In the open or hiding away
Courage and fear – John v 15-18, 25-27
While Jesus, alone, was facing questioning with courage and clarity of mind the disciples were in a very different state of mind. Mark records at Jesus’ arrest ‘Then everyone deserted him and fled.’ Mark 14:50 John adds further detail. Two disciples, Peter and one other followed Jesus, presumably at what they thought was a safe distance. The other disciple is unknown. Many think it was John himself but there is no certain evidence. Whoever it was, was known to the high priest’s inner circle and was part of Jesus’ own inner circle who had accompanied him from the last Passover supper. The other disciple gained access to the high priest’s compound and persuaded the servant girl on duty to let Peter into the courtyard. Peter must have been highly conflicted, desperate to know what was happening to Jesus but afraid of being identified as one of Jesus’ closest associates. His mind was in turmoil. Three times Peter was challenged to admit he was a Jesus follower and three times he couldn’t bring himself to admit it. Each time it became a bit more threatening, firstly a servant girl, then a group of servants and an official, then it got very threatening and personal as he was challenged by a relative of the man he had just attacked with a sword. What experiences of in some way disowning Jesus have we succumbed to? It could be through verbal denial as in Peter’s case, it may be through persistent sin that we have denied Jesus’ lordship over our life or alternatively we may for a period have simply ignored his call on our life. Does Jesus’ restoration of his relationship with Peter and Peter’s subsequent ministry give us cause for encouragement?
While Jesus, alone, was facing questioning with courage and clarity of mind the disciples were in a very different state of mind. Mark records at Jesus’ arrest ‘Then everyone deserted him and fled.’ Mark 14:50 John adds further detail. Two disciples, Peter and one other followed Jesus, presumably at what they thought was a safe distance. The other disciple is unknown. Many think it was John himself but there is no certain evidence. Whoever it was, was known to the high priest’s inner circle and was part of Jesus’ own inner circle who had accompanied him from the last Passover supper. The other disciple gained access to the high priest’s compound and persuaded the servant girl on duty to let Peter into the courtyard. Peter must have been highly conflicted, desperate to know what was happening to Jesus but afraid of being identified as one of Jesus’ closest associates. His mind was in turmoil. Three times Peter was challenged to admit he was a Jesus follower and three times he couldn’t bring himself to admit it. Each time it became a bit more threatening, firstly a servant girl, then a group of servants and an official, then it got very threatening and personal as he was challenged by a relative of the man he had just attacked with a sword. What experiences of in some way disowning Jesus have we succumbed to? It could be through verbal denial as in Peter’s case, it may be through persistent sin that we have denied Jesus’ lordship over our life or alternatively we may for a period have simply ignored his call on our life. Does Jesus’ restoration of his relationship with Peter and Peter’s subsequent ministry give us cause for encouragement?