Chapter XVIII.
1-7. Jesus retires to the Garden of Gethsemani, where, having been betrayed by Judas, He freely delivers Himself up, after He had first shown His almighty power, by casting His enemies to the ground.
8-11. He requests that the Apostles be allowed to depart unmolested, and forbids Peter to defend Him with the sword.
12-14. He is seized, bound, and led before Annas.
15-27. He is led before Caiphas, followed by Peter and John, and while being examined there, is thrice denied by Peter.
28-38. He is led before Pilate, the Roman Governor, and examined by him.
39-40. Pilate attempts to release Jesus, but the crowd calls for the release of Barabbas.
| 1. Haec cum dixisset Iesus, egressus est cum discipulis suis trans torrentem Cedron, ubi erat hortus in quem introivit ipse, et discipuli eius. | 1. When Jesus had said these things, he went forth with his disciples over the brook Cedron, where there was a garden, into which he entered with his disciples. |
1. Having finished His last discourses to the Apostles, and His prayer to the Father, Jesus accompanied by the Apostles now proceeds towards Mount Olivet (Matt xxvi. 36; Mark xiv. 32), crossing the brook of Cedron on His way. As we stated already, we believe that the discourse (xv. 1-xvi. 33) and the prayer after the Last Supper were not spoken while Christ and the Apostles passed along, but at some point of rest either outside the Supper-room or along the way. See above on [xiv. 31]. Nor are we to suppose from the words of this verse, “He went forth,” that it was only now Christ and the Apostles left the Supper-room. As we remarked already, had Christ and the Apostles not left the Supper-room when He gave the word to do so ([xiv. 31]), St. John would very probably have noted the fact, and added some word of explanation. In the verse before us, then, there is not [pg 308] question of going forth from the Supper-room but of going forth from the city. Comp. Matthew xxvi. 30, 36; Mark xiv. 26, 32.
Over the brook Cedron. Many authorities read “over the brook of the cedars” (τῶν κέδρων). Where there was a garden. SS. Matthew and Mark say that He came to “an enclosed piece of ground” (χωρίον), called Gethsemani. “Gethsemani—גת, (gath) = a wine-press, and שׂמן (shemen) = oil—was the spot where the prediction of Isaias was fulfilled: ‘I have trodden the wine press alone’ (Isaias lxviii. 3). A modern garden, enclosed by a wall, in which are some old olive-trees, said to date from the time of Christ, is now pointed out as the Garden of Gethsemani. It is on the left bank of the Kedron, about seven hundred and thirty feet from the east wall of the city, and immediately south of the road, from St. Stephen's Gate to the summit of Olivet .... This garden is, there is little reason to doubt, the spot alluded to by Eusebius, when he says (O. S., 2, pp. 248, 18) that ‘Gethsemane was at the foot of the Mount of Olives, and was then a place of prayer for the faithful’ ” (Smith's B. D., sub voc).