Gethsemane: The Explosive Power of Jesus' Spoken Word

Just as the Roman soldiers and temple police were preparing to arrest Jesus for His trial and crucifixion, a supernatural power was suddenly released that was so strong, it literally threw an entire band of 300 to 600 soldiers backward and down onto the ground!

This earth-shaking power even shook a nearby cemetery! It was as if an invisible bomb had been detonated. So much explosive strength was released that the force of that power knocked the soldiers flat on their backs and brought at least one dead man to life. Where did this discharge of power come from, and what released it?

After Jesus received Judas’ kiss of betrayal, He stepped forward and asked the crowd of militia, “…Whom seek ye? They answered him, Jesus of Nazareth. Jesus saith unto them, I am he…. As soon then as he had said unto them, I am he, they went backward, and fell to the ground” (John 18:4-6).

Notice how Jesus identified himself. He told them, “I am he.”

These mighty words come from the Greek words ego eimi, which is more accurately translated, “I AM!” It was not the first time Jesus used this phrase to identify Himself; He also used it in John 8:58 and John 13:19. When the hearers of that day heard those words ego eimi, they immediately recognized them as the very words God used to identify Himself when He spoke to Moses on Mount Horeb in Exodus 3:14.

But let’s look at the two additional examples of the word ego eimi in the Gospel of John. In John 8:58, Jesus said, “Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am.” Those final words in the verse, “I am,” are the Greek words ego eimi and should be translated, “I AM!” In John 13:19, Jesus said, “Now I tell you before it come, that, when it is come to pass, ye may believe that I am he.” If you read the King James Version, you will notice that the word “he” is italicized, meaning it was supplied by the King James translators and is not in the original. The Greek simply says, “...Ye may believe that I AM!” In both of these cited texts, Jesus strongly and boldly affirmed that He was the Great “I AM” of the Old Testament.

Now in John 18:5 and 6, Jesus uses the words ego eimi again. The soldiers wanted to know, “Who are you?” They probably expected him to answer, “Jesus of Nazareth” — but instead, He answered, “I AM!” John 18:6 tells us, “As soon then as he had said unto them, I am he, they went backward, and fell to the ground.” A more accurate rendering would be:

As soon then as he said unto them, I AM, they went backward and fell to the ground.

The words “went backward” come from the Greek word aperchomai. In this case, the words depict the soldiers and temple police staggering and stumbling backward, as if some force had hit them and was pushing them backward. The word “fell” is the Greek word pipto, which means to fall. It was often used to depict a person who fell so hard, it appeared that he fell dead or fell like a corpse.

The members of this militia that came to arrest Jesus were knocked flat by some kind of invisible force. In fact, the verse says they went backward and fell “to the ground.” The words “to the ground” are taken from the Greek word chamai, which depicts these soldiers falling abruptly and hitting the ground hard. Some force unexpectedly, suddenly, and forcefully knocked these troops and temple police flat!

Think of it — 300 to 600 Roman soldiers and a large number of trained temple police had all come laden with weapons, swords, and clubs to help them capture Jesus. After they announced that they were searching for Jesus of Nazareth, Jesus answered them with the words, “I AM,” thus identifying Himself as the “I AM” of the Old Testament. And when Jesus spoke those words, a great blast of God’s power was unleashed--so strong that it literally thrust the troops and police backward, causing them to stagger, wobble, and stumble as they hit the ground hard.

What a shock it must have been for those military men!

They discovered that the mere words of Jesus were enough to overwhelm and overpower them!

The tales they had heard about Jesus’ power were correct. Of course He really was strong enough to overcome an army. After all, He was the Great “I AM”!

After Jesus proved He couldn’t be taken by force, He willfully surrendered to them, knowing it was all a part of the Father’s plan for the redemption of mankind. But it’s important to understand that no one took Jesus. It was His voluntary choice to go with the troops.

The Jesus we serve is powerful!

There is no force strong enough to resist His power. No sickness, financial turmoil, relational problems, political force — absolutely nothing has enough power to resist the supernatural power of Jesus Christ! When the Great “I AM” opens His mouth and speaks, every power that attempts to defy Him or His Word is pushed backward and shaken until it staggers, stumbles, and falls to the ground! Yet although the soldiers couldn’t take Jesus by force, He willingly went with them for you and me.

What is your need today? Why not present those needs to Jesus, the “I AM”? Let Him speak to your heart, directing you to His Word. Once you see the promise you need for the specific situation you’re facing, get your mouth in agreement with His Word. As you do, you, too, will see the mighty power of God unleashed against the evil forces that try to defy you!

Who Was the Naked Boy in the Garden of Gethsemane?

Just about the time Jesus finished healing the ear of the servant of the high priest named Malchus, the Gospel of Mark tells us a naked young man was found in the Garden of Gethsemane. Mark 14:51,52 says, “And there followed him a certain young man, having a linen cloth cast about his naked body; and the young men laid hold on him: and he left the linen cloth, and fled from them naked.”

Who was this young man? Why was he following Jesus? Why was he naked? Why was he draped in a linen cloth instead of wearing normal clothes? And why was the Holy Spirit so careful to include this unique story in Mark’s account of the Gospel? What is the significance of this event?

The key to identifying this young man lies in the “linen cloth” he had lightly draped about his body. The particular Greek word that is used for this “linen cloth” is used in only one other event in the New Testament — to depict the “linen cloth” in which the body of Jesus was wrapped for burial (see Matthew 27:59, Mark 15:46, and Luke 23:53). Thus, the only reference we have for this kind of cloth in the New Testament is that of a burial shroud used for covering a dead body in the grave.

Some scholars have tried to say this naked young man was Mark himself. They assume that when Mark heard about Jesus’ arrest, he quickly jumped out of bed and dashed to the Garden of Gethsemane. But the Garden was remotely located, and no one could have run there so quickly. It is simply a physical impossibility. Others have speculated that Mark threw off his clothes in an attempt to shock and distract the soldiers so Jesus could escape. This idea is preposterous. Others have tried with similar vain attempts to assert that this naked young man was the apostle John. But why would John be walking naked in the Garden of Gethsemane? As I said, the answer to this naked young man’s identity lies in the cloth he had wrapped around his body. You see, when a body was prepared for burial, it was washed, ceremonially cleaned, and buried naked in a linen cloth exactly like the one described here in the Gospel of Mark. Furthermore, the Garden of Gethsemane was situated on the side of the Mount of Olives. Toward the base of that mount is a heavily populated cemetery, with many of its graves going back to the time of Jesus. When Jesus said, “I AM,” the power released was so tremendous that it knocked the soldiers backward.

But evidently, the power of the great "I AM" also caused a rumbling in the local cemetery!

When that blast of power was released, a young boy, draped in a linen burial cloth in accordance with the tradition of that time, crawled out from his tomb — raised from the dead! The reason he “followed” Jesus was to get a glimpse of the One who had resurrected him. The word “followed” here means to continuously follow. This tells us that this resurrected young man trailed the soldiers as they took Jesus through the Garden on the way to His trial. When the soldiers discovered the young man who was following Jesus, they tried to apprehend him. But when they reached out to grab him, he broke free from their grip and fled, leaving the linen cloth in their possession.

I want you to reflect again on the amazing power that was active at the time of Jesus’ arrest in the Garden of Gethsemane. He later told Pilate, “…Thou couldest have no power at all against me, except it were given thee from above...” (John 19:11). Indeed, there was so much power present that no one could have withstood Jesus had He chosen to resist.

Jesus was not taken by the will of man; He was delivered by the will of the Father.

Think how marvelous it is that Jesus freely gave His life for us! So much power was at work in Him, even at the time of His arrest, that no one had sufficient power to forcibly take Him.

The only reason Jesus could be taken was that He chose to willingly lay down His life for you and for me.

Don’t read these words lightly. Allow the magnitude of what Jesus did for you to sink deep into your heart. Take some time to stop and thank Him for being so willing to go to the Cross and to bear the punishment for your sin in your stead. Jesus is worthy of your heartfelt praise! Most of all, remember this! Romans 8:11 says, “But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you.” Jesus is alive and well today—and living in you!

That’s something to shout about on Easter and every other day!