Long Island Abundant Life Church長島豐盛生命教會
  • Home
    • About Us 關於教會 >
      • Mission Statement - 使命宣言
      • Statement of Faith - 信仰立場
      • Biblical Marriage - 合乎聖經的婚姻
      • Church Leadership - 教會同工
      • Doc, membership - 文件, 會員
      • Contact Us - 聯絡我們
      • Directions - 路線圖
      • Ministry opening - English Pastor
  • Chinese Ministry 華語事工
    • 崇拜
    • 講道集 >
      • 主日信息
      • 特會 / 講座
    • 主日學
    • 門訓小組 >
      • 門訓小組介紹
    • 團契
    • 讀經
  • English Ministry 英文事工
  • Youth 少年事工
    • Worship
    • Sunday School
    • Youth Fellowship
    • Events
    • Our Vision
    • Connect with Us
    • Parent Resources
    • Youth Prayer Requests
  • Children's Ministry 兒童事工
    • Children's Worship - 兒童崇拜 >
      • Children's Songs - 歌曲
      • Junior Worship, Archive - 學習內容
      • Junior Worship, Current - 學習內容
      • Preschool Worship, Archive - 幼兒崇拜
    • Sunday School - 主日學 >
      • Preschool - 低年級
      • Middlers, Current - 高年級
      • Elementary, Archive - 高年級
    • VBS-特别暑期聖經班 >
      • EVENTS- 特別活動
    • Nursery - 幼兒照顧
    • Resources - 資源
  • Missions/Evangelism 宣教/佈道
    • *Global Missions 全球宣教
    • *Missions Ministry 宣教事工
  • Chinese School 中文學校
  • Church Activities / News / Calendar 教會活動 / 消息 / 行事曆
    • 教牧心聲Pastoral & Coworkers' Sharing
    • 教會事工Church Ministry
    • Special/urgent 特別/緊急
    • Calendar 教會行事曆
    • Bulletin 週報
    • Archive 檔案 >
      • Pray for Hindus 2018 為印度人禱告
      • Seek God 2019 尋求神
      • Misc. 其他
  • Chinese Student Ministry 学生事工
    • Campus Ministry 校园事工
    • CSF 衣
    • CSF 食
    • CSF 住
    • CSF 行
  • Links 资源鏈接
  Long Island Abundant Life Church長島豐盛生命教會

John 18:1–24

6/17/2012

 
Click here to read today's passage on Bible Gateway.

Hey everyone! Just wanted to give you the heads up that I'm off for two weeks to do some seminary classes in Atlanta.  I'll still be posting here, but the posts will be appearing later in the day most likely.  FYI.

Jesus' Arrest
Some helpful information and insights about the arrest of Jesus:

    "During festival seasons the Romans were aware of the explosive atmosphere in the city, and reinforcements routinely came to Jerusalem. At the beginning, then, we have a signal of Roman interest in Jesus and a hint that Pilate may already be participating. The presence of chief priests and Pharisees recalls their appearances elsewhere in the Gospel (7:32, 45; 11:47, 57) and indicates that these leaders, priestly aristocrats and teachers of the law, who had plotted Jesus’ death earlier under Caiaphas’s direction (11:53), are now putting their plan into action. Therefore John’s portrait is clear: The entire world—both Jew and Gentile—has come against Jesus. Responsibility for what happens next rests with all of them.
    But Jesus is not taken by surprise (18:4). In Mark 14:42 Jesus knows that Judas is coming before he arrives. Likewise here, Jesus’ foreknowledge (1:47–48; 6:6; 13:1) gives him the ability to see the arrest before it unfolds. He does not shrink from the moment but has already made the decision to lay down his life under his own volition (10:18). Therefore Jesus steps forward and asks the first question, “Who is it you want?” (which echoes Jesus’ first words in the Gospel; 1:38). The answer is surprising (18:5): “Jesus of Nazareth.”
    Jesus identifies himself plainly (18:5–7) but this certainly means a great deal more than a mere self-identification. Jesus uses the “I am” formula we have seen elsewhere in the Gospel (e.g., 4:26; 8:24, 58), which no doubt recalls God’s divine name. John underscores this in 18:6, “When Jesus said, ‘I am …,’ they drew back and fell to the ground.” [1]

[1] Gary M. Burge, NIV Application Commentary: John (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House, 2000), 491-92.
Andrei
6/18/2012 12:08:55 am

Why do they fall to the ground in verse 6? Does Jesus make them fall to the ground, or do they choose to fall on their own will? Is it just that Jesus is God, and they have to acknowledge that? It would seem like they aren't really afraid of him to start off with.

Kevin Kuo
6/19/2012 09:32:27 am

Sent a reply as a post

Greg
6/20/2012 12:57:32 pm

I would agree with Kevin's "rent-a-cop" idea. I don't think John records anything that is untrue, but I also DO think that Jesus showed a lot of authority in the statement, surprising the mall cops.

Kevin Kuo
6/18/2012 07:02:39 am

There are commentaries about John being poetic and trying to add more color to the story, or Jesus' divine nature sending them into immediate worship or simple shock that Jesus so boldly admitted who he was. I have been stopped by law enforcement before and when they encounter the unexpected they recoil. If these dudes we're the equivalent to our rent a cops today I can totally see dudes like that recoiling or falling to the ground especially if the situation demanded more of a swat team. I have seen commentaries where people say there is power in Jesus' name and that's what caused them to fall. When it boils down to it I am not sure if the verse holds deep theological insight into who Jesus is or just a poets attempt to captivate the reader. Either way thankfully we have a entire Bible to help us understand God and not just the Gospel of John. If you ask me both understandings of the verse could be true and since no one alive was there you cannot with certainty which is more true. However given that Peter was able to overcome and cut off the ear of the high priest servant suggests that these soldiers were not really expecting a fight and very possibly that they were more like rent a cops / reservists Aka auxilia and not the better armed and better trained legionnaires.

Andrei
6/20/2012 02:10:06 am

Interesting... 'rent a cops'... thanks for the info Kevin.

ants exterminating long island link
7/9/2012 12:18:34 am

I would like to thank you for the efforts you have made in writing this post. I am hoping the same best work from you in the future as well. In fact your creative writing abilities has inspired me


Comments are closed.

    RSS Feed

    Archives

    December 2012
    November 2012
    October 2012
    September 2012
    August 2012
    July 2012
    June 2012
    May 2012
    April 2012
    March 2012

Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.