John: Week 36 (Wednesday, October 9 2019)
Chapter 18: 10-18, 25-27
10 Simon Peter had a sword. He took hold of it and he attacked the servant of the leader of the priests. He cut off the servant's right ear. The servant's name was Malchus. 11 Then Jesus said to Peter, ‘Put your sword away in its place! My Father has decided what great pain I must have. I will obey him completely.’
12 The group of soldiers, with their captain and the Jewish officers, took hold of Jesus and they tied his arms. 13 They led him first to Annas, who was the father of Caiaphas's wife. Caiaphas was the leader of the priests that year. 14 It was Caiaphas who had spoken to the Jewish leaders some time before. He had told them, ‘It is better that one man should die on behalf of the people.’
Peter says that he does not know Jesus
15 Simon Peter and another disciple followed Jesus. That other disciple and the leader of the priests knew each other. So, that disciple went with Jesus into the yard of the house of the leader of the priests. 16 But Peter stayed outside by the gate. Then the other disciple went out again. He spoke to the girl who was watching at the gate. Then he brought Peter into the yard. 17 The girl who was at the gate asked Peter, ‘Are you another of this man's disciples?’ Peter replied, ‘No, I am not!’
25 Simon Peter was still standing there by the fire to make himself warm. The other people there said to him, ‘You must also be one of that man's disciples.’ But Peter said, ‘No, I am not.’
26 One of the people there was a servant of the leader of the priests. He belonged to the same family as the man whose ear Peter had cut off. This servant said to Peter, ‘I am sure that I saw you in the garden with Jesus.’ 27 Again, Peter said, ‘No, that is not true.’ Immediately a cockerel sang.
Verse 10 Simon Peter tried to protect Jesus. He attacked the High Priest’s servant with a sword. But Jesus did not want this. Peter was trying to stop God’s plan, although he did not realise this. Also, Peter had hurt somebody on purpose. Peter’s behaviour was wrong. So Jesus told him to put away his sword. (Luke’s Gospel tells us that then Jesus cured the servant’s ear, Luke 22:51.)
‘I must drink from the cup that the Father has given to me’ (verse 11). The ‘cup’ was a symbol. It referred to all the pain that Jesus had to suffer. He had to suffer so that he could save us.
The soldiers take Jesus to Annas 18:12-14
v12 Then the Roman soldiers, their leader, and the guards from the Temple arrested Jesus. They bound him. v13 Firstly, they took him to Annas. Annas was the father of Caiaphas’ wife. Caiaphas was the High Priest during that year. v14 Caiaphas had advised the Jewish leaders what to do about Jesus. Caiaphas had told them that it was better for one man to die on behalf of all the people.
Verses 12-14 Immediately, the soldiers and the guards took Jesus to the High Priest’s home. The Jewish leaders were in a hurry. They wanted to execute Jesus quickly, before the Sabbath. But firstly, the High Priest had to say that Jesus was guilty.
Annas had been the High Priest before Caiaphas. So many Jews considered that he had the same authority still as a High Priest.
Simon Peter says that he does not know Jesus 18:15-18
v15 Simon Peter and another disciple followed Jesus. The High Priest knew the other disciple. Because of this, the other disciple was able to enter the yard outside the High Priest’s home. So this disciple went in as Jesus entered. v16 But Peter had to wait outside the yard, by the gate. So the other disciple, whom the High Priest knew, came out again. He spoke to the woman who was on duty. She was guarding the gate. She let Peter enter the yard. v17 But she asked him, ‘Are you one of Jesus’ disciples?’
Peter answered, ‘No, I am not.’
v18 It was cold. The servants and the guards had made a fire. They were standing near to it in order to keep themselves warm. Peter stood with them in order to warm himself.
Verses 15-17 Some experts think that the other disciple was John, the author of this Gospel. Other experts think that it was a different person. Perhaps he was a follower from Jerusalem rather than from Galilee. However, this disciple knew the High Priest. And so he was able to enter the yard of the High Priest’s home.
The woman who was guarding the gate probably knew this disciple, too. So she allowed Peter to enter with him.
Verse 18 But she recognised Peter as one of Jesus’ disciples. Peter denied this. The leaders had arrested Jesus already. They would want to arrest his followers, too. Peter was afraid of what would happen to him. So he lied to the woman. He wanted to stay near to Jesus. Peter wanted to know what would happen to Jesus. But Peter was not brave enough to say that he knew Jesus.
Verses 25-27 Peter had tried to defend Jesus when the guards came to arrest him. Most of Jesus’ disciples had run away. But Simon Peter, with the other disciple, had followed Jesus to the High Priest’s home. Peter could have run away at any time. But instead, he waited outside to see what would happen to Jesus.
However, he was very afraid. So, twice more, he said that he did not know Jesus. Jesus had said already that Peter would do this (John 13:38).
Sometimes, we may want to say that we do not know Jesus. This is because we are afraid. People may laugh at us or they may become angry with us. In some countries, it is not legal to be a Christian. In such places, Christians may go to prison because they *believe in Jesus.
It is a sin for a Christian to say that they do not believe in Jesus. But there is no sin that is too bad for God to forgive. We must remember that Jesus forgave Peter (John 21:15-17).