John - 18:12



12 So the detachment, the commanding officer, and the officers of the Jews, seized Jesus and bound him,

Verse In-Depth

Explanation and meaning of John 18:12.

Differing Translations

Compare verses for better understanding.
Then the band and the captain and officers of the Jews took Jesus, and bound him,
So the band and the chief captain, and the officers of the Jews, seized Jesus and bound him,
Then the band and the tribune, and the servants of the Jews, took Jesus, and bound him:
The band therefore, and the chiliarch, and the officers of the Jews, took Jesus and bound him:
Then the band, and the captain, and officers of the Jews took Jesus, and bound him,
The band, therefore, and the captain, and the officers of the Jews, took hold on Jesus, and bound him,
So the battalion and their tribune and the Jewish police closed in, and took Jesus and bound Him.
Then the band and the chief captain and the police took Jesus and put cords round him.
So the detachment, the commanding officer, and the officers of the Jewish leaders, seized Jesus and bound him,
Then the cohort, and the tribune, and the attendants of the Jews apprehended Jesus and bound him.
So the soldiers of the garrison, with their commanding officer and the Jewish police, arrested Jesus and bound him,

*Minor differences ignored. Grouped by changes, with first version listed as example.


Historical Commentaries

Scholarly Analysis and Interpretation.

Then the band of soldiers and the captain. It might be thought strange that Christ, who laid the soldiers prostrate on the ground by a single word, now allows himself to be taken; for if he intended at length to surrender to his enemies, what need was there for performing such a miracle? But the demonstration of divine power was advantageous in two respects; for, first, it serves to take away the offense, that we may not think that Christ yielded as if he had been overcome by weakness; and, secondly, it proves that in dying he was altogether voluntary. So far as it was useful, therefore, he asserted his power against his enemies; but when it was necessary to obey the Father, he restrained himself, that he might be offered as a sacrifice. But let us remember that the body of the Son of God was bound, that our souls might be loosed from the cords of sin and of Satan.

The captain - Χιλιαρχος, The chiliarch, or chief over one thousand men - answering nearly to a colonel with us. See the note on Luke 22:4. He was probably the prefect or captain of the temple guard.

Which Judas received, and which came along with him, John 18:3. When Jesus had rebuked Peter, and healed the servant's ear, and showed such a willingness to surrender himself to them;
they took Jesus and bound him. This they did, partly for safety and security, he having several times escaped from them; and partly for contempt, and by way of reproach, using him as they would do the vilest of malefactors: and this was submitted to by Christ, that his people might be loosed from the cords of sin, be delivered from the captivity of Satan, and be freed from the bondage of the law; hereby the types of him were fulfilled, as the binding of Isaac, when his father was going to offer him up, and the binding of the sacrifice with cords to the horns of the altar: who that has read the ceremonies of the sheaf of the firstfruits, but must call them to mind, upon reading this account of the apprehension and binding of Christ, and leading him to the high priest? This sheaf was fetched from places the nearest to Jerusalem, particularly from the fields of Kidron: the manner was this (i):
"the messengers of the sanhedrim went out (from Jerusalem) on the evening of the feast day (the sixteenth of Nisan, and over the brook Kidron to the adjacent fields), and bound the standing corn in bundles, that it might be the easier reaped; and all the neighbouring cities gathered together there, that it might be reaped in great pomp; and when it was dark, one (of the reapers) says to them, is the sun set? they say, yes; and again, is the sun set? they say, yes: with this sickle (shall I reap?) they say, yes; again, with this sickle (shall I reap?) they say, yes; in this basket (shall I put it?) they say, yes; again, in this basket (shall I put it?) they say, yes; if on the sabbath day he says to them, is this sabbath day? they say, yes; again, is this sabbath day? they say, yes; (it was sabbath day this year;) Shall I reap? they say to him reap, shall I reap? they say to him reap; three times upon everything; then they reap it, and put it into the baskets, and, bring it to the court, where they dry it at the fire.''
Whoever reads this, will easily observe a likeness: the messengers of the great sanhedrim go to the fields of Kidron, in the evening, with their sickles and baskets; bind the standing corn; questions and answers pass between them and the people before they reap; and when they have done, they bring the sheaf in their basket to the court, to be dried at the fire. So the officers of the high priest, with others, pass over the brook Kidron, with lanterns, torches, and weapons; in the night go into a garden; there apprehend Jesus; questions and answers pass between them there; then they lay hold on him, bind him, and bring him to the high, priest.
(i) Misn. Menachot, c. 10. sect. 2, 3, 4.

Then the band . . . took Jesus--but not till He had made them feel that "no man took His life from Him, but that He laid it down of Himself."

*More commentary available at chapter level.


Discussion on John 18:12

User discussion of the verse.






*By clicking Submit, you agree to our Privacy Policy & Terms of Use.