Sinful Man Was Arresting God

Meditations for Seeking the Life in Christ

The Gospel of John

September 26, 2024

Sinful Man Was Arresting God

“Who are you looking for?” (Jesus) asked. 

“Jesus the Nazarene,” they replied.

“I Am he,” Jesus said”

John 18:4-5

There is a beautiful symmetry in the way the Biblical writers tell the story of God. There was the first exodus of God’s people, from slavery in Egypt, led by Moses. The Gospels tell of Jesus, God’s Messiah leading the second exodus, from slavery to sin and death. In the book of Genesis, we read of the Garden of Eden inhabited by Adam. In John 18:1-14, the setting is another garden; the Garden of Gethsemane. In the first Garden, God, in the cool of the evening, came looking for Adam. In the second Garden, in the cool of the evening, sinful man comes looking for Jesus, God’s second Adam. (The Apostle Paul writes much about the ‘first’ and ‘last’ Adam in Romans 5 and 1 Corinthians 15) Yet a third Garden will be the setting for Jesus’ resurrection.

“Who are you looking for?” (Jesus) asked.  “Jesus the Nazarene,” they replied. “I Am he,” Jesus said” (John 18:4-5). The disciples, and perhaps even Judas who was with the soldiers in the Garden that evening, heard much more than a simple reply, “I am he.” They hear; “I AM.”

“I AM The Bread of Life.”

“I AM The Light of The World.”

“I AM The Gate.”

“I AM The Good Shepherd.”

“I AM The Resurrection and The Life.”

“I AM The Way, The Truth and The Life.”

‘I AM The Vine.”

With the memory of these seven ‘I Am” statements echoing through the Garden, the absurdness of the moment was overwhelming: sinful man was arresting God. The arresting force drew back and fell to the ground. Did they understand the absurdity of the moment? Perhaps it was the humility of Jesus and his lack of resistance that shocked them.

My Takeaway: I don’t know why the arresting force drew back and fell to the ground, but as I meditate on that scene, falling on my knees seems an appropriate response for me.

Sē’lah                                                                                         

My book on prayer,

First Think, Then Pray

is now available on Amazon Kindle.

 

(Selah is a word that appears in the Book of Psalms that I often use as the Complimentary Closing in my correspondence. Its meaning, as I use the word, is to pause and think about these things.)

 

These meditations are written by Alex M. Knight as he seeks the life in Christ as his way of life.  The meditations are published on the BLOG, http://seekingthelifeinchrist.blogspot.com/ and they are also distributed on the Constant Contact email server. You may subscribe to this email service by sending an email to: amkrom812@gmail.com.

 

Copyright © 2024 by Alex M. Knight

 

Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.