under attack both in
the world and in the church. But this truth hugely humbles and hugely encourages.
The more we ponder upon these things, the more
we’ll treasure them. The more we look to Jesus, our king, and keep coming back
to the foot of the cross, the more we will be amazed, with our hearts bursting
with gratitude at all we have in and through Jesus.
This is the heart of the good news about Jesus
but we must hear the warning: Rejecting Jesus reflects much more on us than on
him.
