John 18:6 - Coke's Commentary on the Holy Bible

They went backward, and fell to the ground.— As there were scribes and priests among them, they must have read of the destruction of those companies, which came to seize the prophet Elijah, Exodus 1:10; 2 Kings 1:12.—a fact, which bore so great a resemblance to the present, that it is an amazing instance of the most obdurate wickedness, that they should venture to renew the assault on Christ after so sensible an experience both of his power and mercy. Nothing seems more probable, than that these men might endeavour to persuade themselves and their attendants, that this strange repulse was effected by some daemon, in confederacy with Jesus, who opposed the execution of justice upon him; and they might perhaps ascribe it to the special providence of God, rather than to the indulgence of Jesus, that they had received no further damage. The most corrupt heart has commonly its reasonings to support it in its absurdest notions and most criminal actions. However, to all unprejudiced minds, this exertion and suspension of his divine power were sufficient proofs that our Lord could not have been apprehended without his own consent, and that his death was a voluntary sacrifice.