Peter’s High Priest

Introduction: Who is your priest?

In last week’s arrest narrative we asked the question - Who is your representative? Adam or Christ. This is an important question, because in Adam all die, but in Christ we have life by our union with him.

In 18:13-27 we are confronted with another important question. Who is your High Priest? How do you, a sinner, gain access to the presence and power of a Holy God?

If you care anything about your life at all beyond this life, you should have a deep interest in this question…because no one lives forever in the presence of the Creator without a priest.

So who is you your high priest, who goes before the Father on your behalf, who offers the sacrifice that makes a satisfactory atonement for your sins? And who help you in your life to deal with your sin and give your mercy and grace in your time of need?

In our passage we have four main figures on display - three priests and a sinner.

Did you ever read a choose your own adventure story as a kid…where at the end of a chapter you could decide which decision you wanted to make about where the story would go - well as we apply this passage to ourselves we are the sinner and we get to choose our priest - that choice determines the end of our story.

Read the text 18:13-27

Peter, a Zelous Disciple and Sinner

Peter, a true follower of Jesus

Notice that Peter is one of two disciples, most likely with John, who follows Jesus to the complex of the High Priest.

This was quite dangerous considering he just cut off the ear of Malchus.

Peter loves Jesus, believes in Jesus, and is a true disciple of Jesus.

Yet Peter is a sinner, he is weak, he is prideful, and he is afraid.

This event is recorded in all four gospels, and the reason is because we are meant to identify ourselves with Peter and his weakness…there are believers and unbelievers in the room today…but we are have sin in common. Believers are forgiven and have the ability, by the Holy Spirit to fight our sin, but we all know that sometimes we lose our battles against it. If you aren’t a believer then the Scripture says that you are enslaved to sin and need to be set free from your sin.

Peter’s “I am not, compared to the I AM of Jesus.

In 17-18 we see the first denial. The comparison with Jesus is striking. Look back at vs. 4-5 - Jesus was quick to claim his identity - I AM HE….Peter was quick to dissociate with Jesus, I AM NOT.

After he says this he tries to blend in with everyone else warming at the fire - What a powerful illustration of what sin really is…sin is always an attempt to disassociate from Jesus and reidentify with the world - sometimes following Jesus feels dangerous and the world feels safe. Sometimes following Jesus feels hard and the associating with the world seems easy..so here Peter says I AM NOT associated with the I AM.

You are well aware of your own struggles with sin….think of it this way…MY sin always says I AM NOT associated with the I AM. That doesn’t mean we truly don’t love or believe in Jesus - Peter loved Jesus and believed in him…but in that moment his sin denied his association with Jesus.

Peter’s Denial Fulfills the Prophecy of Jesus.

Peter continues to deny Jesus two more times, adamantly saying he is not a disciple.

With the rooster crow Peter is reminded of the prophecy of Jesus, that he would deny him three times.

In Matthews account we get an intimate look at Peter’s response to his sin. In Matthew 26:74–75 “Then he began to invoke a curse on himself and to swear, “I do not know the man.” And immediately the rooster crowed. And Peter remembered the saying of Jesus, “Before the rooster crows, you will deny me three times.” And he went out and wept bitterly.”

Here we see the man’s heart, his sin was a wicked denial of his relationship with Christ, yet he was truly sorrowful for his sin and later would be fully restored by Christ himself.

But here is a lesson, “This fall of Peter is doubtless intended to be a lesson to the whole Church of Christ. It is recorded for our learning, that we be kept from like sorrowful overthrow. It is a beacon mercifully set up in Scripture, to prevent others making shipwreck. It shows us the danger of pride and self-confidence. If Peter had not been so sure that although all denied Christ, he never would, he would probably never have fallen.—It shows us the danger of laziness. If Peter had watched and prayed, when our Lord advised him to do so, he would have found grace to help him in the time of need.—It shows us, not least, the painful influence of the fear of man. Few are aware, perhaps, how much more they fear the face of man whom they can see, than the eye of God whom they cannot see. These things are written for our admonition. Let us remember Peter and be wise.” - JC Ryle

How can sinners like Peter be reconciled to God? Is it by greater works to pay off his debt, after all, it is a horrible sin to deny Christ three times, isn’t it. I can hardly think of a greater sin than this…its greater, I believe than any other, to deny Jesus, only second to actual unbelief, is to believe and deny him.

This brings us to the crucial question in the text - who is your priest? Who makes for you an atoning sacrifice for sin and represents you before the Father as your Mediator or go between. The one who speaks on your behalf?

Jesus, The True High Priest

In our text we have two priests from the Old Covenant Order, Annas was a former high priest, no longer in office, and the father in law of Caiaphas, the current residing him priest.

The climax of the scene is the officer of Annas slapping Jesus for disrespecting Annas with his direct answer to his question. Jesus had already spoken openly about his identity, his teaching was public, on record, and this questioning was a show of power not a true inquiry…the irony is the disrespect and malice shown toward the true high priest…the one who willingly was going to the cross to offer himself as the one effective sacrifice to atone for sin.

What makes Jesus the true high priest that you want as your representative? Turn to Hebrews 7:22-28

Hebrews 7:22–28 ESV

This makes Jesus the guarantor of a better covenant. The former priests were many in number, because they were prevented by death from continuing in office, but he holds his priesthood permanently, because he continues forever. Consequently, he is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them. For it was indeed fitting that we should have such a high priest, holy, innocent, unstained, separated from sinners, and exalted above the heavens. He has no need, like those high priests, to offer sacrifices daily, first for his own sins and then for those of the people, since he did this once for all when he offered up himself. For the law appoints men in their weakness as high priests, but the word of the oath, which came later than the law, appoints a Son who has been made perfect forever.

The gospel is a better covenant than the law - Covenant of works vs Covenant of Grace.

The former priests were many and number because they were mortal men, Jesus holds his priesthood permanently.

His ministry is better because he can save to the uttermost because he lives forever as a mediator, making intercession for his people.

The former priests were sinners like us, Jesus is holy innocent, unstained, separated from sinners and exalted above the heavens!

The former priests offered sacrifices daily, Jesus offered himself once for all as the perfect sacrifice for sinners.

Who did Peter need? Who do we need? We need Jesus as our great high priest….and we need him forever. It always and forever through him the we are able to draw near to God.

Revelation 21:22–27 ESV

And I saw no temple in the city, for its temple is the Lord God the Almighty and the Lamb. And the city has no need of sun or moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and its lamp is the Lamb. By its light will the nations walk, and the kings of the earth will bring their glory into it, and its gates will never be shut by day—and there will be no night there. They will bring into it the glory and the honor of the nations. But nothing unclean will ever enter it, nor anyone who does what is detestable or false, but only those who are written in the Lamb’s book of life.

Notice the emphasis is on the presence of Jesus as the Lamb - The presence of God is made accessible to us forever by the presence of the Lamb!

Conclusion - Who do you choose as your priest?

It cannot be a man - we reject the priesthood of any human being. This is why pastors are not priests…believers are able to go directly to God through Jesus. Pastors are servants, not priests. We don’t have special access to God.

So if you are a Christian and you find yourself in a situation like Peter and you feel sorrowful for your sin, what do you do? You go to your great high priest!

What do you do if you are not a ChristIan and you begin to feel the conviction of sin and you know that you need a savior - what do you do? You go to Jesus and put your trust in him as your great high priest?