7 Again he asked them, "Who is it you want?"
And they said, "Jesus of Nazareth."
8 "I told you that I am he," Jesus answered. "If you are looking for me, then let these men go." 9 This happened so that the words he had spoken would be fulfilled: "I have not lost one of those you gave me."
The tender mercies and compassion of our Lord Jesus are here exhibited in the demonstration of His protection over His disciples. In exposing Himself, He excuses them. Being a chicken at heart, I can only imagine the great relief His Words must have, at first blush, brought to His guys. Perhaps they could have even surmised that if they were to be let go, they might have had a chance, albeit ever so small, of rescuing Him back - as if He needed their help! More than likely the “save your own skin” mentality of fleshly human nature surfaced in the disciples and they clung to His Words of their release. Jesus was out to secure their safety. This was in fact a fulfillment to His Words found in John 6:
38 “For I have come down from heaven not to do my will but to do the will of him who sent me. 39 And this is the will of him who sent me, that I shall lose none of all that he has given me, but raise them up at the last day.” John 6:38-39 (NIV)
God’s covenant people should never imagine that His protective eye is not constantly on them. Isaiah speaks of our Lord’s faithful protection:
2 When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze. Isaiah 43:2 (NIV)
“Though our Savior’s passion is over, His compassion is not.” William Penn
Jesus had also told them earlier in John that He was the Good Shepherd and being the Good Shepherd He would lay down His life for His sheep:
11 “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.” John 10:11 (NIV)
I am again reminded of the prophet Isaiah’s words picturing the Lord as a Shepherd and the tender care He takes of His sheep particularly the weakest of the weak:
11 He tends his flock like a shepherd: He gathers the lambs in his arms and carries them close to his heart; he gently leads those that have young. Isaiah 40:11 (NIV)
“Grace is love that cares and stoops and rescues.” John R W. Stott
Our Lord was well aware that in their flesh, His guys would not be strong enough to bear the trial. Remember this scene occurred prior to the filling of the Holy Spirit in these vessels of clay. Had they been taken prisoners their fleshly faith and resolution would surely have failed them as evidenced by their fleeing and dispersing and denying conduct which followed. He therefore provides for their escape and brilliantly overrules the enemies’ plans. Paul writes of this in I Corinthians:
13 No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it. 1 Cor 10:13 (NIV)
We must never forget that the care of Jesus for His people not only provides for them eternal salvation but also a means of perseverance and continuation in the faith. Jesus will preserve the natural life for the length of service for which it is intended – ever causing us to stand because He is faithful and able to cause us to stand:
And he will stand, for the Lord is able to make him stand. Romans 14:4 (NIV)
“He considers our frame, will wisely time the cross, and proportion it to our strength.” Matthew Henry