Jesus on Trial and Peter in Denial
John 18:12-27
As we move toward the apex of the Gospel of John in Jesus’ death and resurrection I find myself reflecting on the strong influence John’s story of Jesus has had on me. Have you found the Gospel of John to be as powerfully impacting on your life as it has been on mine? One of the reasons why the Holy Spirit speaks the word of Christ so powerfully in the Gospel of John is that John is not only a faithful reporter of the events that he witnessed; but he is also a masterful narrator.
One of the narrative tools John employs is to intermingle one event with another. In doing so, the sum of the two stories together creates a far more powerful punch than either of the two stories told alone. In today’s passage John interlaces the story of our Lord’s trial in the house of the high priest with that of the denial of Peter in the courtyard. Together, the two stories display the wonderful faithfulness of our Savior against the backdrop of the sad unfaithfulness of His most outspoken follower. “John has constructed a dramatic contrast wherein Jesus stands up to His questioners and denies nothing, while Peter cowers before his questioners and denies everything.” (R. Brown, John, Anchor Bible, vol. 2, 842).
The context here is the trial of our Lord—told by John in three main parts. Today we are looking at the first part, His interrogation before the high priest Annas (John 18:12-27). Next, omitting Jesus’ interrogation by Caiaphas and His condemnation by the Sanhedrin which Matthew, Mark, and Luke tell in greater detail (see John 18:24; Matthew 26:57-68; Mark 14:53-65; Luke 22:63-71); John instead focuses the second part of his narrative on Jesus’ interrogation before Pilate (John 18:28-40). In the third part John records the verdict Pilate gives to Jesus as He stood—beaten and scourged—before His own people; who then demand that He be crucified (John 19:1-16).
As our passage today unfolds we see four scenes that intertwine the dramas of Jesus’ trial and Peter’s denial. The two events happened concurrently. So John’s narrative goes back and forth from Jesus to Peter; Jesus to Peter—effectively contrasting the divine, determined faithfulness of Christ against the faltering faithlessness of Peter. Here as always in John’s Gospel the glory of Christ shines. And it shines all the brighter against the backdrop of Peter’s failure.
Let’s read the account starting in John 18:12,
12 Then the detachment of troops and the captain and the officers of the Jews arrested Jesus and bound Him. 13 And they led Him away to Annas first, for he was the father-in-law of Caiaphas who was high priest that year. 14 Now it was Caiaphas who advised the Jews that it was expedient that one man should die for the people.
15 And Simon Peter followed Jesus, and so did another disciple. Now that disciple was known to the high priest, and went with Jesus into the courtyard of the high priest. 16 But Peter stood at the door outside. Then the other disciple, who was known to the high priest, went out and spoke to her who kept the door, and brought Peter in. 17 Then the servant girl who kept the door said to Peter, “You are not also one of this Man’s disciples, are you?” He said, “I am not.” 18 Now the servants and officers who had made a fire of coals stood there, for it was cold, and they warmed themselves. And Peter stood with them and warmed himself.
19 The high priest then asked Jesus about His disciples and His doctrine. 20 Jesus answered him, “I spoke openly to the world. I always taught in synagogues and in the temple, where the Jews always meet, and in secret I have said nothing. 21 Why do you ask Me? Ask those who have heard Me what I said to them. Indeed they know what I said.” 22 And when He had said these things, one of the officers who stood by struck Jesus with the palm of his hand, saying, “Do You answer the high priest like that?” 23 Jesus answered him, “If I have spoken evil, bear witness of the evil; but if well, why do you strike Me?” 24 Then Annas sent Him bound to Caiaphas the high priest.
25 Now Simon Peter stood and warmed himself. Therefore they said to him, “You are not also one of His disciples, are you?” He denied it and said, “I am not!” 26 One of the servants of the high priest, a relative of him whose ear Peter cut off, said, “Did I not see you in the garden with Him?” 27 Peter then denied again; and immediately a rooster crowed.
Did you see the glory of Christ against the sin and failure of man as we read the passage? Let’s look at the four parts in more detail.
1. Jesus arrested and brought to trial (John 18:12-14)
John 18:12 tells us, “Then the detachment of troops and the captain and the officers of the Jews arrested Jesus and bound Him.” We saw last time that Jesus had gone to the Garden of Gethsemane not only to pray, but especially because His betrayer, Judas Iscariot, knew the place (John 18:2). Jesus went there to be arrested. His hour had come; it was time to go to the cross. He was going to die on that Passover as the “Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world,” (John 1:29).
Note the officials that were involved. There were “the detachment of troops and the captain” (literally the commander of a thousand). This was the Roman authorities. And there were also “the officers of the Jews”; these are the temple guards. Both main divisions of humanity were involved—the Jews and the Gentiles. Both the Roman political power and the Jewish spiritual authority had a hand in the death of the Lord Jesus.
They bound Him; but of course, they didn’t really need to. He gave Himself willingly—drinking of the cup that the Father had given Him to drink (John 18:11). All humanity, Jew and Gentile, put Jesus on the cross and He willingly died for all humanity.
Then John tells us (John 18:13), “And they led Him away to Annas first, for he was the father-in-law of Caiaphas who was high priest that year.” If you put together the accounts from all four Gospels we find that there were really six parts of Jesus’ trial: three parts before the religious authorities—first, Jesus was arraigned before Annas (John 18:19-23); then He was indicted before Caiaphas (Matt. 26:57-65), then at daybreak He was convicted by the whole Sanhedrin (Matt. 27:1). Three parts of the civil trial then follow as the Jews send Jesus to Pilate (Matt. 27:2; John 18:28); Pilate sent Him to Herod (Luke 23:7); then Herod sent Him back to Pilate to be sentenced to death (Luke 23:11; John 19).
Annas, John tells us “was the father-in-law of Caiaphas who was high priest that year” (John 18:13). Annas himself had been high priest years before but the Romans had replaced him in that office by several of his sons and now his son-in-law, Caiaphas. Annas obviously was still the powerful patriarch of that ruling family and they still called him high priest (John 18:19).
The important point that John makes here is in John 18:14, “Now it was Caiaphas who advised the Jews that it was expedient that one man should die for the people.” Remember back in John 11after Jesus had drawn so many of the Jewish people to Himself by raising Lazarus from the dead, the Jewish leaders consulted together concerning what to do about Jesus (John 11:47). They were concerned that, if they left Jesus alone, everyone would follow Him; and this would lead the Romans to step in and take away both their place and their nation (John 11:48).
It was the high priest Caiaphas who said to them, “You know nothing at all, nor do you consider that it is expedient for us that one man should die for the people, and not that the whole nation should perish” (John 11:49-50). John explained (John 11:51-52), “Now this he did not say on his own authority; but being high priest that year he prophesied that Jesus would die for the nation, and not for that nation only, but also that He would gather together in one the children of God who were scattered abroad” (John 11:51-52). God was working out His eternal sovereign plan through the wicked scheming of evil men. It was from that point on that they plotted to put Jesus to death (John 11:53). John wants us to see that Jesus is faithfully fulfilling the Father’s plan.
Next the scene shifts as,
2. Peter follows and makes his first denial (John 18:15-18)
As Jesus was being led away to Annas, John tells us (John 18:15a), “And Simon Peter followed Jesus, and so did another disciple.” The other disciple is most likely John himself; who never mentions his own name in order to set himself in the background of his Gospel. But John tells us (John 18:15b), “Now that disciple was known to the high priest, and went with Jesus into the courtyard of the high priest.” Apparently, John was well-recognized enough to be permitted to follow the Lord and the arresting party into the courtyard.
Most significant for the story is the statement (John 18:16a), “But Peter stood at the door outside.” We might consider this the first step in Peter’s backslide. Peter had been very bold in proclaiming that he would lay down his life for Jesus (John 13:37); but Jesus had answered him (John 13:38), “Will you lay down your life for My sake? Most assuredly, I say to you, the rooster shall not crow till you have denied Me three times.” You remember how brash Peter was in the garden, defending Jesus with his sword (John 18:10). But now having seen that Jesus went willingly with His captors, bold and brash Peter—who formerly couldn’t stand the idea of any space between himself and his beloved Lord—began to draw back. John writes (John 18:16b), “Then the other disciple, who was known to the high priest, went out and spoke to her who kept the door, and brought Peter in.”
Now we begin to see what happened to the formerly-bold Peter. This most outspoken of Jesus’ disciples weakens before a mere servant girl. John tells us (John 18:17a), “Then the servant girl who kept the door said to Peter, ‘You are not also one of this Man’s disciples, are you?’” Her informal question must have caught him off guard. Yet that’s how temptation often comes, doesn’t it? When we’re not planning it, it catches us off guard, it surprises us. Before we have an opportunity to muster up our courage and our defensive strategy, we get caught up in the devil’s trap.
Peter’s denial is simple (John 18:17b), “I am not.” This is denial number one. I wonder if it surprised Peter to even hear himself say it? What a contrast with the words of our Lord Jesus! In the garden Jesus stepped forward asking whom the soldiers and officers were seeking (John 18:4). When they replied, “Jesus of Nazareth” He answered twice (John 18:5, 8), “I am He.” He never backed down or denied who He was. Peter says the opposite, “I am not” (John 18:17).
John goes on to say (John 18:18), “Now the servants and officers who had made a fire of coals stood there, for it was cold, and they warmed themselves. And Peter stood with them and warmed himself.” Peter’s backslide progressed to where he was now standing with those who had arrested Jesus. And remember those coals of fire. As Dr. Harry Ironside pointed out, it would be later on—by the side of another set of burning coals—that out risen Lord would restore Peter and ask him three times, “Do you love Me?” (John 21:15-19).
Now the scene shifts again to,
3. Jesus questioned by Annas (John 18:19-24)
John writes (John 18:19), “The high priest then asked Jesus about His disciples and His doctrine.” Annas, the high priest emeritus, is seeking evidence to charge Jesus either regarding His followers or His teaching. As we know from John 11:53, they had already decided the verdict must be death. Annas was just probing for evidence to confirm it. This was not a trial, this was a murder plot (MacArthur).
Our Lord never allowed Himself to step into a trap; and given His response, it seems that that’s exactly what the high priest’s questions were meant to be. John 18:20-21, “Jesus answered him, “I spoke openly to the world. I always taught in synagogues and in the temple, where the Jews always meet, and in secret I have said nothing. Why do you ask Me? Ask those who have heard Me what I said to them. Indeed they know what I said.”” I am sure that some in that room that night had heard Jesus teach in the temple and elsewhere. Jesus also taught His disciples privately as He did that evening, but nothing Jesus said was hidden or secret. Everything He taught was open and available. Jesus is not being uncooperative; He is calling for the witnesses. He is simply asking for a legal treatment – not that He’ll get it. He is exposing the illegality of what they’re doing.
Look at the calm patience of our Lord in the face of this unjust inquisition. John 18:22 says, “And when He had said these things, one of the officers who stood by struck Jesus with the palm of his hand, saying, ‘Do You answer the high priest like that?’” But what had Jesus said wrong? In John 18:23 Jesus responds, “If I have spoken evil, bear witness of the evil; but if well, why do you strike Me?” Maybe they struck Him to try to get Jesus to at least speak against the high priest in anger. But Jesus would not give in to anger. We’re told, in the end (John 18:24), “Then Annas sent Him bound to Caiaphas the high priest.” Annas found nothing that could justify Jesus’ arrest or His execution. Our Lord willing died for us on the cross; but He did so righteously—bearing no sin of His own.
John now takes us back to,
4. Peter’s second and third denials (John 18:25-27)
John 18:25 says, “Now Simon Peter stood and warmed himself. Therefore they said to him, ‘You are not also one of His disciples, are you?’ He denied it and said, ‘I am not!’” That’s denial number 2. The third question to Peter gets even more personal (John 18:26), “One of the servants of the high priest, a relative of him whose ear Peter cut off, said, ‘Did I not see you in the garden with Him?’” This question would be hard to evade. Peter is completely exposed. In Matthew, we’re even told that Peter’s accent as a Galilean was giving him away (Matt. 26:73). In that account, Peter resorted to cursing and swearing saying, “I do not know the Man!” (Matt. 26:74). John simply records (John 18:27), “Peter then denied again; and immediately a rooster crowed.”
What can we learn from Peter’s failure? We’re weak—every one of us. Don’t be self-confident. 1 Cor. 10:12, “Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall.” Don’t go to sleep at prayer meeting. Don’t follow Jesus from afar. Don’t hang around dangerous people. Don’t give into the fear of men. And if you have, repent; ask for forgiveness. Tell the Lord you love Him, and He’ll restore you and use you (MacArthur).
What a set of scenes to view next to each other! Jesus faces real danger, real torture and real death but remains steadfast, honest, and righteous. Peter faces nothing more than the inquiry of servants, and he surrenders his honesty, his loyalty to Christ, everything! Jesus faces His trials bravely and Peter succumbs to cowardice.
What a picture of our Lord’s faithfulness in the light of our failure. Yet, knowing what sinners we are; failures, like Peter; He willingly laid down His life for us. What you see here is Peter doing his best. His best was ugly, pathetic, and shameful. But here is Jesus Christ doing His best, facing the worst that men and devils could muster. In Him we see purity, honesty, and perfect righteousness. Whose best do you want God to judge on your behalf? Yours or Christ’s?
The gospel proclaims that God has judged Jesus Christ in your place. All you need to do is receive His gracious offer of eternal life. Repent of your sin, believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved.
