Under the Law of Moshe, the sheep died for the shepherd; but under grace,

the Good Shepherd died for the sheep. ~ Warren W. Wiersbe

Yeshua Betrayed

18 ¹ After Yeshua had said all this, He went out with His talmidim across the stream that flows in winter through the Vadi Kidron, to a spot where there was a grove of trees; and He and His talmidim went into it. ² Now Y’hudah, who was betraying Him, also knew the place; because Yeshua had often met there with His talmidim. ³ So Y’hudah went there, taking with him a detachment of Roman soldiers and some Temple guards provided by the Head Cohanim and the P’rushim; they carried weapons, lanterns and torches. ⁴ Yeshua, who knew everything that was going to happen to Him, went out and asked them, “Whom do you want?” ⁵ “Yeshua from Natzeret,” they answered. He said to them, “I AM.” Also standing with them was Y’hudah, the one who was betraying Him. ⁶ When He said, “I AM,” they went backward from Him and fell to the ground. ⁷ So He inquired of them once more, “Whom do you want?” and they said, “Yeshua from Natzeret.” ⁸ “I told you, ‘I AM,’ ” answered Yeshua, “so if I’m the one you want, let these others go.”

I AM. There is a double meaning. Yeshua was both identifying Himself and voicing God’s authority (see 4:26). Apparently, He was demonstrating God’s power as well, so that it was in direct consequence that they went backward from Him and fell to the ground.

⁹ This happened so that what He had said might be fulfilled, “I have not lost one of those you gave me.” ¹⁰ Then Shim‘on Kefa, who had a sword, drew it and struck the slave of the Cohen Hagadol, cutting off his right ear; the slave’s name was Melekh. ¹¹ Yeshua said to Kefa, “Put your sword back in its scabbard! This is the cup the Father has given me; am I not to drink it?”

Yeshua’s statement summarized Yochanan 17:12, which harks back to Yochanan 6:39 and 10:28. Yeshua is portrayed as the Good Shepherd who chose death to save His sheep (see 10:11, 15, 17–18, 28). Kefa’s sword was short and could be hidden under his robe (Luke 22:38). The name Malchus (stated only in Yochanan) indicates a slave of Arabic origin. Drinking the cup is a metaphor for death.

Yeshua Arrested and Taken to ‘Anan (Annas)

¹² So the detachment of Roman soldiers and their captain, together with the Temple Guard of the Judeans, arrested Yeshua, tied Him up, ¹³ and took Him first to ‘Anan, the father-in-law of Kayafa, who was Cohen Gadol that fateful year. ¹⁴ (It was Kayafa who had advised the Judeans that it would be good for one man to die on behalf of the people.)

First they led him to ‘Anan. Only Yochanan tells us of this irregular preliminary hearing. ‘Anan had been Gohen Gadol (high priest) from 6 to 15 (CE). Many members of his family became Gohen Gadol after him, including five of his sons and his son-in-law Kayafa. He retained his title after leaving office (vv. 15, 16, 19, 22; but not vv. 10, 13, 24, 26, which refer to Kayafa) and obviously remained a powerful behind-the-scenes figure; perhaps this is why his advice on how to deal with Yeshua was sought first.

Kefa Denies Yeshua

¹⁵ Shim‘on Kefa and another talmid followed Yeshua. The second talmid was known to the Cohen Hagadol, and he went with Yeshua into the courtyard of the Cohen Hagadol; ¹⁶ but Kefa stood outside by the gate. So the other talmid, the one known to the Cohen Hagadol, went back out and spoke to the woman on duty at the gate, then brought Kefa inside. ¹⁷ The woman at the gate said to Kefa, “Aren’t you another of that man’s talmidim?” He said, “No, I’m not.” ¹⁸ Now the slaves and guards had lit a fire because it was cold, and they were standing around it warming themselves; Kefa joined them and stood warming himself too.

The other talmid was probably “the one Jesus loved” (Yochanan). The girl who was the doorkeeper was probably one of the high priest’s slaves. The Roman soldiers had returned to their barracks, entrusting the task of guarding Yeshua to the temple police. Another charcoal fire was lit at Kefa’s restoration in Yochanan 21:9.

Yeshua Before Annas

¹⁹ The Cohen Hagadol questioned Yeshua about His talmidim and about what He taught. ²⁰ Yeshua answered, “I have spoken quite openly to everyone; I have always taught in a synagogue or in the Temple where all Jews meet together, and I have said nothing in secret; ²¹ so why are you questioning me? Question the ones who heard what I said to them; look, they know what I said.” ²² At these words, one of the guards standing by slapped Yeshua in the face and said, “This is how you talk to the Cohen Hagadol?” ²³ Yeshua answered him, “If I said something wrong, state publicly what was wrong; but if I was right, why are you hitting Me?” ²⁴ So ‘Anan sent Him, still tied up, to Kayafa the Cohen Hagadol. [1]

Imagine unexpected conflict at home, perhaps between family members or in your marriage. In Yochanan 18:1-24, Yeshua faces betrayal and arrest yet remains resolute in His mission. You can take comfort in knowing that He stayed true under pressure. To apply this, gather your family and discuss how you can approach conflict with calmness and purpose. Instead of reacting negatively when disagreements arise, make it a point to follow Yeshua’s example by responding with love and seeking resolution through open, honest communication.

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[1] Yochanan 18:1–24.