- When Jesus had spoken these words, he took his disciples and walked across the Cedron brook, where there was a garden that he and his disciples entered. And there he worked wondrously, his disciples being overcome with awe, collapsed to the ground.
- Jesus had often visited this garden, and Judas knew of the place. Judas led a party under orders by the Sanhedrin, carrying lanterns, torches and weapons. Jesus knew what would happen, and confronted the armed party asking, Who are you looking for? They answered, Jesus of Nazareth. He declared, I am that I am! Hearing this bold claim startled the Sanhedrin’s armed men, and they tripped over one another when they took a surprised step backwards. Jesus asked again, Who are you looking for? (to require them to acknowledge by their own voice that he was the God of Israel). And they said, Jesus of Nazareth. Jesus answered, I have told you that I am!
- Jesus said, If you are looking for me, then let these others go on their way. This request was to fulfill his prophecy, Every one you gave to me I have kept, and none of them will be lost to us.
- Then Simon Peter had a sword and drew it, and struck the high priest’s servant and cut off his right ear. The servant’s name was Malchus, who later believed on Jesus. Then Jesus said to Peter, Put your sword back in the sheath. The cup my Father has given to me, should I refuse to drink it?
- Then the party under orders from the Sanhedrin took Jesus, and bound him. And they led him away first to Annas, the father-in-law of Caiaphas, who was the high priest during that year. Now Caiaphas was the same man who counseled that it is better for one man to die to save the people than for the people to be lost.
- Simon Peter followed behind Jesus, and so did a second disciple who was familiar to the high priest and was permitted access to enter the high priest’s house. But Peter remained outside by the door. After entry, the second disciple returned and spoke to the doorkeeper and gained access for Peter to enter the house also. The doorkeeper asked Peter, Aren’t you one of the accused man’s followers? He answered, No I am not. And there were members of the party who brought Jesus back who were warming themselves beside a coal fire, and Peter was also cold so he warmed himself beside them.
- The high priest questioned Jesus about the identities of his followers and about his doctrine. And Jesus answered him, I spoke boldly to everyone. I taught frequently in the synagogue and in the temple, where the Jews are present to hear. I have made no attempt to be secret. Why ask me these questions? Ask the many people who heard me teach and they can tell you what I said; they know. After he said this, one of the men holding Jesus hit him with his palm and said, Do you dare to speak to the high priest that way? Jesus responded to him, If I have spoken like an evil sorcerer, testify of the sorcery, but if not, why did you strike me? Annas then had him taken in the bindings and brought to Caiaphas, the high priest.
- As Simon Peter stood and warmed himself, the people standing by the fire asked him, Are you not one of his followers? He denied it, and said, No I am not. One of the servants of the high priest who was related to the man whose ear Peter had cut off then asked, Did I not see you in the garden with him? Peter then denied again, and immediately the crowing of a rooster sounded.
- Then they led Jesus from Caiaphas to the Roman judgment hall, and it was still before sunrise. The Sanhedrin did not enter the judgment hall because it would defile them and prevent them from participating in the Passover. Pilate came out and confronted them and asked, What accusation do you have against this man? They answered and said to him, Would we bring him to you if he were not a sorcerer? Then Pilate said to them, That is no Roman concern. You take him, and judge him against your own law. The Jews therefore said to him, We do not crucify a man on the Passover under our tradition, referring to the prophecy Jesus had spoken about the kind of execution he would suffer.
- Then Pilate stepped back into the judgment hall and addressed Jesus and said to him, You are the King of the Jews? Jesus answered him, Did you say this to me on your own, or did others tell you to say it to me? Pilate answered, Am I a Jew? Your own people and the chief priests have turned you over to me. How do you justify yourself? Jesus answered, My kingdom is not of this world. If my kingdom were of this world, then my followers would fight to prevent the Jews from taking me as their captive. But my kingdom is not comprised of the Jews. Pilate responded, So you admit you claim to be a King? Jesus replied, It was you that just said I was a king. The reason I was sent into this world was to be a witness of the truth. Every person who is loyal to the truth listens to my teachings. Pilate responded to him, What is truth? And after saying this, he went out again to the Jews and said to them, I find no reason to punish him. You have asked me for clemency for a Jewish prisoner to respect your Passover; shall I free your King of the Jews? They all shouted out, Not this man, but Barabbas. Now Barabbas was a robber.
- Then Pilate had his guards take Jesus and beat him. And the soldiers put on his head a crown of acanthus, and they dressed him in a purple robe and said, Hail, King of the Jews! and they hit him and made sport of him. Pilate thereafter went back out, and said to the Jewish leaders, Behold, I bring him back to you, that you may know that I find no reason to punish him any further. Then Jesus came out wearing the crown of acanthus and the purple robe. And Pilate said to them, Behold the man!
- When the chief priests and leaders saw him, they cried out saying, Crucify him! Crucify him! Pilate said to them, You take him and you crucify him, for I have no quarrel against him. The Jews answered him, We have a law, and our law imposes the death penalty because he blasphemed by falsely claiming to be the Son of God.
- When Pilate heard them say that, he was alarmed, and he returned with Jesus into the judgment hall and asked him, Who are you? But Jesus did not answer. Then Pilate said to him, Do you refuse to speak to me? Do you not realize that I have the power of life and death? Jesus answered, You have no authority over me except that permitted by Heaven. Those who handed me over to you have the greatest sin. Pilate decided then that he would release him of any charge, but the Jews shouted, If you let this man go you are not loyal to Caesar. When anyone claims to be a king he commits treason against Caesar. When Pilate heard that accusation, he brought Jesus out and sat down in the judgment seat in a place called the Pavement; in Hebrew called Gabbatha. At the time it was approaching mid-day, time to begin to prepare the Passover feast. Pilate announced to the Jews, Behold your King! But they shouted back, Take him away and crucify him. Pilate said to them, Shall I crucify your King? The Jewish leaders declared, We have no king but Caesar. We will crucify him ourselves. And Pilate turned him over to those who were going to crucify him, sending but one soldier to accompany them with a plaque he ordered to be displayed.
- And they took Jesus, and led him away. And he carried his cross and was taken to a place called the place of the skull, which had the Hebrew name Golgotha. Here the leaders directed his crucifixion, and two others who had been crucified by the Romans were also there at the same time, one on either side, with Jesus in the middle. When Pilate surrendered Jesus to be crucified, he had a plaque prepared in Hebrew, Greek and Latin to be displayed on the cross. The plaque announced: Jesus of Nazareth the King of the Jews. This announcement was read by many of the passing Jews. For the place where Jesus was crucified was beside the city road and many pilgrims were walking by. Then the chief priests of the Jews complained to Pilate, Either take it down or do not write: The King of the Jews. Instead write that he claimed, I am King of the Jews. Pilate answered, That which I have written I have written.
- Now the guards, when they had crucified Jesus, took his garments and made four parts, to every guard a part; and also his coat. The coat was without seam, woven from the top throughout. They agreed among themselves, Let us not cut it up, but cast lots for it, and someone will take it whole. This fulfilled the prophecy in scripture that foretold, They parted my raiment among them, and for my vesture they did cast lots. This prophecy foretold how the guards would divide his raiment as he was dying.
- Now remaining at the cross with Jesus were his mother, and his aunt, and Mary the wife of Cleophas, and Mary the Elect Lady. When Jesus saw his mother and the beloved disciple standing together, he said to his mother, Woman, behold your son! Then he said to the disciple, Behold your mother! And from that hour that disciple accepted her as part of his own household.
- After this, Jesus knowing that every thing had been fully accomplished to fulfill prophecy said, I thirst. Now there was a vessel full of vinegar, mixed with gall. They dipped a sponge into it and using a hyssop branch raised it to his mouth. When Jesus had received the vinegar, he said, My path is completed! Then he bowed his head and entrusted his spirit back to the Father.
- The Jews were concerned about preparations for the Passover, and did not want crucifixions to continue into the Holy Day. Therefore they inquired of Pilate to find if he would object if they had the legs of the crucified broken to quickly bring about their death. Pilate agreed, and the Roman guards broke the legs of the two who were being crucified when Jesus was added. But when they approached Jesus, he was already dead, and therefore there was no need to break his legs. A soldier under Pilate’s command used a spear to stab under the fifth rib, and blood and water exited the wound. The beloved disciple who was there saw this and testifies it happened, so you can trust this eyewitness account. The things that happened fulfilled the prophecy that foretold, A bone of him shall not be broken. And again another prophecy said, They shall look on him whom they pierced.
- After his death, Joseph of Arimathea, a secret follower of Jesus who was afraid of the Jews, asked Pilate if he could take the body of Jesus. Pilate permitted him to take Jesus’ body. He went, and Nicodemus (who had also visited Jesus in secret) accompanied him and brought a hundred pounds of myrrh mixed with aloes, used by Jews to cover bodies when buried. They covered the body with the mixture and wrapped it with linen to bury him. Near to the place where crucifixions were done, there was a garden. In that garden was a new sepulcher never before used. They laid the body of Jesus there because it was nearby, and the time for the holy feast was approaching.
Chapter 11