“Operation Kiss” had commenced—the green light given at the highest level. The target was seen crossing the valley and entering the olive orchard. This intel was from a mole within the inner circle, a man who now personally led the task force (John 18:1-3). Perceiving them to be armed and dangerous, Pilate had ordered “a contingent of Roman soldiers” (John 18:3)—up to 600 well-trained and equipped men—to neutralize the threat. The Jewish authorities also sent in their crack temple guards. This huge arresting party came armed with “torches, lanterns, and weapons” (John 18:3). There was no way the target could escape.

But Jesus was not planning an escape, nor resisting capture (John 18:10-11). Instead, He willingly offered Himself up (John 18:8,11). Stepping forward to identify Himself to His captors, Jesus facilitated and ensured His own arrest. He asked, “Who are you looking for?” “Jesus the Nazarene,” they replied (John 18:4-5).

Almost immediately, Jesus affirmed, “I Am He” (John 18:5). In the Greek, the He is not in the original but was added by the translators. Jesus simply said, “I Am,” twice (John 18:5,8).

“I Am” is the language of divinity. It’s the covenantal name of God Himself: “I Am Who I Am” (Exodus 3:14). In an earlier brush with the Pharisees, Jesus boldly told them that He was the “I Am!” (John 8:58).

At the very instant Jesus declared His identity, everyone in the arresting party “drew back and fell to the ground” (John 18:6). Even the mighty Roman soldiers, trained not to submit, bowed before Him.

Jesus was no helpless victim. On the contrary, Jesus sovereignly handed Himself over to His captors in order to “drink from the cup of suffering the Father [had] given [Him]” (John 18:11). He drank the cup that should have been our own.

NLT 365-day reading plan passage for today: 2 Samuel 12:1-25