The Third Denial. The first two denials were in the early part of the trial, soon after Peter had entered the court of the palace. The third denial must have been about three o'clock, toward the close of the first trial, or more properly examination, by Caiaphas, for it was about an hour after the others (Luke 22: 59), and at the hour of cock-crowing. began to curse and to swear, I know not the man (Matt.). "And immediately while he yet spake the cock crew (Luke) the second time (Mark). "And the Lord turned and looked upon Peter" (Luke). Peter heard the loud call of the chanticleer. "Involuntarily he lifted his eyes up to where they were breaking the heart of his friend, and there stood Jesus, and Jesus was looking his way, and their eyes met. "Their eyes met that was all; but that was enough. The brazen self was broken down; and the dear past days came crowding in upon him, the old pledges of affection, the promises of loyalty, the asseverations of undying devotion. He cast his cloak about his head to hide from his eyes and his ears the sight and the sound of the denials, and rushed out into the night, weeping bitterly.". Cross Builders. The Denial of Peter. "The Saviour looked on Peter. Aye, no word, "And Peter from the height of blasphemy 'I never knew this man -did quail and fall, Bida. McClelland's The And filled the silence, weeping bitterly." - Mrs. Browning. Peter is not mentioned again during the trials, nor among those who watched at the cross, nor during the long hours, including the whole Saturday-sabbath, in which Jesus' body lay in the tomb. It was not until after Jesus had risen that he appears again. Life at one time had a series of interviews in which a man is described as holding a dialogue with himself. How Peter must have talked to himself during that sabbath of fears and hopes. III. SCENES IN THE TRIAL OF JESUS, John 18: 19-24, 28-40; 19: 1-16. Jesus was first tried in an informal meeting of the Sanhedrin, presided over by the 19. The high priest then asked Jesus of his disciples, and of his doctrine. 20. Jesus answered him, I spake openly to the world; I ever taught in the synagogue, and in the temple, whither the Jews always resort; and in secret have I said nothing. 21. Why askest thou me? ask them which heard me, what I have said unto them: behold, they know what I said. 22. And when he had thus spoken, one of the officers which stood by struck Jesus with the palm of his hand, saying, Answerest thou the high priest so? 23. Jesus answered him, If I have spoken evil, bear witness of the evil : but if well, why smitest thou me? 24. Now Annas had sent him bound unto Caiaphas the high priest. 25. And Simon Peter stood and warmed himself. They said therefore unto him, Art not thou also one of his disciples? He denied it, and said, I am not. 26. One of the servants of the high priest, being his kinsman whose ear Peter cut off, saith, Did not I see thee in the garden with him? 27. Peter then denied again: and immediately the cock crew. high priest, immediately after his arrest. They judged him guilty of blasphemy, and worthy of death (Matt. 26: 57-66; Mark 14: 53-64; Luke 22: 54). Second, the Sanhedrin reassembled at daybreak in their own council hall, near the temple gate Shushan, at 5 o'clock Friday morning (Matt. 27:1; Mark 15: 1; From an Oberammergau Photograph. Luke 22: 66-71), to ratify formally what had been done before with haste and informality, if not illegally, and to devise ways by which Pilate could be induced to confirm their sentence and execute Jesus. For they had no longer any power to put any man to death. Third, the whole council of the elders, having bound Jesus and brought him from Caiaphas' palace, came to Pilate's court of justice, and delivered him up to Pilate, insisting that he be crucified (Matt. 27: 2, 11-31; Mark 15: 1-20; Luke 231-25; John 18: 28-19: 16). Pilate probably held his court in the Castle or Tower of Antonia, adjoining the temple area at the northwest corner, and overlooking the temple courts. Then follow the incidents of his trial before the Roman governor, Jesus acknowledges that he is a king, but states that his kingdom is not of this world. Pilate declares twelve times that Jesus is innocent. "I find no fault in him." Pilate attempts to release Jesus by the use of the customary pardon on the annual feast day of the Passover (Matt.). "Not this man, but Barabbas," a revolutionist, and popular favorite. Pilate endeavors to touch the hearts of the people by bringing out before the people the appealing figure of Jesus, bleeding from the scourging which Pilate had ordered, and wearing the Ecce Homo, purple robe and the crown of thorns. Behold the Man! The people, however, stirred up by the priests, "" and were instant with loud voices re cried out and shouted, Crucify, crucify him,' quiring that he might be crucified" (Luke). Pilate yielded finally to their clamors; being decided at the last because the Jews made the release of Jesus, who called himself a king, to be treason against Cæsar. 19:25. Now there stood by the cross of Jesus his mother, and his mother's sister, Mary the wife of Cleophas, and Mary Magdalene. 26. When Jesus therefore saw his mother, and the disciple standing by, whom he loved, he saith unto his mother, Woman, behold thy son! 27. Then saith he to the disciple, Behold thy mother! And from that hour that disciple took her unto his own home. "If thou release this man, thou art not Cæsar's friend: every one that maketh himself a king, speaketh against Cæsar" (John, Am. R.). IV. ON THE WAY TO CALVARY, Matt. 27: 32; Mark 15 20-21; Luke 23 26-33; John 19: 16. It was nearly 9 o'clock Friday morning, the hour of the usual morning sacrifice. Pilate's court was adjourned. The sad procession left the Castle of Antonia and moved through the narrow way of the Via Dolorosa (the sorrowful way) northward toward the gate that led to "a place called the place of a skull, Golgotha in the Hebrew.' From the Latin equivalent, Calvaria, comes our English word Calvary. The place was doubtless so named because it was a small knoll in the shape of a skull. In advance was a soldier carrying a white wooden board on which was written the nature of the crime. Then came four soldiers under a centurion with the hammer and the nails, guarding Jesus, who bore, as always in such cases, the cross on which he was to suffer. Then came two robbers, each bearing his cross and guarded by four soldiers. As they went forth into the street they were followed by a great multitude. V. SCENES AROUND THE CROSS, John 19: 25-27. "Where they crucified him," placing him on the cross as it lay on the ground, nailing his feet to the upright and his hands to the cross beams, then slowly raising the cross and letting it drop with an excruciating jolt into the hole prepared for it. The anguish of the wounds, of the tearing tendons and nerves, the fever, the intolerable thirst, increased constantly. "And two others with him, on either side one." These were the two robbers, crucified with Jesus to add to his shame. "In the pictures the cross of Jesus is generally represented as a lofty structure. In reality it was not much above the height of a man, and there was just enough wood to support the body." - Stalker. This rendered it easier for him to speak to those around him, and for the by-standers to offer him the sponge of vinegar. The Title over the Cross. Just before the cross was raised with Jesus upon it the white board inscribed with the accusation for which he was crucified, was nailed to the top of the cross. It was written in three languages, Hebrew, Greek, and Latin, so that all the people could read it in one form or another, "This is Jesus, the King of the Jews." It was a sarcasm on the Jews, but Pilate refused to change it. The Seven Words from the Cross, that is, the seven times that Jesus spoke while on the cross. For a detailed account see Select Notes for 1918, pp. 183-186. They were (1) Luke 23: 34. (2) Luke 23: 43. (3) John 19: 25-27. (4) Mark 15: 34. (5) John 19 28. (6) John 19: 30. (7) Luke 23: 46. The Mocking Crowd. Calvary was near the public highway, and great multitudes were at Jerusalem to attend the Passover. Many from all classes of people would gather within sight of the crucified Jesus, together with officers, soldiers, priests, and rulers; and they mocked at him who was dying for their sins. "last at But Jesus was not wholly deserted in this sad hour. The women were the cross and earliest at the grave." The three Marys were there: Mary, the mother of Jesus; Mary, the wife of Cleophas; and Mary Magdalene; and his mother's sister, probably Salome, the mother of John; and many other women from Galilee. John was there as we know. No mention is made, however, of the presence of the other disciples, though they may not have been far away. Even Peter, once the bold, is not mentioned. We wonder whether he could yet look at Jesus. The Third Word from the Cross. As Jesus hung on the cross, not far above the heads of the crowd around him, he saw his mother, and the disciple standing by, whom he loved. So John refers to himself throughout his Gospel. It is touching to see how he thus, in his old age, remembers so clearly, and lays stress upon, the fact of the especial love which the Master had borne to him, and which no doubt he fully returned. Whatever the love he bore to all his followers, and most of all to those he had selected as his closest disciples, these two, Mary his mother, and John, were the ones who were nearest and dearest to him. She was probably a widow at this time, and might be involved in trouble or poverty from her relation to Jesus. She would need a comforter and a home. John was probably well-to-do (see page 277), and the care and support of Mary would be a pleasure, and nothing of a burden to him. The mother was to be comforted in her bereavement by having as her adopted son the most loving heart among the disciples; and he was to care for her as his own mother. What a joy to have her in the home! VI. THE ATONEMENT is a word used only once in the New Testament. "Atonement = at-one-ment, = (1) the reconciliation between persons or beings at variance (Rom. 5:11). (2) That which produces this reconciliation, especially an expiatory sacrifice. The sense in which the word is now commonly used." fessor John D. Davis, in his Bible Dictionary. Pro Many persons, when at communion they drink the cup that symbolizes the atoning blood of Christ, need to realize more fully the meaning of the service. The atonement on the cross was a voluntary sacrifice. God did not punish an innocent person, in order to save sinners from the punishment due for their sins. Christ offered himself, of his own choice, because he loved man so deeply. Jesus repeatedly expressed this truth. "I lay down my life for the sheep. No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself" (John 10: 15, 18).' VII. WHAT THE CRUCIFIXION MEANT TO PETER AND JOHN. There is no indication that Peter and John differed at all from the rest of the followers of Jesus in their feeling of despair at the undoubted and well-proven death of their Master. Two, not of the Apostles, probably voiced the feelings of all, when, on the way to Emmaus, they said to the risen but unrecognized Jesus, "We hoped that it was he who should redeem Israel." But they spoke in the past tense; the death of Jesus had put an end to all their hopes. All the details of the burial of the body of Jesus, the coming of the women at dawn on Sunday morning, and the first appearances of Jesus to his followers, show clearly that they had no expectation of a resurrection. The affair was ended. But the personal grief of these two must have exceeded that of at least the most of the other followers of Christ. John, the disciple whom Jesus loved, the one who was so close to the Master that he confided to him his mother, must have grieved not only for his Lord, but for a very dear human friend. And Peter, the disciple who had denied him, after his promise to die with him rather than forsake him, what must have been his feelings! They were the feelings of one who felt he could never be forgiven; the lips were silent which would otherwise have been so ready to pardon. As so many wayward sons at the side of their dead mother, his feeling must have been, Oh, could I but hear thee speak one word of forgiveness for the wrong I did to thee! But after the resurrection, and the ascension, and the giving of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost Peter understood and preached the atonement which Jesus had made for the sins of the world, "the precious blood of Christ" by which his followers were redeemed (1 Pet. 1: 18, 19); "Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness by whose stripes ye were healed" (1 Pet. 2 : 24). VIII. FALTERING IN LOYALTY TO CHRIST. We hear much at the present time about loyalty loyalty to our country, to our flag, to the principles of liberty and righteousness on which our country was founded by the fathers. Those who falter now in this loyalty are deemed traitors, enemies of our land. But do we never falter in our loyalty to our supreme King? to Jesus Christ, and to the Kingdom of God? Many who would stand firm in a regular battle with the enemy, or who would face death from a firing squad rather than say one word of disloyalty face to face with the enemy, will grumble and scold when faced with some little privation at home, or will refuse to deny himself some little luxury in order that more food may be sent to those who need it over there," or that they may have more money to give, or lend, to help our government. So in our relation to the kingdom of heaven, as in Peter's case also, it is not the great danger that frightens us; we are ready to draw our sword single-handed against the forces of the Roman Empire; but we cannot sit quietly smiling when some one mocks and jeers at us as a follower of Christ. It is the little taunt rather than the real persecution which makes us lose our heads and swear that we "know not the man." "It was such a little spot of ice I slipped on," said the big, heavily built man who was laid up with a sprained ankle. I had come carefully all the way down the other street that was so slippery to avoid a fall, and I turned up this other street where the sidewalk looked good and clean and not at all dangerous. And I slipped on just a little strip of ice not six inches wide, where the water had trickled across the pavement. The late snow that had fallen had covered it over and I slipped - From The Sunday School Journal. before I knew it." The safest way is the open way. If Peter had gone openly to the palace as the follower of Jesus he would not have had the temptation to deny his Master. And the fact that John did this and yet was perfectly safe is at least an indication that Peter would have been in no real danger there. But even if he had been in grave danger, Jesus could in some way have rescued him, as he did so many times later in his history. 66 6 Suppose,' says one, that a young man should enter a cantonment and say: "I am a graduate of West Point and am thoroughly up in all military science and tactics. I have made a thorough study of political economy and understand the obligations of a man to his country. I believe this war is justifiable - but I do not want any one to know it." Humorous as this may seem, there are those pressing for admission into the cantonments of Jesus Christ with much the same spirit. It is not enough to say, 'I believe in Christ and want to be a Christian.' You must want to be one so much that you are willing all the world should know it." Record of Christian Work. Peter had a second chance, as we shall see in our next lesson. There is a story of Sir Charles Napier, in one of his military campaigns, which is exactly in point here. One of his soldiers, overcome by fear, turned face in front of the enemy and fled toward the rear. He was caught by others of the soldiers, and was about to be shot for his desertion, as is the usual way in such cases. But Napier just then came up, and, hearing the account of the case, told them to give him another chance. When the fight began again he should be put in the front line, and thus given a chance to redeem himself. And he proved himself to be after all a brave man and a good soldier, not only in that battle, but ever after. But Our Master Jesus Christ can make good soldiers out of those who have failed him ; a failure is sometimes a great revealer of the love of God, and of our Saviour. "though the grace of God deals with the fallen, we can never say that an obedience would not have taught us more and better than the fall. When we would not be taught by obedience it is part of God's grace to teach us some other way, and when we would not look at the truth which was trying to come to us by ordered living, God still chose to reveal himself to us. "The disciples learned much through their falls, but they never learned anything which would not have been better learned through their faith. When he had denied his Lord and then suddenly saw him in all his truth and beauty, Peter knew well enough that he might have seen his Lord more clearly without a fall. But be that as it may, the fall was there, and the wonder of it was that his Master was still willing to reveal himself through what was left. Almost any master could take the defects and mistakes of his disciples and point out what they had lost, but who else would take the meanest and most contemptible passages in one's existence and make even them a lens through which they could see the divine if they would ?" Sunday School Times. Let us sit down and ask ourselves whether we have failed in loyalty to Christ on far less provocation than did Peter. 'Tis a good thing sometimes to be alone Sit calmly down and look self in the face, Who has this courage thus to look within, Keep faithful watch and ward, with inner eyes, Or over him ignoble conquest win. Oh, doubt it not, if thou wouldst wear a crown, Self, baser self, must first be trampled down!-John Askham. |