Immerse: Messiah - Flipbook - Page 300
288
IMMERSE
•
MESSIAH
14:53-72
They took Jesus to the high priest’s home where the leading priests, the
elders, and the teachers of religious law had gathered. Meanwhile, Peter
followed him at a distance and went right into the high priest’s courtyard.
There he sat with the guards, warming himself by the fire.
Inside, the leading priests and the entire high council were trying to find
evidence against Jesus, so they could put him to death. But they couldn’t
find any. Many false witnesses spoke against him, but they contradicted
each other. Finally, some men stood up and gave this false testimony: “We
heard him say, ‘I will destroy this Temple made with human hands, and
in three days I will build another, made without human hands.’” But even
then they didn’t get their stories straight!
Then the high priest stood up before the others and asked Jesus, “Well,
aren’t you going to answer these charges? What do you have to say for
yourself?” But Jesus was silent and made no reply. Then the high priest
asked him, “Are you the Messiah, the Son of the Blessed One?”
Jesus said, “I Am. And you will see the Son of Man seated in the place of
power at God’s right hand and coming on the clouds of heaven.”
Then the high priest tore his clothing to show his horror and said, “Why
do we need other witnesses? You have all heard his blasphemy. What is
your verdict?”
“Guilty!” they all cried. “He deserves to die!”
Then some of them began to spit at him, and they blindfolded him and
beat him with their fists. “Prophesy to us,” they jeered. And the guards
slapped him as they took him away.
Meanwhile, Peter was in the courtyard below. One of the servant girls who
worked for the high priest came by and noticed Peter warming himself at
the fire. She looked at him closely and said, “You were one of those with
Jesus of Nazareth.”
But Peter denied it. “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” he said,
and he went out into the entryway. Just then, a rooster crowed.
When the servant girl saw him standing there, she began telling the
others, “This man is definitely one of them!” But Peter denied it again.
A little later some of the other bystanders confronted Peter and said,
“You must be one of them, because you are a Galilean.”
Peter swore, “A curse on me if I’m lying—I don’t know this man you’re
talking about!” And immediately the rooster crowed the second time.
Suddenly, Jesus’ words flashed through Peter’s mind: “Before the rooster
crows twice, you will deny three times that you even know me.” And he
broke down and wept.
