The story of Jesus

 

Day 32

Jesus knowing all that was going to happen to him, went out and asked them,”Who is it you want?”

“Jesus of Nazareth,” they replied.

 

“I am he” Jesus said. (And Judas the traitor was standing there with him)

When Jesus said, “I am he,” they drew back and fell to the ground.

Again he asked them, “Who is it you want?”

“Jesus of Nazareth,” they said.

 

Jesus answered , “I told you that I am he. If you are looking for me, then let these men

go.” This happened so that the words he had spoken would be fulfilled: “I have not lost

one of those you gave me.”

 

Then Simon Peter , who had a sword, drew it and struck the High priest servant, cutting off

his right ear. (The servant’s name was Malchus)

 

Jesus commanded Peter, “Put your sword away! Shall I not drink the cup the Father has

given me?”

 

And he touched the man’s ear and healed him

Then Jesus said to the chief priests, the officers of the temple guard, and the elders, who had come for him,

“Am I leading a rebellion, that you have come with swords and clubs? Every day I was with

you in the temple courts , and you did not lay a hand on me. But this is your hour when

darkness reigns .”

 

Soldiers of the Jewish religious establishment had come to place Jesus under arrest, and

Jesus gave himself up. He could topple hid foes with a sword. He had the power to call on

vast armies of angles to rescue him, but but instead he surrendered . The disciples knew

that something very bad was happening, and they ran away to save their own skins.

Jesus was left alone with his captors.

 

Those who had arrested Jesus took him to Caiaphas the high priest, where the teachers of

the law and the elders had assembled . But Peter followed him at a distance , right up to

the courtyard of the high priest. He entered and sat down with the guards to see the

outcome .

 

The chief priest and the whole Sanhedrin were looking for false evidence against Jesus so

that they could put him to death. But they did not find any, though many false witnesses

came forward .

 

Finally two came forward and declared , “This fellow said , I am able to destroy the temple

of God and rebuild it in three days,”

 

Then the high priest stood up and said to Jesus , “are you not going to answer?. What is

this testimony that these men are bringing against you?”

But Jesus remained silent .

The high priest said to him, “I charge you under oath by the living God: Tell us if you are

the Messiah, the Son of God”

 

“You have said so,” Jesus replied. “But I say to all of you: From now on you will see the

Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Mighty One and coming in the clouds of

heaven.”

 

Then the high priest tore his clothes and said.”He has spoken blasphemy! Why do we need

any more witnesses? Look, now you have heard the blasphemy. What do you think.?”

 

“He is worthy of death,” they answered

They then spit in hid face and struck him with their fists. Others slapped him and said.

“Prophesy to us Messiah. Who hit you?”

 

Peter was not the timid sort. His normal reaction to trouble was to wrestle it to the ground,

not to run from it. Quite naturally, then, he was the one to follow the soldiers back to the

high priest’s house and wait for the outcome. Maybe he was dreaming up “Plan B” when a

few people took him by surprise .

 

And when some there had kindled a fire in the middle of the courtyard and he sat down

together, Peter sat down with them. A servant girl saw him seated there in the firelight .

She looked closely at him and said. “This man was with him.”

 

But he denied it. “Woman, I don’t know him,” he said

 

A little later someone else saw him and said . “You also are one of them”

“Man I am not!” Peter replied.

 

About an hour later another asserted , “Certainly this fellow was with him, for he is a

Galilean.”

 

Peter replied , “Man, I don’t know what you’re talking about!” Just as he was speaking,

the rooster crowed . The Lord turned and looked straight at Peter. Then Peter

remembered the word the Lord had spoken to him: “Before the rooster crows today you

will disown me three times.” And he went out and wept bitterly.

 

Question for today

How did Jesus’followers respond to the tragic events?