Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of John 18:8
Jesus answered, I have told you that I am [he]: if therefore ye seek me, let these go their way:
8. I have told ] Rather, I told.
let these ] At first Jesus had gone forward ( Joh 18:4) from His company, as Judas from his. Judas had fallen back on his followers while the disciples followed up and gathered round Christ. Thus the two bands confronted one another.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Let these go their way – These apostles. This shows his care and love even in the hour of danger. He expected to die. They were to carry the news of his death to the ends of the earth. Hence he, the faithful Captain of salvation, went foremost into trials; he, the Good Shepherd, secured the safety of the flock, and went before them into danger. By the question which he asked those who came out against him, he had secured the safety of his apostles. He was answered that they sought for him. He demanded that, agreeably to their declaration, they should take him only, and leave his followers at liberty. The wisdom, caution, and prudence of Jesus forsook him in no peril, however sudden, and in no circumstances, however difficult or trying.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 8. Let these go their way] These words are rather words of authority, than words of entreaty. I voluntarily give myself up to you, but you must not molest one of these my disciples. At your peril injure them. Let them go about their business. I have already given you a sufficient proof of my power: I will not exert it in my own behalf, for I will lay down my life for the sheep; but I will not permit you to injure the least of these. It was certainly the supreme power of Christ that kept the soldiers and the mob from destroying all the disciples present, when Peter had given them such provocation, in cutting off the ear of Malchus. There were probably no other disciples with Christ than Peter, James, and John, at this time. see Mt 26:37; Mr 13:33.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
8. I have told you that I am He: iftherefore ye seek me, let these go their wayWonderfulself-possession, and consideration for others, in such circumstances!
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
Jesus answered, I have told you that I am he,…. This he said, upbraiding them with their stupidity; signifying he was ready to deliver himself up into their hands; and which he did with intrepidity and calmness, only on this condition, with this proviso for his disciples;
if therefore ye seek me, let these go their way: Christ was about to suffer for them, and therefore it was not just that they should suffer too; nor was it proper that they should suffer with him, lest their sufferings should be thought to be a part of the price of redemption. Besides, their suffering time was not come, and they had other work to do: this shows the love of Christ to his disciples, and his care of them, and also his power, and that he could have saved himself as well as them. Moreover, these words may be considered as an emblem and pledge of the acquittance and discharge of God’s elect, through the suretyship engagements, and performances of Christ, who drew near to God on their account, substituted himself in their room, and undertook for them in the council and covenant of peace, and laid himself under obligation to pay their debts, to satisfy for their sins, to bring in an everlasting righteousness, to keep and preserve them in this world, and to make them happy in another. Accordingly, in the fulness of time he was made under the law, and stood in their place and stead, and was taken, suffered, died, and rose again. Now, as there was a discharge and acquittance of them from eternity, a non-imputation of sin to them, and a secret letting of them go upon the suretyship engagements of Christ, and in virtue thereof, a passing by, and over, the sins of the Old Testament saints so there was an open acquittance and discharge of them all upon the apprehension, sufferings, death, and resurrection of Christ; complete deliverance from wrath and condemnation being obtained, and a full title to eternal glory made. Moreover, these words may be considered not only and merely as spoken to the Jews, but as addressed to the law and justice of God; or however, as having some respect to them, while directed to the others; for justice finding the sins of all the elect upon Christ, on whom the Father had laid them, and Christ had took them upon himself, was seeking for, and about to demand satisfaction of him for them; and he being under the law, and coming into the world to fulfil it, in the room and stead of his people, was about to bear the curse of it; wherefore seeing this was the case, he insists upon it, that they who were convicted of the law as transgressors, and held under it as condemned criminals and malefactors, and who were liable, as considered in themselves, to be seized upon by the justice of God, and to have the sentence of condemnation and death executed upon them, might be discharged and let go; and accordingly, upon the satisfaction made by Christ, this is the case: Christ’s people are no longer under the law, as a ministration of condemnation and death, nor liable to suffer the vindictive wrath of God; they are become free from the curses of a righteous law, and are let go by divine justice, and will never suffer the strokes of it, neither in this world nor in that to come; there is no demand to be made upon them, either by the law or justice of God; there is no wrath or punishment will be inflicted on them, either here or hereafter; and they may, and shall go their way into everlasting life, when time shall be no more with them, neither law nor justice having anything to say to the contrary.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
Let these go their way ( ). Second aorist active imperative of . The verb means to withdraw (11:44). Jesus shows solicitude for the eleven as he had warned them and prayed for them (Lu 22:31f.). He is trying to help them.
Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament
These. The disciples.
Go their way [] . Withdraw.
Fuente: Vincent’s Word Studies in the New Testament
1) “Jesus answered, I have told you that I am he:” (apekrithe lesous eipon humin hoti ego eimi) “Jesus answered, I told you all that I am he,” the Nazarene, the one who is the Messiah, Deu 18:15-19; Mat 2:23; Joh 1:45-46.
2) “If therefore ye seek me,” (ei oun eme zeteite) “If then you all seek me,” or search for me, you have found me, the one you desire to oppress, As they did, led by Judas, Joh 18:3, fulfilling Psa 41:9.
3) “Let these go their way:” (aphete toutous hupagein) “Allow these (disciples) to go free,” unarrested, or without detaining them, as suspects of law-breaking, as if they were criminals or harboring a criminal; His first care was for His friends, He was now ready to give His life for His church, too, Eph 5:25.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
8. I have told you that it is I. Here we see how the Son of God not only submits to death of his own accord, that by his obedience he may blot out our transgressions, but also how he discharges the office of a good Shepherd in protecting his flock. He sees the attack of the wolves, and does not wait till they come to the sheep which have been committed to his care, but immediately goes forward to guard them. Whenever, therefore, either wicked men or devils make an attack upon us, let us not doubt that this good Shepherd is ready (133) to aid us in the same manner. Yet by his example Christ has laid down to shepherds a rule which they ought to follow, if they wish to discharge their office in a right manner.
(133) “ Que ce bon Pasteur ne soit prest.”
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(8) If therefore ye seek me, let these go their way.It may be that some of the Roman cohort, not knowing Jesus, were already laying hands on the disciples. In any case, they are exposed to this danger, and the Good Shepherd, who Himself goes forth to meet the danger, will shield the flock from it.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
8. I have told you An intimation to the armed crowd what playthings they might be in his hand.
These Pointing to the disciples; sacrificing himself, but saving others.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Joh 18:8. If therefore ye seek me, This was not a request, which would have been but little attended to by an inveterate multitude, but a command; for the same divine power which struck them to the ground, Joh 18:6 withheld their hands from seizing the disciples, even after Peter had assaulted Malchus. Who can fail remarking the extreme tenderness of our Lord towards those who had so lately neglected him, sleeping while he was in such an agony; that yet he would not suffer them to be terrified by so much as a short imprisonment. His disciples perhaps might consider this speech as an excuse for their forsaking him: but had they viewed it in a just light, it would rather have appeared a strong engagement upon them to have waited for that fair dismission, which our Lord seemed about to give them. See the parallel pl
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
Joh 18:8-9 . Jesus was apprehensive of the seizure at the same time of the disciples. That hands had already been laid on them (Bengel, B. Crusius, and several others), the text does not say. He should and would suffer alone .
., . . .] Divinely-determined object of , in reference to the words , . . . John discovers in the saying, Joh 17:12 (the quoting of which, without verbal exactness, should be noted as an instance of the free mode of citation in the N. T.), a prophetic reference to the preservation of the disciples from their being also taken prisoners along with Him, so far, that is , as the Lord, in virtue of this protection, brought none of them into destruction , namely, by occasioning the apostasy into which many a one would have fallen had he also been taken prisoner. This prophetic reference (against Schweizer’s and Scholten’s severe judgment) is justified by the fact that Jesus, in Joh 17:12 , delivers a closing avowal of His activity on the disciples’ behalf; consequently, that which is still further to be done on their behalf must be conformable to that saying, and appear as the fulfilment, as the actual completion of what was therein expressed.
Fuente: Heinrich August Wilhelm Meyer’s New Testament Commentary
8 Jesus answered, I have told you that I am he : if therefore ye seek me, let these go their way:
Ver. 8. Let these go their way ] This seems to indent with the Jews ere he yielded himself their prisoner. As a good shepherd, he interposeth between the wolf and the flock: as a heavenly eagle, he hath ever an eye to his nest, when he flieth highest from it.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
8. ] Bengel strikingly says of this “ Tertio dicet olim .” And Augustine, “Quid judicature faciet, qui judicandus hoc fecit? Quid regnaturus poterit, qui moriturus hoc potuit?” Tract. cxii. 3.
, “quos illi cci adoriebantur.” Bengel. This saying was sufficient to shew Peter and the rest what was the appointed course for them; the . . to the band, is to the Apostles.
Fuente: Henry Alford’s Greek Testament
if. App-118.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
8.] Bengel strikingly says of this Tertio dicet olim. And Augustine, Quid judicature faciet, qui judicandus hoc fecit? Quid regnaturus poterit, qui moriturus hoc potuit? Tract. cxii. 3.
, quos illi cci adoriebantur. Bengel. This saying was sufficient to shew Peter and the rest what was the appointed course for them;-the . . to the band, is to the Apostles.
Fuente: The Greek Testament
Joh 18:8. , answered) Twice He says, I am [He]: if He had said it the third time, they would not have taken Him. He shall say it the third time hereafter.-, these) viz. the disciples; whom they were blindly attacking.
Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament
Joh 18:8
Joh 18:8
Jesus answered, I told you that I am he;-He seems to be impatient at delay, and as the time had come, and he had been strengthened by the appearance of the angel to drink the cup, all signs of dread or trepidation had vanished, and, as he had told Judas while at the passover supper, What thou doest, do quickly, he now urges them forward in their work.
if therefore ye seek me, let these go their way:-The words and manner of Jesus were not those of a person in dread; but while respectful and courteous, he spoke as though conscious of his authority and power. [If they had not made motions looking to the seizure of the disciples, Jesus had probably, by his divine insight, perceived their purpose, and designed by his repeated question to remind them of the limits of their commission, and by this, secure the escape of the disciples.]
Fuente: Old and New Testaments Restoration Commentary
if: Isa 53:6, Eph 5:25
let: Joh 10:28, Joh 13:1, Joh 13:36, Joh 16:32, Mat 26:56, Mar 14:50-52, 1Co 10:13, 2Co 12:9, 1Pe 5:7
Reciprocal: Zec 13:7 – I will turn Luk 22:51 – Suffer Joh 18:17 – I am not
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
8
Let these go their way refers to the apostles. Since Jesus plainly identified himself as the man they wanted, it was not necessary to hold the apostles as if the investigation had to be continued.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
Joh 18:8. Jesus answered, I told you that I am he: if therefore ye seek me, let these go their way. And then the Evangelist tells us of the illustration which he beheld in this of the meaning of certain words of Jesus uttered not long before.
Fuente: A Popular Commentary on the New Testament
Verse 8
These, his disciples, who were with him.
Fuente: Abbott’s Illustrated New Testament
18:8 {4} Jesus answered, I have told you that I am [he]: if therefore ye seek me, let these go their way:
(4) Christ does not neglect the office of a good pastor, not even in his greatest danger.