John 18:12-18
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
In our passage today, we continue the scene in the garden of Gethsemane. The group coming to arrest Jesus carried out their mission to seize Him. But only Jesus was arrested in the garden. Even Peter, who had inflicted an injury on the high priest’s servant was let free. While Jesus submitted Himself to be arrested, His power and authority never left Him. He had declared earlier in verse 8 to “let these men go”, and it was so.
Jesus was then brought to Caiaphas, the father-in-law of the high priest. And here the gospel writer reminds us of the words of the high priest in John 11:50, where he had prophesied that Jesus would die for the people. It is better that one man should die for the people than that the whole nation perish. Caiaphas did not realise it, but his words carried a greater meaning. Precisely highlighting the ultimate mission of Jesus, to die for the sake of many.
Now we turn our focus back to Simon Peter, who had followed the group closely behind, together with an unnamed disciple. Interestingly, this other disciple had access to the courtyard of the high priest because he was known to the high priest. And so, he went in with the group into the courtyard. Peter, however, was left outside at the door. Seeing this, the other disciple went out and spoke to the servant girl who kept watch at the door, and he brought Peter in as well.
As Peter walked through the door of the courtyard, the servant girl asked him a seemingly innocent question, “Are you also one of this man’s disciples?” This was a defining moment for Peter. The test of his allegiance and loyalty. The stakes were low because, after all, so what if the servant girl knew? Jesus’ words “let these men go” held power in the garden just as they would here in the high priest’s courtyard. Even if he had acknowledged his relationship with Jesus here, his freedom had already been secured, sealed by the word of the One with power. The One who had spoken the world into existence with just His word, speaks for Peter here. But could Peter trust the words of Jesus in this moment? Or would he falter in his faith?
Unfortunately, we know Peter’s answer. He replied, “I am not.” Jesus had predicted Peter’s denial earlier in John 13:38. Not just once, but three times. While Jesus had foretold this, it doesn’t mean that Peter had no free will. His lack of faith in that moment was an expression of the weakness of the human heart. Trusting in our own understanding rather than in God. And with this first out of three denials of his relationship with Jesus, Peter now stands “with them” on the other side. “With them”, meaning with the enemies of Jesus, just as Judas Iscariot had stood “with them” earlier in verse 5.
Peter’s unfaithfulness was comparable to Judas’, but with two distinct differences. Firstly, Peter had been set free by Jesus’ words, “let these men go” (v8), and “I have lost not one” (v9). Judas was considered the “son of destruction”, but the other disciples, including Peter, would be kept under God’s protection. Secondly, Judas’ story ends shortly, whereas Peter’s story has not ended yet. In the end, Peter would be warmed, fed and restored at another “charcoal fire”.
Reflection:
Do we sometimes find it hard to acknowledge our relationship with Jesus in front of non-believers? Do we fully trust Jesus as the one with power and authority over our lives?
Prayer:
Father God, please forgive us for the times when we falter in our faith and when we find it hard to acknowledge Jesus in our lives. But we thank You for Your grace and Your mercy. And we pray and ask, may You help us to grow in faith and trust in Jesus’ power and authority over our lives, that we may glorify You in all that we do. In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen.
In our passage today, we continue the scene in the garden of Gethsemane. The group coming to arrest Jesus carried out their mission to seize Him. But only Jesus was arrested in the garden. Even Peter, who had inflicted an injury on the high priest’s servant was let free. While Jesus submitted Himself to be arrested, His power and authority never left Him. He had declared earlier in verse 8 to “let these men go”, and it was so.
Jesus was then brought to Caiaphas, the father-in-law of the high priest. And here the gospel writer reminds us of the words of the high priest in John 11:50, where he had prophesied that Jesus would die for the people. It is better that one man should die for the people than that the whole nation perish. Caiaphas did not realise it, but his words carried a greater meaning. Precisely highlighting the ultimate mission of Jesus, to die for the sake of many.
Now we turn our focus back to Simon Peter, who had followed the group closely behind, together with an unnamed disciple. Interestingly, this other disciple had access to the courtyard of the high priest because he was known to the high priest. And so, he went in with the group into the courtyard. Peter, however, was left outside at the door. Seeing this, the other disciple went out and spoke to the servant girl who kept watch at the door, and he brought Peter in as well.
As Peter walked through the door of the courtyard, the servant girl asked him a seemingly innocent question, “Are you also one of this man’s disciples?” This was a defining moment for Peter. The test of his allegiance and loyalty. The stakes were low because, after all, so what if the servant girl knew? Jesus’ words “let these men go” held power in the garden just as they would here in the high priest’s courtyard. Even if he had acknowledged his relationship with Jesus here, his freedom had already been secured, sealed by the word of the One with power. The One who had spoken the world into existence with just His word, speaks for Peter here. But could Peter trust the words of Jesus in this moment? Or would he falter in his faith?
Unfortunately, we know Peter’s answer. He replied, “I am not.” Jesus had predicted Peter’s denial earlier in John 13:38. Not just once, but three times. While Jesus had foretold this, it doesn’t mean that Peter had no free will. His lack of faith in that moment was an expression of the weakness of the human heart. Trusting in our own understanding rather than in God. And with this first out of three denials of his relationship with Jesus, Peter now stands “with them” on the other side. “With them”, meaning with the enemies of Jesus, just as Judas Iscariot had stood “with them” earlier in verse 5.
Peter’s unfaithfulness was comparable to Judas’, but with two distinct differences. Firstly, Peter had been set free by Jesus’ words, “let these men go” (v8), and “I have lost not one” (v9). Judas was considered the “son of destruction”, but the other disciples, including Peter, would be kept under God’s protection. Secondly, Judas’ story ends shortly, whereas Peter’s story has not ended yet. In the end, Peter would be warmed, fed and restored at another “charcoal fire”.
Reflection:
Do we sometimes find it hard to acknowledge our relationship with Jesus in front of non-believers? Do we fully trust Jesus as the one with power and authority over our lives?
Prayer:
Father God, please forgive us for the times when we falter in our faith and when we find it hard to acknowledge Jesus in our lives. But we thank You for Your grace and Your mercy. And we pray and ask, may You help us to grow in faith and trust in Jesus’ power and authority over our lives, that we may glorify You in all that we do. In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen.
