If someone asked you to identify yourself, what would you use to convince them you were who you said you were? The Explore the Bible Study: I Am He, will reveal from John 18 a man, the Son of God, who did not deny who He was. In both words and deeds, it was obvious that He was Jesus, the Messiah. As we examine the way Jesus identified Himself, we should consider whether our words and deeds identify us as true followers of Jesus.

Jesus’ Habits Reveal Who He Is—John 18:1-3

Jesus has just spent time with His disciples during the Passover feast. He had instituted the Lord’s Supper and given His farewell discourse including the prayer for His disciples. This lasted into the evening and now, after saying “these things,” it was time to travel across the Kidron Valley to the garden of Gethsemane.

The valley ran north to south on the east side of Jerusalem. It lay between the temple and the Mount of Olives (Acts 1:12).

Other passages in the Bible reveal more about the garden and about the habits of Jesus.

• First, based on this passage we see that this garden was a regular place for Jesus to spend time with His followers. This reveals Jesus’ habit of building relationships, teaching, and encouraging His followers. Judas knew this; thus, it also became a place for betrayal.
• Second, we know this as a place of prayer. Matthew 26:41 tells us that “Jesus came with them to a place called Gethsemane, and he told the disciples, ‘Sit here while I go over there and pray.’” At this specific time, Jesus’ prayer was agonizing as He sought strength from the Father to face what He knew would come as He left the garden.

The habits of Jesus revealed His identity because it was through these habits that we know how much He loved His followers and how much He passionately desired to follow God’s will. 

What habits might reveal to others that someone is a follower of Christ?

Matthew tells us that, after praying a third time regarding what was about to happen, Jesus says to His disciples, “See, the time is near. The Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. Get up; let’s go. See, my betrayer is near.” (Matthew 26:45-46) Because Judas, the betrayer, knew the habits of Jesus, he was ready as Jesus left the garden. He arrived with a company of soldiers and some officials from the chief priests and the Pharisees.” They came there with lanterns, torches, and weapons.  

The term company could refer to a number between 200-600 soldiers in the Roman army. Between the forces arrayed against Jesus and the religious leaders, one would think that a major battle was about to take place! This is certainly an overwhelming group compared to Him and eleven disciples. 

Which of the words Jesus spoke in this passage help you understand more fully the identity of Christ? What can believers learn from the way Jesus spoke to His accusers?

Not only did Jesus’ habits and His words reveal His identify, but His actions also reveal who He is.

Jesus' Actions Reveal Who He Is—John 18:10-11

What do the actions of Simon Peter reveal?

What do the actions of Jesus reveal? Why didn’t Jesus let Simon Peter defend Him?

Are believers today acting more like Simon Peter or like Jesus?

Examine more of the actions of Jesus by reading the accounts of this event from Matthew and Luke. This will help you understand more fully the actions of Jesus as the Son of God. Place your cursor over the following passages or look them up in your own Bible: Matthew 26:51-54; Luke 22:50-51.

Jesus stopped Peter’s attack and healed Malchus’ ear (Luke 22:51). If Jesus had not intervened, the soldiers probably would have responded with deadly force or at least by seizing Peter and the other disciples. Jesus did not come to start a war. He came to drink the cup of His Father to suffer and die for the world’s sins. Simon Peter thought he could take on an entire Roman company and the religious leaders. In so doing, he could have thwarted God’s salvation plan, and Jesus wasn’t going to let that happen.

Believers can obediently involve themselves in God’s redemptive plan. However, if we attempt to bring about God’s plans through our own means, we risk missing out on seeing God work in ways that only He could work.

Your Life -- A False Identify or a Real Identity?

In 2022 a man was arrested in Scotland but denied he was the one who committed the crimes. According to BBC.com the Scottish court has ruled that the man arrested is US fugitive Nicholas Rossi. The man had claimed to have been the victim of mistaken identity, and insisted his name was Arthur Knight. But Edinburgh Sheriff Court heard that his tattoos and fingerprints matched those of Rossi. Authorities in the US are seeking Rossi's extradition over allegations of rape and sexual assault. It is alleged that he faked his own death and fled to Scotland to escape prosecution. He had spent the past year insisting that he was Arthur Knight, an orphan from Ireland who had never been to the US. (Source: BBC News, https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-scotland-63568949)

People who are fleeing prosecution for a crime often change their identity and go to great lengths to hide who they really are. However, when one is innocent, there is no need to hide your identity. Additionally, your identity will be verified by your actions. This certainly was the case for Jesus. He had committed no crime and had no reason to deny His identity on the day of His arrest. Yet, from our human perspective, it might have been tempting to deny He was who He said He was when the soldiers came to arrest Him.

Jesus’ identity as the Son of God was revealed by His: Habits, Words, and Actions.

What kind of habits would reveal you are a follower of Christ?

What kind of words would reveal you are a follower of Christ?

What kind of actions would reveal you are a follower of Christ?

Consider your own life. How would others verify your identity as a professing follower of Christ?

The downloadable teaching helps provide more details for this study, along with some tools you can use in guiding a group Bible study. 

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These teaching helps are intended to be used as a supplement to your study of Lifeway's Explore the Bible curriculum resources. Portions of this material are taken directly from content copyrighted to Lifeway Christian Resources Explore the Bible and is used with permission.  This material has not been reviewed by Lifeway Christian Resources.