{The band of soldiers} (	(886e) speiran). No word for "of
soldiers" in the Greek, but the Latin _spira_ (roll or ball) was
used for a military cohort (Polybius 11, 23, 1) as in  Mt 27:27  Ac 10:1 , etc., here for a small band secured from the Tower of
Antonia. The Synoptics do not mention the soldiers, but only the
"officers" as here (hup(8872)etas for which see  Mt 26:58  Mr
14:54,65 ) or temple police from the Sanhedrin. {Cometh}
(erchetai). Dramatic historical present middle indicative.
{With lanterns and torches} (meta phan(936e) kai lampad(936e)). Both
old words, phanos only here in N.T., lampas, an oil lamp ( Mt
25:1 ). It was full moon, but Judas took no chances for it may
have been cloudy and there were dark places by the walls and
under the olive trees. Meta is accompanied with {and weapons}
(kai hopl(936e)). Mark ( Mr 14:43 ) mentions "swords and staves."
Probably the temple guard had weapons as well as the soldiers.