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I Am He

             When he had finished praying, Jesus left with his disciples and crossed the Kidron Valley. On the other side there was a garden, and he and his disciples went into it.

            Now Judas, who betrayed him, knew the place, because Jesus had often met there with his disciples.  So Judas came to the garden, guiding a detachment of soldiers and some officials from the chief priests and the Pharisees. They were carrying torches, lanterns and weapons.

            Jesus, knowing all that was going to happen to him, went out and asked them, “Who is it you want?”

            “Jesus of Nazareth,” they replied.

            “I am he,” Jesus said. (And Judas the traitor was standing there with them.) 

            When Jesus said, “I am he,” they drew back and fell to the ground.

            Again he asked them, “Who is it you want?”

            “Jesus of Nazareth,” they said.

             Jesus answered, “I told you that I am he. If you are looking for me, then let these men go.” This happened so that the words he had spoken would be fulfilled: “I have not lost one of those you gave me.” (John 18:1-9)

 

                It’s probably too early to start looking at the Easter story, but it’s on my mind, so starting today, we will wander in and out of it, probably with some ideas that are a little different than what you’ve seen in the movies. Today’s passage is a scene we don’t usually read. We usually get bits and pieces. Jesus prays in Gethsemane, then calls His disciples to go meet His betrayer. Sometimes, we’re told that Peter cuts off an ear. Then there’s a kiss of betrayal, and away He goes.

            John tells us more. First, he informs us that Judas led a detachment of soldiers and some officials from the chief priests and Pharisees. Earlier, the chief priests and Pharisees had sent their own soldiers, and the soldiers had returned empty-handed but their heads filled with admiration for Jesus. One of the reasons I suspect that this detachment of soldiers was not from the Temple is because they needed a guide. Jewish soldiers would probably have recognized Him, but if “all Jews look alike,” a guide is handy.

            I also suspect that the chief priests and Pharisees didn’t want the soldiers taking time to listen to what Jesus had to say. Jesus was rumored to have performed miracles, so it would make perfect sense for the soldiers to be warned that listening to Him was dangerous and that He could do terrible “magical” things.

            So the soldiers march to where their spy says He might be. One of them may have heard that He fed thousands. Another was there when the streets of Jerusalem resounded with shouts of “Hosannah!” They reach the place. This is the point where “anything” can happen. Still, the Roman script says something like, “The disciples streamed out from among the trees, each garbed as a Ninja assassin, and each with no fewer than twenty weapons, from their mouths, came such vile magic that ten men have knocked aside, and yet, we overcame.”

            Instead, some guy walks out and asks them what they want. An envoy? There to negotiate? A distraction while their quarry escapes or his troops surround them? He asks what they want, and they tell him. His answer is about as expected as President Biden answered the White House door. Some people seem to think that Jesus saying, “I am he” was one of those special effects triumphs from the movie with full reverb basso profundo echoing off the mountains, “III AMM HEE,” and the sheer power of the words throws them into the trees. I suspect that the reality is that the soldiers faced their own trilemma. Was this guy lying, and they were about to be trapped? Was he crazy, in which case he might be capable of anything? Or, was he the real deal, in which case this was an even bigger threat than they thought? They decided to take stock of the situation.

            When he against asks why they’re there, gets the same answer and gives the same answer, Jesus does the one thing the Romans could never have expected. He surrenders. Surrenders? It makes perfect sense. After all, they’re Roman soldiers, but that is just not in the script. He surrendered. He not only surrendered, but He dictated the terms of His surrender. Had it happened any other way, would the soldiers have even considered letting the disciples go? Why arrest one when you can arrest or  kill so many more?

            But Jesus doesn’t even pretend to play by their rules. Now, here’s the question we need to ask ourselves: should it surprise us the tiniest bit when Jesus doesn’t follow our scripts?

 

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