Introduction

The historical narrative of John 18:12-27 takes us through the flow of two dramas occurring at the same time. Both have tremendous significance on their own, yet they are mingled together by John and the Holy Spirit in this passage. These two dramas teach us the two basic truths to all Christian doctrine: The glory of Christ and the sinfulness of man. Christianity is built on the fact that Christ is glorious, God is holy, and man is sinful. Everything else is built on that foundation. John graphically contrasts the tremendous majesty of Jesus Christ and the depth of sin in the life of men by presenting Jesus Christ in His trial and Peter in his denial.

A. The Response to the Display of Glory

Jesus had manifested His majesty in the Garden. He left for all time upon all men who read the Word of God the impression that He was never a victim, but always a victor. The sad, pathetic, and almost unbelievable response to the display of glory, majesty, and divine power is recorded in verse 12: "Then the band [the cohort of Roman soldiers] and the captain [Gk. chiliarchos -- ruler over a thousand] and officers [Temple police] of the Jews took [officially arrested] Jesus, and bound Him." So, this massive force took Jesus and bound Him almost as if He hadn't even done anything miraculous to show them who He was. It was as if their minds were suddenly blanked out to what they had just experienced of the display of majesty. The body of the Son of God was bound in order that our souls might be loosed from the cords of sin and Satan. The blindness of sin cannot see the miraculous character and deity of Jesus Christ.

In John 18:12-27 two dramas take place: Jesus' trial and Peter's denial. They are interwoven throughout this passage. Jesus' trial and Peter's denial reveal to us the two basic, foundational truths of Christianity: the glory of Christ and the sinfulness of man. Even Peter, who was certainly above other men in the fact that he believed, provides a great illustration of the sinfulness of sin.

1. THE RECORD OF INTERWOVEN ACCOUNTS

Now, in John's record by the Holy Spirit, these accounts are interwoven. It would have been very simple for the Holy Spirit to put the trial in one spot (at least the trial before Annas), and Peter's denial in another spot, leaving them separate so they could be observed individually, but the Spirit of God weaves them together.

Now, many commentaries and books have the tendency to put these two accounts together for simplicity's sake. But it is better to leave them the way they are because that is how the Holy Spirit arranged them. These two different dramas eventually are resolved in a powerful, closing climax.

2. THE REASONS FOR INTERWOVEN ACCOUNTS

Now, why does the Holy Spirit want these two accounts intermingled?

a. To Emphasize Two Truths

Perhaps they emphasize these two truths: the glory of Christ and the sinfulness of man.

b. To Emphasize the Necessity of Christ's Atoning Death

Perhaps they emphasize that Christ's atoning death was necessary by showing not only the sinfulness of the unregenerate, but even the sinfulness in the life of a believer.

c. To Contrast Faithfulness and Faithlessness

These two might also be intermingled to give us a very lasting and vivid contrast between the loving faithfulness of Jesus and the loveless faithlessness of Peter. Certainly there is a distinction between the kind of love that Jesus shows -- caring for His disciples right on through the trial, faithful to them to the end -- and Peter who is faithless, denying Christ. So, perhaps one reason is that they contrast the love of Christ for us with the love of us for Him, which leaves a lot to be desired.

d. To Exalt Jesus Christ

But the clearest reason of all, the one that is most significant in the Gospel of John, is that we might exalt Christ. How can someone be exalted in an arrest, an indictment, and a mock trial in which He is spit on, punched, pushed, abused, and mocked? The only way is by contrast. So no matter how humiliated Jesus is, Peter is humiliated far more. So by comparison, Jesus Christ is again exalted. The Holy Spirit exalts Christ by comparison to Peter and weaves the two accounts together so we are made aware of the beauties of Jesus in comparison with the terrible, degrading attitude of Peter.

Now Peter was no run-of-the-mill person; he was a disciple who belonged to Jesus Christ. He knew better. He was probably the greatest of the disciples in terms of natural abilities and force of personality. He was quite an individual. And yet he is the one who appears so low by comparison. He is more elevated than other men, yet he is still lower than Jesus. After reading this particular passage, two things can be observed: the beauty and dignity of Jesus and the depths of sin of Peter.

Now, let's look at...

I. JESUS' TRIAL -- ACT I (vv. 12-14)

A. Christ's Captors (v. 12)

"Then the band and the captain and officers of the Jews took Jesus, and bound Him."

1. THE BLINDING

This is an interesting multitude that has come to arrest Jesus, and they provide a good illustration of the world's sin and rejection of Christ. Within this multitude there are Gentiles and Jews, the heathen and religious, soldiers and servants, and priests and Pharisees. Though they may not all have all things in common, they do have one thing in common, and that is that they are totally blind to the incomparable qualities of the Son of God. They are insensible and unmoved, coming only to parrot and carry out their orders -- totally untouched by the tremendous display of the power of Jesus Christ that they have just witnessed. They present a graphic illustration of the terrible sinfulness of the natural man who, even in the face of a display of miracles, does not believe. That is the grip of sin. It's not hard to understand the unbelief and hardness of heart we see today when we understand it was present in Jesus' day.

Even in the Kingdom, when Jesus Christ sits on the throne in Jerusalem and rules the earth by accomplishing the marvelous things that only He can, there will be a worldwide revolution by people who have rejected Him and who will move to fight against Him. The Apostle Paul describes the depth and the sinfulness of sin: "In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them who believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them" (2 Cor. 4:4).

2. THE BINDING

Notice that in verse 12 they "bound Him." There were probably several reasons for this:

a. The Common Practice

It was common practice with a captive to bind him in order to secure him.

b. The Counsel of Judas

In Matthew 26:48 Judas had made the statement: "...hold Him fast." So they took the advice of Judas.

c. The Confirmation of Scripture

But beyond these two there is certainly a very beautiful fulfillment of typical prophecy. Now, there are two types of prophecy: verbal predictive prophecy, in which a statement is made that will be fulfilled; and typical predictive prophecy, in which a certain act, person, or thing typifies a future fulfillment. For example, a prophet may say that Jesus will be born in Bethlehem (Mic. 5:2). That is a verbal prediction. On the other hand, a sacrifice laid on an altar is a picture of Jesus Christ, and that is a type or a typical prediction. Both are accurate, both are important.

So, as Jesus is bound, we could conclude that He is, in a sense, fulfilling typical prophecy. Psalm 118:27a says, "...bind the sacrifice with cords, even unto the horns of the altar." When the sacrifice was given to the priest, it was bound. In Genesis 22:9, Isaac, who is a picture of Jesus Christ, was bound before he was to be sacrificed. By being bound, Jesus fulfills the Old Testament type -- bound in preparation as a sin offering.

B. Christ's Judges (vv. 13-14)

Now here we meet two real crumbs -- Annas and Caiaphas. They are despicable individuals who would definitely fit into the Bible's rogues' gallery. They are the lowest of the low.

1. ANNAS (v. 13a)

"And led Him away to Annas first; for he was the father-in- law of Caiaphas..."

We need to look at Annas first because the Bible says that they led Jesus away to Annas first, and there was a reason for this. This was the first phase of Jesus' trial.

The Trials of Christ

Jesus had two trials -- a religious trial and a civil trial. His religious trial was with Israel, His civil trial was with Rome. In terms of Jesus' execution, nothing could be done without Rome. Israel could decide that He should die, but Rome had to execute Him because the Jews had no right to take a life since they were under Roman bondage.

1. THE RELIGIOUS TRIAL

The religious trial had three parts:

a. The Arraignment Before Annas

This took place immediately after the arrest in the Garden. It was followed by...

b. The Meeting with Caiaphas and the Sanhedrin

They had come together in the middle of the night, which was illegal, but this was just part of the plot. The whole trial was illegal -- it was never intended to be legal, it was all a mockery. Then to try and validate what they had done, they convened...

c. The Second Meeting with Caiaphas and the Sanhedrin

They regrouped in the morning after daybreak to try to make the trial legal.

So, the religious trial had three phases: before Annas, before Caiaphas and the Sanhedrin in the middle of the night, and before the same group in the morning.

2. THE CIVIL TRIAL

After the religious trial, Jesus went to the civil trial, which also had three phases:

a. Before Pilate

Pilate didn't know what to do, so he sent Jesus to appear...

b. Before Herod

He was the tetrarch of Galilee who happened to be in Jerusalem at the time. But Herod didn't know what to do with Him either so he sent Him...

c. Back to Pilate

So, these are the three phases of the civil trial. This entire mock trial had no evidence from beginning to end. It didn't mean anything, it was just a part of the plot.

a. His Control in Jerusalem

According to John 18:19, Annas is called the "high priest." Now, the question that always arises is: "How come Annas is called the high priest and so is Caiaphas? Can there be two high priests?" Technically, according to God's design, no. But by this time, Israel had deteriorated so much that they had problems of this nature. There were not only one or two high priests, there may have been others who had the right to be called high priests. But Annas was the power behind everything.

1) The Politics of the Position

It is very likely that Annas legitimately had the right to be high priest. He may well have been in the line of Aaron. If that was true, then he did have the right to be high priest. In fact, he was officially high priest during the years A.D. 6 to 15 -- the childhood years of Jesus. But in the year A.D. 15 he was pressured by the Romans to bail out of the office of high priest because they wanted it to be a puppet office, and Annas was too powerful to be used as a puppet. I suppose that Rome felt somewhat threatened and insecure with a man as powerful as Annas running the show permanently until his death, because in the Old Testament, a man was high priest for life. So, technically, Annas was still the legitimate high priest for he was high priest all his life if in fact he was in the line of Aaron. In order to work with the Jews, Rome felt they needed to put a puppet in as high priest, so they would appoint the high priests. Technically, they weren't legitimate.

Annas was so powerful that when he was removed from office, seven of his successors were relatives: Five were his sons, one was his grandson, and Caiaphas was his son- in-law. So he may not have been high priest officially, but he was running the show.

2) The Procurement of His Position

Now, in order to be high priest, all that one had to do was kneel on the ground and kiss Rome's hem, and come up with a lot of money. The office was bought. It was a matter of intrigue, corruption, contention, and bribery. Annas was so rich that he just continued to buy the office of high priest. Consequently, he was always in control. So this was why Annas was involved in Christ's arrest. Caiaphas was simply Annas's puppet.

a) His Source of Income

Evidently Annas was the biggest briber because he had the most money. He earned his money by being in charge of the Temple concessions. When he was removed from office in A.D. 15, he took control of the concessions in the Temple. Annas was the biggest cog in the ecclesiastical machine of Judaism. He was immensely rich and consequently could buy his way into all the important offices. So he remained the power behind the scene.

Extortion in the Temple

You say, "Why did they have concessions in the Temple?" They were concessions for the sale of animals for sacrifices. When people came to make their sacrifices, they first entered into the outer court of the Temple called "The Court of the Gentiles." In this court, concession booths had been set up for the exchange of money because the people had to pay a Temple tax. Anyone who possessed foreign currency had to have it exchanged. Annas also had a monopoly in the sale of sacrificial animals because the Old Testament law required that any sacrifice be without spot and blemish (Ex. 12:5).

So a man would leave his field and go to the Passover bringing his own sacrifice -- carrying a little lamb under his arm. Annas had stationed inspectors of sacrifices in the court. Each sacrifice had to pass the inspection before it could be offered. Naturally, nobody's sacrifice ever passed. As a result, the suggestion was made to obtain an approved sacrifice for sale at a certain booth in the Court of the Gentiles. And it would usually be sold at five times its actual value. In addition, anyone attempting to change their money found themselves cheated about five to one. So, Annas had a real good thing going. As history has indicated to us, at least one Passover time they sacrificed a quarter of a million lambs. That was a lot of money. Annas made his money in extortion. In fact, the entire Temple ground became known as "The Bazaar of Annas."

b) His Scorn by the Jews

The Jews hated Annas. The Talmud says of Annas: "Woe to the house of Annas! Woe to their serpent's hiss! They are High Priests; their sons are keepers of the treasury; their sons-in-law are guardians of the Temple; and their servants beat the people with staves." They had a monopoly; they were in control of everything. So, the Talmud gives us an indication of the Jewish hatred of Annas and his house.

b. His Contempt for Jesus

Now, guess who had twice messed up Annas's operation? None other than Jesus. At the beginning of His ministry, He entered the court and chased everyone out (Jn. 2:13-17), and then did it again at the close of His ministry (Mt. 21:12- 13). This did not make Him very popular with Annas.

If the Jews wanted to get an indictment of Jesus, they naturally would go to Annas for these two reasons: one, he was the brains behind the machinery even though he wasn't officially the high priest; and two, he had a hatred for Jesus. If anyone could come across with some powerful indictments, Annas certainly could.

But Annas was about to meet his infinitely superior match. Annas hated Jesus because he had been hit right where it hurt -- in the moneybags. He hated Jesus because He represented to him something threatening to the security of his office. Caiaphas was scared that Jesus was going to take over, start a revolution, and he would lose his job. He was purely a paid politician.

2. CAIAPHAS (vv. 13b-14)

"...Caiaphas, who was the high priest that same year. Now Caiaphas was he who gave counsel to the Jews, that it was expedient that one man should die for the people."

a. Plotting Christ's Death

Now, Caiaphas had been plotting Jesus' death all along. These purchased politicians are scared all the time. They know that they never obtained the office by their ability to begin with, and they know that they only hang on by a thread. So Caiaphas is scared to death, but he loves the prestige of his office. Then Jesus moves in and sways the people. He is popular. It was less than a week ago that the people were screaming, "Hosanna!"

In John 11:47, Caiaphas met with his cronies and they talked about the tremendous problem of Jesus just prior to Jesus' triumphal entry. They had heard about Him raising Lazarus from the dead. Verses 49-50 say, "And one of them, named Caiaphas, being the high priest that same year, said unto them, Ye know nothing at all [the council had suggested to leave Him alone and He would pass], nor consider that it is expedient for us that one man should die for the people, and that the whole nation perish not." He is saying, "If we don't get rid of this Jesus, He's going to mess up the nation, we're going to have a revolution, and the Romans will come down and wipe out all of us. So what we ought to do is kill Jesus and save the nation."

b. Prophesying Christ's Death

Caiaphas didn't realize it, but he was speaking prophecy. John 11:51 says, "And this spoke he not of himself; but, being high priest that year, he prophesied that Jesus should die for that nation." He opened up his hateful mouth, with nothing but his own political end in mind, and said, "We ought to kill Jesus because it's better for one man to die for the nation than for the whole nation to die." He didn't even know what he was saying. God was proclaiming a prophecy right through Caiaphas's own lips.

Caiaphas hated Jesus. He was already plotting to get rid of Him; he was only waiting for the right moment. And of course Judas had already consulted with them and set up the arrest. So we have seen the beginning of Jesus' mock trial. Meanwhile, let's see...

II. PETER'S DENIAL -- ACT I (vv. 15-18)

A. His Plan (v. 15)

"And Simon Peter followed Jesus, and so did another disciple. That disciple was known unto the high priest, and went in with Jesus into the court of the high priest." 

Mark 14:54 says, "...Peter followed Him afar off...." They had brought Jesus right to Annas, taking Him into the courtyard. Some think that the other disciple known to the high priest was John. So, the fact that Peter is following along is typical of Peter. He will not stay where the Lord wants him to stay. In the Garden, the Lord built a protective shelter for the disciples to allow them to get away. But Peter didn't accept that. He jumped out of the pack and started to fight the Romans. The Lord said to him, "Peter, put that sword away," and He put him back in the little shelter. He says, "Why don't you accept My protection?" Matthew 26:56 says, "...the disciples forsook Him, and fled." But not Peter. He still did not have the sense to know what he couldn't handle.

1. HIS PRESENT SELF-CONFIDENCE

Now Peter is moved by the fact that down in his heart he remembered he promised Jesus that he would die with Him. He loved Jesus and he couldn't stand the thought of not being with Jesus. Jesus spent three years with Peter following His every move. Peter was always there. On one occasion, Jesus said, "...Will ye also go away? Then Simon Peter answered Him, Lord, to whom shall we go? Thou hast the words of eternal life" (Jn. 6:67b-68). So, Peter had a tremendous desire to be with Jesus. There is no question that he loved Jesus with all his heart. But he also had an overwhelming self-confidence in which he thought that he could hack his way through any problem and, as a result, he would not accept the security that Jesus had provided for him.

Before you become upset over Peter, look at your own life. The Lord says to you, "I'm going to give you a secure place. Don't get involved in the world's system, don't buy the world's philosophy, don't entertain yourself with the world's entertainment, don't feast on the world's customs, don't become a part of the scene. I've built you a place where you can grow. When you're strong enough, you can go out and meet the world and be victorious. But until you get that strong, hang in with those who belong to Christ and build yourself up until you're ready." And so many Christians say, "Are you kidding? I can handle that." Then they go out into the world and the Lord has to take the time to reach out for these Christians, spanking them on the way back to the shelter. We often will not accept the place that God has given us in Christ. Many of us have this overconfidence, thinking we can do what the world does and still be all right. And that was Peter -- not content with the security Christ had provided for him until he became strong enough to handle the world.

2. HIS FUTURE STRENGTH

Later on, he became strong enough. After the Spirit of God filled him, he could go right into the middle of the world and deliver the message with devastation. He was powerful; he could handle anything. Later in his life he wound up being crucified upside down. He could handle it then, but not before then. So, the Lord puts him in the shelter and says, "Stay there until you're ready. If you were ready, I would take you with Me." But Peter doesn't understand. He is the same self-confident Peter. But he wasn't too self-confident, otherwise He would not have followed at a distance. He wanted to be with Jesus and yet he was afraid.

B. His Progression (v. 16)

"But Peter stood at the door outside. Then went out that other disciple, who was known unto the high priest, and spoke unto her that kept the door, and brought in Peter."

He obtained permission to bring Peter in. This doorway would have likely been a little hallway going through one of the apartments that surrounded the courtyard. So Peter progressed into the courtyard.

C. His Pitfall (v. 17)

"Then saith the maid that kept the door unto Peter, Art not thou also one of this Man's disciples? He saith, I am not."

In the Greek, the girl's question is in the negative: "You're not one of His disciples, are you?" I am sure his first reaction was, "What did I just say?" He probably realized that he had just said this without even thinking. He said it in fear.

1. THE LIE LENGTHENED

Now, Peter was going in to the very place where Jesus was on trial. He was ready for that. But he wasn't ready for the question by the little girl at the door. Those temptations you know are coming up in two weeks you can plan for, but just when you are ready, and your strategy is laid out, you get hit from the blind side. That's how Satan works. Your self-confidence is built up in your mind. Peter is thinking, "When I get in there I'm going to say I believe in Jesus and that I am one of His disciples." But he never made it because he was too self- confident. Satan is too subtle. Peter was going to meet the entire Roman contingent and all the Jewish leaders, but he couldn't get past the little girl at the door.

Once he had told the lie he was stuck with it because if he turned his story around, then he made Jesus look bad -- a lying disciple. It would also appear that he was hatching some plot. So he was stuck with his lie. And he had so much pride, he wanted to save his face, and so he kept on lying throughout the evening.

2. THE LESSON LEARNED

If you are not really trusting in God at every moment, you will get shot down when you least expect it. You will get the kind of self-confidence that says, "I can handle this. I'm looking forward to this. I've got a business trip this month in Las Vegas, but I'm ready. I have already figured out how I'm going to handle it and not get tempted." But then on the way something happens and tears you up because you were confiding in the flesh. When you are strengthening yourself in the flesh, the trust that you need to have in the Lord is only a moment- by-moment thing.

So, Peter wasn't ready for the one little thing that really tore him up, and there he fell -- dropped by a door girl. Gone were all of his heroic promises to Jesus, gone was all the courage in his heart, gone was all of his fleshly self-confidence. He was just a great big nothing. He was an arrogant coward -- unable to confess his Lord and cringing in lying denial. If you are able to face the formal challenges when you can choose your weapons and plan your strategy, you are fortunate. But watch out for the sudden blows when you're not ready -- when you're trusting in the flesh. They are the ones that will cause you to fail.

Peter jumped out of his protection and got right into the very situation that Jesus didn't want him in. He got in over his head and he wasn't strong enough. Jesus knew what would happen -- it was inevitable. Jesus had provided the escape for him, but Peter had to go the way Peter wanted to go. That was characteristic of Peter, and is often characteristic of us.

It is interesting to note that when Jesus rescued Peter in the Garden, He did so quickly. But on this occasion, Jesus let him hit bottom and bounce a few times. He had to let Peter get hurt in order to teach him the tremendous lesson he needed to learn.

D. His Peril (v. 18)

"And the servants and officers stood there, who had made a fire of coals; for it was cold, and they warmed themselves; and Peter stood with them, and warmed himself."

What was Peter doing standing with the enemies of Jesus? In the Garden he had been standing beside Christ, defending Him with his little sword. Now he's standing by the fire warming himself with the enemies of Jesus after having already denied Him.

Now, by putting all of the Gospel accounts together, there are at least six different statements that Peter makes in denying Christ (Mt. 26:69-70, 71-72, 73-74; Lk. 22:58, 59-60a; Jn. 18:26-27). He denied Him on three occasions but made six different statements. Jesus said that he would deny Him three times, and he did. So Peter is cold and standing with the enemies of Jesus in order to get warm. He should have been long gone. His hands were warm, but his heart was cold. Meanwhile, back at...

III. JESUS' TRIAL -- ACT II (vv. 19-24)

A. The Mockery Of Annas (vv. 19-23)

Verse 19 says, "The high priest then asked Jesus of His disciples, and of His doctrine." This is most interesting because the examination before Annas was a mockery of justice. It had already been decided that Jesus was going to die, it was only a matter of obtaining something to trap Him in so they could kill Him legally. The motives of the leaders were envy, fear, and loss of power and position.

The Law Behind Jewish Trials

Now Jewish law said that when anyone was brought to trial, he could not testify in order to bring guilt upon himself. The evidence had to be presented from witnesses testifying against him. He was innocent until proven guilty. In a sense, their law was like the Fifth Amendment, in which no man could condemn himself by his own word. The burden of proof was on the court.

There also was a rule that there was never to be any striking of a prisoner -- no display of emotion before the judge. Well, they violated all of that in His entire trial.

There was another rule that from the end of the trial until the execution, there had to be an interval of at least two days. And that rule was broken.

Another rule was that a trial could not be held at night, and they broke that one.

The entire trial was rotten from beginning to end. It was all a part of the plot to kill Jesus. Historically, the Jews have claimed that the trial of Jesus was legal. It was not legal; it was illegal in every way you look at it. They wanted His death so it was decided that He would be murdered. For them, it was only a matter of trying to figure out how they could justify it.

1. THE VIOLATION BY ANNAS (vv. 19-21)

a. Annas's Indictment of Jesus (v. 19)

"The high priest then asked Jesus of His disciples, and of His doctrine."

This begins the mockery of this indictment and arraignment before Annas. He had no right to ask Jesus that question. He was not to be the one who testified. That is not a legitimate trial. Instead of saying, "Now we have brought You here because You have been accused of this crime, and here are the witnesses," Annas says, "Well, why don't You tell us about Your disciples and Your doctrine." He wanted Jesus to talk about a planned insurrection or about heresy. Then they could say, "You're planning a revolution," or, "You're a heretic," and they would have justification for the trial. Maimonides, the great Jewish medieval scholar, said, "Our true law does not inflict the penalty of death upon a sinner by his own confession." That was part of the Jewish law, and the Roman law agreed. They had to have witnesses. Jesus did not have to prove Himself innocent, they had to prove Him guilty. So Annas violated the principles of Jewish justice when he questioned Jesus. But that was nothing unusual because the whole trial was illegal. Annas wanted Jesus to say He was training His disciples for a revolution, or to say He was teaching heresy. In either case, they would then have something to try Him for.

But, Jesus replies not by answering their questions, but by indicting them.

b. Jesus' Indictment of Annas (vv. 20-21)

"Jesus answered him, I spoke openly to the world; I ever taught in the synagogue, and in the temple, where the Jews always resort; and in secret have I said nothing. Why asketh thou Me? Ask them who heard Me, what I have said unto them; behold, they know what I said."

In other words, "Where are your witnesses, Annas? This is not how the trial is supposed to be conducted." Jesus probed and found the core, and in dynamic, devastating words, indicted Annas. They wanted to finish the trial in the middle of the night when there weren't any witnesses. Eventually they did come up with some witnesses, but they were false witnesses (Mt. 26:60-61). Jesus said, "I haven't taught any secret doctrine to any small group who would want to cause a revolution. Everything I've said has been for public consumption." Jesus is not being uncooperative; He is simply saying, "I want a legal trial."

You say, "Well, did He expect to get a legal trial?" No, but He just wanted to make it clear from the very beginning that it was illegal, so that when the mockery was ended, the guilt would be theirs. Then it would be true what was said, "...They hated Me without a cause" (Jn. 15:25b). He was crucified in innocence in a mockery of a trial, and Jesus wants us to be aware that this was true.

So, the whole trial was a plot with no evidence. Jesus left Annas nonplussed, unable to proceed. He turned the tables on Annas, and now he doesn't know what to say.

2. THE VIOLATION BY THE OFFICER (vv. 22-23)

a. The Officer's Ruthlessness (v. 22)

"And when He had thus spoken, one of the officers [Temple police] who stood by struck Jesus with the palm of his hand, saying, Answerest Thou the high priest so?"

Here is a typical henchman looking for a promotion from Annas. Now, the Greek word for "struck...with the palm of his hand," is rhapisma, and can also be translated, "struck with a stick." Since it is evident that the Temple police carried sticks or clubs, it is more likely that he hit Jesus across the side of His face with a club. Again, this was not only unkind and ruthless, but illegal. Never was it legal for someone to strike a prisoner.

But there is something even more significant about this verse. Micah 5:1 says, "...they shall smite the Judge of Israel with a rod upon the cheek." That officer was fulfilling prophecy. Micah called Jesus, "the Judge of Israel." Annas was playing judge, but Jesus Christ was the real judge.

b. Jesus' Response (v. 23)

"Jesus answered him, If I have spoken evil, bear witness of the evil; but if well, why smitest thou Me?"

It was an outrage to strike a prisoner, but Jesus calmly, with no anger or vengeance, says, "If I've done something wrong, where are the witnesses? If I haven't, why are you hitting Me?" That is powerful. He was so calm, so dignified, and so much in control in comparison to the frustrated henchman and the frustrated Annas.

B. The Violation By Caiaphas (v. 24)

"Now Annas had sent Him bound unto Caiaphas, the high priest."

Annas now sent Him to Caiaphas. Now the trial before Caiaphas was a mockery. It also took place in the middle of the night. During the time that Jesus was before Annas, the Sanhedrin and Caiaphas gathered together to carry on the mock trial. They wanted it at night before the people would know about it so they could have Him convicted and turned over to the Romans by morning. Then they would all later mingle in the crowd when Jesus stood before Pilate and cry, "Crucify Him," and bring about His death. It was an illegal gathering in every way -- a gathering of false witnesses, and just a part of the plot.

They couldn't find any evidence against Him, so finally two men agreed He said that He was going to destroy the Temple (Mt. 26:60- 61). They tried to convict Him on that, but they could not. Finally, they asked Him, "Are you the Messiah?" And He said, "Yes, I am the Messiah" (Mk. 14:61-62). Then the high priest tore his clothes and screamed, "Blasphemy!" The people began to spit all over Jesus, and they pushed, shoved, and slapped Him in the face and said, "Tell us who slapped You, Prophet?" So they abused Him (Mt. 26:65-68).

Now, let's go back to...

IV. PETER'S DENIAL -- ACT II (vv. 25-27)

A. A Compromising Position (v. 25a)

"And Simon Peter stood and warmed himself."

Peter is in the same place he had been in verse 18. What is Peter still doing there? All through this time he has been denying Jesus while standing with unbelievers. Once you become enmeshed in the world, it is hard to leave. I am sure Jesus' heart was grieved by Annas, Caiaphas, the officer who hit Him in the face, and the people who spit on Him, but I don't think His heart was grieved by them to the degree that it was grieved by Peter.

B. A Confirmation Of Prophecy (vv. 25b-27)

"They said, therefore, unto him, Art not thou also one of His disciples? He denied it, and said, I am not. One of the servants of the high priest, being his kinsman whose ear Peter cut off, saith, Did not I see thee in the garden with Him? Peter then denied again; and immediately the cock crowed."

1. THE CROWING OF THE COCK

What was Peter still doing there? He could not stand up for Jesus Christ in that compromising situation. He was with His enemies. And when Peter denies Him the last time and the cock crowed, it must have gone off like a bell in Peter's brain. Then he would have remembered that Jesus said, "You will deny Me three times before the cock crows" (Jn. 13:38). The cock crow occurred at 3:00 A.M., so we have an idea about what time this all occurred.

2. THE CONFRONTATION BY CHRIST

It is Luke who brings these two scenes together. For as they led Jesus out from Caiaphas, He passed Peter just at the moment the cock crowed. Luke 22:60-61 says, "And Peter said, Man, I know not what thou sayest. And immediately, while he yet spoke, the cock crowed. And the Lord turned, and looked upon Peter...." Peter is standing outside with the enemies, Jesus is led into the courtyard, the cock crows, and then Jesus looks at Peter as the two dramas come together. Verse 61 continues: "...And Peter remembered the word of the Lord, how He had said unto him, Before the cock crows, thou shalt deny Me thrice. And Peter went out, and wept bitterly" (vv. 61b-62).

If you have reached a place in your life where you are fooling around in the world, you don't know what is wrong, you didn't make it through your self-confidence, and now you're standing around with unbelievers, there is only one way out. You need to look into the face of Jesus Christ and remember what life was like when you were abiding in Him. This message is the look of Jesus Christ at you. You ought to go out and weep bitterly and make your relationship with Him right if it's wrong.

There are so many things that Peter teaches us. We learn that the believer is weak. We learn the danger of self-confidence. We learn the consequence of prayerlessness (Peter should have been praying in the Garden instead of sleeping -- he might have been ready for the danger of evil company; Mt. 26:40-41). We learn the power of fear. We also see the beauty and the majesty of Jesus Christ. And the story really ends when Jesus recovers Peter in John 21:15-17. Three times Jesus asks Peter if he loves Him, and three times Peter has the privilege of saying, "I love You" -- one time for each of the occasions of his denial. So Jesus let him redeem himself, and then He made him the rock that He wanted him to be. God can also restore you if you are willing.

Focusing on the Facts

1. What are the two basic truths to all Christian doctrine? How does John present these two truths in John 18:13-27? 

2. Why did the Holy Spirit intermingle the accounts of Jesus' trial and Peter's denial? What is the most important reason? 

3. What did all of Christ's captors have in common? What do they illustrate? 

4. Why did the captors bind Jesus? What prophecy is fulfilled by this act? 

5. What were the two trials that Jesus had to go through? What were the three phases of each trial? Why did these trials occur? 

6. Why could Annas be considered as the high priest? Support your answer. 

7. Why did Rome want the control to select their own high priests? 

8. What did a man have to do in order to be appointed high priest by Rome? How did Annas maintain his control over the office of high priest? 

9. Why were there concessions in the Temple? What was their main purpose as far as Annas and the other leaders were concerned? 

10. Why did Annas hold such great contempt for Jesus? Why did Jesus' captors take Him to Annas first? 

11. Why did Caiaphas want Jesus to die? What prophecy was he speaking? 

12. Why was Peter moved to follow Jesus and not accept the Lord's protection? 

13. When did Peter become strong enough to leave the Lord's protection? 

14. What had Peter not planned on occurring when he entered the courtyard of the high priest? 

15. Why did Peter continue with his lie? 

16. Why was the examination before Annas a mockery of justice? What laws were broken during the course of the trial? 

17. When Annas asked the illegal question in verse 19, what did he want Jesus to say? 

18. What purpose did Jesus have in indicting Annas, even though He knew He would not receive a legal trial? 

19. According to the other possible meaning of the Greek word rhapisma, in what manner did the officer strike Jesus? What prophecy did the officer fulfill? 

20. How was the trial before Caiaphas and the Sanhedrin a mockery? In what ways was Jesus abused? 

21. Approximately what time did the trial and the denials by Peter take place? 

22. According to Luke 22:61-62, what did Peter remember when the Lord looked at him as the cock crowed? 

Pondering the Principles

1. If Jesus Christ were to come to earth today as He did two thousand years ago, what kind of response do you think He would receive? Would it be any different today than it was then? How do you think those who truly believe would respond to Him? Read 2 Corinthians 4:4-6. According to these verses, why do men believe? Why do they disbelieve? Who is the enemy of every Christian? In order to be aware of your opposition in your efforts to lead men to Christ, memorize 2 Corinthians 4:4: "In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them who believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them."

2. Have you ever had the occasion to know that you might encounter some temptation in a future situation but were prepared for it? Give some examples. Did you succeed in avoiding the temptation, or did you fail in a way you had not expected? In what ways are your experiences similar to what Peter encountered in the courtyard of the high priest? In the cases where you were able to avoid temptation, why did you succeed? In the cases where you were not able to avoid the temptation, why did you fail? How do you think you could have turned those failures into successes? Perhaps one of your options is simply to avoid the situation entirely -- you may not be ready to handle it yet. The next time you know you will face temptation in a certain situation, spend time in prayer with God. Seek to know His will. Trust in Him and not in your own self-confidence -- God may want you to avoid that situation based on your spiritual maturity at that particular time in your life.

3. Where do you stand in relation to the world? Do you find yourself spending an increasing amount of time in fellowship with people of the world, or an increasing amount of time with Christians? If you are spending more time in the world, you need to take stock of your present relationship with Jesus Christ right now. What does He see as He looks at you? Be honest in your analysis. What was your life like when you were spending more time with Him? Which would you prefer? Take this time to go to God in prayer. If your relationship with Jesus Christ is not right, make it right with Him right now. Confess your sins with a willing heart of repentance, and then begin to seek His will in your life, both in what you do and in your relationships.