12 So the band of soldiers, the tribune, and the Jewish guards seized Jesus, bound him, 13 and brought him to Annas first. He was the father-in-law of Caiaphas, who was high priest that year. 14 It was Caiaphas who had counseled the Jews that it was better that one man should die rather than the people. 15 Simon Peter and another disciple followed Jesus. Now the other disciple was known to the high priest, and he entered the courtyard of the high priest with Jesus. 16 But Peter stood at the gate outside. So the other disciple, the acquaintance of the high priest, went out and spoke to the gatekeeper and brought Peter in. 17 Then the maid who was the gatekeeper said to Peter, “You are not one of this man’s disciples, are you?” He said, “I am not.” 18 Now the slaves and the guards were standing around a charcoal fire that they had made, because it was cold, and were warming themselves. Peter was also standing there keeping warm. 19 The high priest questioned Jesus about his disciples and about his doctrine. 20 Jesus answered him, “I have spoken publicly to the world. I have always taught in a synagogue or in the temple area where all the Jews gather, and in secret I have said nothing. 21 Why ask me? Ask those who heard me what I said to them. They know what I said.” 22 When he had said this, one of the temple guards standing there struck Jesus and said, “Is this the way you answer the high priest?” 23 Jesus answered him, “If I have spoken wrongly, testify to the wrong; but if I have spoken rightly, why do you strike me?” 24 Then Annas sent him bound to Caiaphas the high priest. 25 Now Simon Peter was standing there keeping warm. And they said to him, “You are not one of his disciples, are you?” He denied it and said, “I am not.” 26 One of the slaves of the high priest, a relative of the one whose ear Peter had cut off, said, “Didn’t I see you in the garden with him?” 27 Again Peter denied it. And immediately the cock crowed.
Jesus was seized and taken to the house of Annas, the father-in-law of Caiaphas the High Priest who had prophesied that Jesus would die for the Jewish nation as well as for all the children of God who are scattered abroad (Jn. 11:49-52). Jesus died for the sins of the whole world (1 Jn. 2:2). Jesus had been illegally condemned to death by the Sanhedrin (Jn. 7:51) after he raised Lazarus from the dead. Simon Peter and another unnamed disciple who was known to the High Priest followed Jesus into the courtyard. It did not appear as if Peter was in any physical danger if he answered truthfully when he was questioned by the gatekeeper. In the Garden of Gethsemane when the guards and soldiers were looking for Jesus he said in response “I AM (vv. 6,8). Peter when asked if he was one of Jesus’ disciples said in response, “I am not (v. 17).” The evangelist now has Peter standing with the slaves and the guards of the High Priest, “Keeping warm (v. 18).” It appeared that the other disciple was no longer with Peter. Was Peter, like Judas, moving away from the light of the world into the powers of darkness?
The High Priest interrogated Jesus who told him that his ministry was a public ministry, and he had taught, “In a synagogue or in the temple area where all the Jews gather (v. 20). Those who heard him could testify to what he said. If Annas wanted answers to his questions he should ask the crowds who heard him. Jesus had nothing more to say to Annas or the Jews because they had not listened to his preaching. One of the temple police slapped Jesus who asked him, “If I have spoken rightly, why do you strike me (v. 23)?” Jesus was guiltless since no witnesses could be produced to prove that anything he said was blasphemous.
Peter denied that he was a disciple of Jesus to the group by the fire (v. 25). Peter, who was one of the followers of Jesus that could testify to Jesus’ teaching, the one who had said to Jesus, “Lord, I am prepared to go to prison and to die with you (Lk. 22:33),” and the one who cut off the slave’s ear when they tried to arrest Jesus (Jn. 18:10), was challenged a third time by the cousin of the slave whose ears he cut off (v. 26), but Peter still denied being a follower of Jesus (v. 27). Then, as Jesus predicted, the cock crowed (Lk. 22:34).
Almighty God, Your Son taught us not to be fearful and showed us how to totally accept your will by submitting himself to the cross. Grant us the grace not to deny your Son but to seek the grace he attained for us through His resurrection. This we pray through the same Christ our Lord. Amen!
__________________________________
References
Chiu, José Enrique Aguilar, et al. The Paulist Biblical Commentary. Paulist Press, 2018.
Brown, Raymond Edward, et al. The New Jerome Biblical Commentary. Upper Saddle River, NJ, United States, Prentice Hall, 1990.
Comments