Luke

By Joyce Webb 2021

Chapter 22 Verses 54-71

Verse 54 The group of men who came to get Jesus, took him to the Jewish high priests house.

Peter followed—but he stayed far behind.

Verse 55 It seems there was an outdoor space like a patio. They had a fire pit going because it was cool outside.

Peter joined with other people around the fire.

A young woman servant looked at Peter and said—this man was with Jesus.

Peter said, Woman, I do not know the man.

Verse 58 Another person saw Peter and they said, He was with Jesus. Peter said, No, I am not.

About an hour later, another person saw Peter and said—It is true,
This man was with Jesus. He is a Galilean. (They could tell because of his speech and the way he talked.)

Verse 60 Peter said, Man, I do not know what you are talking about.

As soon as Peter said that—-the rooster began to crow.

(Remember what Jesus said to Peter—–before the rooster crows in the morning—-you will have said you do not know me 3 times.)

So, now, Peter has said 3 times that he did not know Jesus.

He was afraid.

Verse 61 Jesus is standing near enough to see Peter. Jesus turned and looked at Peter. Peter sees him. Then Peter remembers what Jesus said.

Verse 62 Peter is ashamed. He left. He wept (cried) bitterly.
Meaning with great sorrow.

Peter was so sure he would never deny Jesus.

Jesus knew how weak humans were.

We think we are strong in our faith and that we would always stay true to Jesus. But we, too, are more weak than we think.

We need to pray—Lord, keep me strong. Help me to stay true to you. Help me—if I am in such a place where I am so afraid —-

—or if someone will kill me unless I give up being a Christian. Help me to still be strong and stay true to you.

Remember—if we give up Jesus—we give up heaven.

Jesus said if we deny him—we will deny us. Matthew 10:33

Verse 63,64 The men who held Jesus begin to slap him and hit him.
Then they covered Jesus’ eyes with a blindfold and they hit him
—-and they said “Tell us who hit you.” (Since Jesus said he was God’s son—they thought he should be able to know who was hitting him even though he could not see.) Jesus did know—but he did not say anything. Jesus was not going to “play their game”.

Verse 66 All of this happened just before the sun was rising. As soon as it was full light, the elders of the Jewish people, and other priests came together to talk about what to do with Jesus.

Verse 67 They asked Jesus, Tell us, are you the Christ? (Meaning—are you saying you are the promised Messiah that the Old Testament promised would come?)

Jesus said–”If I told you, you would not believe me. If I asked you, you would not answer me— and you would not let me go.”

Verse 69 Jesus said, “ From now on the Son of Man will sit on the right hand of God.”

Verse 70 So they said to him again, Are you the Son of God?

Jesus answered—You say that I am.

Verse 71 The group of men said to each other—what more proof do we need? We heard with our own ears what he said.