Talk of JESUS . com

Tag: John

Defending GOD!
Apologetics

You may know of a Christian ministry or witness whose stated purpose is to defend God.

RZIM.org and others focus on apologetics witness Jesus Christ to unsaved souls, comparing Christianity to other religions — even to atheism. Some have come to Christ through these ministries by learning the logic and love of the Lord God calling sinners to Christ.

Yet think of the irony of it:

If any have NO NEED of defense, it would be ALMIGHTY GOD.

“I and the Father are one.”
Christ Jesus
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(Apologetics is not really defending God, 
but answering those who question God - unbelievers
and those who refuse God's love - apostates.) 
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Defending God and Christ Jesus to unbelievers is not my purpose, which is to grow your faith IF you are a Christian follower of the Lord.

As I have stated recently, talkofJesus.com is not focused on unbelievers, but on followers of Christ who want to talk of Jesus in the context of scripture.

Continuing in the Gospel of John we move on from the betrayal of Jesus by Judas to the defense of Jesus by Peter in the Garden of Gethsemane.

John 18:

8 Jesus answered, “I told you that I am He; so if you seek Me, let these go their way,” …

10 Simon Peter then, having a sword, drew it and struck the high priest’s slave, and cut off his right ear; and the slave’s name was Malchus.

11 So Jesus said to Peter, “Put the sword into the sheath; the cup which the Father has given Me, shall I not drink it?”

Who is Malchus?

Malchus is δοῦλος doulos of the High Priest, perhaps better translated in the KJV and other translations as ‘servant.’

In fact, Judas had left the upper room in Jerusalem to betray Jesus to the ruling council headed by the High Priest Caiaphas.

The chief priests and the whole Sanhedrin were looking for testimony against Jesus to put him to death, but they could not find any.
Mark 14:55 CSB – of the Sanhedrin, religious rulers of Jerusalem

Malchus’ name means ‘king,’ from a Hebrew origin pointing to the tribe of Benjamin. (The priests of course were Levites as prescribed by Law.)

How ironic that Peter should defend Jesus, King of the Jews, by lopping off the ear of this man Malchus, whose name meant king.

More about Malchus

Malchus would have been ordered to lead these armed police officers of the Sanhedrin, guided by Judas, to bring this popular Messiah back to them for trial.

John has already told us:

But one of them, Caiaphas, who was high priest that year, said to them, “You know nothing at all, nor do you take into account that it is expedient for you that one man die for the people, and that the whole nation not perish.”
John 11:49-50 NASB –

Malchus would have been a personal servant to Caiaphas, an assistant with some authority assumed by his role in serving the High Priest. The Temple police held similar authority. And add to that a few Roman soldiers in the entourage lead by Malchus whose role was to see that the Jews did not get out of hand in this area governed by Pilate.

Judas is, no doubt, among the men sent to bring Jesus to the justice of the Sanhedrin, but Malchus, servant of the High Priest is the man leading them into Gethsemane under the cover of night.

Luke’s account

Of course John, Matthew and Peter would have been among the awakened Apostles present in Gethsemane. Peter, who would later lead the church until his own crucifixion, responded by cutting off Malchus’ ear just after Judas’ kiss of betrayal of Jesus.

Brash as always, Peter will defend the Lord – an ironic gesture defending the One who could instantly have angels present to ‘smite’ the lot of them – IF, that is, defeating men of dust was Jesus’ will.

Of course, it wasn’t.

Luke 22: KJV

And while he yet spake, behold a multitude, and he that was called Judas, one of the twelve, went before them, and drew near unto Jesus to kiss him.

But Jesus said unto him,

Judas, betrayest thou the Son of man with a kiss?

When they which were about him saw what would follow, they said unto him,

(The Eleven have now drawn near to Jesus…)

Lord, shall we smite with the sword?

And one of them smote the servant of the high priest, and cut off his right ear.

Details of witness from John:
- As soon then as he [Jesus] had said unto them, I am he, they went backward, and fell to the ground. John 18:6
- A second time Jesus answered them (probably their leader): I have told you that I am he: if therefore ye seek me, let these go their way John 18:8
- Simon Peter drew the sword… John 18:10 & 11
- The name of the High Priest’s slave (servant) is Malchus. John 18:10
Luke’s detail of a miracle

But Jesus answered and said, “Permit even this.”
And He [Christ Jesus]
touched his {Malchus’} ear
and healed him {the servant of Caiaphas, High Priest of the Jews}.
Luke 22:51 NKJV

Jesus heals the ear struck by Peter’s sword! His enemy, head of an armed force sent by the Jews to apprehend their Messiah Jesus to be tried and convicted covertly under the cover of night. The Lord just betrayed by one of His Disciples shows mercy to the men Judas led to apprehend Him.

Defending Jesus

John is about to tell us more of the saga of Peter on this night in which our Lord was betrayed. In fact, as you know, away from Jesus Peter could no longer defend Jesus even by admitting to be a follower.

If that how it is for you, beloved believer in Christ Jesus?
- How do you defend Jesus when confronted by the multitudes?
- Is your defense of God an aggressive agenda of man, a political position of proving that Jesus wants what you do?
  - (For that was what Judas expected of his King Jesus.)
- Do you praise the Lord in the church building, yet deny your God on trial in the rise and fall of blame by the darkness of this world’s accusations?
  - Even Peter struggled with that, dear friend, but the risen Lord Jesus restored Him again and again.
How ironic that we would defend the LORD God, that we want to defend Christ Jesus who came into the world to save us.

In these last days, which began under the darkness of a night in Gethsemane, God has defeated sin and death for us

— by the grace of the Lord’s love

for those He has chosen.

We believe in the One Son the Father sent to suffer for our sins, the Messiah Jesus.

For Christ Jesus our Lord, we make no apologies to a world without ears to hear the Good News — a world directed by Satan for just a time more.

Jesus IS LORD!
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To be continued...
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September 16, 2020
the son of perdition vs. The Son of Man
“While I was with them, I was keeping them in Your name which You have given Me; and I guarded them and not one of them perished but the son of perdition, so that the Scripture would be fulfilled.
John 17:12 NASB – High Priestly Prayer of Christ Jesus

Judas vs. Jesus

We have entered Gethsemane with Jesus and eleven of the Apostles.
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Jesus – The Last Prayers of Gethsemane
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As Jesus prayed to our Father God they fell asleep.

Just hours before in Jerusalem the Lord had prayed for all of them except Judas.
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Protect them from the evil one
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Jesus had acknowledged in His High Priestly Prayer that Judas, who had left the upper room quickly, was not included in His protection.

John 18: Judas betrays Jesus

2 Now Judas also, who was betraying Him, knew the place, for Jesus had often met there with His disciples.

Judas then, having received the Roman cohort and officers from the chief priests and the Pharisees, came there with lanterns and torches and weapons.

4 So Jesus, knowing all the things that were coming upon Him, went forth and said to them,

“Whom do you seek?”

They answered Him, “Jesus the Nazarene.”

He said to them,

“I am He.”

And Judas also, which betrayed him, stood with them.

6 So when He said to them, “I am He,” they drew back and fell to the ground. Therefore He again asked them,

“Whom do you seek?”

And they said, “Jesus the Nazarene.”

8 Jesus answered, “I told you that I am He; so if you seek Me, let these go their way,” to fulfill the word which He spoke, “Of those whom You have given Me I lost not one.”

Observation by an awakened Apostle John, witness to this sad scene and seeing Jesus’ betrayer leading the lantern-lit faces into Gethsemane:

And Judas also, who was betraying Him, was standing with them.

The Beginning of the End

Now we turn the page to focus on Judas, the son of perdition (a description long forgotten) and how evil enters into those professing Jesus as their Master and Teacher and Lord.

John adds additional detail to the beginning of the dark night, while Matthew and others witness Jesus’ betrayal from their perspectives.
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September 11, 2020
Jesus Leading Toward Gethsemane
PAUSE — for a moment — & look out over the Kidron Valley as the Disciples would have done when Jesus led them from the Holy of Holies in an upper room in Jerusalem to their quiet gathering place at Gethsemane.

.. he went forth with his disciples over the brook Cedron…

Toward Gethsemane

When Jesus had spoken these words, he went forth with his disciples over the brook Cedron, where was a garden, into the which he entered, and his disciples.
John 18:1 KJV

Toward Gethsemane

In the previous few chapters John sums up for us what Jesus had done which leads right up to this moment and will bring us to the Cross.

Now — after just three years of teaching, ministry and miracles — our timeline of witness of the Son of Man compresses into just hours and occasionally into excruciating detail of the last minutes of our Lord’s mortal life.

Let us tarry here for just a while in just this first verse of John 18; for we often view the events leading up to the crucifixion of Christ Jesus much too quickly.

First, in context of John 13-17

It all took place in one day (if you think of in contemporary terms).

From their last time entering Jerusalem with Jesus to returning to it now in the darkness of the same night, John and the ten faithful will follow in fear. These faithful Disciples will now be separated from the prisoner of sin’s Sacrifice, Jesus, who was betrayed by one of their own. Soon the Disciples will into the accusers court of consequence and rejection by the world.

Earlier this evening…
The Lord’s Supper
John 13: Now before the Feast of the Passover, Jesus knowing that His hour had come that He would depart out of this world to the Father, having loved His own who were in the world, He loved them to the end. During supper, the devil having already put into the heart of Judas Iscariot, the son of Simon, to betray Him, Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into His hands, and that He had come forth from God and was going back to God…

Jesus washes the Disciples feet
The Disciples conversation leads Peter to ask John to ask Jesus for more information about which one will betray our Lord
Judas leaves to betray Jesus

Jesus gives disciples a new commandment!

.. that you also love one another.

The Lord promises the Holy Spirit to disciples who will love Him
Jesus uses the vine and the branches to connect Father, Son and Holy Spirit to disciples of the Lord Jesus.
Jesus again tells of His death and resurrection

ALL THIS — on the night on which He was betrayed and prior to leaving the upper room in Jerusalem with His friends.

And in addition to this, after Jesus had taken the cup and the bread, sharing a new covenant with the Disciples, our Lord intervenes as a Perfect High Priest for us in prayer.

Jesus spoke these things; and lifting up His eyes to heaven, He said, “Father, the hour has come…
I glorified You on the earth, having accomplished the work which You have given Me to do.
John 17: excerpt from Jesus’ High Priestly prayer

“I do not ask on behalf of these alone, but for those also who believe in Me through their word..
John 17:20 NASB

24 “Father, I want those you have given me to be with me where I am, so that they will see my glory, which you have given me because you loved me before the world’s foundation.
Jesus will later reveal to John and the church much more about this mysterious glory He has willed to those God loved before creation and forever.

From Blessing to the place of Personal Prayer

Jesus, followed by just eleven Apostles

— Jesus, who humbly washed their feet — Jesus, who shared the cup and bread of the new covenant with them

— Jesus, who brought them into the Holy of Holies

— this same Christ,

their beloved friend and Master,

emerging from a Last Supper now completed opens the door and descends some stairs followed by His Disciples.

Jesus then leads them past Jerusalem’s guarded gates, exiting down a path into the Kidron Valley toward a familiar garden where they could gather one last time — a garden known as Gethsemane.

After Jesus had said these things, he went out with his disciples across the Kidron Valley, where there was a garden, and he and his disciples went into it.
John 18:1 CSB
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To be continued...
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September 5, 2020