7 Then He asked them again, “Whom are you seeking?” And they said, “Jesus of Nazareth.” 8 Jesus answered, “I have told you that I am He. Therefore, if you seek Me, let these go their way,” 9 that the saying might be fulfilled which He spoke, “Of those whom You gave Me I have lost none.”
18:7
Then He asked them again, “Whom are you seeking?”
Jesus repeated His question to the goon squad. Now that they fell to the ground and obtained an impression of His deity, how would they respond? They now understood something of His great claim of deity.
And they said, “Jesus of Nazareth.”
This religious group still insisted that they were seeking a human person from Nazareth.
18:8
Jesus answered, “I have told you that I am He.
Again, Jesus made a claim of deity as the eternally existing One: “I am” (Ex 3:14; Jn 8:58). Twice Jesus offered His credentials to those who sought to murder Him.
Therefore, if you seek Me, let these go their way,”
Jesus took the apostles into consideration by asking for their release. His only concern was for His followers.
18:9
that the saying might be fulfilled which He spoke,
The “saying” may refer to John 6:38, 39 and John 17:12. The word “fulfilled” indicates that it was Scripture that was being completed. Jesus’ words are infallible.
“Of those whom You gave Me
Those “whom You gave Me” are the apostles whom the Father put in Jesus’ sphere to hear His message.
I have lost none.”
Jesus lost no genuine apostle. The 11 apostles were released to go their way.
PRINCIPLE:
The cross was no tragedy but an event planned from eternity by the Father.
APPLICATION:
The arrest, capture, crucifixion of Christ was no mistake. It was all in the order of events in God’s plan. Behind these apparent tragic events was divine purpose. What appears to make no sense to us ends in God working all things together for good (Ro 8:28).
