Exposition of John, Chapter 18 · Verse 2
Verſe 4. Jeſus therefore knowing all things that ſhould come upon him, went forth, and ſaid unto them, Whom ſeek ye?
5. They anſwered him, Jeſus of Nazareth. Jeſus ſaith unto them, I am he. And Judas alſo which betrayed him, ſtood with them.
6. Aſſoon then as he had ſaid unto them, I am he, they went backward, and fell to the ground.
The ſecond thing premitted to Chriſts taking in the Garden, is, a conference betwixt him and them who came to take him. The conference is twofold, or the ſame conference twice repeated, in order to his twofold ſcope in it. His ſcope in the firſt conference (in theſe verſes) is, to give a proof of his Deity, even in this his low condition, as may be gathered from the progreſſe. In it we may conſider, 1. The poſture wherein Chriſt was at their coming, v. 4.— which was the cauſe of his ſo couragious going out to them, and his conferring ſo mildly with them; where it is to be conceived, as is recorded by the reſt, that he is now a little eaſed of his Agony, Luke 22.43. and that (as is here recorded) he ſaw clearly through all the ſufferings he was to meet with, and ſo is compoſed in his minde. 2. The conference it ſelf, v. 4, 5. wherein, enquiring and getting an account that they were ſeeking Jeſus, he meekly informes that it was he. 3. The effect that followed upon this declaration, v. 6. his meek word is accompanied with ſo much divine power, that upon the hearing thereof, they fall backward to the ground.
From v. 4, 5. Learn, 1. Peace with God in a trial will make all the reſt of the trial, in ſo far as it is outward, very eaſie; for, his ſtout and meek going forth to encounter trouble, followeth upon his eaſe of his Agony. 2. The Lord can ſo order the exerciſes of his people, as however they may have heavy preſſures upon their minde; yet he can intermit the extremity thereof when they need ſtrength for outward difficulties, and let it return again when the ſtrait is over; for, ſo it ſeemeth did he deal with his Son, who though he had an inward Agony all the while of his paſſion, yet the violence thereof is intermitted in the Garden, when they came to him, and we hear no more of it till they leave him on the Croſſe, where again he is made to cry out of it. 3. The conſideration of the inevitableneſſe of trouble, in Gods providence, ought to make us willingly ſtoop thereunto; eſpecially, when we have taſted of former gracious deliverances and preſervation, we ought to ſtoop when his houre cometh, and not ſeek alwayes to be free; for, Jeſus therefore knowing all things that ſhould come upon him, went forth; That is, knowing that this was the time of his ſuffering, and that now he was not to be preſerved and hid as formerly, he went forth to them, and not away, as at other times he had done. 4. There is nothing makes us more readily to be daſhed with trouble, then our not knowing or conſidering what trouble is: when we miſrepreſent trouble, it terrifieth, but when we look, not only on the neceſſity and inevitableneſſe, but on the uſefulneſſe, meaſure, and event of it, it will appear much more tolerable, and rather a friend then an enemy; for, ſo much alſo is imported in this, Jeſus knowing all thing…, &c. went forth. He ſaw through his ſufferings what they ſhould be, and what they would tend to, and therefore was not afraid, but went forth. 5. Such as are at peace with God, and have ſeen through their ſufferings, will be in a very compoſed frame, and at themſelves, in the height thereof; for, this conference and enquiry, Whom ſeek ye? imports not any ignorance or curioſity, but, that on his part, he was meek and compoſed, his Agony being ſomewhat ſetled, and he ſeeing through his trouble. 6. It concernes perſecutors to take good heed what they are doing, and eſpecially to conſider with whom they have to do, and againſt whom their attempts are; for, this queſtion, Whom ſeek ye? as to them, imports that they ſhould have conſidered whom they were ſeeking, which if they had well conſidered, they had not done as they did, 1 Cor. 2.8. 7. The Lord, when he pleaſeth, can hide and preſerve his people, not only among lions and in ſires, but even in the midſt of their foes; for, their anſwer importeth, that at firſt, albeit Judas ſtood with them, yet they knew him not, otherwiſe they had not ſo ſpoken, we ſeek Jeſus of Nazareth, but we ſeek thee. See Gen. 19.11. 2 Kings 16.18, 19, &c. Jer. 36.26. 8. It is the uſual trade of Satan and his inſtruments, to hide Chriſt and his followers with reproachful titles, that under theſe they may perſecute them more ſecurely; for, ſo much doth the name given to Chriſt by them, Jeſus of Nazareth, import, A contemptible and falſe deſignation, invented by the Phariſees, and i… ſtilled into the multitudes head, that ſo they might …e more ſafely perſecute him, without fea…ing to wrong their Meſſiah, who was to come out of Bethlehem. And this may warn us, that where Chriſt and his Ordinances are traduced, contemned and reproached, there he may be crucified. 9. Chriſt our Lord did not ſhift trouble, but voluntarily offered himſelf when he was ſought in his peoples ſtead, that ſo enemies might blame themſelves if they were not ſatisfied; Therefore, ſaith he, I am he, and ſhifts it not. 10. It is ſubjoyned to this anſwer, that Judas which betrayed him, ſtood with them, not only to point out Chriſts meekneſſe, who gives this anſwer, though provoked by his preſence. And to point out the Providence of God, who hid him that he could not be known, though Judas was with them. But further it points out, That Apoſtates will grow very impudent, and that this is taken notice of by Chriſt; Therefore, it is marked, that in this black courſe, Judas impudently ſtood with them.
From v, 6. Learn, 1. It was not the power of men prevailing over Chriſt, but his own willingneſſe, that brought him to ſuffer; nor would Chriſt have any thing to out ſhine his affection in his ſufferings; Therefore before he is taken, he cauſeth them go backward, and fall to the ground, to teſtifie that they could not have taken him, unleſſe he had conſented to it. 2. It is a very dreadful and terrible thing to be in oppoſition to Chriſt, how con…emptible ſoever he and his followers ſeem to be; for, ſo much doth this ſhake upon them who came to take him, teach us. 3. Beleevers may expect that much of divine power will be manifeſted upon and about them, in their ſufferings; for, ſo did Chriſt their forerunner finde in his ſufferings. 4. Proofs of Gods power are to be expected by ſufferers, not ſo much to exempt them from ſuffering and trouble; as (beſide their being inwardly ſupported thereby) to convince enemies, if poſſible, and to let ſee what he can do, if it were needful; for, ſuch was the proof Chriſt got here, in that they went backward, and fell to the ground, whereby he convinced them of the evil of their way, and how ineffectual he could make it, if he pleaſed, though he let the trial go on. 5. The Word of Chriſt, how contemptible ſoever it ſeem to be, is full of Majeſty, and accompanied with divine power, and terrour to his enemies, when he pleaſeth to let it out; for, Aſſoon as he ſaid to them I am he, they went backward, &c. And if his Lambs voice was ſo terrible, how dreadful will he be, when he roares as a Lion? and if that ſweet word, I am he, which comforted the diſciples, John 6.20. be their terrour, how terrible will it be, when he ſpeaks to them as they deſerve?