John did not record all of the details of the story as the other gospel writers did. He assumed knowledge of the other gospels.
He recorded the facts that demonstrated his message:
(1) Jesus’ sovereignty over the events of his death
(2) Jesus working on Peter to make him the man he needed to be.
Taken To Annas
18:12-14
After finding Jesus in the garden, the Roman soldiers and the temple officers arrested Jesus and bound him. There was no reason to bind him, since he had not resisted arrest. But it was part of his humiliation, being treated as a common criminal.
It was also useless. Jesus had already caused them to fall to the ground with his words, he did not need his hands to defend himself. Or, as the hymn says, “he could have called ten thousand angels to destroy the world and set him free”. (The hymn “The Thousand Angels” was written by Carl Overholt.)
Having arrested Jesus, they took him to the house of Annas. Only John records this encounter. Annas had been High Priest from A.D. 6-15. Although the High Priest was supposed to serve for life, at this time the Roman governor could depose the priest and appoint someone else. Some of Annas’ sons succeeded him, the Caiphas his son-in law.
Despite being deposed, Annas was rich and powerful. Many Jews thought of him as the rightful high priest. John does not tell us why Annas had Jesus brought to his house, but we may suspect a little “payback” here. The vendors that Jesus ran out of the temple worked for Annas, who controlled the money changes and animal sales. It was called the Bazaar of Annas. Annas may have wanted to convey to Jesus that it was Anna, not Jesus, who controlled the temple.
Peter’s First Denial
18:15-18
As Jesus was taken to the house of Annas, the former, and rightful, high priest, Peter followed along with another disciple, whom we assume was John. John got into the courtyard with Jesus because he was known to the high priest. Peter was not known, and was left outside until John intervened to get Peter in. We could assume that, if the servant girl knew John well enough to take instruction from him to let Peter in, she knew him well enough to know he was a disciple of Jesus. That would make her question to Peter a logical follow up.
The servant girl asked Peter a question in the negative sense: “you are not one of this man’s disciples are you?”. (17) The question has a sense of disdaining about it.
Peter said “I am not”. So, Peter was brave enough to follow, but not brave enough to admit to being a disciple of Jesus. This was despite his saying he would follow Jesus “I will lay down my life for you” a few hours earlier. (13:35)
Sometimes people further criticize Peter saying this was only a servant girl, so he had nothing to lose by admitting his relationship with Jesus. However, for the servant to ask the question, she must have been told what was going on and knew Jesus and his disciples were in trouble. She would possibly have told her master, the high priest, that another disciple was outside, which could have led to questioning and arrest.
So, Peter stayed in the courtyard, warming himself by the fire with the servants of the high priest and the officers from the temple. He probably kept his head down and hoped to blend in with the group until he could see what was going to happen.
Annas Interrogates Jesus
18:19-24
While Peter waited in the courtyard, Anna questioned Jesus about his disciples and his teaching. It is interesting that John puts the topics in this order, indicating that Annas was more interested in the disciples than in theology. This indicates the plan was already in place to send Jesus to Pilate to have him found guilty of insurrection. That charge would lead to the death penalty.
The real concern of the Jews, though, was theological. They viewed Jesus’ claim to be the Son of God to be blasphemy. But, a theological charge would not get them to capital punishment.
If Jesus had enough disciples who showed any kind of rebelliousness (as Peter had done), Jesus could be portrayed as the leader of a rebellion.
Jesus did not answer the question about the disciples. He was protecting them. He was keeping his promise to the Father not to lose any of those the Father gave him. And it was his will that the disciples carry on his work, which they could not do if they were killed before they even got started.
Jesus did answer Annas regarding his teaching, although not the content. He said he had taught openly in synagogues and the temple. He knew they had often had spies in the group and that others reported his teaching to the Jewish leaders. So, he implied, that Annas should not ask Jesus about this, but witnesses who heard Jesus teach.
Jesus’ response has a legal aspect to it. Under the Jewish law, the accused was not to be directly questioned. It was similar to the American right to remain silent. Witnesses were to be called and witnesses for the defendant were to be called first.
In addition, two witnesses were required to support the death penalty, and two were required to have consistent testimonies. So, Jesus’ statement pointed out the fraud in the proceedings.
One of the officers took it as an insult to challenge the former high priest, and slapped Jesus in the face. (22) Jesus, undeterred, continued his challenge to the proceedings, telling them to bring witnesses if he said taught something wrong, otherwise, striking him was wrong.
Annas sent Jesus to Caiaphas. In order to get Jesus tried by Pilate, the charge had to be brought by the reigning high priest on behalf of the Sanhedrin.
John did not record what happened with Caiaphas. Either he was not allowed inside and was not an eye witness to it, or he thought had established the guilt of the Jewish leaders sufficiently.
Peter Denies Jesus Again
18:25-27
John did not record anything that happened at Caiphas’ house. Instead, he focused on Peter again. While still in the courtyard, some of the others asked him again if he was one of the disciples. He again denied it. (25)
John created a dramatic tension here with contract between Jesus and Peter. Jesus stood up to his accusers and did not deny anything about himself. Peter, on the other hand, trembles before his accusers and denies everything.
Then, a third time he was asked. This time it was by a relative of the Malchus, the man whose ear Peter severed, and also a servant of the former high priest. That man was evidently in the group that arrested Jesus. He thought he recognized Peter as being in the garden when Jesus was arrested. But Peter again denied it. Then the rooster crowed, as Jesus had prophesied. (27)
One lesson for us here is that we should always declare ourselves as disciples of Jesus as soon as possible. When you start a new job, meet new friends, or join a new organization, ff you do not speak up and acknowledge Jesus at the first opportunity, you will find it more difficult as time goes by to step forward and have credibility. And you will find it easier to keep silent or deny since you have already done it.
Your denial may just be not speaking up when someone refers to Christ or Christianity in a derogatory manner. Your failure to acknowledge is about the same as an outright denial.
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