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FEBRUARY 13
Matthew 26:51–75
And suddenly, one of those who were with Je-
51
sus stretched out his hand and drew his
sword, struck the servant of the high priest, 26:59 the council. The great Sanhedrin was
and cut off his ear. the Supreme Court of Israel, consisting of 71
But Jesus said to him, “Put your sword in
52 members, presided over by the high priest.
its place, for all who take the sword will perish They met daily in the temple to hold court,
except on the Sabbath and other holy days.
by the sword. Or do you think that I cannot Technically, they did not have the power to
53
now pray to My Father, and He will provide administer capital punishment (John 18:31),
Me with more than twelve legions of angels? but in the case of Stephen, for example, this
How then could the Scriptures be fulfilled, was no deterrent to his stoning (see Acts
54
that it must happen thus?” 6:12–14; 7:58–60). Roman governors evidently
In that hour Jesus said to the multitudes, sometimes ignored such incidents as a matter
55
“Have you come out, as against a robber, with of political expediency. In Jesus’ case, the men
swords and clubs to take Me? I sat daily with who were trying Him were the same ones who
you, teaching in the temple, and you did not had conspired against Him (see John 11:47–50).
seize Me. But all this was done that the Scrip-
56
tures of the prophets might be fulfilled.” 64
Then all the disciples forsook Him and fled. Jesus said to him, “It is as you said. Never-
And those who had laid hold of Jesus led
57 theless, I say to you, hereafter you will see the
Him away to Caiaphas the high priest, where Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the
the scribes and the elders were assembled. Power, and coming on the clouds of heaven.”
65
But Peter followed Him at a distance to the
58 Then the high priest tore his clothes, saying,
high priest’s courtyard. And he went in and “He has spoken blasphemy! What further need
sat with the servants to see the end. do we have of witnesses? Look, now you have
66
Now the chief priests, the elders, and all
59 heard His blasphemy! What do you think?”
the council sought false testimony against Je- They answered and said, “He is deserving
sus to put Him to death, but found none. of death.”
60
67
Even though many false witnesses came for- Then they spat in His face and beat Him;
ward, they found none. But at last two false and others struck Him with the palms of their
68
61
witnesses came forward and said, “This fel- hands, saying, “Prophesy to us, Christ! Who
low said, ‘I am able to destroy the temple of is the one who struck You?”
69
God and to build it in three days.’ ” Now Peter sat outside in the courtyard.
And the high priest arose and said to Him,
62 And a servant girl came to him, saying, “You
“Do You answer nothing? What is it these men also were with Jesus of Galilee.”
70
testify against You?” But Jesus kept silent. But he denied it before them all, saying, “I
63
And the high priest answered and said to Him, do not know what you are saying.”
71
“I put You under oath by the living God: Tell And when he had gone out to the gateway,
us if You are the Christ, the Son of God!” another girl saw him and said to those who
were there, “This fellow also was with Jesus of
Nazareth.”
72 But again he denied with an oath, “I do not
know the Man!”
26:57 Caiaphas the high priest. From John
18:13, we learn that Christ was taken first to
Annas (former high priest and father-in-law to
Caiaphas). He then was sent bound to
Caiaphas’s house (John 18:24).The conspiracy 26:75 And Peter remembered. Luke 22:61
was well planned, so that “the scribes and the records that Jesus made eye contact with
elders” (the Sanhedrin) were already “assem- Peter at this very moment, which must have
bled” at Caiaphas’s house and ready to try magnified Peter’s already unbearable sense of
Jesus. The time was sometime between mid- shame. “He went out”—evidently departing
night and the first rooster’s crowing (v. 74). from Caiaphas’s house—”and wept bitterly.”
Such a hearing was illegal on several counts: The true Peter is seen not in his denial but in
criminal trials were not to be held at night;and his repentance.This account reminds us of not
trials in capital cases could only be held at the only our own weakness, but also the richness
temple and only in public. of divine grace.
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