18:1 Kidron Jesus went through the valley that separated the walled city of Jerusalem from the Mount of Olives (see note on Mark 14:32).

18:3 cohort and officers The chief priests had their own military guard of Jewish males who acted as temple police.

chief priests See note on Mark 11:18 (compare note on Matt 2:4).

Pharisees See note on John 7:32.

18:9 not lost anyone See note on 17:4 and note on 17:6.

18:10 Simon Peter See note on Matt 10:2 and note on John 1:42.

18:13 Annas The former high priest. See note on Luke 3:2.

Caiaphas The acting high priest in charge of the Jerusalem temple; leader of the Sadducees (see note on Matt 26:3; compare note on John 11:50).

Political Leaders in the New Testament Table

18:15 known to the high priest This seems to suggest that one of Jesus’ disciples either trained in the temple as a priest or was related to Annas or Caiaphas.

18:19 the high priest questioned Jesus Rome largely permitted the Jewish people to hold trials according to their own laws.

18:20 synagogue See note on Matt 4:23.

18:28 brought Jesus from Caiaphas The narrative does not report anything from Jesus’ appearance before Caiaphas (perhaps because the author did not have access to anyone who witnessed it).

governor’s residence Probably the former palace of Herod the Great at the western edge of Jerusalem. Although Caesarea was the Roman Empire’s regional base, the governor of Judaea typically spent Jewish high feast days in Jerusalem because of the potential for civil unrest (compare Acts 23:33–35).

not be defiled According to the Jewish law, being defiled would have prevented people from entering the temple to make the sacrifices required for the Passover meal. It also would have prevented them from celebrating the meal with other Jews, who would have been concerned about becoming defiled from being in their presence.

eat the Passover According to the Synoptic Gospels, Jesus’ last supper with His disciples was a Passover meal (Matt 26:17–19; Mark 14:12–16; Luke 22:7–13). This meal, then, would be another of the meals eaten during the Feast of Unleavened Bread (which also was called Passover; Luke 22:1).

18:29 Pilate Roman governor of Judaea from ad 26 to 36.

18:31 It is not permitted Because the Romans did not allow the Jews to carry out executions, the Jewish leaders bring Jesus to Pilate (who did have such authority). The later stoning of Stephen (Acts 7:54–60) probably should be viewed more as a mob action (that the Romans ignored) rather than an official sentence.

18:32 would be fulfilled that he had spoken Refers to Jesus’ earlier statement alluding to His crucifixion (John 12:32–33; compare Matt 20:19). In seeking Jesus’ death sentence from Pilate, the Jewish officials tacitly accept the Roman form of execution—leading to the fulfillment of Jesus’ words.

18:33 king of the Jews The Jewish officials wished to execute Jesus primarily because He claimed to be the Son of God (John 10:36) and the Christ (or Messiah; 10:24)—titles that evoked ideas about King David and God’s anointed deliverer. Jesus was making claims to the throne (see note on Matt 2:2).

18:36 not of this world Rather than trying to rule the world as it is (John 1:1–4), Jesus is turning it into a new world; He is connecting the kingdom of God to earth. See note on Acts 1:3.

18:37 For this reason I was born Jesus acknowledges that His ultimate purpose in life is to die for the people’s sins. This fulfills His role as Suffering Servant, which John acknowledges throughout the Gospel (see note on 12:41).

18:39 your custom Pilate invokes this custom to emphasize that the decision belongs to the Jewish rulers and the other Jews present, not himself. He can also be sure that they will not revolt if Jesus is executed, thus preventing a possible uprising.

18:40 revolutionary Mark and Luke indicate that Barabbas had killed someone during a rebellion (Mark 15:7; Luke 23:19).

Major Groups in Jesus’ Time Table