Year of the Bible
John 18
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Commentary on The Gospel of St. John, Chapter 18:
Jesus’ passion begins as He Jesus departs for the Garden, and we read the familiar scenes of His arrest and Peter’s denial. The high priests want to kill Jesus but Roman law prohibits it, so they send him to Pilate. Pilate is not convinced of Jesus’ guilt, so he questions Jesus to determine if He has committed a capital offence. Jesus, as usual, does not answer directly. He accepts being called a king by Pilate yet states His kingdom is not of this world. When Pilate offers to free Jesus, the Jews who are awaiting his verdict state they want a notorious criminal to be freed instead.
The Gospel According to St. John, Chapter 18:
The Arrest of Jesus
1 When Jesus had spoken these words, he went forth with his disciples across the Kidron valley, where there was a garden, which he and his disciples entered. 2 Now Judas, who betrayed him, also knew the place; for Jesus often met there with his disciples. 3 So Judas, procuring a band of soldiers and some officers from the chief priests and the Pharisees, went there with lanterns and torches and weapons. 4 Then Jesus, knowing all that was to befall him, came forward and said to them, “Whom do you seek?” 5 They answered him, “Jesus of Nazareth.” Jesus said to them, “I am he.” Judas, who betrayed him, was standing with them. 6 When he said to them, “I am he,” they drew back and fell to the ground. 7 Again he asked them, “Whom do you seek?” And they said, “Jesus of Nazareth.” 8 Jesus answered, “I told you that I am he; so, if you seek me, let these men go.” 9 This was to fulfil the word which he had spoken, “Of those whom you gave me I lost not one.” 10 Then Simon Peter, having a sword, drew it and struck the high priest’s slave and cut off his right ear. The slave’s name was Malchus. 11 Jesus said to Peter, “Put your sword into its sheath; shall I not drink the chalice which the Father has given me?”
Jesus before the High Priest
12 So the band of soldiers and their captain and the officers of the Jews seized Jesus and bound him. 13 First they led him to Annas; for he was the father in law of Caiaphas, who was high priest that year. 14 It was Caiaphas who had given counsel to the Jews that it was expedient that one man should die for the people.
Peter Denies Jesus
15 Simon Peter followed Jesus, and so did another disciple. As this disciple was known to the high priest, he entered the court of the high priest along with Jesus, 16 while Peter stood outside at the door. So the other disciple, who was known to the high priest, went out and spoke to the maid who kept the door, and brought Peter in. 17 The maid who kept the door said to Peter, “Are not you also one of this man’s disciples?” He said, “I am not.” 18 Now the servants and officers had made a charcoal fire, because it was cold, and they were standing and warming themselves; Peter also was with them, standing and warming himself.
The High Priest Questions Jesus
19 The high priest then questioned Jesus about his disciples and his teaching. 20 Jesus answered him, “I have spoken openly to the world; I have always taught in synagogues and in the temple, where all Jews come together; I have said nothing secretly. 21 Why do you ask me? Ask those who have heard me, what I said to them; they know what I said.” 22 When he had said this, one of the officers standing by struck Jesus with his hand, saying, “Is that how you answer the high priest?” 23 Jesus answered him, “If I have spoken wrongly, bear witness to the wrong; but if I have spoken rightly, why do you strike me?” 24 Annas then sent him bound to Caiaphas the high priest.
Peter Denies Jesus Again
25 Now Simon Peter was standing and warming himself. They said to him, “Are not you also one of his disciples?” He denied it and said, “I am not.” 26 One of the servants of the high priest, a kinsman of the man whose ear Peter had cut off, asked, “Did I not see you in the garden with him?” 27 Peter again denied it; and at once the cock crowed.
Jesus before Pilate
28 Then they led Jesus from the house of Caiaphas to the praetorium. It was early. They themselves did not enter the praetorium, so that they might not be defiled, but might eat the Passover. 29 So Pilate went out to them and said, “What accusation do you bring against this man?” 30 They answered him, “If this man were not an evildoer, we would not have handed him over.” 31 Pilate said to them, “Take him yourselves and judge him by your own law.” The Jews said to him, “It is not lawful for us to put any man to death.” 32 This was to fulfil the word which Jesus had spoken to show by what death he was to die.
Jesus Sentenced to Death
33 Pilate entered the praetorium again and called Jesus, and said to him, “Are you the King of the Jews?” 34 Jesus answered, “Do you say this of your own accord, or did others say it to you about me?” 35 Pilate answered, “Am I a Jew? Your own nation and the chief priests have handed you over to me; what have you done?” 36 Jesus answered, “My kingship is not of this world; if my kingship were of this world, my servants would fight, that I might not be handed over to the Jews; but my kingship is not from the world.” 37 Pilate said to him, “So you are a king?” Jesus answered, “You say that I am a king. For this I was born, and for this I have come into the world, to bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth hears my voice.” 38 Pilate said to him, “What is truth?”
After he had said this, he went out to the Jews again, and told them, “I find no crime in him. 39 But you have a custom that I should release one man for you at the Passover; will you have me release for you the King of the Jews?” 40 They cried out again, “Not this man, but Barabbas!” Now Barabbas was a robber.
*Daily Lectio Divina Question:
Jesus is arrested because of his testimony to the Truth. Pilot's question, "What is truth?" echoes in countless hearts to this very day. It is the most important question to answer. Ask our Lord to reveal his deepest truth to your heart today.
Biblical Commentary provided by the Catholic Biblical School of Michigan, an adult faith formation apostolate. cbsmich.org/join
Revised Standard Version; Second Catholic Edition. (San Francisco: Ignatius Press, 2006).
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Juan 18
1 Dicho esto, salió Jesús con sus discípulos
al otro lado del torrente Cedrón,
donde había un huerto en el que entraron
él y sus discípulos.
2 Judas, el que le iba a entregar, conocía
el lugar, porque Jesús se reunía frecuentemente
allí con sus discípulos. 3 Entonces
Judas se llevó con él a la cohorte
y a los servidores de los príncipes de los
sacerdotes y de los fariseos, y llegaron allí
con linternas, antorchas y armas.
4 Jesús, que sabía todo lo que le iba a
ocurrir, se adelantó y les dijo:
–¿A quién buscáis?
5 –A Jesús el Nazareno –le respondieron.
Jesús les contestó:
–Yo soy.
Judas, el que le iba a entregar, estaba
con ellos. 6 Cuando les dijo: «Yo soy», se
echaron hacia atrás y cayeron en tierra.
7 Les preguntó de nuevo:
–¿A quién buscáis?
–A Jesús el Nazareno –respondieron
ellos.
8 Jesús contestó:
–Os he dicho que yo soy; si me buscáis
a mí, dejad marchar a éstos.
9 Así se cumplió la palabra que había
dicho: «No he perdido a ninguno de los
que me diste».
10 Simón Pedro, que llevaba una espada,
la sacó, hirió al criado del sumo
sacerdote y le cortó la oreja derecha. El
criado se llamaba Malco. 11 Jesús le dijo
a Pedro:
–Envaina tu espada. ¿Acaso no voy a
beber el cáliz que el Padre me ha dado?
12 Entonces la cohorte, el tribuno y
los servidores de los judíos prendieron
a Jesús y le ataron.
13 Y le condujeron primero ante
Anás, porque era suegro de Caifás, el
sumo sacerdote aquel año. 14 Caifás era
el que había aconsejado a los judíos:
«Conviene que un hombre muera por
el pueblo».
15 Simón Pedro y otro discípulo seguían
a Jesús. Este otro discípulo era
conocido del sumo sacerdote y entró
con Jesús en el atrio del sumo sacerdote.
16 Pedro, sin embargo, estaba fuera, en
la puerta. Salió entonces el otro discípulo
que era conocido del sumo sacerdote,
habló con la portera e introdujo a Pedro.
17 La muchacha portera le dijo a Pedro:
–¿No eres también tú de los discípulos
de este hombre?
–No lo soy –respondió él.
18 Estaban allí los criados y los servidores,
que habían hecho fuego, porque
hacía frío, y se calentaban. Pedro también
estaba con ellos calentándose.
19 El sumo sacerdote interrogó a Jesús
sobre sus discípulos y sobre su
doctrina. 20 Jesús le respondió:
–Yo he hablado claramente al mundo,
he enseñado siempre en la sinagoga
y en el Templo, donde todos los judíos
se reúnen, y no he dicho nada en secreto.
21 ¿Por qué me preguntas? Pregunta a
los que me oyeron de qué les he hablado:
ellos saben lo que he dicho.
22 Al decir esto, uno de los servidores
que estaba allí le dio una bofetada a Jesús,
diciendo:
–¿Así es como respondes al sumo
sacerdote?
23 Jesús le contestó:
–Si he hablado mal, declara ese mal;
pero si tengo razón, ¿por qué me pegas?
24 Entonces Anás le envió atado a
Caifás, el sumo sacerdote.
25 Simón Pedro estaba calentándose
y le dijeron:
–¿No eres tú también de sus discípulos?
Él lo negó y dijo:
–No lo soy.
26 Uno de los criados del sumo sacerdote,
pariente de aquel a quien Pedro le
cortó la oreja, le dijo:
–¿No te he visto yo en el huerto con
él?
27 Pedro volvió a negarlo, e inmediatamente
cantó el gallo.
28 De Caifás condujeron a Jesús al
pretorio. Era muy temprano. Ellos no
entraron en el pretorio para no contaminarse
y así poder comer la Pascua.
29 Entonces Pilato salió fuera, donde estaban
ellos, y dijo:
–¿Qué acusación traéis contra este
hombre?
30 –Si éste no fuera malhechor no te
lo habríamos entregado –le respondieron.
31 Les dijo Pilato:
–Tomadle vosotros y juzgadle según
vuestra ley.
Los judíos le respondieron:
–A nosotros no nos está permitido
dar muerte a nadie 32 –así se cumplía la
palabra que Jesús había dicho al señalar
de qué muerte iba a morir.
33 Pilato entró de nuevo en el pretorio,
llamó a Jesús y le dijo:
–¿Eres tú el Rey de los judíos?
34 Jesús contestó:
–¿Dices esto por ti mismo, o te lo
han dicho otros de mí?
35 –¿Acaso soy yo judío? –respondió
Pilato–. Tu gente y los príncipes de los
sacerdotes te han entregado a mí: ¿qué
has hecho?
36 Jesús respondió:
–Mi reino no es de este mundo; si
mi reino fuera de este mundo, mis servidores
lucharían para que no fuera entregado
a los judíos; pero mi reino no
es de aquí.
37 Pilato le dijo:
–¿O sea, que tú eres Rey?
Jesús contestó:
–Tú lo dices: yo soy Rey. Para esto he
nacido y para esto he venido al mundo,
para dar testimonio de la verdad; todo
el que es de la verdad escucha mi voz.
38 Pilato le dijo:
–¿Qué es la verdad?
Y después de decir esto, se dirigió
otra vez a los judíos y les dijo:
–Yo no encuentro en él ninguna culpa.
39 Vosotros tenéis la costumbre de
que os suelte a uno por la Pascua, ¿queréis
que os suelte al Rey de los judíos?
40 Entonces volvieron a gritar:
–¡A ése no, a Barrabás! –Barrabás
era un ladrón.
Pregunta de Lectio Divina del día de hoy
Jesús es arrestado por su testimonio de la Verdad. La pregunta de Pilatos, "¿Qué es la verdad?" hace eco en incontables corazones hasta estos días. Es la pregunta más importante que debemos contestar. Pídele al Señor que revele hoy su verdad más profunda en tu corazón.
La Biblia de Navarra
Permiso para usar esta versión de la primera edición de la Biblia de Navarra
para el Año de la Biblia del Obispo
dado por Ediciones Universidad de Navarra, S.A. (EUNSA).