John 18 When Jesus had spoken these words, he went forth with his disciples over the brook Cedron, (i.e. Kidron) where was a garden, into the which he entered, and his disciples.
Kidron river is the valley on the eastern side of the Old City of Jerusalem, separating the Temple Mount from the Mount of Olives. The Hebrew Bible calls the upper course Emek Yehoshafat, the “Valley of Josaphat” (Hebrew: עמק יהושפט), meaning “The valley where Yahweh shall judge.”
It appears in Jewish eschatological prophecies, which include the return of Elijah, followed by the arrival of the Messiah, and the War of Gog and Magog and Judgment Day. The upper Kidron Valley segment north of the Old City was one of the main burial grounds of Jerusalem in the Second Temple period, where hundreds of tombs have survived until today, while the segment east of, and opposite the Temple Mount, boasts several excellently preserved monumental tombs from the same period.(1)
The Kidron Valley was identified with, at least in part, the King’s Garden from its location just east of the palace of David, in the City of David.
Joel 3:2 “I will also gather all nations, and will bring them down into the valley of Jehoshaphat, and will plead with them there for my people and for my heritage Israel, whom they have scattered among the nations, and parted my land.”
Joel 3:12 “Let the heathen be wakened, and come up to the valley of Jehoshaphat: for there will I sit to judge all the heathen round about.”]
2 And Judas also, which betrayed him, knew the place: for Jesus ofttimes resorted thither (here and there) with his disciples.
3 Judas then, having received a band of men and officers from the chief priests and Pharisees, cometh thither with lanterns and torches and weapons.
(Ever wonder where Mary Shelley got the idea for torches and pitchforks to face Frankenstein… or the idea of the reincarnation of flesh… what God meant for good the Devil uses for deception.)
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 As soon then as he had said unto them, I am he, they went backward*, and fell to the ground**.
One might think that something supernatural went on here. Lets look at the words… *G1519 εἰς eis (eis) prep. movement. G3694 ὀπίσω opiso (o-piy’-sō) adv. to the back. This appears to say that they were ‘shy’ or that they were insecure in their physical position.
**G4098 πίπτω pipto (piyp’-tō) v. to fall or drop down. G5476 χαμαί chamai (cha-mai’) adv. earthward, i.e. prostrate. This is actually an act of worship.
7 Then asked he them again, Whom seek ye? And they said, Jesus of Nazareth.
8 Jesus answered, I have told you that I am he: if therefore ye seek me, let these go their way:
9 That the saying might be fulfilled, which he spake, Of them which thou gavest me have I lost none.
- Ezekiel 34:16 “I will seek that which was lost, and bring again that which was driven away, and will bind up that which was broken, and will strengthen that which was sick: but I will destroy the fat and the strong; I will feed them with judgment.”
10 Then Simon Peter having a sword drew it, and smote the high priest’s servant, and cut off his right ear. The servant’s name was Malchus.
11 Then said Jesus unto Peter, Put up thy sword into the sheath: the cup* which my Father hath given me, shall I not drink** it?
*G4221 ποτήριον poterion (po-tee’-riy-on) n. a drinking-vessel. (figuratively) a lot or fate.
**G4095 πίνω pino (piy’-nō) v. drink, or imbibe.
12 Then the band and the captain and officers of the Jews (Pharisees) took Jesus, and bound him,
13 And led him away to Annas* first; for he was father in law to Caiaphas**, which was the high priest that same year.
*G452 Ἄννας Annas (an’-nas) n/p. [of Hebrew origin (H2608)] H2608 חֲנַניָה ChananYah (chan-an-yaw’) n/p. Yah has favored.
**G2533 Καϊάφας Kaiaphas (kaiy-a’-fas) n/p. the dell. Caiaphas (i.e. Cajepha), an Israelite. [of Chaldee origin] “a small valley, usually among trees.” or a “depression” in Akkadian. This certainly is the “low spot” of humanity in their treatment of Jesus.
According to Josephus, Caiaphas was appointed in AD 18 by the Roman prefect who preceded Pontius Pilate, Valerius Gratus. Annas had been high-priest from A.D. 6 to 15, and continued to exercise a significant influence over Jewish affairs.
14 Now Caiaphas was he, which gave counsel to the Jews, that it was expedient that one man should die for the people.
In this Caiaphas is stating a rabbinic quotation/Talmud, Mishnah or Halakah (Gen. R. 94:9).
15 And Simon Peter followed Jesus, and so did another disciple (John): that disciple was known unto the high priest*, and went in with Jesus into the palace of the high priest.
Remember the position Johns father had?
Luke 1:5-6,9 “There was in the days of Herod, the king of Judaea, a certain priest named Zacharias, of the course of Abia: and his wife was of the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elisabeth. And they were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless. According to the custom of the priest’s office, his lot was to burn incense when he went into the temple of the Lord.”
16 But Peter stood at the door without. Then went out that other disciple (John), which was known unto the high priest, and spake unto her that kept the door, and brought in Peter.
The gates of an middle eastern city and of the temple courts so closely resembled the door of a house that the same Hebrew word was used for doorkeeper and gatekeeper. In early writings there is also mention of a small number of “keepers of the threshold” of the temple, whose duties included the gathering of money from the people for temple purposes, and the care of the sacred vessels.
17 Then saith the damsel that kept the door unto Peter, Art not thou also one of this man’s disciples? He saith, I am not.
18 And the servants and officers stood there, who had made a fire of coals; for it was cold: and they warmed themselves: and Peter stood with them, and warmed himself.
19 The high priest then asked Jesus of his disciples, and of his doctrine.
20 Jesus answered him, I spake openly to the world; I ever taught in the synagogue, and in the temple, whither the Jews always resort (convene, gather); and in secret (privately) have I said nothing.
21 Why askest thou me? ask them which heard me, what I have said unto them: behold, they know what I said.
22 And when he had thus spoken, one of the officers which stood by struck Jesus with the palm of his hand, saying, Answerest thou the high priest so?
23 Jesus answered him, If I have spoken evil, bear witness of the evil: but if well, why smitest thou me? {Bullying at its finest}
24 Now Annas had sent him bound unto Caiaphas the high priest.
25 And Simon Peter stood and warmed himself. They said therefore unto him, Art not thou also one of his disciples? He denied it, and said, I am not.
26 One of the servants of the high priest, being his kinsman whose ear Peter cut off, saith, Did not I see thee in the garden with him?
27 Peter then denied again: and immediately the cock crew.
28 Then led they Jesus from Caiaphas unto the hall of judgment*: and it was early; and they themselves went not into the judgment hall, lest they should be defiled**; but that they might eat the passover.
*G4232 πραιτώριον praitorion (prai-tō’-riy-on) n. the pretorium or governor’s courtroom.
**This is straight out of the Mishnah ( Misn. Oholot, c. 18. sect. 7.) and is NOT a command of YHVH. Paul and Jesus both went to the homes of sinners and Gentiles to deliver the message of salvation.
Mark 7:24-26 “He (Jesus) got up and departed from there to the region of Tyre and Sidon. He entered a house and did not want anyone to know it, but He could not escape notice. Instead, immediately after hearing about Him, a woman whose little daughter had an unclean spirit came and fell at His feet. Now the woman was Greek, a Syrophoenician by birth, and she kept asking Him to drive the demon out of her daughter.”
Acts 18:7 “Then Paul left the synagogue and went to the house of a person named Titius Justus, a Gentile who worshiped God, whose house was next door to the synagogue.”]
29 Pilate then went out unto them, and said, What accusation bring ye against this man?
30 They answered and said unto him, If he were not a malefactor*, we would not have delivered him up unto thee.
- G2555 κακοποιός kakopoios (ka-ko-poi-yos’) adj. a bad-doer. (specially) a criminal.
31 Then said Pilate unto them, Take ye him, and judge him according to your law. The Jews (Pharisees) therefore said unto him, It is not lawful for us to put any man to death:
This can be very confusing so lets take it in little pieces.
1. The “law” that the Pharisees would have judged Jesus upon was their own Mishnah/Talmud and not the word of God.
2. The word of God has several instances where the person committing a sin/crime would be sentenced to death. The Pharisees DID have the power to sentence people to death.
3. The Romans were now the civil authority in the region and it was against their law to sentence people to death as they were functioning assets for the empire.}
32 That the saying of Jesus might be fulfilled, which he spake, signifying what death he should die.
33 Then Pilate entered into the judgment hall again, and called Jesus, and said unto him, Art thou the King of the Jews?
34 Jesus answered him, Sayest thou this thing of thyself, or did others tell it thee of me?
35 Pilate answered, Am I a Jew? Thine own nation and the chief priests have delivered thee unto me: what hast thou done?
36 Jesus answered, My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews: but now is my kingdom not from hence.
37 Pilate therefore said unto him, Art thou a king then? Jesus answered, Thou sayest that I am a king. To this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth. Every one that is of the truth heareth my voice.
38 Pilate saith unto him, What is truth? And when he had said this, he went out again unto the Jews, and saith unto them, I find in him no fault at all.
39 But ye have a custom*, that I should release unto you one at the Passover: will ye therefore that I release unto you the King of the Jews?
* Not a law, either of God or man’s, but a custom; and which was not originally observed at the feast of the Passover, and perhaps was not of any long standing; but what the Roman governors, by the order of Caesar, or of their own pleasure, had introduced to ingratiate themselves into the affections of the people.
40 Then cried they all again, saying, Not this man, but Barabbas. Now Barabbas was a robber.
- 1. Hachlili, Rachel. Jewish Funerary Customs, Practices and Rites in the Second Temple Period. Boston: Brill, Leiden, 2005. Pages 2, 30-36, 237-242.
Berean Breadcrumbs 
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