“Jesus the Nazarene,” they replied. “I am,” Jesus said. (Judas, who betrayed him, was standing with them.) As Jesus said “I am,” they all drew back and fell to the ground! (John 18:5-6)

Read: 2 Samuel 14:1 – 15:22, John 18:1-24, Psalm 119:97-112, Proverbs 16:8-9

Relate: Ego Eimi. I exist. It is I. I am. However you want to translate it, the words out of Jesus mouth threw the others to the ground. Judas, the betrayer, was there. A delegation from the priests and the Pharisees was there in all their stuffily religious zeal. A detachment of soldiers was there armed to the teeth. It didn’t matter. With two words, “I AM” they all fall down.

These men came to arrest Jesus. They wanted to control Him, to stop Him, to silence Him. They wanted to put Him in chains and take Him where He didn’t want to…