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SearchJohn‘s Role Given and Ensured
About this time John Zebedee, remembering his Master's instructions to remain always near at
hand, hurried up near Jesus as he marched along between the two captains. The commander of
the temple guards, seeing John come up alongside, said to his assistant: "Take this man and bind
him. He is one of this fellow's followers." But when the Roman captain heard this and, looking
around, saw John, he gave orders that the apostle should come over by him, and that no man
should molest him. Then the Roman captain said to the Jewish captain: "This man is neither a
traitor nor a coward. I saw him in the garden, and he did not draw a sword to resist us. He has the
courage to come forward to be with his Master, and no man shall lay hands on him. The Roman
law allows that any prisoner may have at least one friend to stand with him before the judgment
bar, and this man shall not be prevented from standing by the side of his Master, the prisoner."
And when Judas heard this, he was so ashamed and humiliated that he dropped back behind the
marchers, coming up to the palace of Annas alone.
And this explains why John Zebedee was permitted to remain near Jesus all the way through his
trying experiences this night and the next day. The Jews feared to say aught to John or to molest
him in any way because he had something of the status of a Roman counselor designated to act
as observer of the transactions of the Jewish ecclesiastical court. John's position of privilege was
made all the more secure when, in turning Jesus over to the captain of the temple guards at the
gate of Annas's palace, the Roman, addressing his assistant, said: "Go along with this prisoner
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and see that these Jews do not kill him without Pilate's consent. Watch that they do not
assassinate him, and see that his friend, the Galilean, is permitted to stand by and observe all that
goes on." And thus was John able to be near Jesus right on up to the time of his death on the
cross, though the other ten apostles were compelled to remain in hiding. John was acting under
Roman protection, and the Jews dared not molest him until after the Master's death.
And all the way to the palace of Annas, Jesus opened not his mouth. From the time of his arrest
to the time of his appearance before Annas, the Son of Man spoke no word.