WWUTT 991 Jesus Before the High Priest?

When Jesus was arrested, twelve disciples wanted to jump up and defend him. Jesus said, I could call twelve legion of angels.

But this was happening so that one man would be offered up for the sins of many. When we understand the text.

Many of the Bible stories and verses we think we know, we don't. When we understand the text is an online ministry committed to teaching sound doctrine and exposing the faulty.

Visit our website at www .utt .com. Now here's our host, Pastor Gabe Hughes.

Thank you, Becky. We come back to our study of the Gospel of John, chapter 18, and I'll pick up where I left off last week, starting in verse 12 and we'll read through verse 26.

The Apostle John wrote, So the band of soldiers and their captain and the officers of the

Jews arrested Jesus and bound him. First they led him to Annas, for he was the father -in -law of Caiaphas, who was the high priest that year.

It was Caiaphas who had advised the Jews that it would be expedient that one man should die for the people.

Simon Peter followed Jesus and so did another disciple. Since that disciple was known to the high priest, he entered with Jesus into the courtyard of the high priest.

But Peter stood outside the door. So the other disciple, who was known to the high priest, went out and spoke to the servant girl who kept watch at the door and brought

Peter in. 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. Now the servants and officers had made a charcoal fire because it was cold and they were standing and warming themselves.

Peter also was with them, standing and warming himself. The high priest then questioned

Jesus about his disciples and his teaching. Jesus answered him, I have spoken openly to the world.

I have always taught in synagogues and in the temple where all the Jews come together.

I have said nothing in secret. Why do you ask me? Ask those who have heard me what

I said to them. They know what I said. When he had said these things, one of the officers standing by struck

Jesus with his hand, saying, Is that how you answer the high priest? Jesus answered him,

If what I said is wrong, bear witness about the wrong. But if what I said is right, why do you strike me?

Annas then sent him bound to Caiaphas, the high priest. Now Simon Peter was standing and warming himself.

So they said to him, You also are not one of his disciples, are you? He denied it and said,

I am not. One of the servants of the high priest, a relative of the man whose ear

Peter had cut off, asked, Did I not see you in the garden with him? Peter again denied it.

And at once a rooster crowed. So we look back at verse 12, the band of soldiers and their captain and the officers of the

Jews, all those who had come with Judas to the garden of Gethsemane to arrest

Jesus. They arrested him. They bound him. First they led him to Annas, for he was the father in law of Caiaphas, who was the high priest that year.

Surely you've heard a little bit of the debate within Roman Catholicism about how there are two living popes.

There's Pope Francis and there's Pope Benedict. He's still the pope.

And Benedict has made no secret of the fact that he doesn't really like some of the things that Pope Francis is doing.

He has. I don't think he said anything directly to or about Francis, but he's made some statements are pretty clearly opposed to Pope Francis.

And this has created a PR nightmare for Roman Catholicism. Well, here in in John 1813, we actually have two high priests that are mentioned.

This is a little bit different than two popes, though, because these two popes don't get along. Benedict and Francis don't see eye to eye.

Annas and Caiaphas were kind of part of a dynasty of high priests, a certain family that controlled the high priesthood.

And of course, this was all under Roman authority. The Romans appointed the family that was going to control the priesthood.

And in this case, it was the family of Annas. He was the patriarch of this particular family. And and the ruling high priest at this time, when

Jesus was arrested and brought before the high priest, it was Annas's son in law who was

Caiaphas. But Annas was still considered a high priest. So you actually had two high priests. Annas controlled all of the aspects of the high priesthood.

A high priest is only one. There's only one guy at the top. There's only one who can be the high priest.

If you have more than one, then you don't actually have a high priest anymore. What this demonstrates is how the law of God had been so corrupted.

It wasn't being followed. All of the order of the temple was not being obeyed according to the law of God.

And even the manner in which a person was supposed to be tried was not being handled properly either.

Jesus was being tried in the cover of night. It wasn't even a public trial.

As we see that there was a disciple that was able to get in because he knew the high priest and then he got

Peter in. This was supposed to be going on in view of the public. But Annas and Caiaphas were controlling all of this.

So Annas was the father in law of Caiaphas, who was the high priest that year. If it was

Caiaphas who would advise the Jews that it would be expedient that one man should die for the people.

Now, this was a couple of months ago, but this goes back to John chapter 11, right after Jesus had raised

Lazarus from the dead. I'll start reading in verse 45. Many of the Jews, therefore, who had come with Mary and had seen what

Jesus did, believed in him. But some of them went to the Pharisees and told them what

Jesus had done. So the chief priests and the Pharisees gathered the council and said, what are we to do?

For this man performs many signs. If we let him go, if we let him go on like this, everyone will believe in him and the

Romans will come and take away both our place and our nation, which is, you know, a little over the top.

But of course, they're kind of panicking here. So verse 49. But one of them, Caiaphas, who was the high priest that year, said to them, you know nothing at all, nor do you understand that it is better for you that one man should die for the people, not that the whole nation should perish.

He did not say this of his own accord, but being a high priest that year, he prophesied that Jesus would die for the nation and not for the nation only, but also to gather into one the children of God who are scattered abroad.

So from that day on, they made plans to put him to death. Caiaphas did not even realize that what he was speaking about was actually going to come to fruition, but not in the way that Caiaphas in his dark heart probably hoped that it was going to take place.

So back in John 18, 14, it was Caiaphas who had advised the Jews that it would be expedient that one man should die for the people.

In other words, we're not all going to die at the hands of the Romans. There's a guy who's going to die for us.

And then this will appease the wrath of the Romans. But we know it's actually much greater than that, that Christ died to appease the wrath of God.

So that all who believe in Jesus will not perish when the ultimate war comes against the earth, and that will be the judgment of God against sinful man.

All of us who are in Christ Jesus will not be among those who will be struck down by the angels who come in judgment, but rather we will be delivered by those angels.

As Jesus talked about in Matthew 24, they will gather the elect from the four winds.

So we will be gathered up to be with Christ. Jesus is the one who died to save the people.

One man should die for the people. Caiaphas prophesied that, but didn't really understand the weight of his prophecy.

Verse 15, Simon Peter followed Jesus and so did another disciple since that disciple was known to the high priest.

He entered with Jesus into the courtyard of the high priest. But Peter stood outside at the door.

So this unnamed disciple here, this one who was known to the high priest, entered with Jesus into the courtyard of the high priest.

Who would that have been? Well, it would have been John. John is just very humbly not including his own name in this story, but he was the one that would have been known.

So he's explaining here how he got how he got Peter into the courtyard when this was all all things considered a private trial.

It was supposed to be public that the people would see the charges that are being brought against Jesus and therefore weigh a verdict.

But in this particular case, the high priest and everybody associated with him, they were doing this behind closed doors.

John was able to get in because he knew the high priest and he got Peter in.

But when but then it says for 16, Peter stood outside at the door. So the other disciple who was known to the high priest went out and spoke to the servant girl who kept watch at the door and brought

Peter in. So John's already in says something to the servant girl. She goes back to the door to bring

Peter in. And what she says to Peter in verse 17, she says, aren't you also one of this man's disciples?

And Peter said, I am not rather bitterly, rather angrily because he sees what's going on with Jesus.

He's kind of worried about this because this is not what they had expected would happen with Jesus.

They didn't expect him to be arrested and put on trial unfairly and knowing that they're probably going to kill him because that's what they've been plotting all along.

They've tried to kill him all the way up to this point. Now they have him. Surely that's what's going to happen.

And Peter's a little uncertain about this. This is not the way they thought their king was going to be lifted up.

Remember that Jesus said to Nicodemus back in John three, that the son of man must be lifted up so that all who look upon him will be saved.

But of course, the disciples, they're thinking, you know, they're talking about raising a king up here. They think

Jesus is going to just march right into the palace and take his seat on David's throne. And yay, we're with the king here.

Jerusalem is going to become an empire again. Israel is going to be an empire on the earth. And we are going to drive out the

Romans who are oppressing us. That's what they think is going to happen. And it's going to happen with great power and authority, they think, as well, considering how miraculous

Jesus was, the incredible miracles he had performed, walking on water, calming a storm, had even said his own name and knocked everybody down in the

Garden of Gethsemane. This is our guy. This is our warrior king we've been waiting for.

And here he is arrested. And he's been taken to trial and he's probably going to be put to death.

So, yeah, Peter's pretty concerned. He's pretty worried about what's going on. So he doesn't want to be known.

He doesn't want to be associated. We get to understand here that for all of Peter's big talk, he's really quite timid and afraid.

Now, we knew this was going to be the case, you know, the story of of Jesus arrest and trial and being crucified and how

Peter denied him three times. All these things are very well known to most anybody, especially in the

Western world and English speaking culture where, you know, Easter stories are shown on television every

Easter or just in the church down the street when they do a living last supper or something to that effect.

So this story is very, very well known. We understand the whole concept of Peter denying Jesus three times.

We don't really understand why. Why was Peter so timid? Again, it's because they expected

Jesus to ascend to this throne and overthrow the Romans. They did not expect him to be arrested and put to death.

So Peter, who talked a big game, even drew his sword and lopped off the the ear of the high priest.

Jesus has already tempered this man. He's already said, no, put your sword back into its sheath.

This is not the way that this is going to happen. Peter was ready for that. Let's go. Let's take charge.

Let's march right into the palace. Let's take over this thing. Jesus is going, no, this is not how this is supposed to take place.

Don't you know that I would call upon my father and he would send 12 legion of angels to my aid?

That's 60 ,000 angels, by the way, as a lot of angels and in the

Roman army would not have even been able to withstand even a single legion of angels, let alone is 60 ,000.

And so Jesus is demonstrating to his disciples, this is what is supposed to happen.

Of course, he'd been telling them that this entire time, but they just did not have the ears to hear. Jesus could command angels.

Twelve guys in a garden with swords are going to be able to defend him against this this ban that had come against him.

And it wasn't even, you know, I don't even think all 12 disciples had swords. I think they only had two, two amongst the 12.

I think there were a few other disciples in addition to the 12. But anyway, all that to say that the disciples were not going to be able to fight against these men.

Jesus said, if I wanted to, I could I could command angels to come down. But this isn't the way this is supposed to take place.

So all of this has kind of calmed Peter down. But it's also made him very afraid because he's watching

Jesus be arrested. Well, what's going to happen here? At what point does Jesus just unleash power and go to the throne in Jerusalem the way that they were all expecting him to?

So Peter denies that he knows Jesus, because for now, I think I'm going to die. If I say that I'm with Jesus, I'm going to get arrested, too, and I'm going to be put on trial with him.

So he says, I am not I'm not with this man. Verse 18. Now, the servants and officers had made a charcoal fire because it was cold and they were standing and warming themselves.

Peter also was with them standing and warming himself. So he's there by the fire, not wanting to be too close to Jesus and what's going on.

So he doesn't get identified. He doesn't get in trouble with them, but he's still trying to eavesdrop on everything that's going on.

He he wants to be there. But at the same time, he doesn't. So verse 19, the high priest then questioned

Jesus about his disciples and his teaching. Jesus answered him,

I have spoken openly to the world. In other words,

Jesus is saying there's just no mystery about what I've said. I've said it out loud.

I've been out in the open. There have been massive crowds of people that have come and listened to me talk.

I have always taught in synagogues and in the temples. I've even been in the places where you men are, is what

Jesus is saying. Where all the Jews come together, I have said nothing in secret.

Why do you ask me? Ask those who have heard me what I said to them.

They know what I said. So Jesus is saying that he doesn't need to account for the things that he said.

There are many people who can account for what he has said. Of course, in his wisdom, he knows that whatever he says is not going to matter.

Whatever he says standing there in the court is not going to save his life. They are determined to put him to death.

And this is all according to the plan of the father. And Jesus knows that. So he is in most of all in submission to that.

But if these men truly cared to know what the truth was, they and they wanted to put

Jesus on a fair trial, we put it that way. They would actually go to find some witnesses who could verify what it was that Jesus said.

And verse 22, when he had said these things, one of the officers standing by struck Jesus with his hand, saying,

Is that how you answer the high priest? How dare you disrespect the high priest? That was kind of the way that he reacted.

Verse 23. Jesus answered him. If what I said is wrong, bear witness about the wrong.

But if what I said is right, why do you strike me? If what I said is wrong, bear witness about the wrong.

And I think sometimes we get a little caught up in attacking the character of a person rather than considering the statement it is that they have made.

We need to be very careful about that. I mean, that the wise approach to disagreement is to look at the statements that are being made and weigh that against the truth.

If it's a theological argument, of course, you want to weigh the statements being said against what scripture has said.

Judging with right judgment, you you focus on the words that are coming from the person character attacks.

It doesn't get you anywhere, especially if you're having a disagreement among brothers and sisters in the

Lord. Well, then that's just that's just division that you're causing there by making a character attack on a person leveling slander against them, making fun of them and calling them names.

That's disparaging. It's malice. And Jesus warned about this in Matthew five when he said, if you say to your brother, you fool, you're guilty of the fires of hell.

If we have a disagreement with somebody, look at the words, consider the thoughts and answer regarding those things with a level mindedness, with reason.

Don't go like way out there. If you can't keep your cool, you need to step out of the situation.

If you're going to start making fun of people and calling names, then maybe you don't need to be in this discussion right now.

Just look at the words that are being said. Don't make these character attacks against people. Even Jesus is saying that here in response to what is being said of him.

If what I am saying is wrong, then bear witness about the wrong. Why would you need to come over and slap me if what

I said is wrong? Then show me where the statement is wrong. But if what I said is right, then why are you going to come over and smack me for it?

You can go and find the witnesses that you need to put on a fair trial, which is what you should be doing.

Jesus is making a reference here to Exodus 22, 28.

You shall not revile God nor curse a ruler of your people.

And that's what they're doing. They are reviling Christ and cursing him who is their ruler.

Verse 24, Annas then sent him bound to Caiaphas, the high priest. Verse 25.

Now, Simon Peter was standing and warming himself. So they said to him, you also are not one of his disciples, are you?

He denied it and said, I am not one of the servants of the high priest, a relative of the man whose ear

Peter had cut off. Whoa, boy. Yeah, you don't want to have a beef with with that guy because, hey, you injured a family member of mine.

He said, did I not see you in the garden with him? I was there. And Peter again denied it.

And at once the rooster crowed and Peter knew exactly what he had done. And according to Matthew's gospel, he went out and wept bitterly.

It's important for John to include that portion of the story, because what we will get to at the end of the gospel of John is

Jesus reinstatement of John in chapter 21. We'll get to that in the coming weeks.

In the meantime, we're going to stop there and pick up in our reading again, John chapter 18 tomorrow.

Let's conclude with prayer. Our heavenly father, we thank you for the plan that you had predestined from before the foundation of the world to offer up your son as an atoning sacrifice for sin so that all who believe in him will not perish under the coming judgment of God.

But we will have everlasting life. What a wonderful love that you have loved us with from before the foundation of the world.

And I pray that we would we would remember the words of Christ and we would desire to live as Christ in this world, seeking honesty and reason and truth and speaking these things with gentleness and respect with one another as we should, as you have asked us to.

We read in first Peter that when Jesus was reviled, he didn't revile back, but entrusted himself to him who judges justly.

And may we do the same. We trust in our sovereign God who loves us and has secured us for your kingdom in glory forever through your son.

And we ask for your peace in our hearts today. In Jesus name.

Amen. This has been When We Understand the Text with Pastor Gabriel Hughes. For all of our podcasts, episodes, videos, books and more, visit our website at www .utt

.com. If you'd like to submit a question to this broadcast or just send us a comment, email whenweunderstandthetext at gmail .com

and let your friends know about our ministry. Join us again tomorrow as we grow together in the study of God's word when we understand the text.