The Gospel of John | From One Garden To Another – John 18:1-11
Jesus Christ serves as the Second Adam, undoing the works began in the Garden of Eden with the works beginning in the Garden of Gethsemane
After the farewell discourse and the last supper, the events that had been put in motion long before this moment began to unfold in real time. Judas, who had left dinner early, having been identified by Jesus in John 13 that Judas would be the one to betray Him, now returns with Roman Soldiers, High Priests, and many others to turn over Jesus Christ. The act of betrayal took place in a Garden where Judas’ intimate knowledge of Jesus’ whereabouts had proved useful to arrest Jesus in the middle of the night. Yet, for all the secrecy, the event had been a small fanfare of people. Roughly 200-600 soldiers had been present for the arrest with plenty of priests, high priests, and aids in step. Likely, they would have both sought opportunities to stand with one another in a city teetering on open rebellion. Now, the came in unison for the one creating a great deal of upset in the system. He claimed to be the true Messiah and true King something that would have offended both the Pharisees and Rome.
Our temptation is one to still understand the accounts of the Christ’s journey to the cross as one of victimhood. We see the suffering of Christ and can be easily tempted to think that this journey has been unwillingly shoved upon the shoulders of Jesus Christ without His desire to participate. Nothing could be further from the truth. The Lordship of Jesus Christ still remains intact throughout the process as He proceeds to the cross. Christ’s work is one of the second Adam, the one who would redeem mankind. Though sin in one garden condemned mankind to die a sinners death, the works beginning in another garden sets the restoration of those same sinners.
The Undoing Of The Garden
At the beginning, Adam and Eve were given all of paradise to enjoy the presence of God. Yet there had been one condition that they do not eat from the tree of knowledge of good and evil. This sole command had been the condition of Adam and Eve’s remaining in the presence of God and their ultimate undoing. Through their disobedience of the one command given by God, mankind found themselves separated from the presence of God and unable to meet the righteous requirements of holiness given by God. In this first garden, sin entered the world and mankind stood condemned before a Holy God. Now, in the garden of Gethsemane, Jesus began the process of returning mankind back to Himself. The separation that existed between man that started in a garden now ends in a garden.
Often, Jesus is referred to as the Second Adam. As the second and perfect Adam, Jesus represents all of mankind by living the life mankind could not live and restoring the relationship between God and man. The first Adam sinned and the effects rippled through all creation, applying equally to all mankind. The second Adam in Jesus died on the cross, repairing the brokenness caused by the first and restoring the relationship. Jesus, representing both God and man sought to draw those who remain in Him to Himself. Nothing intrinsic to mankind could rightfully represent God and man, maintaining both the justice of sin being fully punished and the grace of taking the punishment upon Himself. Jesus represents us to the Father by living the perfection we could not and bearing the weight of the fullness of our sin upon Himself and represents the presence of God in the world bridging that once broken gap between us. Furthermore, He draws us closer to Himself and bids us to come be with Him, knowing that, in Christ, our sins our forgiven.
- How does Jesus Christ act as the second Adam and the perfection of mankind?
A Sovereign God Willfully Going Out of Love
With hundreds of people being brought to arrest Jesus Christ (of a crime that dubiously, would later be determined), it would be easy to get the impression that Jesus had been arrested against His will. Furthermore, it appears that everything had been quickly spiraling out of control. After all, the God of the universe is not supposed to be arrested and subject to anyone other than Himself. Yet, this understanding of what is occurring misses the obvious standing in front of it. When the crowd approaches Jesus Christ, He (knowingly) inquires who they are looking for. Responding with the answer that they are looking for Jesus, He responds with the divine language of I AM. The people, understanding the weight of this statement sung with the purity of divine origin tremble and bow before the Lord. Again, Jesus inquires, responding in the same manner, and proceeds to approach the crowd to spur on His own arrest. Previously, Christ had stated that His time had not yet arrived. Now, the time is ripe for Christ to willfully give Himself over to the Priests and Centurions to an unjust arrest.
While the crowd may have thought they were in control of the situation, Jesus stood with authority. As divine and sovereign ruler, nothing occurs outside of the divine will of God. Jesus is not being taken advantage of but rather taking the things that sin and the spiritual forces of darkness meant for evil and using them to accomplish His divine glory. Even still, the weight and authority of His divine rule and presence is felt among the people. God stood before them and willfully took up the unjust chains of persecution on behalf of a guilty people, for His glory. Furthermore, you see that, even during this difficult time, Jesus ensured that the disciples were set free. He explicitly ensures that the disciples would not be arrested. He showed that Jesus came to take the weight of the punishment upon Himself so that mankind could be set free. Jesus took the payment that we rightfully earned so that we could go free resting in His presence and life, being in Him.
- In this final chapter in John 17, how does Jesus empower the church to stand in glory and unity?
A Brief Note On Malchus
It has often been taught that Peter, in his reactive swinging of the knife, glanced off of the helmet of Malchus inadvertently striking off his ear. While this is certainly plausible, some others have sought a different explanation. As a servant of the High Priest, the standard of service had always been perfection in every manner, stemming of the rigorous requirements laid down from the Mosaic Covenant of the appearance of a priest and the priestly garb. Josephus similarly “records a very similar incident, where a high priest was deliberately disqualified by the mutilated ear of his servant, in an honor/shame culture.” (Klink III, Zondervan Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament: John, 737). The effect of a mutilated servant would have been at a minimum a source of criticism if not a full disqualification.
Whether this be a reaction by Peter or an enraged attack, the act of Christ healing the mutilated ear carries a similar significance. The Priesthood, which had itself become mutilated and disfigured from its intended purpose was being restored by the grace and works of Jesus Christ. What had once marred the perfect image of what God intended to be the functions of the priest had been restored by the touch of Christ’s hand. He makes all things new and establishes them to their right and perfection position. Peter, likewise, would receive forgiveness for his work that clearly deviated from what God intended just as mankind is saved from the ultimate consequences of our sin. Malchus reminds us that Jesus restores and renews those who have been wounded by sins chaos and restores us to our rightful state as being in Christ.
Discussion Questions
- Compare and contrast what occurred in the Garden of Eden and the Garden of Gethsemane. What are the key differences?
- How does Jesus represent the second Adam? How does Jesus represent the fullness of Humanity? The fullness of divinity?
- What does the willful surrender of Jesus Christ to His own arrest tell us about His divinity and sovereignty? What does it tell us about His love for mankind?
About The Author
Daniel Burton is the founder of The Gospel Outpost. He is passionate about discipleship and seeing people grow in their relationship with Jesus Christ. To find out more about him, check out his Author Page.
