John 18

Have you ever been backstabbed?  Has anyone ever talked about you behind your back?  Have you ever had someone who you thought was a friend, betray you?  Jesus knows exactly how you feel!  In this chapter, Jesus is delivered into the hands of Roman soldiers by someone who had followed Him, befriended Him and been a part of the movement that Jesus started.  If you have been tracking with us, you'll see that Jesus knew this all along and in the last chapter, gave Judas permission to go and do what he had plotted and schemed to do.   “What you do, do quickly.”(John 13:27). 

Jesus is then kissed on the cheek by this traitor (a sign of respect/ customary greeting).  Jesus, even in this moment doesn't lose His cool “Judas, are you betraying the Son of Man with a kiss?” (Luke 22:48).  Judas was so close to Jesus that he knew where to go when the soldiers wanted to find Him.
"Judas...knew the place, for Jesus had often met there with His disciples."(John 18:2)  Peter, being...well...Peter, takes his sword and cuts off the ear of the high priest's slave.  This act will actually come back to bite him later when he is recognized by a relative of this person in the courtyard.  What Peter didn't understand, is that this was God's will.  Jesus had explained this in previous chapters but apparently he was checking his iphone.

The guards then seize Jesus, the disciples flee and He is delivered into the hands of the Jewish officials.  Jesus had been sold out by one of His own for thirty pieces of silver, the price of a slave.  The movement, seemingly, had been stopped and all of His followers had deserted Him.  The Kingdom had been crushed before it ever really got started.  In later chapters, it is written that Judas was in such despair that he hanged himself (Matthew 27:5).  Apparently he had realized, all too late, what he had done and the scope of his greed. 
Not only was Jesus betrayed in this moment but one of His avid followers, one who promised never to leave His side, denied Him three times (v17,v25,v27).  As a matter of fact, it says in other passages that a relative of Malchus (slave with detachable ear) recognized him.  Peter not only denies Jesus but he curses to make his point (Mark 14:71).  This too was not a surprise to Jesus since He had already told Peter it would happen when a rooster crows three times (John 13:38).

I'll be honest with you.  This chapter is DEPRESSING!!!  I could keep going with the officials slapping Jesus in the face, mocking Him by asking if He was "King of the Jews" and even choosing a low life criminal to be released instead of Him.  He had been betrayed by a friend, deserted by the disciples and now is on trial for treason.  His movement seems to be a failed experiment.

Ugh.  How do you get over something like that?  How can you endure betrayal on that level?  Jesus was resolute in His focus.  He never took His eyes off of the Father.  Even in His darkest moments, He keeps His eyes on the prize.  When asked if He is a king, Jesus responds "Yes but not the kind you are thinking, otherwise it would be on like Donkey Kong!!!"  Okay, I paraphrased the King of Kings.  Sorry.  He goes on to say, “You say correctly that I am a king. For this I have been born, and for this I have come into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth hears My voice.”Pilate's response?  "What is truth?" Great question right?  Also, very revealing of Pilate's heart.  Jesus just said if you are mine you recognize truth.  Pilate essentially says, "I don't know you." However, at the same time he says "I find no guilt in Him."  Wow!  Jesus is faithful and true till the very end.

Cool Facts:

When the servants ear is cut off at His capture, Jesus puts His ear back on.  COOL! Luke 22:51 

A theologian once noted, that Peter's denials was the result of the following things:
overconfidence Mark 14:29,31; Prayerlessness Mark 14:37, 40-41; not listening to Christ Mark 14:47/ Luke 22:49-51; associating with the wrong crowd Mark 14:54; reverting to old habits Mark 14:71; then denial v71. (Ryrie)