His Father’s Cup (John 18:1-11)

Everyone panicked; except Jesus. John 18 begins the passion narrative of Jesus Christ. Passion in this context comes from the Latin word patior which means “to suffer, bear, endure.” Jesus suffered in our place for our sins so that we could be forgiven of our sins and reconciled to the Father. After Jesus’ High Priestly Prayer (John 17), “He went out with His disciples over the Brook Kidron, where there was a garden, which He and His disciples entered” (John 18:1). This garden was a familiar place for Jesus and His disciples. Judas, who had agreed to betray Jesus, knew this was most likely where Jesus would be at this time. He came with “a detachment of troops, and officers from the chief priests and Pharisees” (John 18:3) who would arrest Jesus. In this section of John, we learn that John faithfully relates the events of Jesus’ arrest so that all who read/hear would love Christ and appreciate His work of redemption.

Jesus Submits to His Accusers

Jesus willingly allowed His accusers to apprehend Him. Jesus did not surrender to the mob because they had weapons. The crowd had no power and authority over Him. If Jesus had not wanted to be seized He would not have been. We know this because in Luke 4:28-30, “those in the synagogue, when they heard these things, were filled with wrath, and rose up and thrust Him out of the city; and they led Him to the brow of the hill on which their city was built, that they might throw Him down over the cliff. Then passing through the midst of them, He went His way.” In John 8:59, “they took up stones to throw at Him; but Jesus hid Himself and went out of the temple, going through the midst of them, and so passed by.” Also, in John 10:39, “they sought gain to seize Him, but He escaped out of their hand.” Jesus prayed “Father, the hour has come…” (John 17:1) because He knew that soon it would be time for Him to submit to His accusers so that He could offer Himself as the sacrificial offering. He is “the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world” (John 1:29). He willingly allowed His accusers to apprehend Him in submission to the will of the Father.

Jesus made it very clear that He willingly allowed His accusers to arrest Him. John tells us, “Jesus therefore, knowing all things that would come upon Him, went forward and said to them ‘Whom are you seeking?’ They answered Him, ‘Jesus of Nazareth.’ Jesus said to them, ‘I am He.’ And Judas, who betrayed Him, also stood with them. Now when He said to them, ‘I am He’, they drew back and fell to the ground” (John 18:4-6). Why did they fall to the ground when Jesus said, “I am He”? He literally said, “I am”. This is significant because this is God’s Divine name He spoke to Moses at the burning bush. “God said to Moses, I am who I am…Thus you shall say to the children of Israel, I am has sent me to you” (Ex 3:14). The mob fell backwards because Jesus’ Divine identity was revealed to them and for a moment they were aware of His power and authority. Jesus did not allow this to last long, however, because He knew He must be arrested and taken to the cross.

Jesus Intercedes for His Disciples

Jesus refused to allow His accusers to apprehend His disciples. Jesus, “knowing all things that would come upon Him went forward” (John 18:4). Jesus went on to say, “I have told you that I am He. Therefore if you seek Me, let these go their way” (John 18:8). Jesus said this because “the saying might be fulfilled which He spoke, ‘Of those whom You have given Me I have lost none’” (John 18:9, 17:12). In one of Jesus’ last acts before going to the cross, He interceded for His disciples that none of them would be lost. His intercession was so powerful that Peter was not arrested even though He cut off the high priest’s servant’s (Malchus) ear (John 18:10). John does not tell us this, but we learn from Luke that after Peter cut Malchus’ ear off, Jesus “said, ‘Permit even this.’ And He touched his ear and healed him” (Luke 22:51). 

Jesus Consents to His Cup

Jesus submitted to the will of the Father to bring about the redemption of God’s people. Jesus could have fought against His accusers. Jesus could have supported Peter’s bold attempt to fight for Him, but He submitted Himself to the will of His Father to be a sacrificial offering for salvation. Jesus told Peter to put away his sword and said, “Shall I not drink the cup which My Father has given Me?” (John 18:11). What does Jesus mean when He speaks of the cup His Father gives Him? The cup is a metaphor for God’s wrath. In the Old Testament, the cup can symbolize God’s blessing, but usually it represents the Lord’s judgment and wrath on wickedness. Psalm 75:8 says, “For in the hand of the Lord there is a cup, and the wine is red; it is fully mixed and He pours it out; surely its dregs shall all the wicked of the earth drain and drink down.” Isaiah 51:17 says, “Awake, awake! Stand up, O Jerusalem, You who have drunk at the hand of the Lord, the cup of His fury; you have drunk the dregs of the cup of trembling and drained it out.” Later in Isaiah 51:22, we read, “Thus says your Lord, the Lord and your God, who pleads the cause of His people: ‘See, I have taken out of your hand the cup of trembling, the dregs of the cup of My fury; You shall no longer drink it.’” 

Jesus did not permit Peter to defend Him because Jesus knew it was appointed for Him to drink the cup of God’s wrath. Matthew records for us that before His arrest, Jesus prayed, “O My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as You will” (Matt 26:39,42,44). Knowing that this was the path of redemption, Jesus said, “Shall I not drink the cup which My Father has given Me?” (John 18:11). Paul tells us what this means when he said, “For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him” (2 Cor 5:21). Jesus drank the cup of God’s wrath in our place. The Prophet Isaiah said:

Surely He has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement for our peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned, every one to his own way; and the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all. (Is 53:4-6)

Let us remember that Jesus suffered because of our sins. He took them upon Himself and died to bear the penalty of sin so that all who repent and believe in Him would be reconciled to the Father. Paul said it well: 

For the love of Christ compels us, because we judge thus: that if One died for all, then all died; and He died for all, that those who live should live no longer for themselves, but for Him who died for them and rose again…Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; 0ld things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. (2 Cor 5:14-15, 17).

Everyone panicked; except Jesus. He knew what He needed to do and He willingly went to the cross to die for us. Come let us adore Him: Christ the Lord!