Saint John -Chapter 18
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| I am he; they went backward, and fell to the ground. J-J Tissot |
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.
When Jesus had spoken these words, He went forth with His disciples over the brook Cedron, where was a garden, into the which He entered and His disciples. Jesus had now finished that glowing, and long discourse, in which He bade His disciples farewell, and was hastening to His Passion and Death. In fact, He offered Himself to it, voluntarily, by going into the garden, and there waiting for Judas and the Jews, by whom He knew He was to be taken. He gave thus an example of boldness of mind, by first choosing for Himself the very spot in which He was about to contend with death, sin, and the devil, as though sure of victory and triumph. It is hence inferred that Jesus, as soon as He had finished His discourse, crossed the Brook, and that the dispute of the Apostles about precedence (Luke 22:24) took place, not after this discourse (as S. Augustine thinks) but before it. When the hymn was sung is uncertain, for S. Matthew seems to intimate that it was sung at the end of the discourse (Matt. 26:30). But reason seems to suggest that it was sung before it, as being a giving of thanks which was sung immediately after the supper, and the Eucharist, and before this discourse. So Chrysostom, Theophylact, Euthymius on Matt. 26, and Ribera on this passage.
He went forth. From the house, where He began and finished the whole discourse. But F. Lucas and others think that the latter part of the discourse (from 14:31) was spoken after He had left the house on the way to the Brook Cedron. But then “went forth” must be interpreted “passed over.”
Over the Brook Cedron. “The torrent” flowing in winter, dry in summer. The torrent signifies the violence of the attack made on Christ at His Passion. And He passed through the torrent, to signify that He was going into a torrent of sufferings, says Jansenius, as the Psalm has it, “He will drink of the Brook in the way” (Ps. 110:7). And hence some think that Jesus was brought back through the Brook, and thrown into it (see Adrichom. num. 207), as in Ps. 69.
Cedron. So called from the cedars growing there. S. Thomas and the Syriac and Arabic version. But it is a Hebrew word signifying darkness. See S. Jerome in Locis Hebr. It was dark as being a shady place, or from the blackness of the waters, or from the smoke from the burning of bodies. Cedron is a singular, and not a plural, word. It lies between Jerusalem and Mount Olivet, and runs through the valley of Jehosaphat. It was the common burial-place, and the Turks are now buried there. And it is in this valley that all men will be gathered together at the last judgment. St. John mentions it,
(1.) To establish historical accuracy.
(2.) As it was figurative, for as David, fleeing from Absalom, crossed the Brook Cedron, so did Christ cross the same Brook, not indeed as flying from the Jews, but as going forth to meet them.
(3.) To show that He was going to expiate, not His own sins, but those of Adam and his posterity, however monstrous, such as those committed in this valley, where parents burnt their children alive in honour of Moloch.
(4.) That He might turn the place of His suffering into one of triumph: For it was from the neighbouring Mount Olivet that He rose in triumph after His Resurrection. And when He returns to judge the world, it is there that He will be seated as Judge, and recompense all men according to their deserts.
Where was a garden. Because Adam sinned in a garden, Christ began to expiate His sin in a garden. “For all things had to revert to their pristine state,” says S. Cyril. S. Chrysostom adds, “For He tarries in the garden, as in a prison.” “To save trouble,” says Theophylact, “to the Jews who were seeking Him;” adding also another reason, “for He used to seek solitary places which gender silence,” that we should do the same. (See Matt. 26.)
Symbolically. Observe that Christ first went into the desert, afterwards into the corn-fields, and at last into the garden, to teach us to go into the harvest-fields of preaching, and thence to the Passion and the Cross. Hear S. Ambrose in Luc. lib. iv. “Behold,” says he, “by what ways we are brought back to paradise. Christ is first in the desert: He guides, He instructs, He informs, He exercises man. He anoints him with spiritual oil. When He sees that he is stronger He leads him through corn-fields and fruitful places (as when the Jews complained that His disciples plucked the ears of corn on the Sabbath day), for He had then placed the Apostles in cultivated ground, and in a profitable work. And afterwards He planted them in paradise, at the time of His Passion, when He crossed the Brook Cedron, where was a garden.”
[2] Sciebat autem et Judas, qui tradebat eum, locum : quia frequenter Jesus convenerat illuc cum discipulis suis.
And Judas also, who betrayed him, knew the place; because Jesus had often resorted thither together with his disciples.
[3] Judas ergo cum accepisset cohortem, et a pontificibus et pharisaeis ministros, venit illuc cum laternis, et facibus, et armis.
Judas therefore having received a band of soldiers and servants from the chief priests and the Pharisees, cometh thither with lanterns and torches and weapons.
[4] Jesus itaque sciens omnia quae ventura erant super eum, processit, et dixit eis : Quem quaeritis?
Jesus therefore, knowing all things that should come upon him, went forth, and said to them: Whom seek ye?
Jesus therefore, knowing all things that should come upon Him (the word “knowing” is added, that no one should suppose that He had fallen without knowing it, and unwillingly, into the hands of the Jews, but that He knowingly and willingly gave Himself up to them, and also went forward to meet them), went forth, and said unto them, Whom seek ye? Judas had already kissed Jesus, and had thus given a sign to the band that they should take Him. But Jesus did not wish to be taken when that sign was given, lest He should seem to be taken against His will. He then by the almighty power of His Godhead held back the soldiers, and fixed them to the spot, so that when the sign was given they did not dare to rush forward to take Him, and indeed could not. Christ accordingly boldly stepped forward of His accord to meet them, and challenged them, as it were, to seize Him, by asking, Whom seek ye?
[5] Responderunt ei : Jesum Nazarenum. Dicit eis Jesus : Ego sum. Stabat autem et Judas, qui tradebat eum, cum ipsis.
They answered him: Jesus of Nazareth. Jesus saith to them: I am he. And Judas also, who betrayed him, stood with them.
They answered Him, Jesus of Nazareth. They said not, “We seek Thee,” but they say, “We seek Jesus.” And therefore they did not recognise Him, though pointed out by the traitor’s kiss (because Jesus had smitten them with blindness), and though the officers of the chief Priests had often seen and heard Him before this. So S. Chrysostom says: “Thou seest His irresistible power, that standing in the midst of them He smote them with blindness.” And S. Cyril, “His Divine Power shone forth, for though He put Himself in their way, He was not recognised by those who were seeking Him.”
And Judas also, who betrayed Him, stood with them. Judas had preceded the soldiers in order to betray Jesus, but finding that they did not rush forward to take Him, he became conscious of his perfidy, and turned back in obstinate impenitence, not to the disciples, but to the soldiers, in order to be defended by them against Jesus, whose power he feared, and was therefore struck to the ground with them. So S. Augustine. But Euthymius and Ribera think that Judas came up to Christ and kissed Him, after he had been struck down. This is probable, and only proves the greater shamelessness of Judas.
[6] Ut ergo dixit eis : Ego sum : abierunt retrorsum, et ceciderunt in terram.
As soon therefore as he had said to them: I am he; they went backward, and fell to the ground.
As soon then as He had said unto them, I am He, they went backward. They did not fall forward on their breasts, lest the power which threw them down should seem to have come from behind, but they fell backward, to make it plain that they were thrown down by the power of Christ’s words, and that they could not bear to behold His face or hear His words. For the words “I am” reminded them of what God said to Moses (Ex. 3) “I am that I am: this is My Name;” and I can annihilate you if I will. And therefore ye are those who are not: for all your being ye receive not from yourselves, but directly from Me. The tropological and allegorical meaning I have given Matt. 26:50.
[7] Iterum ergo interrogavit eos : Quem quaeritis? Illi autem dixerunt : Jesum Nazarenum.
Again therefore he asked them: Whom seek ye? And they said, Jesus of Nazareth.
[8] Respondit Jesus : Dixi vobis, quia ego sum : si ergo me quaeritis, sinite hos abire.
Jesus answered, I have told you that I am he. If therefore you seek me, let these go their way.
If therefore ye seek Me, let these go their way. Why was this?
(1.) That He might by His own death alone redeem the world. “He removed His disciples out of danger,” says S. Cyril, “as knowing that the contest and the work of our salvation pertained to Him alone, as being the work of a ruler and not of one under him.”
(2.) Because He destined the Apostles to succeed Him, and spread His truth over the world after His death and Resurrection.
(3.) To show His great love and care for them, as a shepherd careth for his sheep, as S. John suggests in the next verse.
[9] Ut impleretur sermo, quem dixit : Quia quos dedisti mihi, non perdidi ex eis quemquam.
That the word might be fulfilled which he said: Of them whom thou hast given me, I have not lost any one.
That the saying might be fulfilled, which He spake, Of them which Thou gavest Me have I lost none, i.e. of the eleven Apostles which Thou gavest Me: for Judas, as the son of perdition, was not given Him absolutely of the Father. But of what loss and death does Christ here speak: of the soul or of the body? Some say one, some another. But I say, both of body and soul. For they would have perished in the body if they had been seized and slain together with Jesus, more especially because Peter had withstood them and had wounded Malchus. They would have also perished in their souls, because they would have denied Christ in their weakness, and from fear of the threats of the Jews, just as Peter denied Him. And so, when killed by the Jews they would have perished both in body and soul. For they would have died in the mortal sin of denial. So Rupertus, Cajetan, Ribera, F. Lucas, Toletus, and others.
From The Life of Our Lord Jesus Christ, by J-J Tissot (1897)
The treason is accomplished now, and from the shadows of the trees issue the satellites forming the escort of Judas, who press forward in disorder to seize the person of the Lord. The Master, seeing that they were arresting the Apostles also, exclaimed: "I am he!" And, anxious to have it fully understood that He surrendered voluntarily, He, almost for the last time before His death, availed Himself of His supernatural power. As He pronounced the simple words: "I am he!" the soldiers were all flung backwards by an irresistible force and fell to the ground.
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| Saint James the Less. J-J Tissot |
Totus tuus ego sum
Et omnia mea tua sunt;
Tecum semper tutus sum:
Ad Jesum per Mariam
Ad Jesum per Mariam
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