Author: Bill Hall

73: This last accusation occurs ‘after awhile,’ which means it occurs closer to dawn. The other two accusations had occurred earlier in the night. Peter may have thought he was through with it, when this whole group of people came to see him.
Among the group may have been the women from before, and a relative of Malchus was among them. This fellow said he saw Peter. As for the rest, they said they were convinced of Peter’s identity because of his accent, which was decidedly Galilean. Thus, this time it was much harder for Peter to fight the truth.
74: Peter had sworn before in his second denial. However, this time he adds curses. Calling down curses upon oneself was a way of affirming the truth of a statement. He was saying to them, if I am lying may such and such happen to me. It seems certain that those present remained unconvinced by Peter’s words.
At this very moment the cock crowed, which may have quite startled Peter. In addition, Jesus glanced his way, which only added to his reminder, and showed Christ’s love despite the denial.
75: We may consider it amazing that a person would ever forget what Jesus had said about the denial. However, it is not that amazing. How often do we forget to honor the Lord in all that we do? How often do we need to be reminded by the Holy Spirit of some sin that needs confessing?
Peter’s response to the reminder was the best possible course of action. He immediately was very sorry for what he had done. This response was, no doubt, part of the reason for his restoration later.

Personal Journal Entry #12020
Prayer Journal Entry #12020
Daily Bible Reading: Exodus 2:1-4:31

71: Peter moves to the porch. This was a smaller area near the door of the house. Here he was not able to warm himself by the fire, but probably hoped to be alone. Being there a long time, it came to be that another woman saw him and made a comment to the others there about his identity. It was while Peter was on the porch that the cock crowed the first time.
72: This time Peter denies it under oath. We do not know the substance of the oath itself. But, it was surely a serious thing to make a statement under oath. Referring to Jesus as ‘the man’ was a contemptuous way of referring to someone. He thus makes a strong lie, claiming no personal knowledge of Jesus.

Personal Journal Entry #12019
Prayer Journal Entry #12019
Daily Bible Reading: Genesis 49:1-Exodus 1:22

69: Peter was sitting with the servants and others in the courtyard of the home of the high priest. Matthew says he was ‘without,’ which simply meant that he was not in the section that Jesus was in. The courtyard was in the lower portion of the house, whereas Jesus was with the Jewish leaders in the higher section.
The young lady here mentioned was the one who kept the front door, and saw Peter come in with John. So, she had good reason to think that he was one of Jesus’ disciples.
The fact that she called Jesus ‘of Galilee’ is very interesting. It seems that the common folk of that day may have had a standard way of speaking of Christ. For those influenced by the Jewish leaders, as this woman was, he was Jesus of Galilee. Although that would be a legal name for him, it was not a name that admitted anything special. In other words, though Jesus’ name was fairly well known, true knowledge of him was more scarce. Such is the case even today. Many know who Jesus is, but that he is the Christ, the Savior of the world, is not so widely known or accepted.
70: Here is Peter’s first denial. He tells this young lady, and everyone in his immediate vicinity, that he has no connection with Jesus. His words are a little confusing at first. But, he is literally saying, “I don’t know what you are talking about.” Thus, he not only claims no involvement with Christ, but also claims no knowledge of such things. He intimates that he not only does he not know about Jesus’ disciples, but that he would have no desire to know anything about them.

Personal Journal Entry #12018
Prayer Journal Entry #12018
Daily Bible Reading: Genesis 46:1-48:22

65: Surely the ripping of the high priests garment was more a formality than a reaction. He could hardly have been surprised at the answer he received. He announced his accusation of blashphemy as if there was no other possible reaction. For the Jews as a whole, it seems without doubt, that the accepted Messiah will have to do many miracles for their pleasure. This is a dangerous requirement, for the antichrist will surely be more than happy to oblige them.
Caiaphas asks why any more witnesses are needed because he sees how little they had against Christ before this. So, even in the mind of one bent upon Jesus’ death, Jesus’ statement in verse 64 helped towards the desired end. And, Jesus knew it would.
66: Given the false accusation, the Sanhedrin could come to no other conclusion. If blashphemy was the only option, death was the only course.
67: Once the decision had been made, the Jewish leaders began to take much more licence. Apparently they now felt justified in doing what they wanted to do all along. Their eagerness to give in to the flesh in their punishment of Christ is appalling. Their actions were illegal by both Jewish and Roman law. But they took no notice of this.
They spit in his face, punched him with their fists, cast harsh insults at him, and slapped him.
68: The playing of this sick game, asking Jesus to prophesy, was demeaning to persons of their high office. Once again, they took no notice. Jesus, of course, knew who was hitting him, whether blindfolded or not. He knew this kind of thing would start as soon as their self-righteousness felt justified.

Personal Journal Entry #12017
Prayer Journal Entry #12017
Daily Bible Reading: Genesis 43:1-45:28

63: The question of the high priest was designed to trap Jesus in his words once and for all. Calling upon Jesus to testify against himself would be illegal in most places, though not necessarily here. He charges Jesus to tell him the truth under oath, knowing that Jesus would never lie.
64: Jesus did not hesitate. Hesitation would suggest fear, or preparing to tell a lie. Jesus was not afraid of Caiaphas, or any other man. He answers in the affirmative, and then prophesies concerning his own fulfillment of prophecy.
He says that he would sit on the right hand of God and come in the clouds. He is telling Caiaphas that not only is he the Messiah, but that he would rise and return to his Father. This comes before Caiaphas even knew for sure that he would be crucified. Jesus lets every one there know that he has now doubts about his future.
By this response, Jesus intentionally, and willingly, gives Caiaphas all of the ammunition he needs to condemn him in this already illegal trial. Jesus obviously had no intention of being found innocent. This only serves to highlight the unfairness of the trial, and the purpose of Christ in all of it.

Personal Journal Entry #12016
Prayer Journal Entry #12016
Daily Bible Reading: Genesis 41:1-42:38

58: To his credit, Peter did follow his Lord. However, his desire was to see the outcome, not to be tried with him. With the assistance of John, who knew the high priest personally, he entered the courtyard of Caiaphas’ house. This is how he ended up sitting with the servants.
59: The entire Sanhedrin was intently engaged in this trial. They were trying to make it legal as hard as they could. But, the meeting in the middle of the night was already highly irregular.
They tried to find witnesses so as to legitimate Jesus’ arrest and condemnation. But, since Judas had apparently disappeared, or declined to testify, they were hard put to find what they were looking for.
60: According to Jewish law, the law of God, two witnesses had to testify to the same thing in order to establish a fact in court. Although they found no lack of liars for their cause, they couldn’t get the lies to match up. They knew all along they would be fine with false witnesses, which broke the law. But, straining at a gnat to swallow a camel, they were less than enthusiastic about not finding two witnesses.
61: In the end, two witnesses is all that they found. And, of course, their testimony was a misrepresentation of Jesus’ words.
62: As if two witnesses was more than sufficient, and as if the other testimonies were legitimated by this, Caiaphas asks Jesus for his defense. Jesus said nothing. Considering the highly irregular and illegal format of the trial, Jesus could have said much. But, though those present were unaware of it, Jesus had a greater goal in all of this.

Personal Journal Entry #12015
Prayer Journal Entry #12015
Daily Bible Reading: Genesis 38:1-40:23

55: Although Jesus remained silent during much of his trial, we see here that his silence was by choice, not out of necessity. He had plenty to say to the leaders of this band that came to arrest him. He brings their sin to light by pointing out their desire for secrecy. Indeed, they had been unable to arrest him before this time.
Judas also may have thought that Jesus would fight. He may have thought that this would force Jesus to set up his earthly kingdom. However, we cannot know what went on in his mind during all of this.
56: Jesus once again mentions prophecy. Anyone who would pay attention to him could see the truth of his words and the design of his actions. But, to their own hurt, nobody then present seemed to even care what he meant. Even the disciples, never expecting Jesus to give himself over peaceably, left him to fend for himself.
Indeed, the word ‘forsook’ reveals that the disciples did not simply leave because they saw that as the best course of action. They abandoned Christ. They decided to save their own skin, even if that meant leaving their Master to be arrested and condemned to death.
57: Jesus was taken before the high priest in the middle of the night. This was not normal. The Sanhedrin was not usually in the meeting mood at this hour. But, there they were, trying to get their favorite target condemned to death in the middle of the night.

Personal Journal Entry #12014
Prayer Journal Entry #12014
Daily Bible Reading: Genesis 36:1-37:36

51: Where Peter came into possession of a sword cannot be said in particular. However, it is not beyond reason to think that he had procured it for just such an occasion. The most likely scenario is that he got it earlier that day when he and John we slaying the Passover lamb for their supper that evening.
It is highly likely that Peter intended much more than to simply cut off the man’s ear. Malchus was one of the servants of the high priest,and was thus saved by the hand of God. First, the intent of Peter was frustrated by the Father, and then his miss off of the center was solved by the Son healing the ear of the man who was targeted. Malchus was not likely targeted for any particular reason, unless it might be that he was standing closest to Peter at the time.
52: Several things are being stated in this verse. First, we must see what is not being said. Jesus had before told the disciples to buy ‘a sword’ if they did not have one. He is not here contradicting that. He was before alluding to taking a sword for self defense from robbers, wild animals, etc. He also was preparing them for a wider ministry with more dangers. Also, he is not saying that the sword should never be taken up by anyone. Some have thought this and argued that Christians must never be involved in conflict of any kind. This is not what Jesus is saying.
He is saying four things. First, his gospel is not to be furthered by the sword. This will only bring death. Second, individual persons are not to take justice into their own hands. This will only bring condemnation as a lawbreaker. Third, those nations who take up the sword for ungodly ends, such as the Jewish nation was just then doing against him, will be judged by the sword in the future. Fourth, even those nations that take up the sword for the right will pay a high price, and must humbly beseech Almighty Providence that it will be a price that is bearable.
53: Twelve legions of angels amounts to seventy-two thousand of them. Obviously, this would be more than enough protection for anything that anyone, even the devil himself, could dish up. This is an interesting verse in that it shows us his submission to the Father once again. He is saying that, even at this point, he could change the plan. But, he would not dream of it. In other words, the Father had given him the freedom to choose, but every member of the Godhead already knew his choice would be what it was.
54: This verse simply strengthens the last point. Jesus asks Peter how to fulfill prophecy without fulfilling prophecy, an impossibility to be sure. It shows that Jesus was constantly aware of the prophetic timetable he operated under. He and the Father and Spirit had already determined the course of events.

Personal Journal Entry #12013
Prayer Journal Entry #12013
Daily Bible Reading: Genesis 33:1-35:29

49: Judas greets Jesus as if nothing is wrong. Indeed, his ‘kiss’ was more than the customary greeting. The word choice reveals that Judas embraced Christ and kissed him. This would only be done to someone who was the closest of friends. It only serves to make Judas’ betrayal that much more wicked.
50: Jesus uses a familiar term for Judas here. Calling him ‘friend’ reveals that he did not hate this man, but he did indeed hate his sin. One must not miss the significance of his words. He asks why Judas had come, not because he did not know, but because he was reminding Judas of his wickedness. In other words, he was saying to Judas and all present who understood, I can be familiar with you because of who I am and what I have done, but you cannot be familiar with me because of who you are and what you have done. Judas would have caught this nuance because he already knew that Jesus was aware of the betrayal.
It is only after this betrayal is played out that Jesus is taken. Though few present realized it, Jesus could never have been arrested if the Father had not planned it.

Personal Journal Entry #12012
Prayer Journal Entry #12012
Daily Bible Reading: Genesis 31:1-32:32

45: Jesus comes again to find his sleeping disciples. This time he allows them to sleep, and wakes them only to say that the time for his betrayal into the hands of others was coming soon. Jesus had complete knowledge of the timing of these events.
46: Just before the arrival of Judas, Jesus gathers his disciples together and prepares them for the meeting with the traitor.
47: At the time of the Passover, the chief priests would have had a band of Roman soldiers at their disposal. This is likely where the members of the group with swords came from. The rest were Jewish guards with wooden weapons. They expected either resistance from others who might try to defend Christ, or from Jesus and his disciples themselves.
48: Judas needed to identify Jesus, not only because it was dark, but also because many in the group would not have easily recognized Jesus.

Personal Journal Entry #12011
Prayer Journal Entry #12011
Daily Bible Reading: Genesis 29:1-30:43