God, the Creator, who served and gave His life
John 18:1 – 14
Let us study mainly on John 18:6.
6 When Jesus said, ‘I am he,’ they drew back and fell to the ground.
The above was what happened just before the arrest of Jesus. Those who came to arrest Jesus drew back and fell to the ground when Jesus said, ‘I am he’.
This demonstrated that Jesus did have power to protect Himself against the arrest.
As written in Matthew 26:53 – 54, Jesus said,
53 Do you think I cannot call on my Father, and he will at once put at my disposal more than twelve legions of angels? 54 But how then would the Scriptures be fulfilled that say it must happen in this way?’
At five to six thousand soldiers per legion, twelve legions could literally amount to seventy-two thousand angels [1].
As mentioned in John 10:17-18, it was not that someone took His life from Him but He laid down His life for us on His own accord:
17 The reason my Father loves me is that I lay down my life—only to take it up again. 18 No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again. This command I received from my Father.’
In conclusion, Jesus was NOT a passive victim of superior force. Jesus is strongest and almighty. He was in control. He had authority over His own death (John 10:18)
He submitted to the Father’s will and voluntarily sacrificed His life by His own choice.
After authorizing His own death, He had authority to take His life up again (John 10:18).
He appeared to be victimized but actually He was taking the prerequisite of the victory. Jesus appeared to be losing but He is the winner at all time. Jesus appeared to be most miserable but he was loving, comforting, and healing all humanity of every misery.
In Mark 10:45, Jesus said,
45 For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.’
What can we say if we combine this verse with what we studied today?
Jesus had power and authority to make everyone serve and give Him. But He chose to serve and give us.
Therefore, we would follow Him by serving and giving the weaker. We can confirm that this is His will based on Matthew 25:45.
45 ‘He will reply, “Truly I tell you, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.”
References
[1] Blomberg, C. (1992). Matthew (Vol. 22, p. 399). Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers.
The Holy Bible: New International Version (Anglicised Edition, 2011). (2011). (Revised and updated edition., Mt 25:45). London: Hodder & Stoughton.
