Peter's Denial
Notes
Transcript
In the Garden
In the Garden
Judas
Judas
1 When Jesus had spoken these words, he went out with his disciples across the brook Kidron, where there was a garden, which he and his disciples entered. 2 Now Judas, who betrayed him, also knew the place, for Jesus often met there with his disciples. 3 So Judas, having procured a band of soldiers and some officers from the chief priests and the Pharisees, went there with lanterns and torches and weapons.
Judas must have thought he had the perfect plan
The authorities were looking for a private place and time to arrest Jesus
Jesus is in the habit of taking his disciple to a garden outside the city limits
He’s going to show the high priests the perfect place to ambush and arrest Jesus - it’s dark and no one will see, he’s far away and nobody will hear
Judas must have felt like he was in control
He’s given an excuse to leave the party behind and everyone thinks he’s giving money to the poor
He’s getting paid for all of this
He’s not just leading some of the officers from the chief priests, but an entire cohort (600 men) behind him
Then Jesus shows who’s really in control
Jesus
Jesus
4 Then Jesus, knowing all that would happen to him, came forward and said to them, “Whom do you seek?” 5 They answered him, “Jesus of Nazareth.” Jesus said to them, “I am he.” Judas, who betrayed him, was standing with them. 6 When Jesus said to them, “I am he,” they drew back and fell to the ground.
Jesus knew all that would happen
He knew Judas was a devil back in John 6
He knew Judas would betray him in John 13
He knew where Judas would lead the 600 armed men
Knowing all of this, Jesus chose not to hide
He could broken habits and gone somewhere else
He could have put his disciples forward and slipped off into the night
Instead, Jesus confronts the mob - who do you seek?
Jesus plainly identifies himself “I am he”
This makes them draw back and fall on the ground
Because Jesus is identifying himself with the God of Israel, before whom no man can stand
This isn’t the first time they’ve tried arresting Jesus
30 So they were seeking to arrest him, but no one laid a hand on him, because his hour had not yet come.
20 These words he spoke in the treasury, as he taught in the temple; but no one arrested him, because his hour had not yet come.
39 Again they sought to arrest him, but he escaped from their hands.
45 The officers then came to the chief priests and Pharisees, who said to them, “Why did you not bring him?” 46 The officers answered, “No one ever spoke like this man!”
Nobody can arrest Jesus - he speaks like nobody else
Here he speaks with power that drives men to their knees
And amazingly, they all get back up and try again.
7 So he asked them again, “Whom do you seek?” And they said, “Jesus of Nazareth.” 8 Jesus answered, “I told you that I am he. So, if you seek me, let these men go.” 9 This was to fulfill the word that he had spoken: “Of those whom you gave me I have lost not one.”
This time they don’t fall to the ground
Jesus didn’t have to make them fall the first time
He could have made them fall down again and again and again
Instead, Jesus is reminding everyone who’s in control - I AM
Peter
Peter
But that’s not sitting well with anyone else in the garden - including Jesus’ own disciples!
10 Then Simon Peter, having a sword, drew it and struck the high priest’s servant and cut off his right ear. (The servant’s name was Malchus.) 11 So Jesus said to Peter, “Put your sword into its sheath; shall I not drink the cup that the Father has given me?”
Connect: We Deny God’s Control
Connect: We Deny God’s Control
It’s easy to look down on Peter
He walked on water only to be intimidated by the waves
He confesses Jesus as the Christ in one breath and rebukes him in the next
And when he sees Jesus not doing anything to save himself it’s up to Peter to take control of things and start swinging his sword
What hope do you think Peter had in that moment?
Who would win, 600 trained Roman soldiers or 11 nobodies?
But Peter can’t help but try and make things go his way
No arrest, no suffering, no cross, no shame
When following Jesus, do we reach for his cup or something else?
Maybe we reach for the sword - use power to compel obedience and squash any shame of looking like the losers
Do we reach for compromise?
Or maybe we just let go entirely like Peter does in the next section
Facing the Charges
Facing the Charges
12 So the band of soldiers and their captain and the officers of the Jews arrested Jesus and bound him. 13 First they led him to Annas, for he was the father-in-law of Caiaphas, who was high priest that year. 14 It was Caiaphas who had advised the Jews that it would be expedient that one man should die for the people.
Annas was the high priest
The Romans deposed him about 18 years prior to this
But his son-in-law, Caiaphas, is high priest, and five of Anna’s sons will become high priests eventually
He has all the power, just not the title
We’re reminded of something Caiaphas had said earlier
We need to kill Jesus
It’s better if we kill him rather than let him provoke Rome into putting down another possible rebellion and all of us lose our place and privilege
48 If we let him go on like this, everyone will believe in him, and the Romans will come and take away both our place and our nation.”
This is not going to be a fair trial
And once again, Jesus knew what was coming
49 But one of them, Caiaphas, who was high priest that year, said to them, “You know nothing at all. 50 Nor do you understand that it is better for you that one man should die for the people, not that the whole nation should perish.” 51 He did not say this of his own accord, but being high priest that year he prophesied that Jesus would die for the nation,
Notice who the Jewish leaders care about
Themselves
We want to keep our place of power
We want to keep ruling over this nation
Nevermind that a dead guy just got up - we want things to stay as they are
And they aren’t the only ones interested in self-preservation
Peter Denies the Charges
Peter Denies the Charges
15 Simon Peter followed Jesus, and so did another disciple. Since that disciple was known to the high priest, he entered with Jesus into the courtyard of the high priest, 16 but Peter stood outside at the door. So the other disciple, who was known to the high priest, went out and spoke to the servant girl who kept watch at the door, and brought Peter in. 17 The servant girl at the door said to Peter, “You also are not one of this man’s disciples, are you?” He said, “I am not.” 18 Now the servants and officers had made a charcoal fire, because it was cold, and they were standing and warming themselves. Peter also was with them, standing and warming himself.
Peter isn’t the only disciple there to see what happens to Jesus
This disciple is let in because he’s known to the High Priest - surely they would have known that he was a disciple of Jesus
Many suspect it’s the disciple whom Jesus loved - John, could be but he’s unnamed here
The servant girl does at least. She asks Peter “You’re also a disciple of Jesus, aren’t you?”
And Peter has his first denial
Jesus Owns Up to the Charges
Jesus Owns Up to the Charges
Switch back to Jesus
19 The high priest then questioned Jesus about his disciples and his teaching. 20 Jesus answered him, “I have spoken openly to the world. I have always taught in synagogues and in the temple, where all Jews come together. I have said nothing in secret. 21 Why do you ask me? Ask those who have heard me what I said to them; they know what I said.”
Jesus is not being difficult and refusing to testify
He’s likely challenging the priest and the whole sham of a trial
Jews required every charge to be established by two or three witnesses
Where are the witnesses?
22 When he had said these things, one of the officers standing by struck Jesus with his hand, saying, “Is that how you answer the high priest?” 23 Jesus answered him, “If what I said is wrong, bear witness about the wrong; but if what I said is right, why do you strike me?” 24 Annas then sent him bound to Caiaphas the high priest.
This scene is incredible to me
The officer: Do you know who you’re talking to?
Do you know who you just struck?
And Jesus just let’s it happen
He’s not interested in defending himself
He’s not interested in striking back
Jesus has his eyes set firmly on the cross
Back to Peter
Back to Peter
25 Now Simon Peter was standing and warming himself. So they said to him, “You also are not one of his disciples, are you?” He denied it and said, “I am not.” 26 One of the servants of the high priest, a relative of the man whose ear Peter had cut off, asked, “Did I not see you in the garden with him?” 27 Peter again denied it, and at once a rooster crowed.
Peter is confronted three times: Aren’t you also one of Jesus’ disciples?
Peter’s bravery has completely disappeared at this point
He won’t admit it to a serving girl
Even poor Malchus’ relative recognizes Peter and he still denies it
This is a far cry from Peter saying he would die for Jesus in John 13
I’ll swing a sword for you
I might even be willing to die for you if I can go down fighting
But to just give up my life for nothing?
So Peter falls into self-preservation
Connect: Denying Jesus for Self
Connect: Denying Jesus for Self
This is the root fear behind denying Jesus - it costs too much
Peter is afraid of being found out and put on trial himself - the high priest is asking about Jesus’ disciples!
The Jewish leaders are afraid of losing their high position in life
Following Jesus will cost you
I know the prices that many of us have paid
There is family that we’ve lost
There have been social ramifications
Careers have been abandoned
We pick up the sword and do everything we can to fight against the cross because Jesus expects us to hang on it with him.
6 We know that our old self was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin.
Are you willing to be brought to nothing in obedience to God?
Jesus said I am the way, the truth, the life. The way to life makes it’s first step at the cross.
Before Pilate
Before Pilate
28 Then they led Jesus from the house of Caiaphas to the governor’s headquarters. It was early morning. They themselves did not enter the governor’s headquarters, so that they would not be defiled, but could eat the Passover. 29 So Pilate went outside to them and said, “What accusation do you bring against this man?” 30 They answered him, “If this man were not doing evil, we would not have delivered him over to you.” 31 Pilate said to them, “Take him yourselves and judge him by your own law.” The Jews said to him, “It is not lawful for us to put anyone to death.” 32 This was to fulfill the word that Jesus had spoken to show by what kind of death he was going to die.
The Jews are powerless
They can’t form any real charges against Jesus - he’s evil trust us!
The Jews can’t put Jesus to death on their own
The only way to preserve their place and nation is to kill Jesus and they can’t even do that
33 So Pilate entered his headquarters again and called Jesus and said to him, “Are you the King of the Jews?” 34 Jesus answered, “Do you say this of your own accord, or did others say it to you about me?” 35 Pilate answered, “Am I a Jew? Your own nation and the chief priests have delivered you over to me. What have you done?” 36 Jesus answered, “My kingdom is not of this world. If my kingdom were of this world, my servants would have been fighting, that I might not be delivered over to the Jews. But my kingdom is not from the world.”
Jesus’ kingdom is not of his world
Not just in a physical non-physical sense
Not just in an up there vs down here way either
It’s different in a way that we’ve been seeing through this entire chapter
It’s not a kingdom that fights back like Peter does
It’s not a kingdom that seeks self-preservation above all else
It’s a kingdom that gives all control to the Father
11 So Jesus said to Peter, “Put your sword into its sheath; shall I not drink the cup that the Father has given me?”
Application
Application
Are we in the kingdom of God, or the kingdom of me?
A Kingdom of this world is a kingdom of me.
I’ll go down on my own terms or I won’t go down at all
I’ll do everything to preserve my kingdom
Jesus’ kingdom is one of sacrificing the self for the sake of others, even when they have no right to demand one.
