John 18 Bible study: Who are you looking for?

"When Jesus had spoken these words, he went out with his disciples over the brook Kidron, where there was a garden, into which he and his disciples entered" (18:1) (tap garden). "Now Judas, who betrayed him, also knew the place, for Jesus often met there with his disciples" (18:2). Judas came, "having taken a detachment of soldiers and officers from the chief priests and the Pharisees" (18:3) (tap officers), "with lanterns, torches, and weapons" (18:3). "Jesus therefore, knowing all the things that were happening to him, went out and said to them, “Who are you looking for?”" (18:4). "They answered him, “Jesus of Nazareth.” Jesus said to them, “I am he.”" (18:5). "When therefore he said to them, “I am he,” they went backward and fell to the ground" (18:6). He asked them again, and they said again, "Jesus of Nazareth" (18:7). "Jesus answered, “I told you that I am he. If therefore you seek me, let these go their way" (18:8), and the Gospel adds, "that the word might be fulfilled which he spoke, “Of those whom you have given me, I have lost none.”" (18:9). Here is what almost everyone misses: in John's telling, Jesus is the one who goes out to them (18:4), the one who asks the question, twice (18:4, 18:7), and the one who says who he is: the words "I am he" come three times in four verses (18:5, 18:6, 18:8). And when he answers them the second time, he asks something for others: "let these go their way" (18:8). The chapter doesn't say why they fell, and these notes don't either.

John 12:32→leads toJohn 18:31-32

Jesus said, "And I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself" (John 12:32), and John's Gospel adds, "But he said this, signifying by what kind of death he should die" (John 12:33). When Jesus had been led to Pilate (John 18:28-29) and Pilate said, "Take him yourselves, and judge him according to your law" (John 18:31), the Jews answered, "It is illegal for us to put anyone to death" (John 18:31), and John's Gospel goes on, "that the word of Jesus might be fulfilled, which he spoke, signifying by what kind of death he should die" (John 18:32). John's Gospel itself says the word was fulfilled, and the WEB ends 18:32 with the same words as 12:33. These notes say no more about the kind of death than the verses do.

βασιλεύςbasileussay bas-il-YOOS

Strong's: "a sovereign (abstractly, relatively, or figuratively)". Pilate's first question to Jesus is "Are you the King of the Jews?" (18:33). Then Pilate asks, "Are you a king then?", and Jesus answers, "You say that I am a king" (18:37). And Pilate asks the Jews, "do you want me to release to you the King of the Jews?" (18:39). In this chapter the word comes four times in three verses, and John's Greek has it 16 times (counted in RP2018). Among its earlier uses in John's Gospel, Nathanael says, "You are King of Israel!" (1:49), and the great multitude cries out, "Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord, the King of Israel!" (12:13). Favor's chapter on Mark 15 studies it in Mark's telling.