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Day 45 Mark 14:53-72 Mark 14:53 And they led Jesus away to the high priest: and with him were assembled all the chief priests and the elders and the scribes. 54 And Peter followed him afar off, even into the palace of the high priest: and he sat with the servants, and warmed himself at the fire. 55 And the chief priests and all the council sought for witness against Jesus to put him to death; and found none. 56 For many bare false witness against him, but their witness agreed not together. 57 And there arose certain, and bare false witness against him, saying, 58 We heard him say, I will destroy this temple that is made with hands, and within three days I will build another made without hands. 59 But neither so did their witness agree together. 60 And the high priest stood up in the midst, and asked Jesus, saying, Answer thou nothing? What is it which these witness against thee? 61 But he held his peace, and answered nothing. Again the high priest asked him, and said unto him, Art thou the Christ, the Son of the Blessed? 62 And Jesus said, I am: and ye shall see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven. 63 Then the high priest rent his clothes, and said, What need we any further witnesses? 64 Ye have heard the blasphemy: what think ye? And they all condemned him to be guilty of death. 65 And some began to spit on him, and to cover his face, and to buffet him, and to say unto him, Prophesy: and the servants did strike him with the palms of their hands. 66 And as Peter was beneath in the palace, there came one of the maids of the high priest: 67 And when she saw Peter warming himself, she looked upon him, and said, And thou also was with Jesus of Nazareth. 68 But he denied, saying, I know not, neither understand I what thou say. And he went out into the porch; and the cock crew. 69 And a maid saw him again, and began to say to them that stood by, This is one of them. 70 And he denied it again. And a little after, they that stood by said again to Peter, Surely thou art one of them: for thou art a Galilaean, and thy speech agrees thereto. 71 But he began to curse and to swear, saying, I know not this man of whom ye speak. 72 And the second time the cock crew. And Peter called to mind the word that Jesus said unto him, Before the cock crow twice, thou shalt deny me thrice. And when he thought thereon, he wept. Are you able to keep quiet when someone accuses you of something you didn’t do? Most can’t. Jesus was with the chief priests, elders, and scribes who wanted to find a reason to put him to death, but had trouble bringing an accusation against him. According to the Law of Moses, two people needed to agree in order to bring a judgment against someone, and no one agreed, making it impossible to bring a judgment against Jesus. That is, until the high priest asked the most important question, and the one Jesus could not keep silent about – Are you the Christ the Son of the living God, or Son of the Blessed, as Mark states it. Jesus could not and would not deny who he was, and it was his affirmation, which brought him the death penalty. While Jesus stood with the council, Peter was in the courtyard. Not everyone fled when Jesus was taken prisoner in the Garden of Gethsemane. Two disciples followed Jesus, John and Peter. It was John who got Peter admitted to the courtyard. John 18:15 And Simon Peter followed Jesus, and so did another disciple: that disciple was known unto the high priest, and went in with Jesus into the palace of the high priest. (KJV) John never named himself in his gospel except as another disciple. It was he who helped Peter gain admittance to the temple courtyard. Peter had claimed he would die with Jesus if necessary, but instead of acknowledging him, he denied him, just as Jesus said he would do, three times before the cock crew twice. As soon as Peter denied him, Jesus looked at him, and Peter fled from the courtyard, weeping bitterly. Lu 22:61 And the Lord turned, and looked upon Peter. And Peter remembered the word of the Lord, how he had said unto him, Before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice. (KJV) As Christians, it has been brought to light there was one more important action taking place during the mock trial, as it was illegal to have a trial in the middle of the night, as Jesus’ trial was. However, the important action that took place was when the high priest rent his clothes declaring Jesus’ blasphemed against God. The high priest’s actions in rending his clothes, gave his authority immediately to Jesus, as the Son of God, their Messiah. Though his actions in that moment didn’t register with anyone in the council. John, who was witness to the actions of the high priest, would have recognized the significance of the action and passed that to the other apostles, who showed that in that moment, Jesus became our High Priest. Hebrews 2:16 For verily he took not on him the nature of angels; but he took on him the seed of Abraham. 17 Wherefore in all things it behooved him to be made like unto his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people. 18 For in that he himself hath suffered being tempted, he is able to succor them that are tempted. Hebrews 4:14 Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession. 15 For we have not a high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. 16 Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need. Peter needed that mercy and forgiveness, which he later received after Jesus’ resurrection, when Jesus confronted him in front of the other disciples. John 21:15 So when they had dined, Jesus saith to Simon Peter, Simon, son of Jonas, love thou me more than these? He said unto him, Yea, Lord; thou know that I love thee. He said unto him, Feed my lambs. 16 He said to him again the second time, Simon, son of Jonas, love thou me? He said unto him, Yea, Lord; thou know that I love thee. He said unto him, Feed my sheep. 17 He said unto him the third time, Simon, son of Jonas, love thou me? Peter was grieved because he said unto him the third time, Love thou me? And he said unto him, Lord, thou know all things; thou know that I love thee. Jesus saith unto him, Feed my sheep. 18 Verily, verily, I say unto thee, When thou was young, thou girded thyself, and walked whither thou would: but when thou shalt be old, thou shalt stretch forth thy hands, and another shall gird thee, and carry thee whither thou would not. Because Peter had denied Jesus three times, he had to affirm his love to Jesus three times. Peter had also claimed he would die with him. Jesus told him he would die the same kind of death he did. You are accountable for all your words and actions regardless how insignificant they might be at the time you say and do them. Jesus stood in front of the council and declared in everyone’s hearing, he was the Son of God, their Messiah, and Peter denied knowing Jesus. Both had significant consequences to the church and body of Jesus Christ. What have you said or done that brought severe consequences? Have you made restitution for your words and actions? Let’s pray: Father, you alone know my heart. You know whether I will say or do anything that could jeopardize my relationship with you. Keep me from doing anything that would hurt my testimony of love and faith in you. In Jesus’ name, I pray, amen. Copyright © 20 August 2018 by Valerie Routhieaux Image courtesy of Pixabay