Looking for a False Charge

Lesson #302

Peter has denied Jesus once so far and is now with others near the fire. At this point there is a change of scene and John takes us inside the house of Annas to see what is happening to Jesus. “The high priest then questioned Jesus about his disciples and his teaching” (John 18:19 ESV). The high priest who was asking the questions was probably Annas because in verse 24 we read about Annas sending Jesus to Caiaphas. At this point the questioning is very general and focused on his disciples and his teaching. They probably wanted to know how big a following he had and what was being taught to them. Maybe they wanted to know about his authority to gather disciples, teaching them a new doctrine, and forming a different sect, but that is simply speculation. Since they haven’t charged him yet, they are probably hoping he would say something that would help them levy a charge against him.

To this inquiry, “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”” (John 18:20 ESV). Jesus doesn’t answer their questions distinctly, but makes it clear that he did not do or say anything in secret but openly to the world, in synagogues and in the temple where all Jews come together. There is nothing hidden that they shouldn’t already know about. During my time of Bible teaching in China, I had become good friends with a police officer and some of his police friends. Their advice to me was to do nothing in secret that would surprise them. At times I was followed and kept track of, but when I had time and the opportunity I helped their children speak better English. It was clear to them that I met no harm and they did not bother my teaching, but I was careful because I knew that things could change overnight and that I could face charges.

Jesus continues his answer: “Why do you ask me? Ask those who have heard me what I said to them; they know what I said” (John 18:21 ESV). Jesus knows they have no legitimate case against him and in a way he reproves the high priest of trying to extort a confession from him. If he had done anything wrong or taught any false doctrine, all he had to do was to ask those who listened to Jesus to find out what he said. These words of Jesus were probably said with some sternness because it causes one of the officers to react with some physical and verbal violence, as we will see in our next lesson.

Prayer

Father, what is happening to Jesus reminds me of my brothers and sisters who live in countries of persecution where those who feel threatened by the presence of Christians and their lifestyle, bring violence against them to reduce their threat by some form of repression, even death. During my time teaching in the illegal schools in China, I had opportunities to talk with some of these people and learned from them. Father, I know we in the western church need to learn more about this because one day we are going to wake up and find we have lost our safety and security and with it will go our comfort. Father, as the sin of our nation has grown so great that its wages of death will take its toll on us through increased evil and spiritual darkness. Father, please have mercy on us. 

The First Denial

Lesson #301

Peter was brought into the courtyard where he could see and hear better what was going on, but he apparently remained near the door because the servant girl who kept watch at the door, turns to Peter and asks him if he wasn’t one of the disciples of Jesus. Peter has now come to a fork in the road; does he identify with Jesus and risk possible harm to himself or does he deny Jesus and try to protect himself?

“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.”” (John 18:17 ESV). We now have the answer to the above question. Why did Peter deny being one of the disciples? What did he fear since the servant girl did not bring any charge against him, but appear to express only words of recognizing Peter as being with John who was known to her as a disciple? Apparently Peter did not think of that, but instead recalled that he had been with Jesus and had attempted to kill one of the high priest’s servants. Maybe he feared this identification for this reason, but in any case, he firmly says, “I am not.”

It seems that the servant girl doesn’t press Peter any further and he moves away from her, maybe to avoid and further questioning. “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” (John 18:18 ESV). The charcoal fire that the servants and officers of the chief priests had made was located in the courtyard outside the house where Jesus was taken for questioning.

This being about the time of the Passover, the weather can be frosty at night and so a charcoal fire was started to provide some warmth for those waiting. Peter joined those beside the fire, probably for some warmth and to mix in with people so as to not stand out by being alone, but the company he joins turns out to be bad company for him.

John drops this part of the story, for now, and brings us up to date with what is happening to Jesus. We will leave that for the next lesson.

Prayer

Father, there are some important lessons we can learn to this point. Peter had boasted that he would die before he would deny Jesus, but the Scriptures say: “Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall” (Proverbs 16:18 ESV). The boast had set Peter up to fail as a disciple of Jesus. If Peter had told the truth he would had remained faithful, but to protect himself he lies and instead of being set free he is brought further into the bondage of sin that began with the boast. Father, this is a temptation we all face from time to time and from them we need to learn, as Peter will, how to remain faithful and not be drawn into a trap that will ensnare us. Father, have mercy on us and help us walk with the Lord as we should.

The Door of Temptation

Lesson #300

Jesus was arrested and taken into custody, but “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,” (John 18:15 ESV). I am pretty sure that Peter fled with the rest, but he was curious enough to see what was going to happen to follow “him at a distance, as far as the courtyard of the high priest, and going inside he sat with the guards to see the end” (Matthew 26:58 ESV). Following him at a distance shows some fear, but the fact he followed shows a commitment to Jesus, a property of his sheep. However, when tested, Jesus told Peter he would deny him. Peter is about to experience this test.

The other disciple, who followed Jesus, is thought to be John, because he frequently speaks of himself without mentioning his name. Some think John knew the high priest from taking fish to his home and selling them to him. Since he was not known, he was not questioned as Peter was and entered with Jesus into the courtyard of the high priest. The courtyard was an impressive structure with apartments, stalls for guards, and the usual trappings of a palace. It is likely that both Caiaphas and Annas lived there. As a result, the sending of Jesus from Annas, bound to Caiaphas involved nothing more than leading him across the courtyard.

As a result of not being known, “. . . 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” (John 18:16 ESV). Peter stood outside the door, possibly in fear of going in, to see if he could see or hear anything from inside and maybe for an opportunity to enter. Peter’s curiosity had brought him to this door to wait. Knowing what Jesus had foretold about Peter and his denial, it would have been better if Peter had left because here he stands at the door of temptation. Peter waited too long because the other disciple, who was known to the high priest, went out and spoke to the servant who kept watch at the door and told her that it was ok to let Peter inside to where Jesus was.

In the next lesson we will find Peter in a very difficult situation.

Prayer

Father, this is the quiet before the storm. Jesus is about to be questioned as is Peter. We will see that Jesus stands his ground, focused on the cross, where he will finish the work assigned to him by his Father. Peter does not have a clear focus yet and does not have the strength to remain steadfast to the Lord. Father, as I study the persecution of my brothers and sisters in other countries, I see those who stand with the Lord and those who deny. Those who stand encourage me and honor the Lord. Those who break and deny need to confess their failure, ask for forgiveness and the strength to press on. I pray for them because, like Peter, God still has a need for them. They need to press on with resolve and a stronger relationship with the Lord. Lord, comfort and encourage them like you did Peter. 

The Arrest

Lesson #299

“So the band of soldiers and their captain and the officers of the Jews arrested Jesus and bound him” (John 18:12 ESV). From previous studies, we found Jesus willing to surrender to them, so why the need to bind him? Maybe they bound him for security reasons, thinking that he might try to escape again as he did in the past when they came to arrest him. Maybe they bound him in an act of contempt as they led him away to be treated as a vile criminal. As Jesus was bound the process was set in motion for his people to be set free from the bondage of sin, to be delivered from captivity by Satan, and to be freed from the bondage of the law. Binding Jesus reminds us of Abraham binding his son Isaac to be offered as a sacrifice and the binding of the sacrifice to the horns of the altar.

“First they led him to Annas, for he was the father-in-law of Caiaphas, who was high priest that year” (John 18:13 ESV). It is not clear why John added this bit of information. Trying to give a reason is only speculation, so I will simply say that the home of Annas, the father-in-law of Caiaphas was probably a convenient stopping point and place to hold Jesus until Caiaphas assembled the council. In Luke 3:2 we learn that Annas and Caiaphas may have shared the position of high priest.

“It was Caiaphas who had advised the Jews that it would be expedient that one man should die for the people” (John 18:14 ESV). This piece of information is enough to disqualify Caiaphas as the person to sit in judgment of Jesus. His advice to the Jews that Jesus should die for the people, indicates that he had already prejudged and condemned him. If Jesus was to be condemned to die it would have to be done apart from the rules of justice because Jesus was without sin; he was not guilty of any charge that might be made against him. This is not unlike what is happening to many Christians who live under persecution today. Christians are being imprisoned, tortured and even killed on false charges. Like Jesus, these Christians are seen as trouble makers who oppose their false beliefs and their influence needs to be reduced, sometimes even eliminated.

Prayer

Father, as I think about this injustice, I think of some of my readers who live in countries of persecution. I try to learn as much as I can about what their lives are like; the fears of false charges be levied against them; the suffering they might have to endure; the concern if they will be strong enough to stand and not deny like Peter did. Father, I pray for these, some who risk so much if caught reading these Bible studies. I pray for their encouragement when the going is hard; for endurance when they are not sure how much more they can take; for steadfastness to be able to stand with honor and not deny their faith or their Lord. Father, I encourage my western readers to learn from these brothers and sisters, because someday it may be our turn to take a stand; maybe that time for some is now. 

Drink the Cup (John 18:11)

Lesson #298

In the last lesson two points were listed that we needed to cover from John 18:10 – 11, but we managed to cover only the first, leaving the second point for this lesson. That second point relates to the second part of verse 11 in which Jesus said, “shall I not drink the cup that the Father has given me?” To gain a better understanding of what this cup is, we will look at two Old Testament verses. We will begin with Jeremiah 25:15 (ESV): “Thus the Lord, the God of Israel, said to me: “Take from my hand this cup of the wine of wrath, and make all the nations to whom I send you drink it.”” Looking at the context of this verse we find nations, including Israel, who have done evil and not obeyed God. As a result, God is very angry with them and makes a promise to them that they will become a desolation and a waste. This anger against them is seen as the wrath of God and is symbolized by a cup, which they will be forced to drink.

The Cup of Wrath

Another verse is in Isaiah 51:17 (ESV): “Wake yourself, wake yourself, stand up, O Jerusalem, you who have drunk from the hand of the Lord the cup of his wrath, who have drunk to the dregs the bowl, the cup of staggering.” Jerusalem continued to reject God’s warnings of destruction and did not repent and return to him in obedience, but continued in their sin. As a result, judgment over took them and they were destroyed. This judgment is here described as the cup of his wrath.

Because of our disobedience, our sin, we also stand condemned, guilty before God with our sentence being death. This judgment against us, like the judgment described in Jeremiah and Isaiah, will be experienced as the wrath of God; a cup the unsaved will drink from for an eternity in hell. To provide our salvation, Jesus who lived a sinless life sacrificed himself on the cross, drinking our cup of wrath.

If Jesus did not drink this cup then like those described in Revelation 14, we would have to drink it ourselves. “If anyone worships the beast and its image and receives a mark on his forehead or on his hand, he also will drink the wine of God's wrath, poured full strength into the cup of his anger, and he will be tormented with fire and sulfur in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb. And the smoke of their torment goes up forever and ever, and they have no rest, day or night, these worshipers of the beast and its image, and whoever receives the mark of its name.” (Revelation 14:9 – 11 ESV). This is one cup you want to avoid having to drink from. Jesus provided the way to avoid it. Don’t miss your opportunity to avoid this cup of God’s wrath! There in the Garden Peter didn’t yet understand this drinking from the cup in his place.

Prayer

Father, how thankful I am that Jesus drank the cup of God’s wrath in our place so that you could extend to us the cup of God’s fellowship. As with those who live under persecution, that cup of fellowship might include suffering, but not the wrath of God. That fellowship of suffering is not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us (Romans 8:18) and for those who are called according to his purpose, who love God, all things work together for good (Romans 8:28). Father, thank you for that living hope of what lies, on the other side of this life of suffering, in heaven with you.

Who Is the Enemy? (John 18:10)

Lesson #297

It was mentioned in the last lesson that we would revisit John 18:10 – 11 in this lesson: “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.) So Jesus said to Peter, “Put your sword into its sheath; shall I not drink the cup that the Father has given me?”” (ESV). First, we need to consider the difference between Jesus and Peter in relationship to our enemy and second, we need to consider the cup given to Jesus by his Father to drink.

Jesus presented himself as the righteous one from the Father, who came to purchase our salvation. His claims infuriated the Jewish leaders and in their anger and hate, they planned to kill him. Jesus knew why he was on earth and the events that would lead him to the cross. He also knew the timing and had the power and focus to arrive at the cross at a specific time, having accomplished the appropriate work along the way. This was accomplished without physical force or any violence, simply with spoken words and acts of power. When the time came he surrendered into their hands and died, finishing the work he was sent to do.

Then there was Peter who saw a different enemy and had a different approach. The enemy that Peter saw was the Roman government, which Peter felt could be overcome by the power and leadership of Jesus. If Jesus can change water to wine, can heal people, feed people with the spoken word, control the wind and the sea, raise the dead, and cause those coming to arrest him to fall down before him by saying “I AM”, then possibly Peter might have thought this could be the beginning of that uprising that he thought the Messiah would lead and so he strikes out with his sword believing that Jesus would then take the lead, but instead Jesus commands Peter to put away his sword, heals the damage done and again announces why he was sent to earth by his Father. Jesus knew what his mission was, but Peter had his own mission and it did not match that of Jesus.

This leads to the conclusion of the first point we were going to cover. Think about Christians in the world today and the forms of the enemy that they face. Anyone who truly identifies and walks with Jesus, intent on living a righteous and holy life will stir up hate in the lives of the unsaved. Over and over again Jesus made this very clear. We must not be deceived as Peter was and think that our enemy is some form of evil in this world. It is more than that; it is the power behind the evil, the power of darkness, the devil. In time Rome fell and was replaced by other world powers or kingdoms.

I think of my brothers and sisters living under persecution. They are not taking up weapons of the world in which to fight their enemy, but instead they are continuing to witness and as a result they suffer and many even die. Jesus died and purchased our salvation, rising victorious over death. These under persecution are suffering and even dying and as a result the church is seeing tremendous growth. What is the victory we are looking for and what are our instruments of warfare? If it is some kind of kingdom here on earth, then we line up behind Peter, but if it is the Kingdom of the beloved Son, then our instruments of warfare are quite different and we will approach our enemy with love and forgiveness as Jesus did, not with some form of violence, leaving justice in the hands of God.

We will get to the second point in the next lesson.

Prayer

Father, this lesson was from my heart and I believe contains some things we need to think about today. I believe we need to identify our enemy and the effect it is having on us. I believe we need to stand against that enemy while we still have the freedom to do so, but when the enemy seems to gain the upper hand, strengthen us with your grace and fill us with your love so that we can stand with endurance and steadfastness of faith and continue to be a witness by loving our persecutors and forgiving them because they do not know what they are doing. Father, use our suffering and even the loss of our lives as a means of advancing the Kingdom of your beloved Son. 

Not One Is Lost (John 18:9-11)

Lesson #296

We finished the last lesson with Jesus saying to his captors: “If you seek me, let these men go.” “This was to fulfill the word that he had spoken: “Of those whom you gave me I have lost not one.”” (John 18:9 ESV). With this statement, Jesus is reaching back to John 17:12, where we read: “While I was with them, I kept them in your name, which you have given me. I have guarded them, and not one of them has been lost except the son of destruction, that the Scripture might be fulfilled” (ESV). In the sovereignty of God, Judas was not chosen for salvation, but was chosen to deliver Jesus over to be crucified as the sacrificial lamb for our sin. God did not show mercy to Judas, but allowed him to experience justice for his sin. The other disciples were chosen by the Father, shown mercy, and given as a gift to Jesus just as he chooses us and gives us as a gift to Jesus. “All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never cast out” (John 6:37 ESV). For all of eternity I will never forget that out of the Father’s love for me, he chose me and extended mercy to me, removing me from under the hand of justice. He adopted me as his child, disciplined and trained me up and gave me to his Son, the Lord Jesus, as a gift who then gave me eternal life and promised to keep me secure for all eternity. I am so thankful that my salvation required absolutely no work on my part: “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them” (Ephesians 2:8-10 ESV).

Up to this point neither Jesus or his disciples showed any resistance and harmed no one, but “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.)” (John 18:10 ESV). A situation that was under control and peaceful and now Peter takes out his sword (probably a Roman short sword) and probably trying to make his promise to Jesus good and maybe to force Jesus to use his power against the enemy, lashes out to the servant and manages to cut off his right ear. This outburst from Peter required another miracle to prevent his arrest and possible execution.

Jesus steps forward and takes control, but probably not in the way Peter was thinking. We will consider this in the next lesson. “So Jesus said to Peter, “Put your sword into its sheath; shall I not drink the cup that the Father has given me?”” (John 18:11 ESV). Luke adds more by saying, “No more of this!” And he touched his ear and healed him” (Luke 22:51 ESV). This restored peace to the situation and allowed God’s plan to continue on to the cross.

In the next lesson we will come back to verses 10 and 11 and add some detail which we do not have room for in this lesson. We need to consider the difference between Jesus and Peter in facing our enemy and we need to consider the cup that the Father gave Jesus to drink.

Prayer

Father, the more I study Scripture the more I am awed by your plan of salvation. To see how justice is satisfied for those chosen to receive mercy and given as a gift to Jesus to be given eternal life and security through grace without any work on my part, but to simply accept the gift of salvation simply overwhelms me and fills my heart with love and praise.