Page 526 - Bible History

THE PASSION AND DEATH OF CHRIST 499
thou MeT'' Then Annas ordered Jesus to be bound and taken to Caiphas.
The apostles who had told Jesus that they were P s ready to go into bondage and death with Him had run n away at the rst sign of danger in the garden. It is
true that Peter didpull out his sword and come to the defense of our Savior, but when Jesus told him to put away his sword into the scabbard, he too escaped into
the darkness of the night. The Shepherd had been struck, and the sheep were scattered.
Peter and John seem to have been the rst of the apostles to realize what cowards they had been. Even they were not brave enough to take their place openly at the side of the Savior. They followed after Jesus when He was taken back to Jerusalem, but they fol­ lowed Him afar o . John seems to have been known at the palace of the high priest, and he summoned up enough courage to enter with the crowd. Peter re­ mained outside in the darkness. It was not long before John missed him and, going outside, he spoke to the
portress and she allowed Peter to enter.
Inside the gate there was a courtyard, in the center
of which a re blazed. Around it the servants sat warming themselves, for the night was cold. Coming close to the re, Peter too warmed himself.
Some time later, the portress who had admitted Peter came to the re. Seeing him, she looked at him very closely and said, '' Art thou not a disciple of Jesus of Nazareth¥" But Peter said, "Woman, I know Him not. I know not what thou sayest.''
After a little while, another maidservant, seeing