After recently viewing the movie Jesus Revolution I decided to entitle this message The Beginning of the Original Jesus Revolution. The movie was based on a true story. This message is based on the True Story and is one way to look at the fast-paced drama unfolding in John 18.
In this chapter the scenes shift rapidly—from Jesus’ place of prayer in John 17 to a nearby olive grove to a former high priest’s house to a courtyard to another high priest’s house, back to the courtyard again, and finally to the palace of the Roman governor. The characters move quickly on and off the stage. We see Jesus with his disciples, soldiers with Jewish officials led by Judas a disciple, a servant named Malchus, a disciple named Peter and an unnamed disciple, Annas the former high priest, Caiaphas the current high priest, a servant girl at the high priest’s house, a relative of Malchus, and finally Jesus before Pilate the Roman governor. The sets and props are simple—torches, lanterns, weapons, a sword, a fire, and a rooster the crows on cue.
But what John recorded about that night demonstrates what happened when as recorded in the words of Jesus in Luke 22:53 “when darkness reigns.”
When Darkness Reigns—there is betrayal, an act of violence, an arrest, a denial, and an inquisition all taking place in the dark of night.
Let’s begin our drama of the original Jesus Revolution with John 18:1-3 where Judas betrays Jesus.
After Jesus had said these things, he went out with his disciples across the Kidron Valley, where there was a garden, and he and his disciples went into it. 2 Judas, who betrayed him, also knew the place, because Jesus often met there with his disciples. 3 So Judas took a company of soldiers and some officials from the chief priests and the Pharisees and came there with lanterns, torches, and weapons. (John 18:1–3)
There is no unanimity regarding why Judas betrayed Jesus. In his book Jesus and the Criminal Mind my colleague at LCU Tom Ewald observes, “Literally hundreds of interpretations of Judas Iscariot have been offered in music, literature and drama throughout the ages since he first entered the stage of history.” He offers no less than 10 possible explanations for why Judas would surrender his teacher to his known adversaries, but I think the one plausible motive was Judas’ nationalistic expectation of a Messiah who would start a revolution to overthrow Rome. He is willing to hand Jesus over to the Jewish authorities if Jesus won’t overthrow Rome. He and Peter and other disciples had a similar perspective of how the revolution would begin.
Here is what John records in John 18:10–11 where Peter defends Jesus, ready to bring on the revolution: 10 Then Simon Peter, who had a sword, drew it, struck the high priest’s servant, and cut off his right ear. (The servant’s name was Malchus.) 11 At that, Jesus said to Peter, “Put your sword away! Am I not to drink the cup the Father has given me?” (John 18:10-11)
It is Dr. Luke who tells us that Jesus touched the ear of Malchus and healed him. 51But Jesus responded, “No more of this!” And touching his ear, he healed him. 52 Then Jesus said to the chief priests, temple police, and the elders who had come for him, “Have you come out with swords and clubs as if I were a criminal? 53 Every day while I was with you in the temple, you never laid a hand on me. But this is your hour —and the dominion of darkness.” (Luke 22:51–53)
It is now clear to all that Jesus’ revolution will not be one of taking up the sword. Here is what Michael Brown, author of Revolution: Jesus’ Call to Change the World, observes, “Jesus came into our world to launch God’s revolution—a kingdom revolution, a revolution of the Spirit, a world–changing movement that would overcome evil with good and hatred with love, and Jesus himself was the most radical revolutionary leader who ever lived. All too often, however, we look at Jesus as . . . a harmless spiritual leader who left behind some lovely platitudes and inspirational thoughts, a man whose memory we celebrate at the annual Easter egg hunt. But that is hardly the Jesus of the New Testament. His message was a threat to the religious establishment. He called for dramatic, sweeping—yes, revolutionary—change. He taught his followers to pray radical prayers like, ‘Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven’—meaning, the displacement of the corrupt kingdoms of this world by the perfect kingdom of God. He called his disciples to revolutionary commitment, urging them to leave everything and follow him.”
John now shines the spotlight on Jesus as He is arrested and bound by the soldiers and questioned by an influential former high priest: 12 Then the company of soldiers, the commander, and the Jewish officials arrested Jesus and tied him up. 13 First they led him to Annas, since he was the father-in-law of Caiaphas, who was high priest that year. 14 Caiaphas was the one who had advised the Jews that it would be better for one man to die for the people. (John 18:12-14)
This unlawful inquisition at night with several violations of Jewish law continues in verses 19–24:
19The high priest questioned Jesus about his disciples and about his teaching.
20 “I have spoken openly to the world,” Jesus answered him. “I have always taught in the synagogue and in the temple, where all the Jews gather, and I haven’t spoken anything in secret. 21 Why do you question me? Question those who heard what I told them. Look, they know what I said.” 22 When he had said these things, one of the officials standing by slapped Jesus, saying, “Is this the way you answer the high priest?” 23 “If I have spoken wrongly,” Jesus answered him, “give evidence about the wrong; but if rightly, why do you hit me?” 24 Then Annas sent him bound to Caiaphas the high priest. (John 18:19-24)
The scene quickly changes as Peter who had just defended Jesus now denies Jesus—Not once, not twice, but three times.
Just a few hours earlier in the upper room Peter declared his allegiance to Jesus in this conversation with Jesus: 36 “Lord,” Simon Peter said to him, “where are you going?” Jesus answered, “Where I am going you cannot follow me now, but you will follow later.” 37 “Lord,” Peter asked, “why can’t I follow you now? I will lay down my life for you.” 38 Jesus replied, “Will you lay down your life for me? Truly I tell you, a rooster will not crow until you have denied me three times. (John 13:36–38)
Look at what happens:
15 Simon Peter was following Jesus, as was another disciple. That disciple was an acquaintance of the high priest; so he went with Jesus into the high priest’s courtyard. 16 But Peter remained standing outside by the door. So the other disciple, the one known to the high priest, went out and spoke to the girl who was the doorkeeper and brought Peter in. 17 Then the servant girl who was the doorkeeper said to Peter, “You aren’t one of this man’s disciples too, are you?” “I am not,” he said. 18 Now the servants and the officials had made a charcoal fire, because it was cold. They were standing there warming themselves, and Peter was standing with them, warming himself. (John 18:15–18)
The drama and Peter’s denials continue in John 18:25–27: 25 As Simon Peter stood warming himself, he was asked, You aren’t one of his disciples too, are you?” He denied it and said, “I am not.” 26 One of the high priest’s servants, a relative of the man whose ear Peter had cut off, said, “Didn’t I see you with him in the garden?” 27 Peter denied it again. Immediately a rooster crowed. (John 18:25–27)
At the sound of the rooster crowing, it is now apparent that amidst the changing scenes and characters there is only One who occupies center stage. He not only stands firm and faithful in the spotlight but directs the drama. All others are in the background, standing in the shadows.
When Light Overcomes and Overthrows the Reign of Darkness
There are three plot twists in this drama. The first is how light overcomes the reigning darkness. To that, Peter the defender and denier, is a firsthand witness. Years later when Peter wrote to a scattered, persecuted church enduring suffering he identified himself this way:
I exhort the elders among you as a fellow elder and witness to the sufferings of Christ, as well as one who shares in the glory about to be revealed... (1 Peter 5:1)
Here is what Peter learned about suffering:
10 Concerning this salvation, the prophets, who prophesied about the grace that would come to you, searched and carefully investigated. 11 They inquired into what time or what circumstances the Spirit of Christ within them was indicating when he testified in advance to the sufferings of Christ and the glories that would follow. (1 Peter 1:10–11)
21 For you were called to this, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps. 22 He did not commit sin, and no deceit was found in his mouth; 23 when he was insulted, he did not insult in return; when he suffered, he did not threaten but entrusted himself to the one who judges justly. 24 He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree; so that, having died to sins, we might live for righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed. 25 For you were like sheep going astray, but you have now returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls. (1 Peter 2:21–25)
Therefore, since Christ suffered in the flesh, arm yourselves also with the same understanding—because the one who suffers in the flesh is finished with sin— (1 Peter 4:1)
The victory of light overcoming darkness comes through suffering.
The second plot twist is Who is this who suffers. The soldiers came looking for Jesus of Nazareth.
4 Then Jesus, knowing everything that was about to happen to him, went out and said to them, “Who is it that you’re seeking?” 5 “Jesus of Nazareth,” they answered. “I am he,” Jesus told them. Judas, who betrayed him, was also standing with them. 6 When Jesus told them, “I am he,” they stepped back and fell to the ground. 7 Then he asked them again, “Who is it that you’re seeking?” “Jesus of Nazareth,” they said. 8 “I told you I am he,” Jesus replied. “So if you’re looking for me, let these men go.” (John 18:4-8)
N. T Wright describes the scene this way: “The scene becomes still more extraordinary as it progresses. Jesus takes the initiative and asks them who they are looking for. They tell him. His answer is simple and shocking: ‘I AM’. In the setting, of course, this means, ‘I’m the one’, or, ‘That’s me’. But for John and all the ‘I AM’ sayings throughout his book in the foreground, there is no doubt what he wants us to hear.
This is the simple, clear and world-changing statement: the vulnerable man standing before you in the garden, glimpsed in the flickering torchlight, is the one who from all eternity was equal with the father. He is the I AM, the bread of life, the light of the world, the door and the good shepherd, the resurrection and the life, the way, the truth and the life, and the vine. Something of this is the only reasonable explanation why, in this version, the arresting party stumble backwards and fall to the ground. Their reaction, whether voluntary or involuntary, mirrors what people in the Bible do when coming face to face with God.”
In the parallel passage in Mark 14:61–64 we read a similar exchange between Jesus and the high priest: 61 ...But he kept silent and did not answer. Again the high priest questioned him, “Are you the Messiah, the Son of the Blessed One?” 62 “I am,” said Jesus, “and you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of Power and coming with the clouds of heaven.” 63 Then the high priest tore his robes and said, “Why do we still need witnesses? 64 You have heard the blasphemy. What is your decision?” They all condemned him as deserving death. (Mark 14:61–64)
It is Christ the Son of God, the great, eternal I AM that suffered, but why? Why would God do that?
That brings us to the third plot twist--why did it happen this way. Do you recall John’s passing statement in John 18:14? 14 Caiaphas was the one who had advised the Jews that it would be better for one man to die for the people. (John 18:14)
He made that statement after Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead when some of the Jews that were present put their faith in Jesus but others went to the chief priests and Pharisees to report what He had done. The Sanhedrin of Jewish leaders were debating whether or not they should stop Jesus when Caiaphas spoke up:
49 One of them, Caiaphas, who was high priest that year, said to them, “You know nothing at all! 50 You’re not considering that it is to your advantage that one man should die for the people rather than the whole nation perish.” 51 He did not say this on his own, but being high priest that year he prophesied that Jesus was going to die for the nation, 52 and not for the nation only, but also to unite the scattered children of God. (John 11:49–52)
What insight—this Jewish high Priest unknowingly prophesied that Jesus would die for all.
Here is how Peter summed up the sufferings of Christ. This was his takeaway, the painful lesson he learned: 17 For it is better to suffer for doing good, if that should be God’s will, than for doing evil. 18 For Christ also suffered for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring you to God. He was put to death in the flesh but made alive by the Spirit, (1 Peter 3:17–18)