A.T. Robertson Commentary John 18:12

A.T. Robertson Commentary

John 18:12

1863–1934
Southern Baptist
A.T. Robertson
A.T. Robertson

A.T. Robertson Commentary

John 18:12

1863–1934
Southern Baptist
SCRIPTURE

"So the band and the chief captain, and the officers of the Jews, seized Jesus and bound him," — John 18:12 (ASV)

The chief captain (ο χιλιαρχος). They actually had the Roman commander of the cohort along (cf. Acts 21:31), not mentioned before.

Seized (συνελαβον). Second aorist active of συλλαμβανω, old verb to grasp together, to arrest (technical word) in the Synoptics in this context (Matthew 26:55), here alone in John.

Bound (εδησαν). First aorist active indicative of δεω, to bind. As a matter of course, with the hands behind his back, but with no warrant in law and with no charge against him.

To Annas first (προς Ανναν πρωτον). Ex-high priest and father-in-law (πενθερος, old word, only here in N.T.) of Caiaphas the actual high priest. Then Jesus was subjected to a preliminary and superfluous inquiry by Annas (given only by John) while the Sanhedrin were gathering before Caiaphas. Bernard curiously thinks that the night trial actually took place here before Annas and only the early morning ratification was before Caiaphas. So he calmly says that "Matthew inserts the name Caiaphas at this point (the night trial) in which he seems to have been mistaken." But why "mistaken"?

That year (του ενιαυτου εκεινου). Genitive of time.