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The Gospel of John, The Period of Consummation, Part II, John 18:11-18 - Lesson 179
Read Verses John 18:8-10 for review: Jesus answered, I have told you that I am he: if therefore ye seek me, let these go their way: That the saying might be fulfilled, which he spake, Of them which thou gavest me have I lost none. Then Simon Peter having a sword drew it, and smote the high priest's servant, and cut off his right ear. The servant's name was Malchus.
John 18:11, Then said Jesus unto Peter, Put up thy sword into the sheath: the cup which my Father hath given me, shall I not drink it?
Peter had acted wrongly in resisting authority.
He was rebuked for it.
The authority that had come to take Jesus Christ was an instrument of the Father and the Father's will.
Peter had acted wrong in taking recourse to force thinking that Jesus Christ needed his assistance.
We are not to use our sword but we are to use the Lord's sword, the sword of the Spirit, the word of God.
Put up thy sword into the sheath: the cup which my Father hath given me, shall I not drink it?
Do not attempt to prevent me from doing the Father's will.
I know the contents of the cup that my Father has given me is bitter but I must be about my Father's business.
I do not know how to do otherwise!
Eliab, David's eldest brother was the Peter of the Old Testament when he tried to hinder David in the battle against Goliath.
David resisted Eliab's hindrance when he said, "Is there not a cause?"
But the greatest cause is the cause of Jesus Christ.
Peter was not to get in the way of that cause.
How dangerous it is to get in the way of those who are called to drink the cup of the Father's will.
If we be a father or a mother of sons and daughters who are called to do the Father's will we are to yield to that and not use our parental sword to hinder God's work.
Many a parent heeded not the order to put up their sword.
So as Peter put up his sword Jesus Christ bowed before the will of the Father and received the cup of suffering and woe from his hand without a murmur.
The Serpent was about to bruise his heel, the Gentiles were about to mock and scourge him and the Jews were to cry, crucify him.
John 18:12,13 Then the band and the captain and officers of the Jews took Jesus, and bound him, And led him away to Annas first; for he was father in law to Caiaphas (kah‑ee‑af'‑as), which was the high priest that same year.
Both the Jewish guard and the Roman soldiers take Jesus Christ as prisoner.
Both Jew and gentile took part.
They represented the sin of the whole human race so none are guiltless.
Both parties had just witnessed an exhibition of his power.
Both parties had felt the power of his word as they were thrown backward to the ground.
Many had seen the violence that Peter had committed on Malchus but the same many had seen the healing hand restore the ear of Malchus.
But both Jew and gentile were not moved to repent and they bound Jesus Christ who could not be bound without his permission.
Jesus allowed himself to be bound to show his complete surrender to the Father's will and also to be our example.
There was no force on Earth that could have held him had he simply spoken the word.
But as Paul says in Gal 1:4 Jesus Christ:... gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us from this present evil world, according to the will of God and our Father:
And led him away to Annas first; for he was father in law to Caiaphas (kah‑ee‑af'‑as), which was the high priest that same year.
During the time of the Roman occupation of Palestine high priests were to serve one year although the law required the high priest to serve till death.
Most likely Annas was the high priest in the eyes of the Jews and Caiaphas (kah‑ee‑af'‑as) was the elected high priest by the Romans.
Annas took precedence over Caiaphas (kah‑ee‑af'‑as) in ecclesiastical matters and this most likely is why Jesus Christ was brought to Annas first.
John 18:14, Now Caiaphas (kah‑ee‑af'‑as) was he, which gave counsel to the Jews, that it was expedient that one man should die for the people.
This counsel was recorded by John in Chapter 11.
John 11:49,50, And one of them, named Caiaphas (kah‑ee‑af'‑as), being the high priest that same year, said unto them, Ye know nothing at all, Nor consider that it is expedient for us, that one man should die for the people, and that the whole nation perish not.
It shows the political leaning of this high priest.
He was currying favor with the Romans
He was a Sadducee, the group that did not believe in the resurrection.
He gave this counsel for the death of Christ after the miracle of Christ's raising of Lazarus.
Remember that that miracle brought great consternation to the leaders of Israel.
Caiaphas (kah‑ee‑af'‑as) saw in Christ the probability of upsetting the stability that the Jews had with the Romans.
So he advised that: ...for the benefit of a whole nation should one man die for the people.
But in reality he cared not for the people...it is expedient for us: he said.
Oh, how the welfare of the people are always used to justify the lust for power and standing.
He said, Get rid of this troublemaker and save our temple and our economy and our positions.
We do not need this upsetting of our comfortable system and our good relationships with the Romans.
They had it good, they were in league with the Romans.
John 18:15,16 And Simon Peter followed Jesus, and so did another disciple: that disciple was known unto the high priest, and went in with Jesus into the palace of the high priest. But Peter stood at the door without. Then went out that other disciple, which was known unto the high priest, and spake unto her that kept the door, and brought in Peter.
John, as is his habit when referring to himself, does not mention his name as the other disciple.
Perhaps this is a clue that the other disciple is in fact John.
As Jesus Christ was taken to the high priest's house both Peter and another disciple, perhaps John, follow.
John tells us that the other disciple knew the high priest and because of that he was allowed into the palace by the servant girl but Peter stood at the door without.
Since the other disciple was allowed to enter by the servant girl who kept the door and Peter was not, it appears they did not come to the palace together.
Perhaps the other disciple saw Peter from the inside and he intervened for Peter with the door keeper who allowed Peter in.
John 18:17,18 Then saith the damsel that kept the door unto Peter, Art not thou also one of this man's disciples? He saith, I am not. And the servants and officers stood there, who had made a fire of coals; for it was cold: and they warmed themselves: and Peter stood with them, and warmed himself.
The servant girl knew that the other disciple was a follower of Jesus Christ because she said,
"Art not thou also one of this man's disciples?"
Be careful who you hang around with if you do not want to be known as a follower of Christ.
You will be challenged as Peter was.
You will be given the opportunity to confess or deny.
Peter easily boasted to the Lord of his faithfulness when in John 13:37 he said:
Lord why cannot I follow thee now? I will lay down my life for thy sake.
Talk is cheap Peter! Talk around other believers is easy Peter!
It is easy to be unashamed of the Lord in his presence or the presence of his followers but what about it when you are challenged in the camp of his enemies?
Be careful what you tell the Lord you will do for him.
Be not a teller of what you will do, but be a doer.
Jesus said in John 13:38 ....The cock shall not crow, till thou hast denied me thrice.
Art not thou also one of this man's disciples? said the damsel. What are you doing here if you are his follower?
He saith, I am not. One denial used up, Peter!
Every Bible student since John wrote his Gospel has kept count and it always comes out as the Lord said.
The cock always crows at exactly the right time.
The cock was a faithful servant of the Lord.
Peter! Out faithfulled by a rooster!
But wait Peter, don't go in the courtyard. |