John 18:5–6

First, then, the glory of His Deity and the perfection of His humanity shine out, for we read, "Jesus therefore, knowing all things that would come upon Him, went forth." A mere man who knew even a little of what was coming would have turned back. Only of a divine Person can we say, in the full sense, that He knew all things. And only of a perfect Man, Who knew all things, can we say that He "went forth". He submits to man, but in obedience to the Father.

Face to face with this militant band He asks simply, "Whom are you seeking?" Their answer is "Jesus of Nazareth." Because Nazareth was a place despised by the Jews (compare John 1:46), they spoke this way to belittle Him. But He says only "I Am." This is His name as the eternal, self-existent One (compare Ex. 3:14), whose glory is infinite. (Note that John records at this point that Judas stood with them, on the side of those who defied the living God.)

Secondly, we see His mighty power as a divine Person, for having said "I AM", His enemies "went backward, and fell to the ground". They were in the presence of the great I AM, the One with all power. The world can do nothing against Him, despite all its forces joined together with their lanterns and torches and weapons. When the Lord of glory "went forth", His enemies "went backward".

He was not of Nazareth as to origin, He was the blessed uncreated God. And His testimony was so overwhelming that "As soon as He had said to them, I AM, they went backward, and fell to the ground." Our hearts have been opened to receive the wonderful truth of Who He is. So we fall forward and bow at His feet in worship.

How many things had taken place in that garden! What words came from a heart filled with God's own love, seeking to press that love into the narrow and dull hearts of His beloved disciples! But all was lost on Judas... Judas, too, was there, who knew Him well, and knew that voice, so long familiar to his ears. No one laid hands on Him. But as soon as His word echoes in their hearts, as soon as they hear that divine "I am" within them, they go backward and fall to the ground.

Who will take Him? He had only to go away and leave them there. But that is not what He came for, and the time had come for Him to offer Himself up... The first time, the divine glory of the Person of Christ had to display itself; and now His care for the redeemed ones. "If you seek me," said the Lord, "let these go their way"... He presents Himself as the good Shepherd, giving His life for the sheep.

John alone recounts the Lord's answer to the armed band that came to arrest Him, "I am [he]," which caused them to go backward and fall to the ground. Yet Matthew, who saw it, says no more about so striking an event than Mark or Luke. It did not come within God's design for their Gospels, but it did for John, who therefore records it. John, on the other hand, says nothing about the agony in Gethsemane, which the other three dwell on. Yet it was given to Matthew, and even to Mark and Luke, to record that, as dwelling not on His deity but on His human sufferings, in keeping with the design of each of their Gospels.

We see His mighty power as a divine Person. After He said "I AM", His enemies "went backward, and fell to the ground". They were in the presence of the great I AM, the One with all power. The world can do nothing against Him, despite its combined forces with their lanterns and torches and weapons. When the Lord of glory "went forth", His enemies "went backward". So the Psalmist, speaking prophetically of Christ, can say, "Let them be driven backward and put to shame who wish me evil" (Psalm 40:14; Psalm 70:2-3).

The Jews despised Nazareth, so they used the name "Jesus of Nazareth" to belittle Him. But He says only "I Am." This is His name as the eternal, self-existent One (see Exodus 3:14), whose glory is infinite. But it is no wonder that at the words "I Am" they all drew back at once and fell to the ground. Powerless, they lie at His feet.

They could not have taken Him had He not placed Himself unresistingly in their hands. Led by Judas, who was a devil, they come in the night to lone Gethsemane, and there they find Him. And now that they had found Him, how utterly helpless they are in His presence! … Despite all his wickedness, and even under the influence of the dread angel of the Abyss, how weak and cowardly man is! They have indeed found Him. He acknowledges that He is the Person they seek. But what can they do? What use to them are their weapons? They are absolutely powerless in His presence.

God indeed confirmed what was due to that Name; for Jesus was God no less than the Father and the Holy Spirit. Nor was there ever a moment more fitting. So Judas the betrayer stood with them, and he too with them fell to the ground. What a testimony to their conscience, as well as to His glory!

Under this veil lay a glory that could have destroyed its enemies at once, like the flames of the furnace in Babylon, if it had chosen to. For at the last, when the hour had come and the powers of darkness were to have "their hour," the servants of those powers stood in the presence of this glory. They "went backward, and fell to the ground." This teaches us that Jesus was a fully willing captive then, just as later He was a willing victim.

He goes over the brook Kidron, and still you get the same divine character. You have nothing at all, not a word, about Gethsemane, or about the praying and crying to His Father. That is not the side we get here. They came to take Him, and He puts Himself forward. You get a divine Person who is giving His life.

Even in the days when He willingly humbled Himself on earth, He showed the striking power of His word. He spoke His name "I Am" to the soldiers who came to arrest Him. They went backwards and fell to the ground. This word will be enough for Him to smite the nations.