Wednesday in the Word...John 18:12-24...pre-trial of Jesus and surviving COVID-19 nutritionally

It is amazing what you can come up with to eat when you are distanced from your spouse for 3 weeks so far.  Stephanie always prepares enough food for me when she visits her parents and I just "plug and play" the packages from the freezer to the pan but with the virus and protection I'm venturing back to what my mom taught me so many years ago.  A huge thanks to my Stephanie and my late mom for being so good to me in so many ways.  

Today's Wednesday in the Word covers the 1st trial of Jesus found in John chapter 18 and verses 12 through 24.  

v.12-14 - So the Roman cohort and the commander and the officers of the Jews, arrested Jesus and bound Him, and 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.

The mob has come to the garden and Jesus is arrested after a couple showings of His power.  It is not a resisted arrest.  Jesus goes willingly because it was "necessary" for this to happen by the Scriptures and His very words.  It seems funny that they bound Him after seeing what He could do with an ear and them picking themselves up from the ground.  What ropes could hold Jesus?

First Jesus would go before Annas who had been high priest.  He was actually the one who ran the marketplace in the temple that Jesus had driven out.  Most believe this was a pre-trial so the Sanhedrin had time assemble for the real trial.  We also are given the information that they high priest position had stayed within the family.  Annas handed the position over to Caiaphas, his son-in-law.

For Caiaphas' advice, we need to go back to John chapter 11 and verses 49 through 53.  In that passage we learned that even this advice was not of his initiative like Peter when he said, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God."  Look at these two events side by side.

Caiaphas' event - John 11.51, 52 says, (underline mine for emphasis)

Now he did not say this on his own initiative, but being high priest that year, he prophesied that Jesus was going to die for the nation and not for the nation only, but in order that He might also gather together into one the children of God who are scattered abroad.

Peter's event - Matthew 16.17 says, (underline mine for emphasis)

And Jesus said to him, "Blessed are you, Simon Barjona, because flesh and blood did not reveal this to you, but My Father who is in heaven."

I hope you can see how much God is in control of every movement of Jesus to the cross even if it is from friend or foe.

v.15-18 - 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.  Then the slave-girl who kept the door said to Peter, "You are not also one of this man's disciples, are you?"  He said, "I am not."  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 is the "another disciple?"  Most biblical scholars believe the disciple John is speaking of himself.  John never mentions his name in his gospel.  If it is John, which I believe it is, we have an eyewitness in the court room of Jesus' trial.  The details here are given by someone on the inside.  John gives us the names of Nicodemus and Joseph of Arimethea who were of the ruling council so his connection seems plausible to the high priest family.  Remember the scene at the tomb on Resurrection Morning?  John gets to the tomb first but stays outside while Peter rushes in when he gets there.  It is just the opposite here.  Peter has to stop at the gate while John is able to go in and actually John makes it possible for Peter to come into the courtyard area.

Peter has an exchange with this slave-girl who is tending the door and denies that he is one of Jesus' disciples.  Another slave-girl will be at a door in the near future after the resurrection of Jesus questioning Peter.  Her name is Rhoda.  Peter's answer that time will be in the affirmative after he had just experienced a supernatural deliverance from prison.  Much will change in the life of Peter in the next few weeks.

"You are not also one of this man's disciples, are you?" is a leading question.  It is easy to say "no" or feel you are led to say "no."  "You aren't going to eat that cookie, are you?"  "Of course not!"  But the truth is you want to and now you have not only lied to that person but to your very self.  Peter has just committed his first denial that Jesus said he would do.  Remember who is in ultimate control here.

v.19-21 - The high priest then questioned Jesus about His disciples, and about His teaching.  Jesus answered him, "I have spoken openly to the world; I always taught in synagogues and in the temple, where all the Jews comes together; and I spoke nothing in secret.  Why do you question Me?  Question those who have heard what I spoke to them; they know what I said."

Jesus doesn't give up His disciples and He also throws the questioning back at the high priest.  A Jewish trial requires witnesses and so Jesus is asking for those witnesses to come forward.  He even supplies where they might find these witnesses.  He has not be in seclusion when teaching.  He has made use of the local synagogues and also the temple area.  There should be plenty of witnesses that they can call.  What does Jesus get in return of pointing out this proper procedure?

v.22-24 - When He had said this, one of the officers standing nearby struck Jesus, saying, "Is that the way You answer the high priest?"  Jesus answered him, "If I have spoken wrongly, testify of the wrong; but if rightly, why do you strike Me?"  So Annas sent Him bound to Caiaphas the high priest.

This officer struck God!  We also see Jesus practicing what He has taught us in turning the other cheek.  Matthew chapter 5 and verse 39 says,

"But I say to you, do not resist an evil person; but whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also."

Jesus gets struck and instead of lightning coming from heaven to smote this man, He turns the other cheek and allows this man to hit Him again if He deserves it.  This officer was more concerned about the position and reputation of the high priest than what was truthfully being said.  We always need to go with what is the truth.  Just because someone has a high position doesn't put them in a position to not continue to follow the truth or be in submission to it.  Some of those I have respected in the Christian realm have veered from the truth and what am I to do?  Do I defend them or do I continue to defend the truth?  I continue to defend the truth and pray for those who have fallen into Satan's trap of pride and personal preferences.  

The pre-trial ends with Jesus being sent to Caiaphas, the official high priest.  The Sanhedrin has probably had time to assemble and we will pick up from here next Wednesday on Wednesday in the Word.

Pastor Adam