It is now only a matter of time, and Jesus prepares his disciples who understand absolutely nothing.
The last supper is celebrated with the twelve apostles in the upper room. Jesus says one of them will betray him, and they have no idea which one. John ‘the disciple who Jesus loved’ asks him, Who? And gets an answer: the one who dips his hand into the bowl with me (Matt 26:23).
The one who is to betray him goes out. Then with only hours left, they go to the Mount of Olives and the disciples fall asleep. The authorities arrive at the hour of darkness when Jesus is alone with only the eleven dosing. They ask for “Jesus of Nazareth”. Jesus steps forward and says “I AM”, and the soldiers and Judas the betrayer fall back. They cower before Jesus because he is strong and unafraid. Jesus speaks to the guards while the disciples slip away; they scatter terrified, knowing that they too will die if associated with Jesus.
Jesus is arrested and taken to the house of Caiaphas, High Priest and his father Annas. The Jews charge Jesus with blasphemy for claiming to be the Messiah. They take him to the Roman governor’s palace where he is questioned by Pilate.
How are the details about the trial given in the gospel of John known – if, at this point, Jesus is alone with no followers present?
The answer is that Jesus did have followers in Judea, even in Herod Agrippa’s own household. The wife of Chuza, the manager of Herod’s household, whose name was Joanna was, I believe, the witness who saw and memorized everything (see Luke 8:3). There is also Susanna who accompanied Joanna.
Merry and True 