“…to sift you like wheat.”
Luke 22:31
He
could see John in the distance, walking slowly now, his head down. When they fled from the garden, they scattered
in the olive grove thinking that fewer would be caught the more dispersed they
became in the thicket of trees.1 Each of them chose to head towards
their home, rather than the room they had left, to warn their families and
lessen the danger of a collective roundup of Jesus’ disciples. Jesus
had warned them of impending persecution and to make preparation for travel.2
Each of them individually and collectively would have rather stood by their
King and fought to the death,3 yet they knew that Jesus had made
this time possible for them to leave Him unharmed4 to carry out a
mission yet unknown to them.5 They had all fled, yet no one pursued
them.6
Peter increased his pace to catch up
with John, the disciple to which Jesus felt the closest bond. Possibly John
could shed some light on the events put into motion so abruptly. What would
become of Jesus? Peter wondered. The Twelve had feared of Jesus’
death for some time and spoke of this to him when he insisted on traveling to
Bethany to respond to Mary and Martha’s request to come and heal Lazarus.7
At the time, Thomas was the one who spoke for all of them saying, “Let’s go too—and die with Jesus.”8
How can we just sit back and watch
this happen? John seems to know
the heart of Jesus more than any of us. John
looked back as he heard Peter approaching and turned to welcome his
Brother.
“Peter, you were only doing what you
felt was best to protect Jesus, yet it is not God’s plan for us to intervene,”
John offered in consolation. His remark only added to Peter’s confusion of the
events from which they had fled. He felt dazed, light-headed from running, and
perplexed at John’s sense of self-control. John put his arm around Peter’s
shoulders, John taller, Peter broader, as they continued to walk through the
Kidron Valley toward the south gate of the city.9
“They will likely take Jesus to
Caiaphas’ House. Let’s wait for them
inside the gate of the Upper City.
There’s nothing we can do but watch what Jesus has foretold us. I don’t understand his predictions, Peter, so
don’t lose heart for our purpose that has yet to be told,” John offered this
advice seeing that Peter was still in shock over the night’s activity.
They saw the torches in the street
of the Lower City from their vantage point on the wall. Peter had been silent the entire wait, gazing
absently, straight ahead. John was
concerned and intended to keep track of him until he was safely home. For now, John watched the procession, four
squads of four guards each, in front, to the sides, and behind Jesus, totally
encompassing Him. One would have thought
they were guarding a dangerous man, rather than one who healed the lame, gave
sight to blind eyes, and raised the dead to life. The crowd quickly grew that followed the
march to the High Priest as word spread of Jesus’ arrest. As the guards entered the gate of the Upper
City, John led Peter to the crowd. Looking for a break to get closer, they
followed Jesus to the courtyard gate of Caiaphas’ House.10
A woman watching the gate of the
courtyard, recognized John from previous visits he’d made to the High Priest,
Caiaphas, and let him pass through,11 thinking he was with the officers
of the chief priests. Peter, lagging behind, saw the door close behind
John.
While Peter waited outside the gate,12
he looked out among the crowd that was forming, feeling out of place, useless,
humiliated, and conspicuous. Anyone who
looked at him seemed to say to his thoughts, What are you doing here, you
lame excuse for a man? Some seemed
to recognize him, pointing and talking amongst themselves. His mind began
filling with his perception of their whispers. He’s a Galilean … follower of
Jesus … slashed an ear off ... ran away … where is his King now? … Bound like a
criminal!
Peter, lost in the torment of his
mind, jumped when a hand touched him. He wheeled around ready to defend himself
but found the welcoming face of John as he took his shoulder and guided him
through the courtyard gate.13 As Peter crossed the threshold, his
eyes caught the stare of the woman watching at the gate. “Aren’t you one of
Jesus’ disciples?”14 the woman asked. Before he could even think of
the meaning of her question, he had already replied, “No, I am not.”15
Praise to Our Father for the
words He has given me.
Copyright © 2004, 2005 Stellar
Rhema Ministry, 2016 by Jeff Cambridge
References
Unless otherwise indicated, all
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living
Translation, copyright © 1996. Used by
permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. All rights reserved.
Verses marked NKJV are from The
Holy Bible, New King James Version, copyright © 1979, 1980, 1982, Thomas
Nelson, Inc., Publishers.
1. Matthew
26:56
2. Matthew
10:16-42
3. Matthew
26:35
4. John
17:12, 18:8-9
5. Matthew
28:19,20; Luke 24:44-45
6. Matthew
26:56
7. John
11:8-14
8. John
11:16
9. Map
pp.1741 NKJV
10. John
18:15
11. John
18:15
12. John
18:16
13. John
18:17
14. John
18:17
15. John 18:17
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