The arrest of the shepherd. John 18.1–27

Narrative structure and summary

After the lengthy discourses of chapters 14–17, we come to the climactic moment in the gospel, namely, the moment of Christ's passion, death and burial (John 18–19). I have elected to examine 18.1–27 as the first of three sections because it represents the first division of John's passion account. Some scholars have divided 18.1–27 into two separate units, the first dealing with the arrest of Jesus and the second with the denials of Peter (and the concomitant initial interrogation of Jesus by Annas). Most notable amongst these has been Peter Ellis, who, in an experimental, composition-critical commentary, divides 18.1–27 into two separate acts (1–12, 13–27), both containing a chiastic structure involving five scenes (p. 247). However, it is quite plain that 18.1–27 is meant to be regarded as a single structural unit, with 1–11 emphasizing Jesus against Peter, 12–14 as a transitional pericope, and 15–27 (of equal length with 1–11) emphasizing Peter against Jesus. Three arguments support these structural divisions: (i) both scenes are rounded off with a reference to the high priest's servant Malchus; (ii) the preservation of 18.1–27 as a single unit results in a narrative triptych of three equal parts (A = 18.1–27, B = 18.28–19.16a, C = 19.16b–42, each part approximately twenty-seven verses long); (iii) the evangelist presents a consistent character contrast between Jesus and Peter which runs through the whole of 18.1–27 and which clearly ends at verse 27.