Peter’s Denial
(1) -- “I know not” - the temptation: being charged as a disciple Role of Priest:
He pretended not to understand 1. Teach people about God
Kept at a distance; afar off 2. Act as intercessors
Occasioned by associates 3. Help with sacrifices to cover their sins
Outside Annas house - outside hall
Between midnight and 1:00 a.m. TRIAL:
First cock crowed --Conference with prosecutors
(2) -- “I know not the man” - I do not own Him --His arraignment
Between 1:00 a.m. and 2:00 a.m. “We could not stand before God because of our sins, if Christ
Outside Caiaphas house had not been thus made sin for us. He was arraigned that we
Vestibule of house be discharged.”
(3) -- “May God strike me dead if I lie” --Decision: judge Him yourself
Before 3:00 a.m. --the prisoner sent to the bar
In open hall/space within court - within sight of Jesus --His indictment:
Jesus knew by Spirit and could not hear events -misrepresented as a rebel and rival against Caesar
Cock crowed “Are You King of the Jews”
Jesus looked at Peter --if so they must deliver them from the Roman power and
Peter’s eyes still on Him restore to them a temporal dominion
Peter sinned in his haste; not in heart as Judas had --Jews assumed His being Christ also made Him King
Fulfilled prophecy --The evidence (articles of impeachment)
--accused by high priests; they made up for evidence with
noise and violence
--Jews didn’t believe in their heart that being against Rome was a crime
--Pilate entered into judgment with Him that God might not enter into judgment with us
-Both Jews and Gentiles tried Him for He dies for sins of both; He was Savior of both Jews and Gentiles (those not in covenant)
-Religion without the indwelling Spirit put Christ on the cross (Tozer)
-Isaiah 50:6 - cheeks the seat of beauty (SOS 5:13) - they abused/despised His beauty
-Surrounded by enemies all around yet had a way open to heaven
-Psalm 22:7 - ridiculed Him
--As Roman law had brought Him to be born at Bethlehem and now to die on the cross - both according to Scripture
--The Lord owned Himself “the Son of God” before the most exalted theocratic council, so He confessed His “regal dignity” in the presence of the
representative of the highest political authority on earth
--Our Lord here not only affirms that His word had in it a self-evidencing, self-recommending power, but gently insinuated the true secret of the growth and
grandeur of His Kingdom--as a Kingdom of Truth, in its highest sense, into which all souls who have learned to live and count all things
but loss for the truth are, by a most heavenly attraction, drawn as into their proper element; the King of whom Jesus is fetching them in and ruling them by His
captivating power over their hearts
-No offering was acceptable unless hands had been laid on the head of the sacrifice - here by both Jews and Gentiles - but they were hands that slapped.