Philip Christian Parks on John 18:18 - 3 years ago
Who were these "officers" recorded in John 18:3?
These particular band and officers were not Roman soldiers. These were Jewish temple officers and their band of subordinates employed by temple officials to enforce the proper entrance and behavior of the Jews' activities when on the temple's campus, or in the temple's structures, and certainly within the temple proper.
Compare the expression "the captain of the temple" (Ac. 4:1; 5:24, 26) identifying the Jewish officer appointed to preserve the temple's sanctity.
Rome did not involve its legionary officers and captains in such Jewish matters, nor would the Jews care to have such Roman Gentile involvement. Rome seldom involved herself in mitigating Jewish disagreements concerning their laws and traditions. Pilate so much as said so when Caiaphas delivered JESUS to Pilate for judgment ( Jn. 18:31): "Take ye HIM, and judge HIM according to your law."
The following explanatory exegesis substantiate that this band and officers were Jews:
1st, they were "from the chief priests and Pharisees" (v.3) and "of the Jews" (v.12). Roman officials would not humiliate themselves into Jewish servitude in such fashion. Doing so would be tantamount to the conquerors serving the conquered.
2nd, John 7:28 and 32 reveals the employment of Jewish officers to accomplish temple tasks and missions. There, CHRIST taught in the temple (v. 28) when "the Pharisees and the chief priests sent officers to take HIM" (v.32). The Pharisees and the chief priests would never send heathen Gentile Roman military officers into the temple for any reason.
These particular band and officers were not Roman soldiers. These were Jewish temple officers and their band of subordinates employed by temple officials to enforce the proper entrance and behavior of the Jews' activities when on the temple's campus, or in the temple's structures, and certainly within the temple proper.
Compare the expression "the captain of the temple" (Ac. 4:1; 5:24, 26) identifying the Jewish officer appointed to preserve the temple's sanctity.
Rome did not involve its legionary officers and captains in such Jewish matters, nor would the Jews care to have such Roman Gentile involvement. Rome seldom involved herself in mitigating Jewish disagreements concerning their laws and traditions. Pilate so much as said so when Caiaphas delivered JESUS to Pilate for judgment ( Jn. 18:31): "Take ye HIM, and judge HIM according to your law."
The following explanatory exegesis substantiate that this band and officers were Jews:
1st, they were "from the chief priests and Pharisees" (v.3) and "of the Jews" (v.12). Roman officials would not humiliate themselves into Jewish servitude in such fashion. Doing so would be tantamount to the conquerors serving the conquered.
2nd, John 7:28 and 32 reveals the employment of Jewish officers to accomplish temple tasks and missions. There, CHRIST taught in the temple (v. 28) when "the Pharisees and the chief priests sent officers to take HIM" (v.32). The Pharisees and the chief priests would never send heathen Gentile Roman military officers into the temple for any reason.
Great insight!
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