53 Why didn’t you arrest me in the Temple? I was there every day. But this is your moment, the time when the power of darkness reigns.”
54 So they arrested him and led him to the high priest’s home. And Peter followed at a distance. 55 The guards lit a fire in the middle of the courtyard and sat around it, and Peter joined them there. 56 A servant girl noticed him in the firelight and began staring at him. Finally she said, “This man was one of Jesus’ followers!”
57 But Peter denied it. “Woman,” he said, “I don’t even know him!”
58 After a while someone else looked at him and said, “You must be one of them!”
“No, man, I’m not!” Peter retorted.
59 About an hour later someone else insisted, “This must be one of them, because he is a Galilean, too.”
60 But Peter said, “Man, I don’t know what you are talking about.” And immediately, while he was still speaking, the rooster crowed.
61 At that moment the Lord turned and looked at Peter. Suddenly, the Lord’s words flashed through Peter’s mind: “Before the rooster crows tomorrow morning, you will deny three times that you even know me.”62 And Peter left the courtyard, weeping bitterly.
63 The guards in charge of Jesus began mocking and beating him. 64 They blindfolded him and said, “Prophesy to us! Who hit you that time?” 65 And they hurled all sorts of terrible insults at him.
66 At daybreak all the elders of the people assembled, including the leading priests and the teachers of religious law. Jesus was led before this high council, 67 and they said, “Tell us, are you the Messiah?”
But he replied, “If I tell you, you won’t believe me.68 And if I ask you a question, you won’t answer.69 But from now on the Son of Man will be seated in the place of power at God’s right hand.”
70 They all shouted, “So, are you claiming to be the Son of God?”
And he replied, “You say that I am.”
71 “Why do we need other witnesses?” they said. “We ourselves heard him say it.”
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I am always amazed at how easily the people turn against Jesus It’s the same today. If God doesn’t do what we expect and demand him to do, then we turn against him. The guards who beat and insulted Jesus were probably part of the crowd that followed Jesus to see his miracles. In fact, they had just witnessed him as he performed one–healing the man’s severed ear.
But the miracles are all forgotten as everything has changed. Jesus’ submission begins with the Sanhedrin for he is ready for the outcome. It’s esau to look for the miracle, but difficult to stay focused and connected to Jesus. I am to follow him for he knows the way!