18:1
We now come to the trial, the crucifixion and the resurrection. The events that Jesus’ life was always leading up to, the reason above all reasons that He was sent by the Father. So Jesus and His disciples now head across the Kidron Valley to the garden, this is Gethsemane. John’s account is consistent with the ones in the synoptic gospels, but tends to look at different aspects, or different details, of the events. There are all sorts of debates that can be entered into about the relationship between John and the synoptics which could be gone into, but we are not going to do so. There are two reasons for this: (i) I do not have the necessary expertise; (ii) I don’t find it that interesting. On the latter point I have to say I do not read the gospels and think there are loads of inconsistencies or contradictions. There can be the odd puzzling point, but I want to focus on what the Word of God is saying to us.
18:2
One of the aspects that we get more details on in John is the role of Judas. The synoptics tell us that Judas betrayed Jesus, but John fills things out a bit. Earlier he has mentioned that Judas was pilfering money while they were travelling around. Jesus had often gone to this garden, and Judas was, of course, fully aware of that. So he knew where Jesus was likely to be.
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