March 23, 2023

Luke 22:47-23:25 (HCSB)
47 While He was still speaking, suddenly a mob was there, and one of the Twelve named Judas was leading them. He came near Jesus to kiss Him, 48 but Jesus said to him, "Judas, are you betraying the Son of Man with a kiss?" 49 When those around Him saw what was going to happen, they asked, "Lord, should we strike with the sword?"  50 Then one of them struck the high priest's slave and cut off his right ear. 51 But Jesus responded, "No more of this!" And touching his ear, He healed him. 52 Then Jesus said to the chief priests, temple police, and the elders who had come for Him, "Have you come out with swords and clubs as if I were a criminal? 53 Every day while I was with you in the temple complex, you never laid a hand on Me. But this is your hour-and the dominion of darkness."  54 They seized Him, led Him away, and brought Him into the high priest's house. Meanwhile Peter was following at a distance. 55 They lit a fire in the middle of the courtyard and sat down together, and Peter sat among them. 56 When a servant saw him sitting in the firelight, and looked closely at him, she said, "This man was with Him too." 57 But he denied it: "Woman, I don't know Him!" 58 After a little while, someone else saw him and said, "You're one of them too!" "Man, I am not!" Peter said. 59 About an hour later, another kept insisting, "This man was certainly with Him, since he's also a Galilean." 60 But Peter said, "Man, I don't know what you're talking about!" Immediately, while he was still speaking, a rooster crowed. 61 Then the Lord turned and looked at Peter. So Peter remembered the word of the Lord, how He had said to him, "Before the rooster crows today, you will deny Me three times." 62 And he went outside and wept bitterly. 63 The men who were holding Jesus started mocking and beating Him. 64 After blindfolding Him, they kept asking, "Prophesy! Who hit You?" 65 And they were saying many other blasphemous things against Him.  66 When daylight came, the elders of the people, both the chief priests and the scribes, convened and brought Him before their Sanhedrin. 67 They said, "If You are the Messiah, tell us." But He said to them, "If I do tell you, you will not believe. 68 And if I ask you, you will not answer. 69 But from now on, the Son of Man will be seated at the right hand of the Power of God." 70 They all asked, "Are You, then, the Son of God?" And He said to them, "You say that I am." 71 "Why do we need any more testimony," they said, "since we've heard it ourselves from His mouth?"   1 Then their whole assembly rose up and brought Him before Pilate. 2 They began to accuse Him, saying, "We found this man subverting our nation, opposing payment of taxes to Caesar, and saying that He Himself is the Messiah, a King." 3 So Pilate asked Him, "Are You the King of the Jews?" He answered him, "You have said it." 4 Pilate then told the chief priests and the crowds, "I find no grounds for charging this man." 5 But they kept insisting, "He stirs up the people, teaching throughout all Judea, from Galilee where He started even to here."  6 When Pilate heard this, he asked if the man was a Galilean. 7 Finding that He was under Herod's jurisdiction, he sent Him to Herod, who was also in Jerusalem during those days. 8 Herod was very glad to see Jesus; for a long time he had wanted to see Him, because he had heard about Him and was hoping to see some miracle performed by Him. 9 So he kept asking Him questions, but Jesus did not answer him. 10 The chief priests and the scribes stood by, vehemently accusing Him. 11 Then Herod, with his soldiers, treated Him with contempt, mocked Him, dressed Him in a brilliant robe, and sent Him back to Pilate. 12 That very day Herod and Pilate became friends. Previously, they had been hostile toward each other.  13 Pilate called together the chief priests, the leaders, and the people, 14 and said to them, "You have brought me this man as one who subverts the people. But in fact, after examining Him in your presence, I have found no grounds to charge this man with those things you accuse Him of 15 Neither has Herod, because he sent Him back to us. Clearly, He has done nothing to deserve death. 16 Therefore I will have Him whipped; and [then] release Him."  17 For according to the festival he had to release someone to them.18 Then they all cried out together, "Take this man away! Release Barabbas to us!" 19 (He had been thrown into prison for a rebellion that had taken place in the city, and for murder.) 20 Pilate, wanting to release Jesus, addressed them again, 21 but they kept shouting, "Crucify! Crucify Him!" 22 A third time he said to them, "Why? What has this man done wrong? I have found in Him no grounds for the death penalty. Therefore I will have Him whipped and [then] release Him." 23 But they kept up the pressure, demanding with loud voices that He be crucified. And their voices won out. 24 So Pilate decided to grant their demand 25 and released the one they were asking for, who had been thrown into prison for rebellion and murder. But he handed Jesus over to their will.

Abby Joiner
I think Christians today are pretty hard on Peter. We all say we would never deny Christ like that, but do we actually know how we would respond unless we were in that situation? Peter was faced with a tough decision: deny knowing Christ and suffer no consequence or admit to following Jesus and be fearful of Jesus’ death and potentially his own. I don’t say this to justify Peter’s denial, but to allow us to put ourselves in his shoes. How much are we willing to suffer in this life for following Christ? Also, should we expect to not suffer? Scripture says that we will be hated because they hated Jesus. 1 Peter 4:1 says, “Therefore, since Christ suffered in the flesh, equip yourselves also with the same resolve...for God’s will.” May we remember that our sufferings are to and for the glory of God, and we may rejoice that we get to share in these sufferings