IIT UBF - University Bible Fellowship at IIT

Daily Bread

Jesus’ Trials and Peter’s Denials

Date: Jul. 7, 2024

Passage

John 18:12-27

Jesus Faces Annas and Caiaphas

12 So the band of soldiers and their captain and the officers of the Jews arrested Jesus and bound him. 13 First they led him to Annas, for he was the father-in-law of Caiaphas, who was high priest that year. 14 It was Caiaphas who had advised the Jews that it would be expedient that one man should die for the people.

Peter Denies Jesus

15 Simon Peter followed Jesus, and so did another disciple. Since that disciple was known to the high priest, he entered with Jesus into the courtyard of the high priest, 16 but Peter stood outside at the door. So the other disciple, who was known to the high priest, went out and spoke to the servant girl who kept watch at the door, and brought Peter in. 17 The servant girl at the door said to Peter, “You also are not one of this man’s disciples, are you?” He said, “I am not.” 18 Now the servants and officers had made a charcoal fire, because it was cold, and they were standing and warming themselves. Peter also was with them, standing and warming himself.

The High Priest Questions Jesus

19 The high priest then questioned Jesus about his disciples and his teaching. 20 Jesus answered him, “I have spoken openly to the world. I have always taught in synagogues and in the temple, where all Jews come together. I have said nothing in secret. 21 Why do you ask me? Ask those who have heard me what I said to them; they know what I said.” 22 When he had said these things, one of the officers standing by struck Jesus with his hand, saying, “Is that how you answer the high priest?” 23 Jesus answered him, “If what I said is wrong, bear witness about the wrong; but if what I said is right, why do you strike me?” 24 Annas then sent him bound to Caiaphas the high priest.

Peter Denies Jesus Again

25 Now Simon Peter was standing and warming himself. So they said to him, “You also are not one of his disciples, are you?” He denied it and said, “I am not.” 26 One of the servants of the high priest, a relative of the man whose ear Peter had cut off, asked, “Did I not see you in the garden with him?” 27 Peter again denied it, and at once a rooster crowed.

Daily Bread

Key Verse: John 18:23

Jesus answered him, “If what I said is wrong, bear witness about the wrong; but if what I said is right, why do you strike me?”

The soldiers bound Jesus and took him to Annas, a former high priest and the father-in-law to the high priest Caiaphas. Annas questioned Jesus about his disciples and his teaching to find a basis to charge him, not to seek the truth. When an official hit Jesus in the face, Jesus calmly demanded why he struck him. Jesus spoke the truth. Jesus was faithful even in the dark, lonely, and illegal trial at night. Jesus did not fail to be faithful witness to them. We are to trust Jesus who is faithful and never fails when we bear witness in the unbelieving world.

Although Peter loved Jesus, he disowned Jesus three times. Jesus had predicted his suffering, death, and resurrection many times, but Peter had not accepted Jesus’ words because of his misunderstanding. When Peter failed to understand God’s way of the cross, he insisted on his own way and became a prey of the devil. This is a temptation for us all. When Peter failed to know his own weakness, he trusted in himself, not in Jesus. When we know that we are weak, then we are strong for it is then that we trust in God and his power.

Prayer: Lord, I am weak and vulnerable. Help me to depend on you and follow in your way.

One Word: Trust in God and pray

Daily Bread

A Covenant Sealed in Blood

Exodus 24:1-18

Key Verse: 24:8

And Moses took the blood and threw it on the people and said, “Behold the blood of the covenant that the LORD has made with you in accordance with all these words.”

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