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.” (John 18:1-8)
Why didn't Jesus evade arrest?
We see in this text that Jesus did not even attempt to evade arrest. Jesus could have denied that he was Jesus. He could have, along with his followers, said that Jesus was somewhere else or just that it wasn't him.Furthermore, Jesus could have left the area in advance of his arrest. He knew he was going to be arrested, as he told his followers after the 'last supper.' Why didn't Jesus leave the area once he knew he would be arrested and likely persecuted?
Rather, Jesus is accepting his arrest. Why would a person accept arrest, especially when they knew what could and likely would - as Jesus did - happen to them?
There are many theories. One of the most popular teachings is that God became man (human) in Jesus so that God could die on the cross to cleanse the sins of humanity.
Was Jesus 'God became man' so he could die for our sins?
First, why would the Supreme Being - the Creator of everything and the Controller of everything - need to sacrifice Himself in order to cleanse people's sins? Why would the Person who creates all laws be subject to them?The concept of sacrifice - that someone has to sacrifice to cleanse sins - is an ancient practice that often involves people sacrificing animals in order to purify themselves.
Why would God have to subject Himself to this rule? Why would He subject Himself to be sacrificed like an animal might be sacrificed as described in the Old Testament?
After all, doesn't God make the rules? If He does, then He would never be subject to them.
Could God die?
Could the Supreme Being ever die? God could certainly never die and still maintain His position as God.By the very nature of the term, "Supreme Being," God could never die. If He did then He would not be God.
Death is part of the nature of the physical body, which is born into a temporary region of the physical world. In order to die, God would have to subject Himself to the rules and environmental governance of the physical world.
God would never do this unless He was giving up His position and power as God. Thus, the statement that 'God became man' is an oxymoron.
Could God ever become a human?
If God ever became a human, He would not maintain His position as God. He is always God. Again this would be an oxymoron.The human body is dominated by his environment. God dominates the environment. It is therefore one or the other. If God became a human then that human could not be a human. It is a contradiction of terms. This is what an oxymoron is.
This is not only an illogical concept. It is something that Jesus never taught. Jesus prayed to God, evidenced throughout John Chapter 17 and mentioned in John 18:1. If Jesus was God who would he be praying to?
Did God subject Himself to the rules of sacrifice?
The Supreme Being is never subject to the rules of sacrifice. The very term, 'sacrifice' requires devotion. To suggest that God would have to become devotional to someone else is again, an oxymoron. It would mean that God was no longer God.This would mean this is an atheistic proposition.
Is it a coincidence that this proposition - that Jesus is God became man - was originally pushed by the Roman emperor in order to maintain authority over the early Christian people?
The supposed purpose of this sacrifice was to cleanse sins. As illustrated throughout the Scriptures, the Supreme Being can cleanse anyone's sins at any time, just by willing it. He could cleanse the sins of all humankind with one thought.
This is why Jesus suggested that his followers ask God to forgive their sins in the Lord's Prayer. Because Jesus taught, just as the Prophets did, that God can forgive sins and God can cleanse us directly.
Why, then, would Jesus allow himself to be arrested?
Back to why Jesus would allow himself to be arrested. After all, he could have left the area, or hidden himself, or even denied that he was Jesus when they came to arrest him.Jesus could have also allowed his disciples to fight off the guards while he escaped.
He answers this with his statement to Peter as Peter tried to defend Jesus in the coming verses:
“Put your sword away! Shall I not drink the cup the Father has given me?” (John 18:11)And we find Jesus describes what the "cup" refers to, within a previous prayer:
“Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but Yours be done.” (Luke 22:42)So the "cup" being discussed here by Jesus relates to doing the will of the Supreme Being. Jesus is doing God's will.
This means that Jesus is doing whatever the Supreme Being wants from him, and he understands that being arrested is part of his service to the Supreme Being.
And herein lies the secret reason why this part of Jesus' life - his arrest, persecution and the eventual murder of his physical body - can serve to cleanse or purify us - or in the language of some, "save us."
The reason why this part of Jesus' life can 'save' us is by understanding that Jesus' love for God was so strong that he was willing to give his life in his service to the Supreme Being. Think about it. Such a love for God - ready to die to serve God - is the ultimate form of love.
Why did Jesus sacrifice himself?
Again, Jesus was willing to sacrifice his body because of his love for God.If we understand this - if we truly and sincerely do - this understanding will cleanse or purify our consciousness. This is because by seeing Jesus' love for the Supreme Being, we gain a glimpse of the unconditional love that exists within the spiritual realm between the Supreme Being and His loving servants and companions.
We gain a glimpse of the pure love between the Supreme Being and His loving servants. And by having that glimpse of their relationship, we are purified because we are given a glimpse of the lovable nature of the Supreme Being: That someone would love Him so much that he would allow his physical body to be tortured, persecuted and murdered. (And only Jesus' physical body died - Jesus left his physical body and returned to the spiritual realm after appearing to his disciples, as evidenced in later verses.)
This is also why Jesus said that “I am the resurrection and the life." (John 11:25). If we understand Jesus' love for the Supreme Being, we gain access to the loving relationships between God and His loving servants, and this allows us access to our personal relationship with the Supreme Being.
So we can put away these speculative teachings about the Supreme Being becoming man and dying for our sins.
Jesus practiced loving service to the Supreme Being with total commitment. And if we get that, and strive to put that into practice even in a small way, we have the opportunity to gain access to our own loving relationship with God. This is illustrated by Jesus' most important teaching:
*Here is the translation of these verses from the Lost Gospels of Jesus:
We gain a glimpse of the pure love between the Supreme Being and His loving servants. And by having that glimpse of their relationship, we are purified because we are given a glimpse of the lovable nature of the Supreme Being: That someone would love Him so much that he would allow his physical body to be tortured, persecuted and murdered. (And only Jesus' physical body died - Jesus left his physical body and returned to the spiritual realm after appearing to his disciples, as evidenced in later verses.)
This is also why Jesus said that “I am the resurrection and the life." (John 11:25). If we understand Jesus' love for the Supreme Being, we gain access to the loving relationships between God and His loving servants, and this allows us access to our personal relationship with the Supreme Being.
So we can put away these speculative teachings about the Supreme Being becoming man and dying for our sins.
Jesus practiced loving service to the Supreme Being with total commitment. And if we get that, and strive to put that into practice even in a small way, we have the opportunity to gain access to our own loving relationship with God. This is illustrated by Jesus' most important teaching:
“‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' This is the first and greatest commandment." (Matt. 22:37-38)
*Here is the translation of these verses from the Lost Gospels of Jesus:
Thus Jesus, knowing everything that would happen to him, approached and said to them, “Whom do you seek? “Jesus of Nazareth,” they replied. He said to them, “I am he.” And Judas, who arranged for his arrest, was standing with them. Thus after he said to them, “I am he,” they drew back and fell to the ground. He then asked them again, “Whom do you seek?” And they said, “Jesus of Nazareth.” Jesus replied, “I have told you that I am he: If you seek me, then let these others go on their way.” (John 18:4-8)
