The Meaning of John 18:5 Explained

John 18:5

KJV: They answered him, Jesus of Nazareth. Jesus saith unto them, I am he. And Judas also, which betrayed him, stood with them.

YLT: they answered him, 'Jesus the Nazarene;' Jesus saith to them, 'I am he;' -- and Judas who delivered him up was standing with them; --

Darby: They answered him, Jesus the Nazaraean. Jesus says to them, I am he. And Judas also, who delivered him up, stood with them.

ASV: They answered him, Jesus of Nazareth. Jesus saith unto them, I am he . And Judas also, who betrayed him, was standing with them.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

They answered  him,  Jesus  of Nazareth.  Jesus  saith  unto them,  I  am  [he]. And  Judas  also,  which  betrayed  him,  stood  with  them. 

What does John 18:5 Mean?

Context Summary

John 18:1-11 - Jesus Accepts His Suffering
Our Lord went forth from the city and across the brook Cedron to Gethsemane, but not for the purpose of concealment, as John 18:2 clearly shows. How characteristic it was that He should meet the band and ask that He should be taken, while the disciples should be permitted to escape! Was not this what He was ever doing-meeting peril, temptation, and death, that the great company whom He was bringing to glory might be saved? What meekness and majesty are here! Meekness-that He should subject Himself to the binding thong; majesty-that He should be able to use the unspeakable name of God-I AM, for the word "He"is not in the Greek.
The cup probably referred to the anguish caused to His holy nature in being numbered with the transgressors, and bearing the sin of many. There was much in it from which His spirit recoiled, but He chose to do the will of God, however the flesh might start and shrink. Let us ever take the cups of life's pain and sorrow direct from the hand of God, not seeing Judas, but the Father.
Joseph told his brethren that it was not they who had sent him to Egypt, but God. David would not have Shimei silenced, because he felt that God had allowed him to utter his anathema. Here our Lord reposes absolutely on the Father, who loved Him before the world was made. [source]

Chapter Summary: John 18

1  Judas betrays Jesus
6  The officers fall to the ground
10  Peter cuts off Malchus' ear
12  Jesus is taken, and led unto Annas and Caiaphas
15  Peter's denial
19  Jesus examined before Caiaphas
25  Peter's second and third denial
28  Jesus arraigned before Pilate
36  His kingdom
40  The Jews prefer Barabbas

Greek Commentary for John 18:5

Was standing [ιστηκει]
Second past perfect active of ιστημι — histēmi used as imperfect, a vivid picture of Judas in the very act of betraying Jesus. John does not mention the kiss by Judas as a sign to the soldiers and police. Tatian suggests that it came before John 18:4. Then Jesus stepped forth and affirmed that he was the one whom they were seeking. [source]
Of Nazareth [τὸν Ναζωραῖον]
Literally, the Nazarene. [source]
Stood [εἱστήκει]
Imperfect tense. Rev., correctly, was standing. [source]

Reverse Greek Commentary Search for John 18:5

John 1:35 Stood [εἱστήκει]
Rev., more correctly, was standing, since the imperfect tense denotes something in progress. Here, therefore, with the idea of waiting; was standing in expectation. Compare John 7:37; John 18:5, John 18:6, John 18:18. [source]
John 18:16 Was standing [ιστηκει]
Same form in John 18:5 which see. So also ιστηκεισαν — histēkeisan in John 18:18. Picture of Peter standing outside by the door. Unto the high priest Objective genitive here, but dative in John 18:15. Unto her that kept the door Old word (τυρα — thura door, ωρα — ōra care), masculine in John 10:3, feminine here, door-keeper (male or female). [source]
Acts 24:5 A pestilent fellow [λοιμον]
An old word for pest, plague, pestilence, Paul the pest. In N.T. only here and Luke 21:11 This was an offence against Roman law if it could be proven. “Plotted against at Damascus, plotted against at Jerusalem, expelled from Pisidian Antioch, stoned at Lystra, scourged and imprisoned at Philippi, accused of treason at Thessalonica, haled before the proconsul at Corinth, cause of a serious riot at Ephesus, and now finally of a riot at Jerusalem” (Furneaux). Specious proof could have been produced, but was not. Tertullus went on to other charges with which a Roman court had no concern (instance Gallio in Corinth). Throughout the world The Roman inhabited earth Πρωτοστατης — Prōtostatēs is an old word in common use from πρωτος — prōtos and ιστημι — histēmi a front-rank man, a chief, a champion. Here only in the N.T. This charge is certainly true. About “sect” (αιρεσις — hairesis) see note on Acts 5:17. Ναζωραιοι — Nazōraioi here only in the plural in the N.T., elsewhere of Jesus (Matthew 2:23; Matthew 26:71; Luke 18:37; John 18:5, John 18:7; John 19:19; Acts 2:22; Acts 3:6; Acts 4:10; Acts 6:14; Acts 22:8; Acts 26:9). The disciple is not above his Master. There was a sneer in the term as applied to Jesus and here to his followers. [source]
Acts 24:5 Throughout the world [κατα την οικουμενην]
The Roman inhabited earth Πρωτοστατης — Prōtostatēs is an old word in common use from πρωτος — prōtos and ιστημι — histēmi a front-rank man, a chief, a champion. Here only in the N.T. This charge is certainly true. About “sect” (αιρεσις — hairesis) see note on Acts 5:17. Ναζωραιοι — Nazōraioi here only in the plural in the N.T., elsewhere of Jesus (Matthew 2:23; Matthew 26:71; Luke 18:37; John 18:5, John 18:7; John 19:19; Acts 2:22; Acts 3:6; Acts 4:10; Acts 6:14; Acts 22:8; Acts 26:9). The disciple is not above his Master. There was a sneer in the term as applied to Jesus and here to his followers. [source]

What do the individual words in John 18:5 mean?

They answered Him Jesus of Nazareth He says to them I am [He] Had been standing now also Judas who is delivering up Him with them
Ἀπεκρίθησαν αὐτῷ Ἰησοῦν τὸν Ναζωραῖον Λέγει αὐτοῖς Ἐγώ εἰμι Εἱστήκει δὲ καὶ Ἰούδας παραδιδοὺς αὐτὸν μετ’ αὐτῶν

Ἀπεκρίθησαν  They  answered 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Indicative Passive, 3rd Person Plural
Root: ἀποκρίνομαι  
Sense: to give an answer to a question proposed, to answer.
Ἰησοῦν  Jesus 
Parse: Noun, Accusative Masculine Singular
Root: Ἰησοῦς  
Sense: Joshua was the famous captain of the Israelites, Moses’ successor.
Ναζωραῖον  Nazareth 
Parse: Noun, Accusative Masculine Singular
Root: Ναζωραῖος  
Sense: an inhabitant of Nazareth.
Λέγει  He  says 
Parse: Verb, Present Indicative Active, 3rd Person Singular
Root: λέγω 
Sense: to say, to speak.
αὐτοῖς  to  them 
Parse: Personal / Possessive Pronoun, Dative Masculine 3rd Person Plural
Root: αὐτός  
Sense: himself, herself, themselves, itself.
εἰμι  am  [He] 
Parse: Verb, Present Indicative Active, 1st Person Singular
Root: εἰμί  
Sense: to be, to exist, to happen, to be present.
Εἱστήκει  Had  been  standing 
Parse: Verb, Pluperfect Indicative Active, 3rd Person Singular
Root: ἵστημι  
Sense: to cause or make to stand, to place, put, set.
δὲ  now 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: δέ  
Sense: but, moreover, and, etc.
καὶ  also 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: καί  
Sense: and, also, even, indeed, but.
Ἰούδας  Judas 
Parse: Noun, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root: Ἰούδας 
Sense: the fourth son of Jacob.
παραδιδοὺς  is  delivering  up 
Parse: Verb, Present Participle Active, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root: παραδίδωμι  
Sense: to give into the hands (of another).