“Jesus … went out and asked them, ‘Who is it you want?’ ‘Jesus of Nazareth,’ they replied. ‘I am he,’ Jesus said. … When Jesus said, ‘I am he,’ they drew back and fell to the ground.”
John 18:4-6
Always in the background of the Easter story are Rome and the Romans. They’re not quite center stage, but they color nearly every part of what we read in the four gospel books. They ruled the known world, often savagely crushing the opposition to preserve the Pax Romana, time of peace. The Roman soldiers during Jesus’ crucifixion would be presented with a peace completely foreign to them.
Romans clashed with Jews often over religious matters, taxes, etc. But a strange alliance was forged with them and the religious leaders to take Jesus out of the picture. Look in on the exchange between Jesus and a detachment of the Roman guard when they came to arrest Him.
Some 600 men from the greatest fighting army of the time, representing the world’s undisputed superpower, approached Jesus to take Him by force. They needn’t have assembled such an army; Jesus gave Himself up. What’s more, as soon as Jesus said the words, “I am he,” the entire unit toppled in fear. Wiped off their armored feet by the spoken words of the God of all creation, the great I AM!
Romans clashed with Jews often over religious matters, taxes, etc. But a strange alliance was forged with them and the religious leaders to take Jesus out of the picture. Look in on the exchange between Jesus and a detachment of the Roman guard when they came to arrest Him.
Some 600 men from the greatest fighting army of the time, representing the world’s undisputed superpower, approached Jesus to take Him by force. They needn’t have assembled such an army; Jesus gave Himself up. What’s more, as soon as Jesus said the words, “I am he,” the entire unit toppled in fear. Wiped off their armored feet by the spoken words of the God of all creation, the great I AM!
Scripture Focus
John 18:1-11
Insight
When the great I AM speaks, we can do nothing but fall before Him in humbled belief and worship.
Bible In A Year
- Deuteronomy 15-16
- Psalm 87
- Acts 10
