SUNDAY 23rd
John 18
NIV (vv4-5) – ‘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. . . .’
ESV (vv4-5) – ‘Then Jesus, knowing all that would happen to him, came forward and said to them, Whom do you seek? They answered him, Jesus of Nazareth. Jesus said to them, I am he. . . .’
Jesus of Nazareth – and yet he was at the same time the eternal Son of God from heaven! The moment of his arrest had come, that would lead to the whole reason why he came as a man to be Jesus of Nazareth, to pay the price for our eternal redemption.
In this chapter we see the trials of Jesus before Annas and Caiaphas, (vv12-14) also before Pilate, (vv28-40) also the denials of Peter (vv15-18, 25-27). It is toward the end of the chapter the Jesus of Nazareth in verse 5 is called the King of the Jews.(v39) From what was obviously to the band of soldiers just a lowly description ‘Jesus of Nazareth’ to a name of authority, ‘King of the Jews’, and within the next 72 hours this man called Jesus of Nazareth was going to experience the horror and humiliation of all that Calvary involved, the pain, suffering, sin bearing, wrath taking, forsaken by God, a brutal death, burial and triumphant resurrection which would lead to his ascension and exaltation and as a result of his obedience he would be given a name which is above every other name, so that at that name every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth, and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. He, Jesus of Nazareth in John 18 verse 5 who was about to be arrested in the garden and would stand on trial was to become more than the King of the Jews, he was to become the King of King and the Lord of Lords! And this man, Jesus of Nazareth, who humbled himself is our Saviour and Lord.
Spend some time over the day reading the next chapter, 19 and contemplate again all that Jesus of Nazareth went through to bring us our eternal redemption, so that we can come to the place of repentance and be able to acknowledge him as our Saviour and Lord. I will end this devotion with the words of a song:
Thank you for the cross Lord
Thank you for the price You paid
Bearing all my sin and shame
In love You came
And gave amazing grace
Thank you for this love Lord
Thank you for the nail pierced hands
Washed me in Your cleansing flow
Now all I know
Your forgiveness and embrace
Worthy is the Lamb
Seated on the throne
Crown You now with many crowns
You reign victorious
High and lifted up
Jesus Son of God
The Darling of Heaven crucified
Worthy is the Lamb
Worthy is the Lamb