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Summary
This passage from John 18:13–27 calls us to behold the glory of Jesus even in his unjust trial, through the powerful literary device of juxtaposition. John deliberately interweaves the interrogation of Jesus with Peter’s three denials, so that Peter’s human failure throws the divine strength and righteousness of Jesus into sharp relief.
Key Lessons:
- Jesus’ entry into the household of Annas and Caiaphas was no tragic accident — it was a confident, purposeful advance of God’s salvation plan, fulfilling the unwitting prophecy of Caiaphas that one man would die for the people.
- Peter’s repeated denials — standing with Jesus’ enemies, warming himself by their fire — mirror Judas’ betrayal and expose how quickly even the most zealous disciple can falter when facing the darkness alone.
- Jesus, by contrast, stands resolute under hostile interrogation: he refuses to incriminate himself, upholds the law, and absorbs an unjust blow with extraordinary self-control and faith in the Father — displaying the holiness and strength no mere human possesses.
- The rooster’s crow, fulfilling Jesus’ prophecy, is not just a mark of Peter’s shame but a reminder that Jesus’ words are trustworthy — including his promises of restoration, resurrection, and the gift of the Holy Spirit.
Application: We are called to stop trusting in our own strength to overcome sin and darkness. Like Peter, we have already faltered. We are invited to confess our weakness, believe in Jesus as the champion who stands for us, and receive his strength — moment by moment — to walk in holiness rather than in the darkness.
Discussion Questions:
- In what areas of your life have you, like Peter, stood with the world against Jesus — either publicly or privately? What fears drove that choice?
- How does seeing Jesus respond to Annas’ trap and the guard’s blow with wisdom and restraint change the way you understand what it means to trust God in a moment of injustice?
- The fulfilled prophecy of Peter’s denial is meant to give hope, not just shame. How does the reliability of Jesus’ words about Peter’s failure encourage your faith in his promises of restoration and eternal life?
Scripture Focus: John 18:13–27 is the central passage, showing Jesus’ glorification through his trial. Supporting texts include John 11:50 (Caiaphas’ unwitting prophecy), John 13:38 (Jesus foretells Peter’s denial), John 17 (Jesus’ farewell prayer protecting his disciples), John 18:5,8 (Jesus’ ‘I am’ declarations), and James 4 (friendship with the world as spiritual adultery).
Outline
- Introduction
- What Is Juxtaposition?
- John’s Evangelistic Purpose
- Four Developments in Jesus’ Jewish Trial
- 1. Jesus Enters a Dark Household (vv. 13–14)
- 2. Peter Falters Against the Darkness (vv. 15–18)
- 3. Jesus Stands Against the Darkness (vv. 19–24)
- 4. Peter Stumbles Further Into Darkness (vv. 25–27)
- Believe in the Champion
Introduction
Let’s pray as we seek the Lord through his word.
Heavenly Father, we come to you again and we are joyful and expectant. What a privilege we have to be the family of God, the people of God who hear from God, who have your word and hear you speak to us through it. God, empower me for this work and empower all of us who listen to hear it, understand it, and obey it in Jesus’ name. Amen.
What Is Juxtaposition?
Something I’ve learned to pay more attention to in life is juxtaposition.
You may ask, what is juxtaposition?
Juxtaposition is a fun word that refers to the placement of two or more things side by side for some effect. It’s the placement of two things together, especially to invite comparison or to emphasize a contrast.
Juxtaposition is something that you might run into in your day-to-day life.
For example, when eating a meal together with your children, you might find one of your two children horrified to try a new food, while the other is delighted to do so. Same meal, two very different reactions.
The juxtaposition—the placement of these two side by side—probably tells you more about the children’s different personalities than about the quality of the food.
Often you can see notable visual juxtaposition in media. For example, you might watch a film in which a character passes through some portal from a dull and dead world to another world which is lively and beautiful. You watch it progress from one to the other on the screen.
This contrasting visual juxtaposition underscores the sense of wonder in this new world.
But juxtaposition is not always visual. It also appears in texts, including the text of the Bible.
Last week, we were looking at the narrative of Mark 10:13-16 and Jesus’ command to his disciples to let the children come to him. I pointed out to you that the narrative that comes right after it is Jesus’ conversation with the rich young ruler.
Why do the authors of the gospels—why does Mark in particular juxtapose or place side by side Jesus’ first conversation about explaining entry into the kingdom only for those who receive it like children and then this next conversation, this sad conversation with the rich young ruler?
The answer is not merely because one event really took place before the other. Rather, the two accounts together highlight essential truth. By contrast, the rich young ruler would not receive the kingdom like a child and therefore he found no way into it.
I’m talking to you all about juxtaposition as we start today because as we finally return to our study of the Gospel of John, our next passage features notable juxtaposition. This juxtaposition is not just between two passages but within the same passage.
Our author John juxtaposes the responses of Jesus and of Jesus’ disciple Peter to hostile questioning.
Why this juxtaposition? Why go back and forth between Jesus’ interrogation and Peter’s?
The answer is not merely because the questioning really did happen for both at the same time or close together. Rather, it’s because John wants to bring out a contrast and thereby show us even more clearly how Jesus was glorified even in his unjust trial by the Jews.
Consider Peter. He is Jesus’ dear friend, his most zealous disciple. Yet even Peter falters when questioned by the enemy.
But Jesus, though he faces much more harrowing questioning, he resolutely obeys the Father. He does not falter.
And in this way, Peter’s human weakness underscores Jesus’ divine strength and righteousness.
“Peter’s human weakness underscores Jesus’ divine strength and righteousness — showing us the powerful Savior that failing Peter needs and that we need too.”
This is not only to show us that the Savior is glorious, but that he also is the powerful Savior that failing Peter needs and that we need too.
Let’s see this ourselves. Please take a Bible and turn to John 18:13-27 where we see Peter betrays but Jesus obeys. John 18:13-27. If you’re using the Bibles we’ve provided, you can find it on page 1,082 or starting there page 182.
John’s Evangelistic Purpose
It’s been a few months since we’ve been in John. Let’s get ourselves back up to speed with this great book. The Gospel of John is an evangelistic gospel—meaning a record of Jesus’ life and ministry.
The Apostle John is the author. He writes so that the Hellenistic Jews of his day and religious people of every day might believe in Jesus Christ as the Son of God and Messiah, and believing, have life in Jesus’ name.
John’s evangelistic strategy in this book is simply to show us Jesus, which he does first in John 1:12 by Jesus’ words and works—his miracles—and then by Jesus’ glorious hour of suffering in John 13-20. First the words and works, and then this special hour of glorification through suffering.
Consider again what would have been the main objections from Jews to believing in Jesus at the time this book was originally written, which would have been near the end of the first century.
How can a mere man claim to be the one true God? If Jesus really is our Messiah, why did our leaders and nation condemn him? And if Jesus is really our Messiah, how could he have suffered such a shameful death?
John purposefully answers each of these questions in the historical narrative of his gospel.
Jesus could claim to be God because Jesus really is God, the Son of God, in perfect union with the Father, as proven by the Son’s words and works.
The reason Jesus was condemned was not because Jesus was evil or did something evil. It’s because we Jews are evil, both in our leadership and in our nation as a whole.
As for his death, the shame of Jesus’ death became Jesus’ glory for two reasons. First, because of why Jesus faced this shame—out of obedience to the Father and out of love to save all those given to him by the Father. And second, because of how Jesus faced this shame—in power, in holiness, in faith—thus receiving from the Father full vindication by Jesus’ resurrection and ascension.
“The shame of Jesus’ death became Jesus’ glory — out of obedience to the Father and love to save all those given to him.”
Now we’ve seen some of this glory in Jesus’ hour of suffering already as we’ve progressed in this second part of John’s gospel. Specifically, we’ve looked at John 13:18 already. We saw Jesus lovingly prepare his disciples in the farewell discourse of John 13-17.
They’re demonstrating especially Jesus’ control and his confidence in everything that is happening. He’s no victim. He’s in control. He knows what’s going on and he’s acting purposefully to obey God.
Last time we were in John, we were in John 18:1-12, where we saw Jesus glorify himself in his garden arrest.
There again, Jesus showed himself to be perfectly in control, even demonstrating his power in protecting his disciples from their enemies and from themselves. Once again, Jesus showed his power, his control, and his confidence in the Father and the Father’s plan.
Now we arrive at our next passage and the next phase of Jesus’ hour of suffering. He’s been betrayed. He’s been arrested. But now we’re going to see his first trial.
Just remember that before Jesus’ crucifixion, Jesus has two trials: a trial before the Jews and a trial before the Romans. Each of these trials has multiple phases—three actually. Three for the Jewish trial and three for the Roman trial. Not every gospel records each phase.
We’re going to see as we work our way through the text that John, for the Jewish trial, focuses only on the first phase, though he mentions the second. If you were paying attention earlier in our service, what we read from Matthew describes the second phase of Jesus’ Jewish trial. So don’t be put off by the differences.
John is not contradicting what we read in the other gospels. He is complementing it by his narrative.
“John is not contradicting the other gospels — he is complementing them by his narrative.”
Four Developments in Jesus’ Jewish Trial
Nevertheless, why John chooses to focus on his version and the details he puts in it is there’s a particular reason for that. And I’d put it like this: In John 18:13-27, John presents four key developments of Jesus’ Jewish trial so that you will behold Jesus’ glory and believe. That’s why John selects what he does. That’s why he presents the record that he does. It’s four developments of Jesus’ Jewish trial so that you will behold Jesus’ glory and believe.
Now, as I alluded to in my introduction, the details that John brings up mostly focus on the contrast between Jesus and Peter. And we’ll see that as we go along.
I’m not going to read the text before we get into it. It’s a longer text, so we’re going to read as we examine it. The first trial development that highlights Jesus’ glory in this Jewish trial is in verses 13 to 14, which is number one.
1. Jesus Enters a Dark Household (vv. 13–14)
Jesus enters a dark household. Let’s read verses 13 and 14 of John 18.
And they led him to Annas first for he was father-in-law of Caiaphas who was high priest that year. Now, Caiaphas was the one who had advised the Jews that it was expedient for one man to die on behalf of the people.
You’ll notice if you glance at the text that verse 13 picks up right after verse 12. We covered verse 12 last time we were in John. Jesus has just been arrested and bound by a group of Roman and Jewish militants.
But where does Jesus go next?
Verse 13 says, “Jesus was first led to Annas.” And then it says, “For because Annas was the father-in-law of Caiaphas, and Caiaphas is the high priest during this momentous year.” Now, these might be details we skip over when we’re normally reading this text, but if you think about it, these verses raise some questions, especially based on what follows these verses in the rest of the chapter.
Who exactly is Annas? Why does he get the first shot at Jesus? And why is Caiaphas called high priest in verse 13, but Annas is apparently referred to as high priest in verses 19 and 22 before Caiaphas is again called high priest in verse 24?
Annas and Caiaphas are both high priest.
I thought Israel only had one.
Who Were Annas and Caiaphas?
Well, the answer to all these questions has to do with Rome.
In a certain respect, Annas, not Caiaphas, was the true high priest of Israel in the days of Jesus’s ministry.
This is because Annas was installed as high priest in AD 6 the proper way by the leaders of Israel.
However, Rome, the governing empire, became worried about Annas’s growing power and so deposed him from the high priesthood in AD 5.
Eventually, Rome appointed Caiaphas to be high priest instead.
Now the Jews understandably did not like this Roman interference in their religion.
And according to Old Testament law, high priests were supposed to be high priests for life.
So though Caiaphas formally came to hold the office and was high priest, the Jews still treated Annas like he was high priest too.
Furthermore, Annas was apparently a crafty, influential, and power-hungry man. Rome had reason to be wary of him.
Though deposed as high priest, five of Annas’s sons ended up serving as high priest.
And high priest Caiaphas eventually married into Annas’s family to become Annas’s son-in-law, as we read here in verse 13.
So in this passage, while Caiaphas may wield formal power as official high priest and consequently as president of the Sanhedrin, the governing body of the Jews, the power behind the power, the patriarch of the family in charge, the puppet master really is Annas.
Therefore, John is accurate in this passage to describe both Annas and Caiaphas as high priests. By the way, Luke does the same in Luke 3:2.
And why does Annas see Jesus before Caiaphas does?
Well, perhaps this is a respectful nod by Caiaphas to the man truly in charge.
Or perhaps seeing Annas first is merely practical. Caiaphas needs to hurriedly gather the Sanhedrin together for Jesus’s nighttime trial. So Annas handles Jesus in the meantime and maybe softens Jesus up a little bit for the coming trial.
What kind of reception is Jesus to expect from Annas?
Well, if the son-in-law’s behavior up to this point is any indication, the reception will be cold.
Indeed, Annas was a man known for greed and brutality.
He would not hesitate to act sneakily and sinfully against Jesus.
To be taken into Annas and Caiaphas’s household is to be taken into a household of darkness, even though wrapped in the righteous vestments of the high priesthood.
“To be taken into Annas and Caiaphas’ household is to be taken into a household of darkness, wrapped in the righteous vestments of the high priesthood.”
Notice again verse 14. John reminds us of Caiaphas’s previous council. We heard this earlier in the book, John 11:50, about executing Jesus to save the nation.
Why does John bring this back up?
A Confident Advance of God’s Plan
On the one hand, this reminder tells us from the start how Jesus’ trial will go.
His evil judges, the supposedly holy leaders of Israel, will not give Jesus justice. They will give him a sham trial that ensures Jesus will be put to death.
On the other hand, this reminder from the Apostle John tells us that Jesus’ descent into the belly of the beast, as it were, is not random.
For Caiaphas’ previous word, his previous council about putting Jesus to death, it was, as we saw, an unwitting prophecy of what God would actually do.
Jesus would face an unjust trial and be put to death, but not merely to satisfy the desires of two power-hungry men.
Rather, Jesus would lay down his own life as the good shepherd to save his sheep, to save you.
“Jesus would lay down his own life as the good shepherd to save his sheep — to save you.”
He had to go to this trial.
Jesus’ entry into this dark household is no tragic misstep. It is a confident advance of God’s salvation plan.
“Jesus’ entry into this dark household is no tragic misstep. It is a confident advance of God’s salvation plan.”
But Jesus does not advance alone into this evil household, or at least not at first. Jesus has two tagalongs.
2. Peter Falters Against the Darkness (vv. 15–18)
We now see the second trial development that highlights Jesus’ glory in verses 15 to 18. Number two, Peter falters against the darkness.
Let’s read verses 15 and 16.
Simon Peter was following Jesus and so was another disciple. Now that disciple was known to the high priest and entered with Jesus into the court of the high priest. But Peter was standing at the door outside. So the other disciple who was known to the high priest went out and spoke to the doorkeeper and brought Peter in.
Here’s a bit of a surprise. Though the other gospels tell us that all the disciples scattered after Jesus was arrested, John clarifies that two of Jesus’ disciples regrouped to follow Jesus afterwards.
But who’s this another disciple with Peter? Assuredly, this is our author John the Apostle himself.
We’ve seen before he never identifies himself by name in this gospel. He prefers to call himself the other disciple or the disciple whom Jesus loved.
John would have been with Jesus in the garden for the arrest and could have soon followed as this text requires. John was also a close disciple of Jesus and a close friend of Peter. They’re usually mentioned together.
John’s presence here would explain some of the eyewitness details that we read in this text and that are unique to John’s gospel.
Some have wondered, however, how John could be, as verse 16 says, known to the high priest. How would a humble fisherman and a disciple of Jesus gain any level of familiarity with the high priestly family of Jerusalem?
In truth, we don’t know. But John is the best answer for who this other disciple is.
Some have noted that John was likely Jesus’ cousin, which means John would also be related like Jesus to Elizabeth, who was married to a priest, which we learned in the beginning of Luke with Zacharias. In other words, John may have had a priestly connection to Annas by blood.
Others have noted that John’s fishing business was at least decently successful. His father, Zebedee, employed hired servants. Fish were often traded from Galilee to Jerusalem. So John might have had a connection to Annas by business and could have been familiar with one another by business.
Whichever way John was known to the high priest, this connection helps both John and Peter follow Jesus on the night of Jesus’ arrest.
Notice verse 15 says that John entered with Jesus into the court of the high priest. What is this place? Most likely this is the inner courtyard of Annas’s own home or one of them at least back in Jerusalem.
Because the phases of the Jewish trial involving Annas and Caiaphas seem to take place very close to one another, it’s possible that the two men shared a residence that was separated by a courtyard, even this courtyard.
Either that or Caiaphas simply chooses later to assemble himself and the Sanhedrin where or close to where Annas already is.
But whatever Caiaphas does next, Annas rather Jesus is being brought to Annas’s home. It was typical of wealthy homes in Jerusalem to have a wall and gate separating the residence and its courtyard from the street. Then a slave girl would manage the gate in terms of who’s going to be led in and who’s not going to be. Such turns out to be the case here.
Now, as we saw, John is already known to the high priest in his household and is granted easy entry. Peter, however, is a stranger and he’s forced to remain outside until John vouches for Peter with the doorkeeper. Only then is Peter let inside.
But here’s where the trouble begins for Peter. He too is entering the belly of the beast, the literal home base of Jesus’ archnemesis.
Will Peter be safe? What if people start questioning him? How should he respond?
We’re about to find out how Peter answers those questions. But before we do, quick note.
If we compare the gospel accounts, which all record Peter’s three denials, there are some small differences as to who is said to question Peter, how they question Peter, and how exactly Peter responds to those questions.
Again, these differences are not irreconcilable, especially if we grant that the questions didn’t necessarily come from just one individual each time, but more likely from a group of people.
Think therefore when it comes to Peter’s denials of three bursts of questions from multiple people at a time rather than exactly three questions from three people. When you do that, the gospels harmonize well together.
The different gospels capture different representative snippets of these conversations. And interestingly, John’s version is the only one in which Peter’s denials are in response to questions. If you remember from our reading in Matthew earlier, the other gospels are the same.
They have people making statements to Peter to which he responds. But John alone has them framed as questions. Why the difference? I’m sure that both really happened. But John focuses on the questions rather than the statements to more completely juxtapose Jesus and Peter, who are both literally questioned.
Peter’s First Denial
Anyway, let’s now look at the first part of verse 17 to see what happens to Peter.
Then the slave girl who kept the door said to Peter, “You are not also one of this man’s disciples, are you?” This is a perfectly natural question for the slave girl to ask. Though perhaps Peter is caught off guard.
The slave girl has already let in Jesus and John with John in the process probably admitting to his connection with Jesus. And seeing how John then vouches for Peter, it would make sense that Peter is a disciple of Jesus, too.
But not wanting to make an unfair assumption, the curious girl asks Peter, and in such a way as to give Peter an easy way out, literally, “You are not also of this man’s disciples?” It’s a question with an expected answer of no. No, I’m not.
He could easily respond that way. And this is exactly how Peter responds at the end of verse 17. He said, “I am not.” Just three words, two in the original Greek.
But in this, Peter not only lies, but he publicly repudiates Jesus.
I am not that man’s disciple.
Why does Peter do it?
She’s just a slave girl. She’s not some soldier with weapons drawn. Why be afraid of her?
Besides, how believable is this lie? You just showed up in the middle of the night after Jesus is arrested and are especially let in by Jesus’ other disciple. Yet, you aren’t his disciple, too.
What are you doing here then?
I’m sure Peter didn’t think his answer all the way through. All he knows is that he’s afraid and he wants to avoid any trouble if he can. After all, if this girl knows that Peter is really a disciple, then she might tell others.
And who knows what might happen then?
Better to be safe, better to be hidden, better to lie and just move on.
Of course, this lie doesn’t make Peter safe, but more unsafe than he’s ever been. Spiritually speaking, he opens himself up to be thrashed by the devil in multiple ways.
“Peter’s lie doesn’t make him safe — it makes him more unsafe than he has ever been spiritually.”
More to the point, for Peter’s lie to be useful, Peter will now have to keep up this facade.
His lie may require yet more lies. And where will Peter end up after that?
Standing With the Enemy
The description that appears next in verse 18 is striking.
Now the slaves and the officers were standing there having made a charcoal fire, for it was cold and they were warming themselves. And Peter was also with them standing and warming himself.
Who are these slaves and officers?
Well, probably the ones who were in the garden group arresting Jesus not too much earlier. These are Jesus’ enemies.
Yet, what is Peter doing?
He’s standing with them.
Does that remind you of anyone else that we’ve heard about earlier in this chapter?
John 18:5. And Judas also who was betraying him was standing with them.
That is the soldiers, the officers, and the slaves.
Peter’s acting just like Judas Iscariot. He’s standing with Jesus’ enemies against Jesus.
“Peter is standing with Jesus’ enemies — acting just like Judas Iscariot, standing against Jesus.”
How could Jesus’ true disciple do this?
How could Jesus’ dear friend do this?
How could Peter betray Jesus like this and expect to remain spiritually intact?
Before we come down too hard on Peter, we must confess that in our own lives, we have many times done the same thing.
In a time of temptation or testing, we have denied Jesus and stood with the world against Jesus.
I think of that passage in James 4 where it talks about how we get into conflict with one another because of our desires, because of the idols in our hearts. And what does James say in connection with that? He says, “Don’t you realize that this is spiritual adultery?
You adulteresses, do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity toward God? And whoever makes himself a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God. You’re lusting after these things and you’re getting angry with one another about it. You are betraying God.
You are committing treason against God.”
He was telling that to believers.
We must admit we ourselves have done that. We have done what Peter has done.
We rationalize. We insist that we need that illusory pleasure. We need that security from that sin. The betrayal could be public or it could be private.
But either way, the reality is it is a betrayal. An undeserved betrayal of the Lord Jesus.
“The betrayal could be public or private, but either way it is an undeserved betrayal of the Lord Jesus.”
Is there hope for such betrayers?
Is there hope for us?
Well, as noble as it may have been for Peter to want to follow Jesus and find out what would happen to Jesus, Peter has already faltered against the darkness.
What about Jesus himself?
Peter stumbles when only in sight of the monster. How will Jesus fare when presented with the monster’s very jaws?
3. Jesus Stands Against the Darkness (vv. 19–24)
We come to the third development in Jesus’ trial that highlights Jesus’ glory. In verses 19 to 24, we have number three: Jesus stands against the darkness.
Peter falters against the darkness.
Jesus stands against the darkness. Verse 19, the high priest then questioned Jesus about his disciples and about his teaching.
This is very cinematic. We’ve got two story lines progressing at the same time. The camera switches from being out in the courtyard to being somewhere in the house with Jesus and Annas. Notice in verse 19 that the high priest Annas questions Jesus about Jesus’ disciples and teaching.
What is Annas trying to do here?
Is this just an innocent investigation trying to find out more about the situation?
No. It’s a trap. Annas is trying to get Jesus to incriminate himself. According to medieval rabbinic tradition, which likely reflects what was already in operation in Jesus’ day, it was illegal to question a defendant during a trial without first hearing the testimony of witnesses.
No one was to be convicted simply based on his own testimony. Only on the testimony of others could a person be pronounced guilty.
This is a sensible safeguard against injustice. Otherwise, an accused person could be manipulated, intimidated, or even tortured into admitting crimes he never did.
This is why we have the Fifth Amendment in our country’s constitution—to prevent precisely this kind of judicial abuse.
If this meeting with Annas was part of a formal hearing, then high priest Annas is committing evil in interrogating Jesus this way.
However, it is possible that Annas doesn’t see it that way. This is no formal hearing. This is just a preliminary interview, what we might see in our own day as a preliminary police interview. And therefore he doesn’t need to hold back on questioning the defendant without witnesses.
If such is the case, Annas’ tactic is still underhanded, for he’s still looking for Jesus to accidentally admit something for which Annas can then testify later to ensure that Jesus is condemned.
Annas’ Trap and Jesus’ Wisdom
And there’s no one standing by to remind Jesus, “Anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law.” So will this trap work? How does Jesus answer? Verse 20.
Jesus answered him, “I have spoken openly to the world. I always taught in synagogues and in the temple where all the Jews come together, and I spoke nothing in secret.” What is this first part of Jesus’ reply?
Basically, I stand by everything I ever taught.
Notice Jesus says nothing about his disciples. He’s not going to betray them. He’s going to make sure he protects them.
But regarding his teaching, Jesus makes clear that he is not a man with two different doctrines, one public, one private.
Yes, at times Jesus did further explain his teaching to his disciples. Yet his teaching was fundamentally consistent and open to anyone who wanted to hear. Notice he says to the world I taught and spoke to the world.
So in this reply, do you see the boldness, the wisdom, the innocence of Jesus?
Many in history when questioned about their teaching, especially in a religious context, feel greatly pressured to hide what they taught or to recant. But not our Lord. He stands up courageously when questioned and does not deny any of his teaching.
“Jesus stands up courageously when questioned and does not deny any of his teaching.”
But then he says this next in verse 21.
Why do you question me? Question those who have heard what I spoke to them. They know what I said.
What is Jesus doing here?
Well, this is not Jesus being cheeky. Rather, this is Jesus simultaneously avoiding Annas’ trap of self-incrimination while upholding the law of God. The proper way for an investigation or trial to proceed is to call for witnesses first.
So that’s what Jesus does. He essentially tells Annas, if you really want to know my teaching better, just go find some witnesses. It shouldn’t be hard. I’ve been teaching everywhere openly, boldly. This is the proper way for you to find out about me if you don’t already know.
Again, what does such a reply to great Annas convey about Jesus? That he is constantly wise and strong and confident.
Jesus knows there is nothing in either his teaching or behavior that truly deserves condemnation.
“Jesus knows there is nothing in his teaching or behavior that truly deserves condemnation, and he is not afraid for any witnesses to be called forward.”
And while Jesus will not be pressured into convicting himself, he is not afraid for any witnesses to be called forward.
And what man or woman on earth can speak so confidently today? Could we be so bold in court? Call any witness. I’m not afraid.
We sinners usually have something somewhere, either now or in our past, that we hope nobody will bring up. We’d rather nobody know about.
But not Jesus. Not the perfectly righteous God-man. And that’s why we desperately need him.
Jesus Struck — and His Response
Now you probably have noticed there is an element of rebuke in this reply from Jesus to Annas. It’s not very strong, but it’s there. And one of the temple guards standing nearby takes issue. Verse 22.
When he had said this, one of the officers standing nearby struck Jesus, saying, “Is that the way you answer the high priest?” There’s so much wrong with this picture.
Probably goes without saying that beating a defendant before he has been accused of anything, much less convicted of anything, is a gross injustice and sin. Yet, that’s what we see here.
Interestingly, Annas does not command the action that this man took. Rather, this guard, either for some misplaced zeal for Annas or maybe just habit due to Annas’s usual underhanded methods, goes ahead and slaps Jesus in the face.
That’s the kind of blow that is meant by the Greek word. It’s a slap in the face.
And the guard offered reason as a rhetorical question: “Is that the way you answer the high priest?” That is to say, how dare you respond to Annas so disrespectfully?
Has Jesus been disrespectful? No, not at all. But the guard apparently doesn’t like that Jesus is refusing to roll over for Annas and exposing something out of order in the questioning.
The irony is intense. Who really has just disrespected the high priest? Not Jesus, but this official, this temple guard. Because the true high priest is not Annas, but Jesus.
And what did this guard just do? He slapped the perfectly righteous son of God in the face.
This is the first time in any of the gospels that someone has successfully hurt Jesus physically. There were plenty of times before people tried to hurt him, even tried to kill him, but they were not successful.
But this unnamed temple guardsman, he’s the first to lay a malicious hand on God himself. How dare this man? How dare this sinful nobody? How dare this pile of dust both hurt and shame the Lord of all with a blow to the face?
I can imagine so many just responses from Jesus to this man’s literally high-handed sin, most of which involve the instant erasure of this man and his life. But how does Jesus respond? How does the infinitely holy, infinitely powerful son of God respond?
Verse 23.
Jesus answered him, “If I have spoken wrongly, testify of the wrong. But if rightly, why do you strike me?” How does Jesus punish the man? He doesn’t.
Our Lord simply endures the unjust, humiliating slap. His only response is to expose tactfully the sin of his reprover with a couple of questions. Basically, if you can tell me specifically what I said that’s incorrect or evil, your slap will make sense. But if you can’t do that, must you not admit that you and this whole proceeding is what’s evil here?
Isn’t this a mind-boggling response?
Lay aside the fact that Jesus is God, perfectly righteous. Can you imagine any other person in the world responding this way? How did Jesus not retaliate in anger? How did he abide such hubris?
This is what makes Jesus different. This is the holiness, the strength, the humility of our God.
“This is the holiness, the strength, the humility of our God. There is no one like Jesus.”
There is no one like Jesus. What self-control, what faith in God, what patience.
I’m thinking of that verse from Philippians. He did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped. He could have enforced that right this moment. He could have said, “Don’t you dare treat me that way. I have the majesty of God at my disposal.” But he says, “Nope, I don’t need to do that. I’ll trust my Father.” Wow, this is our God.
Philippians 2:6: “He did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped. He could have enforced that right — but he trusted his Father.”
Boy, do we need him.
Annas Admits Defeat
Well, what is the man’s reply to Jesus’s second reproof, his amazingly restrained reproof? And then what is Annas’s reply?
Verse 24.
So Annas sent him bound to Caiaphas, the high priest.
I love that. Don’t you?
Big bad Annas company. They basically have to admit defeat with Jesus.
They’ve got no good response to Jesus’s reproofs. They know he’s right and that they’re wrong. They can’t even keep up the facade of an impartial investigation.
They also know they’re not going to get anywhere in their effort to trap him.
Jesus clearly can’t be tricked, can’t be baited, can’t be intimidated. So let’s just move him along. What does that mean? It means that Jesus has stood victoriously against the darkness. He faced the flashing teeth of the monster and he did not falter. He’s the champion. He’s the glorious God and Savior that we all need because what are we against the darkness? We must admit we’re not really like Jesus. We’re like Peter.
“Jesus has stood victoriously against the darkness. He faced the flashing teeth of the monster and did not falter. He’s the champion.”
Speaking of Peter, how’s his interrogation going? Did he find his courage?
4. Peter Stumbles Further Into Darkness (vv. 25–27)
Unfortunately, the fourth and final development in Jesus’ trial that highlights his glory is number four: Peter stumbles further into darkness.
Take the last verses together, 25 to 27.
“Now Simon Peter was standing and warming himself. So they said to him, ‘You are not also one of his disciples, are you?’ He denied it and said, ‘I am not.’ One of the slaves of the high priest, being a relative of the one whose ear Peter cut off, said, ‘Did I not see you in the garden with him?’”
Peter then denied it again and immediately a rooster crowed.
We see here that the safety that Peter bought with his initial lie was indeed illusory. It was a vapor. Now the other courtyard people are asking Peter again whether he’s with Jesus.
Notice the end of verse 25. We read he denied it and said I am not.
The word translated “denied” before it was just the word “said,” but here it’s the word “denied.” It often has a stronger sense in Greek of repudiating or disowning.
And that fits the context here. Peter is not just denying the truth in his reply, what is factual. He’s denying a person. He’s denying the Lord. He is denying his Lord.
I want nothing to do with him.
Now, while the first two questions asked of Peter encourage a negative reply, the third actually expects a positive.
In the dim light of the courtyard under the full moon and the charcoal fire, a slave thinks he recognizes Peter. This slave was in the garden also when Jesus was arrested. This man took note of the person who slashed the ear of his relative Malchus.
So the man asks Peter, “Did I not myself see you in the garden with him, with Jesus?” The expectant answer is yes. That was me.
Peter’s lies are less likely to be believed now than ever before.
Yet he has already lied twice. What is the difference if a third is added?
So Peter again crumples in fear and in love of worldly comfort. He repudiates his Lord a third time.
Three times in a row is no accident.
Peter has unmistakably identified himself with Jesus’ enemies rather than with Jesus.
“Three denials in a row is no accident. Peter has unmistakably identified himself with Jesus’ enemies rather than with Jesus.”
Is Peter really any different from Judas?
Maybe there’s no hope for Peter either.
The Rooster Crows: Hope in Failure
Except verse 27 argues otherwise.
Immediately after Peter’s third denial, a rooster crows.
What’s significant about a rooster crowing? Other than its time indication that it’s around 3:00 a.m.
Well, as in the beginning of our passage in verse 14, verse 27 forces us to recall a previously spoken prophecy.
Which prophecy?
John 13:38 when Jesus tells Peter that Peter will deny Jesus three times before a rooster crows.
This prophecy has just proven true.
Why is that good news?
Well, we do learn from the other gospels that when Peter realizes how the prophecy has proved true, he leaves the courtyard to find a place and weep bitterly by himself.
He’s so ashamed of his behavior. He’s so distraught over what he has done.
But when Peter is through weeping, there’s encouragement at the bottom of this fulfilled prophecy of failure. How so? Well, this fulfilled prophecy just further emphasizes that Jesus’ words can be believed. He is true and he is in control because he’s the Son of God.
“This fulfilled prophecy emphasizes that Jesus’ words can be believed. He is true and he is in control because he is the Son of God.”
And what else did Jesus say? What else did Jesus promise?
That though he would indeed die and leave his disciples, they would see him again soon. He would rise from the dead and he would secure for them a place forever in God’s house and he would give them his Holy Spirit.
Jesus also prayed, as we saw in John 17, his farewell prayer, that none of his 11 disciples would be lost, but that the Lord would protect them and keep them.
And though it’s not recorded in this gospel, we learn elsewhere that Jesus even told Peter, right after Jesus foretold that Peter would fail, that Peter would also turn back again and that when he did, he should strengthen his brethren.
As we’ll see, especially when we get to John 21, God is not done with failing Peter here.
I Am Not — But He Is
And neither has God done with any of you who love Jesus but find yourself sinning against him, find yourself failing him. Something I find interesting in this passage are the words that John records for Peter’s denials.
Again, if you look back to Matthew and the other gospels, you’ll see that the responses are recorded differently. In Matthew, when Peter is approached, he replies with “I do not know the man” or “I do not know what you’re talking about.” But instead in John, Peter’s reply is simply “I am not.”
Twice Peter says this in John 18: “I am not. I am not.”
And does that remind you of anything in the nearby context?
Go back up to the beginning of the chapter. John 18:5 and John 18:8.
What does Jesus say twice to identify himself before the approaching mob of soldiers?
“I am.”
“I am.”
Friends and brethren, this detail epitomizes the message of this whole passage.
When it comes to standing against the darkness, whether it is the eternal sin penalty that hangs over you as a sinner, whether it is the sinful persecution of the world that you face, or whether it is the remaining battle of sin temptation that you still experience in your own flesh, the truth is you are not, but he is.
“When it comes to standing against the darkness, the truth is: you are not — but he is.”
You are not the champion who can save yourself. You’re not the one who can stalwart or you’re not the stalwart who can muscle his way into the kingdom of God or muscle your way into holiness by rulekeeping or self-righteous effort.
You have already faltered against the darkness. Worse, you are the darkness.
You were born that way because of the fall of Adam and Eve.
Believe in the Champion
You need somebody to stand for you. You need somebody to overcome for you, even to give you not just victory in an eternal sense but in a moment-by-moment sense in your struggle. And guess what? God has provided such a champion, and we’ve seen him on display in our passage. He is the Lord Jesus Christ.
So how should you respond when you see the Lord lifted up in this way, even in his hour of suffering? How should you respond the way that John has been trying to get you to do the whole time in his gospel? He says, “Believe in him. Believe in him. Believe in Jesus as the Lord, as the Savior, as the Son of God and Messiah, and you will be saved.”
You’ll be saved from the darkness in an eternal sense. And you’ll be saved from the darkness in a moment-by-moment sense in your life. I know that those of you who confess you love Jesus want to put off sin in your life. You want to walk in holiness before God, but you struggle to do so.
You say to yourself, “Where am I going to find the strength for this?” Well, you aren’t going to find it in yourself. You’re not going to find it in some worldly philosophy. You’re not going to find it in some person that you discover on the earth.
You can only find it in the Lord Jesus. He’s the champion. He’s the hero. He’s the one that God sent to be your Savior.
He will save you from your sin in an eternal sense. He pays for it on the cross once and for all, and he gives you his own record of righteousness. But then as you now walk before him with his Holy Spirit given to you, he says, “Now receive my strength.
“He pays for sin on the cross once and for all, gives his record of righteousness, and then says: ‘Receive my strength. Trust in me. Endure and you will be victorious.’”
Believe that you have my strength. Overcome. Trust in me. Endure and you will be victorious. You can put these sins aside. You can put these idols away. You can no longer walk in darkness, but walk in the light of the Lord.
What a beautiful revelation of the Lord this morning. What a wonderful invitation the Lord has set before us through it. So will you take it? Will you believe in the Lord Jesus Christ?
Will you confess, “Yeah, I’m Peter. I’m a sinner who can only falter before the darkness. But my Lord is strong and kind. He will deliver me eternally and every day of my life. I trust in Jesus.
I believe in Jesus as my Lord and Savior, and I want to follow him. If he will give me his strength, if he will give me his eternal life, I will follow him.”
If that’s you, know that you have it. Just as we were saying last week, God is a merciful God who loves to give to those who finally are willing to humbly receive.
But if you take the tack of Peter, if you insist, “No, no, I got this. Yeah, I’m going to follow Jesus. Yeah, I messed up before, but I’m going to do it,” get ready for some more humbling. Get ready for some more stumbling, because on your own, you can’t do it. You can’t.
You need the champion. You need the Lord.
Behold today the glory of the Son of God, even in his unjust trial by Annas. Behold his obedience, even when betrayed by his most zealous disciple. Behold the Lord in all his loveliness, and believe, and you will be saved.
Let’s pray to the Lord about this word we’ve just heard.
Jesus, we confess you are the champion, and we’re so glad for that. We know, God, that as a human, you are a high priest who is sympathetic to our weaknesses—what it’s like to face temptation, what it’s like to experience the trials of this good but cursed world. But you are no wimp. You are no weakling. You are strong, and you do everything that in our weakness we are not able to do.
What liberating truth that is. Oh Lord Jesus, let our lives be all about you and not ourselves. Oh God, take away the sinful pride, the sinful self-reliance, the self-righteousness that we are naturally inclined towards. But God, let our whole devotion be to you. Let our whole trust be in you to save us forever from our sins, but also to deliver us from the world, the flesh, and Satan.
God, do a great work in this congregation. Cause us to love Jesus more, and in reliance on Jesus, follow him more faithfully. And then use us to draw others, Lord, who are yet stuck in darkness—that there is a champion who can save them and deliver them. God, free us up in boldness, just as you were bold. God, free us up in boldness to declare that life-giving message in Jesus’ name. Amen.