John 18:6Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

Notice the Evangelist's lack of malice. He does not revile the betrayer, but narrates the event, striving only to show that everything happened by His consent.

Such was Judas' powerlessness to betray Him. He could not even see the One whom he intended to betray, although He was there, with lamps and such abundance of light.

The Evangelist hinted at this when he said that they had lamps and torches, and still could not find Him.

This is clear from the words, "Judas also stood with them," the one who had said, "I will deliver Him to you."

The Lord blinded their mind, wishing to show His own power and to make them realize that they were attempting an impossible thing.

Then, hearing His voice, they drew back and fell to the ground.

Do you see how they could not even endure His voice, and by falling face down plainly displayed their powerlessness?

Lest anyone say that the Jews did not sin at all, since He Himself surrendered into their hands and appeared to them, He therefore shows this miracle upon them.

It was sufficient to bring them to understanding. But when, even after this miracle, they remained in their malice, then He gives Himself into their hands.

Thus the prophet laments the Jews, saying, "The house of Israel has fallen, and there is none to raise it up," Amos 5:1-2.

This event also serves as an image of a more general and necessary matter.

It teaches that everyone who plots against Christ must inevitably fall.

And even now Christ says through the Gospel, “I am He.” Men draw back and fall, because they abandon heavenly things and rush toward earthly things. Why, then, did they not seize Him, but go backward and fall to the ground? Only because He so willed, who could do all that He willed.

Indeed, if He had not allowed them to take Him, they would not have accomplished the purpose for which they came. Yet neither would He have accomplished the purpose for which He came. Now He showed them His power, when they wished to take Him but could not. Then He allowed them to seize Him, so that, unwillingly, they might become doers of His will.

And where now is the cohort of soldiers? Where are the officers from the chief priests and Pharisees? Where is fear, and where is military protection? Only the voice of Him who confessed, “I am He,” without any weapon, pierced, struck, and confounded so great a crowd. It was armed with hatred and terrifying with weapons.

For God was hidden in the flesh. The eternal day was so concealed in human members that darkness, with lanterns and torches, sought Him in order to kill Him. “I am He,” He says, and He casts the impious to the ground. What will He do when He comes to judge, if He did this while condemned to be judged? What will His might be when He comes to reign, if He could do this when He came to die?

And now, everywhere through the Gospel, Christ says, “I am He” (Jn 18:6). The Jews seek the antichrist, so that they may draw back and fall to the ground, because, having rejected heavenly things, they desire earthly things.

It is plain that the persecutors came with the betrayer in order to believe in Christ. They found Him whom they sought when they heard, “I am He.” Why, then, did they not seize Him, but draw back and fall to the ground? Only because He willed this, who could do whatever He willed.

But if He had never permitted them to seize Him, they certainly would not have done to Him what they came to do. Yet neither would He have done what He came to do. They sought Him with hatred in order to kill Him. But He, in giving Himself over to death, sought us.

Therefore, since He had already shown His power to those who wished to seize Him and could not, let them now seize Him. Through them, though they did not know it, He would accomplish His own will.

They did not arrest Him then. Returning to those who had sent them, they said, "Never has man spoken like this Man," Jn 7:46.

If these were the same servants, and if they were following Judas without knowing whom they were to take, then there is no doubt about their reaction.

Seeing Jesus and hearing His meek answer, they not only could, but must have come into the greatest confusion.

Involuntary fear before Jesus, whose word even the demons obeyed, must have shaken them so much that they drew back and fell to the ground.

They drew back, that is, as if refusing their intention to take Jesus.

They fell to the ground, perhaps as a sign of reverence before the One who had worked such a multitude of miracles.

But the main force in the detachment that came to the garden of Gethsemane was made up of Roman soldiers with a commander.

They had been taken by the chief priests from among those who guarded order at the temple.

These soldiers were pagans. The pagans of that time, having lost faith in their handmade gods, were extremely superstitious.

Judas did not tell the soldiers whom they were following.

But when, in answer to Jesus' question, "Whom do you seek?" the elders replied, "Jesus of Nazareth," the soldiers must have remembered everything they had heard about Him.

They must also have remembered His solemn entry into Jerusalem.

Perhaps they had heard from members of the Sanhedrin that Jesus of Nazareth called Himself the Son of God.

And if Pilate was afraid when the chief priests began to accuse Jesus of making Himself the Son of God, Jn 19:7-8, then the Roman soldiers had reason to fear.

They had been led by Judas into the garden of Gethsemane and knew what accusation the chief priests and Pharisees brought against Jesus.

When they learned that they had come to arrest a well-known Wonderworker who called Himself the Son of God, they not only could, but had to be afraid.

The thought that the unknown God, whose Son Jesus called Himself, would avenge His Son, must involuntarily have brought the superstitious pagans to trembling.

And in fear they drew back and fell to the ground.

But when they then saw that Jesus not only did not call upon His Father for vengeance, but voluntarily gave Himself into their power and even forbade His disciples to defend Him, their fear dispersed.

Their confusion passed, and they proceeded to carry out the command of the chief priests.

This happened all the more because the betrayer himself twice proved unable to give the agreed sign. He grew numb in his whole vile being. Only on the third attempt did Satan arm him with infernal courage. Judas then impressed the traitorous kiss with his vile lips. Then the armed crowd surrounded Jesus Christ and began to bind His hands.