Peter’S First Denial
PETER’S FIRST DENIAL
JOHN 18:12-18
How would you have responded to the servant-girl’s question? How do you respond when people ask you about your faith?
Despite the willingness which Jesus has shown to be arrested, civil and religious authorities combine to seize him and bind him. They take him first to Annas, father-in-law of Caiaphas the high priest. The evangelist reminds his readers of Caiaphas’ attitude of cynical expediency to the execution of Jesus (11:49-52).
While Jesus goes alone as the prisoner, Simon Peter and another disciple follow. This disciple is known to the high priest so he manages to get into the court. Peter had stopped outside and has to be brought in by him. To a question from a maid whether he is one of Jesus’ disciples the man of rock denies it. He then stands with the servants and officers trying to keep warm round a fire. He has denied the true light and stands with the enemies of his Master in the dark and in the cold.
Notes 18:13: Annas was high priest from AD 6–15. Other references to him in the New Testament are in Luke and Acts, and both in conjunction with Caiaphas (Luke 3:2; Acts 4:6). He may have been the power behind the throne. Caiaphas (mentioned also in Matthew 26:3,57) succeeded him after his deposition by the Romans and held the office until AD 36. There is some difficulty about this passage on the ground that there is no mention of a trial before Caiaphas (18:24,28) and Peter’s denial comes into the examination before Annas. There is some very slight manuscript evidence for including 18:24 after “Annas” in 18:13, but it is not strong enough to accept. Others have suggested that 18:24 has something of a pluperfect sense (as in KJV), stating that Annas had sent him to Caiaphas. If we take the text as it stands it may be that there is no mention of a trial before Caiaphas because, in one sense, Jesus has nothing to say to such cynicism as Caiaphas had expressed (cf. Herod in Luke 23.9). 18:15: it is natural to assume that this was the “beloved disciple,” but it is not certain. 18:17: “I am not”—contrast the dignified reply of Jesus in 18:5. 18:18: standing with them, as Judas had (18:5). How easily in our weakness we take the traitor’s place!