Passion: “I Am He”

Rev. C. Vogelaar, Covell Avenue, Grand. Rapids, MI

During the Passion months, we may hear the gospel of the bitter suffering of the Lord Jesus Christ. Truly, “He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief!’ Blessed are they who may say with the prophet, “Surely he hath borne our griefs and carried our sorrows.”

The Apostle John shows this sin-bearing Mediator in the Garden of Gethsemane. There, Jesus prayed for His disciples even though they could not watch with Him for one hour. They were just stumbling blocks and increased His sorrow, but “Jesus went forth.” He would not rest until He had accomplished the work the Father gave him to do. His disciples followed Him even though the way seemed so strange and so incomprehensible to them.

Christ went into the garden to obey His Father, to pay the debts of rebels who fell away from God when they were placed in another garden. What a striking difference there was between those two gardens! In the Garden of Eden all was delightful; there was peace and true joy, but in Gethsemane everything was so terrible; there was heavy strife and the power of darkness. In Eden’s garden Adam and Eve sinned; in Gethsemane the Savior suffered as a holy, spotless Lamb. In Eden, Adam and Eve fell, but here in Gethsemane the Redeemer conquered when He was assaulted by the devil and his army. In Eden we lost our glory, our riches, but in the Garden of Gethsemane Christ announced, “Of them which Thou gavest Me, I have lost none.”

In Eden God sought Adam, but in Gethsemane the last Adam sought the countenance of God. In Eden the sword of God’s justice was drawn against the guilty sinner, but by the suffering and obedience of Christ in Gethsemane and upon Golgotha the sword was put in the sheath. Christ entered into this Garden of Gethsemane. Gethsemane means “olive press.” Here, Christ was pressed by God’s wrath. “His sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down upon the ground.”

Here, He will also deliver Himself voluntarily into the hands of His enemies. He presents Himself unto them with the question,“Whom seek ye? They answered Him, Jesus of Nazareth. Jesus saith unto them, I am He.” He says, “I am that despised Man of Nazareth.” What a blessing this is for those who live in Nazareth and who have experienced what Nathaniel said, “Can any good thing come out of Nazareth?” What a blessing for such ones who have learned to know themselves, by grace, as those whose righteousnesses are as filthy rags. Here, we see the Son of God, willing to be called Jesus of Nazareth. He says, “I am He.”

His word unto His enemies is a word with power. It brings His enemies to the dust in humiliation, shame, and unworthiness, but they fall backward, experiencing His power without surrendering themselves unto Him. No, they are not a willing people in the day of His power. They maintain themselves and will soon rise again and show that their hearts are not renewed.

They seek Him, but not as guilty sinners who long for the healing of the breach between God and their soul. They seek Him, not to be delivered from sin and to be restored into the blessed fellowship with God but to deliver Him up to the judge. They seek Him in order to take Him away and to demand His death as we read, “Let Him be crucified.”

How do we seek Him? The fact that we experienced His power, with perhaps deep impressions of it in our heart, does not mean that we fell forward, bowing down before Him in the dust and losing the battle against Him. How many have just fallen backward, only to arise again after some time of conviction and then continue as an enemy of free grace? This is our picture, by nature, this band of soldiers and officers from the chief priests and Pharisees, seeking Him to cast him out, to destroy Him. How we need the enlightening of the Spirit in order that we may see and acknowledge this.

He says to them again, “Whom seek ye?” And when they answer again, “Jesus of Nazareth,” He says, “I have told you that I am He.” Here, He presents Himself in His humiliation unto His enemies. He does not hide Himself; He does not run away but goes forward and says, “If therefore ye seek Me, let these go their way.” This humiliated, despised, suffering Lamb of God is preached and proclaimed even unto bitter enemies as the only Name given under heaven whereby we must be saved. He will soon be placed before the multitude of the Jews as their King. Oh, how great is God’s goodness to show such a way unto those who, by nature, are enemies.

We also may hear again of His suffering, shame, and death so that sinners may return unto God and enemies be reconciled with Him. How blind these men, also Judas, were of the necessity and preciousness of this mediatorial way. Yea, even the disciples, although they loved Him, were ignorant of it. Oh, that the Lord would open our eyes for it so that we may see why He stood there in Gethsemane’s garden and why He gave Himself so willingly. If, and when, we truly see this, we become ashamed and humbled to the dust, and we weep because of our enmity and our sins.

Jesus says, “I am He.” He speaks these words to His enemies, but He also says it to His Father, for here in this garden stands the Surety, bearing the sins of His Church. Not only His enemies are against Him and want to bring Him to the Judge but also the Father is against Him. The Father had said, “Awake, O sword, against My Shepherd, and against the Man that is My Fellow.” This Shepherd will be smitten by the sword of God’s righteous wrath, for Christ has promised to bear God’s wrath and to pay His people’s debts. God the Father asked, “Who is He that engaged His heart to approach unto Me?” And the Son came forward and said, “Lo, I come (in the volume of the book it is written of Me).” In this manner He presented Himself to the Father to be the Redeemer of guilty, fallen sinners, and now, here in the Garden of Gethsemane, the time has come that this will be required of His hand. The Lord sought the first Adam and said, “Where art thou?” Here, He comes to the last Adam, the Surety, and says, “Where art Thou?”

Christ does not hide Himself behind the bushes as Adam did. No, He presents Himself voluntarily to the Father, to the glorious adoration of all the perfect attributes of God. In voluntarily presenting Himself, the Savior paves the way to magnify His Father’s attributes by His suretyship, and that is out of perfect love. Christ is about to be taken prisoner, but He does not act as a helpless captive, rather like a mighty glorious King. He presents Himself in His people’s place unto the Father who says, “Where art Thou?” And He says, “I am He.” I am the Debtor, the One who has to restore that which I took not away. When the sword of Gods justice is awakened, He says, “Let that sword come upon Me. I am the responsible Person who must bear the punishment. ‘I am He’; take Me. If therefore Thou seekest Me, let these go their way.”

Christ does not hide Himself behind the bushes as Adam did. No, He presents Himself voluntarily to the Father, to the glorious adoration of all the perfect attributes of God. In voluntarily presenting Himself the Savior paves the way to magnify His Father’s attributes by His suretyship, and that is out of perfect love.

Oh, that wonderful substitutionary surrendering of the Lamb of God for His people, for an unfaithful Peter, for those who will soon forsake Him! How is it possible that He presents Himself unto the Father for such a people? To this the only answer can be, “I have loved thee with an everlasting love.” He says, “Here I am; put the stripes upon Me that they may be healed; give Me Thy blows, so they might receive kisses; give Me Thy wrath, so they might receive peace and rest and joy. Let Me be forsaken, so they might be accepted and never be forsaken by Thee.” Oh, have you ever seen Him, the greater Judah, here in the Garden of Gethsemane, saying, “I am Surety for them; of My hand shalt Thou require them”? When this suffering Mediator is revealed unto them and they may see Him with the eyes of faith, they will say, “He is white and ruddy, the chiefest among ten thousand, and altogether lovely.”

Blessed are they who may say, “This is my Beloved and this is my Friend, O, daughters of Jerusalem.” Why do we so often go astray and, like the disciples, forsake and deny Him? He is the only Way; He is such a precious, willing Savior who receives sinners and eateth with them. In Him alone is righteousness and peace for poor wretched sinners. He calls us, also in these Passion weeks, to forsake the ways of unrighteousness and of self-righteousness and to turn unto Him. “Look unto Me, and be ye saved, all ye ends of the earth: for I am God, and there is none else.” Oh, that by grace, we may give heed, listen, and learn to flee unto Him. Then we will learn to say, “Draw me and I will run after thee.” Perhaps you say, “But would He be willing to receive me, such a filthy, unworthy one? And where can I find Him?” Oh, then listen as to how He also presents Himself unto His Church.

There they are—Peter, John, James, and the other disciples, followers of Him by grace, but now they are much confused. Soon, when the Shepherd will be smitten, these sheep will be scattered. They will be offended, and they will deny Him; they will be afraid, guilty, and ashamed. All hope will be taken away, and they will mourn when He shall be taken away from them. There are still such people upon earth. They are not strangers of God’s seeking love. They know how the Lord has called them, conquered them, discovered them, and led them—at His time—unto Christ. He is the Door of Hope revealed unto them when they expected to be cast away. They confessed wholeheartedly that they had deserved it. What a wonder it was when the Lord revealed that way of escape and they became students at the feet of the great Master! How ignorant, however, they are of the way wherein they will be saved. They expect a good, important place in His glorious kingdom, and so to go forward—to increase in faith, in love, in good works, and to be with Him in His glory.

There comes a time that He takes away their sweet experiences of His nearness, a time that Christ is hidden and God’s justice comes to the foreground; they see that their guilt is not taken away and that their debts are not paid. Now, when they need Him so much, they do not and cannot see Him of whom they spoke, saying it was He who would redeem Israel. Now they only see the sword of God’s justice that must strike them, and there is neither Hiding Place nor Surety for them. With all that they have experienced in the past, they cannot help themselves. It becomes a lost case, and there is no hope for them. Are you such a guilty, ashamed, and mourning sinner who cannot see and find the Redeemer? Here He is, standing in the place of enemies, presenting Himself unto the Father, but also unto them. Here, He stands and says, “I am Tie.” Once, He also said this to the Samaritan woman, “I that speak unto thee am He” (John 4:26). He also revealed Himself unto the man born blind when he found him being cast out of the synagogue, and He said, “Thou hast both seen Him, and it is He that talketh with thee” (John 9:37).

Here, in our text He says, “I have told you that I am He: if therefore ye seek Me, let these go their way.” Here, as Surety, He demands a safe conduct for His poor, trembling people. His demands will be realized; He will receive His reward. Oh, you may see Him, people of God, as your Substitute, making intercession with the Father! He demands your freedom, your release, and your acquittal. Here is the Sin-bearer, the Surety; here is the Ransom acceptable by God. What a wonder! It pleased the Lord to smite Him, to bruise Him, that you may be healed. Now the sword of God’s justice will not kill those guilty sinners, but they will receive the pardoning of their sins, protection, and guidance on their way through the wilderness. He will be bound that they may be set at liberty. He breaks their bands asunder and says, “Son or daughter, be of good cheer, your sins are forgiven you.” Then they may sing of His deliverance, “Gracious is the Lord, and righteous; yea, our God is merciful.” This is the Passion gospel.

May the Holy Spirit bring this good tiding into your heart and apply it unto your soul so that you may hear and see Him who says, “I am He.” Isn’t He everything to you, child of God? “Ye are bought with a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s.” May we learn to bow before Him before it is too late, before He comes, not as a Lamb, but as a righteous Judge on the clouds of heaven. Then His enemies will hear, “I am He,” the One who walked among you, who was proclaimed unto you, but you did not want Me to reign over you. You also sought Me but not to be your Physician, your Redeemer. Oh, “Seek Him while He may be found, call ye upon Him while He is near.” May we learn to bow before Him, begging for His grace, for He will not cast out those who come unto Him in truth. They will see that He is merciful and of great compassion. Therefore, sinners who have been delivered from their bands will give Him all the honor when they may see Him who says, “I am He.” Then, they will see Him as their King in glory, and they may worship Him.

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