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John 18:12-27  JESUS TRIED BY THE JEWS AND DENIED BY SIMON PETER

Introduction:

	In our text today Jesus is arrested and brought to trial
before the Jews.  He is denied three times by one of His own
disciples, Simon Peter.

I.  The arrest of Jesus
	
	In our previous text the arresting party had arrived at
the Garden of Gethsemane to arrest Jesus.  The Apostle Peter
tried to defend Jesus by drawing his sword and chopping off
the ear of the servant of the high priest.  But Jesus
rebuked Peter and miraculously put the man's ear back on and
surrendered Himself to the arresting party.
		In our text today Jesus is arrested and brought to trial
before the Jews.  Perhaps I should say that He was brought
to trials (plural) before the Jews.  Actually Jesus had
three different hearings before the Jews.  The first was
before Annas, a former high-priest.  The second was before
the Caiaphas, the current high priest and the Sanhedrin
Council.  Both of these took place in the darkness of the
night well before morning.  It was in this second hearing
that the Sanhedrin Council pronounced Jesus worthy of death.
These were both illegal hearings and they could make no
official decisions.  The third and final hearing before the
Jews was also before the Sanhedrin Council.  It took place
right after daylight so that the trial of Jesus would have
some semblance of legality and rubber stamped the decision
which had already been made in the earlier meeting.  V. 12,
	"Then the band and the captain and officers of the Jews
took Jesus, and bound him."  The captain of the Roman
soldiers actually officiated in the arrest.  Both the Roman
soldiers and the members of the temple guard who were
present were the ones to actually lay hands on Him and bind
Him.  They did not have handcuffs in those days and so they
commonly used either ropes or chains to bind the prisoner.
	John makes no mention at this point of what happened to
any of the disciples, but other gospel writers inform us
that they broke and ran.  They fled for their lives.  At
least two of them did stop running pretty quickly and
started following the arresting party.  John will tell us
about that later.

II.  Entrance into the palace, where the trial would be held

	John makes a very brief mention of Jesus being brought
to the Jewish officials to stand trial, but he actually says
more about Simon Peter denying that he is a disciple of
Jesus than he does about the trial.
	V. 13, "And led him away to Annas first; for he was
father in law to Caiaphas, which was the high priest that
same year."  The captain and the temple officials whom he
was assisting led Jesus back into the city of Jerusalem
where He would be questioned and tried.
	John said that they carried Jesus first to Annas.  Annas
was a former high priest and had no official position at
this time, but he was the father-in-law to Caiaphas, who was
the high priest at this time.  I am sure that it was at the
orders of Caiaphas that they carried Jesus to Annas first.
Annas, who was more experienced than himself, could use his
skill to question Jesus and try to get Him to say something
that could be used against Him in His trial.  It would also
allow Caiaphas time to hastily summons sufficient members of
the Sanhedrin Council to try Jesus and also allow him some
time to try to find some witnesses that he could depend on
to testify against Jesus in the trial.
	There would be few, if any, of the Sanhedrin members
present at the hearing before Annas.  There were no
witnesses brought in to speak against Jesus.  The questions
asked were not to learn if He were guilty or innocent of any
crimes.  The purpose was clearly to get Jesus to say
something that might be used against Him in the hearing
before the Council.
	At this point of his writing, John makes it a point to
inform His readers that there was no way that Jesus could
get a fair hearing before the Sanhedrin Council.  He tells
about a statement which Caiaphas, the current high priest
who would preside over the trail had earlier made in a
Council meeting. V. 14, "Now Caiaphas was he, which gave
counsel to the Jews, that it was expedient that one man
should die for the people."  In the earlier meeting the
Council members had met for the purpose of deciding what
they would do about Jesus.  In that meeting Caiaphas,
himself, stated to them all that he thought it would be in
the best interest of the nation for Jesus to be put to
death.  From that time forward, they had focused their
energies on that one goal.  This man and his followers on
the Sanhedrin Council were out to get Jesus and put Him to
death.
	John now tells us about the two disciples who had
stopped running and had followed the arresting party back
into Jerusalem.  V. 15, "And Simon Peter followed Jesus, and
so did another disciple..."  Most Bible students believe
that the reason John did not name the other disciples is
that he was talking about himself.  There is good reason to
think that this is right.  So it was Peter and it appears to
have been John who followed Jesus as He was led to Annas,
the father-in-law of the high priest.
	At any rate, whoever this other disciple was, he was
personally acquainted with Caiaphas the high priest.
Therefore, he was acquainted with the servants of the high
priest who were on duty at palace of the high priest where
Jesus would appear first before Annas and then before the
high priest and the Sanhedrin Council.  (V. 15), "...that
disciple was known unto the high priest, and went in with
Jesus into the palace of the high priest."  The statement
that he went with Jesus is not to be understood to mean that
he was immediately in the presence of Jesus.  Rather, it
means that he was allowed to go in with the group of men
temple guards and priests who followed Jesus in through the
palace door.
	But this left Simon Peter standing outside.  He stood
just outside the door hoping to be able to see some of what
would go in inside the palace.  V. 16, "But Peter stood at
the door without. Then went out that other disciple, which
was known unto the high priest, and spake unto her that kept
the door, and brought in Peter."  John could see Simon Peter
standing just outside the door and he went to the woman who
was in charge at the door and got her permission to bring
Simon Peter inside with him.

III.  The first denial of Jesus by Simon Peter

	V. 17, "Then saith the damsel that kept the door unto
Peter, Art not thou also one of this man's disciples?  He
saith, I am not."  Other gospel writers tell us that Simon
Peter had already been inside for a little while before she
got inquisitive and questioned him about whether he was a
disciple of Jesus.  It would seem that she surely must have
known that John was a disciple of Jesus and since John
vouched for Peter, that may have been the reason that she
suspected that he was a follower of Jesus.  She was not
after Simon Peter to have him arrested or to get him in
trouble of any kind, but apparently Peter was afraid that if
it became known that he was a disciple of Jesus that he
would be in danger of being arrested.  At Gethsemane when he
drew his sword and tried to defend Jesus, he was exceedingly
brave.  But now he was all shook up and he was scared.  Do
Peter said, "No."  He said he was not a disciple of Jesus.
	V. 18, "And the servants and officers stood there, who
had made a fire of coals; for it was cold: and they warmed
themselves: and Peter stood with them, and warmed himself."

IV.  The hearing before the high priest

	At the hearing of Jesus before  Neither were witnesses
called upon to testify against Jesus.  No charges were made
against Him.  It is possible that even Caiaphas, the current
high priest, was not present.  He may well have been busy
elsewhere making for the trial which would take place before
the Council members.  Yet Annas, who was a former high
priest, would still be addressed as a high priest in much
the same way as a former president of the United States is
addressed as "Mr. President."
	The purpose of this hearing was for Annas to question
Jesus and see if he could lead Jesus out on a limb with
questions.  It was to try to get Jesus to say something that
could be used against Him in the trial.  So in verse 19 it
appears that the high priest mentioned there is not
Caiaphas, but Annas, the former high priest.  The question
which he asks Jesus in this verse in by no means the only
question which He asked Jesus.  Other gospel writers inform
us of several other questions which he asked.
	But let us take not of what John says he asked.  V. 19,
"The high priest then asked Jesus of his disciples, and of
his doctrine."  He asked Jesus about His disciples and about
His teachings.  He would want to know if Jesus had a large
number of disciples.  If Jesus were to say that He had a
large number of disciples, they would use that against Him
in the trial.  It would be made to appear that Jesus was
trying to raise a large army who could support Him in an
insurrection against the Roman government.  It would also
lend credibility to the lie which they planned to tell about
Him.  They intended to tell the Roman authorities that He
was a trouble maker and that He had stirred up trouble
throughout the land.  If Jesus were to acknowledge that He
had many followers it would make their lie more believable.
	In addition to quizing Jesus about His disciples, they
asked Him about His teachings.  They wanted to know what He
was teaching the people.  They would especially hope that He
would say something that they could use to make it appear
that He was teaching against the Law of Moses.  If He would
just say anything that they could twist and make it sound as
if He were speaking against the Law of Moses, it was a sure
thing that the people would support them in their opposition
to Jesus.
	Jesus did not fall into the trap.  If He said anything
at all about how many disciples He had, John says nothing
about it.  I think it is safe to say that He did not say
anything about the number of His disciples.  If He had, it
would have been a relatively small number.
	Likewise, He told them nothing at all about what His
teachings were.  Listen to His answer.  V. 20, "Jesus
answered him, I spake openly to the world; I ever taught in
the synagogue, and in the temple, whither the Jews always
resort; and in secret have I said nothing."  Jesus had been
very open with His teachings.  He had never been secretive
with His teachings.  It is true that He had explained some
things to His disciples privately away from the crowds, but
He had never taught them anything in private which He had
not also taught publicly.  They were hoping that His answers
would show that He had some kind of secret organization with
secret goals and objectives and they could make it appear
that He was training men in secret to rise up in rebellion
against the government.
	But Jesus did not say anything that could be construed
to mean that He was training a secret army.  V. 21, "Why
askest thou me? ask them which heard me, what I have said
unto them: behold, they know what I said.  He had proclaimed
His teaching publicly in the synagogues throughout the land
and He had proclaimed them publicly in the very temple at
Jerusalem where many of their own people had heard Him.

V."If I
have spoken in an illegal way, then you are free under the
law to bring charges against me and prosecute me.  But if I
have not spoken in an illegal manner then you have acted
illegally by striking me and you would be subject in a court
of justice to be charged before the law and punished for
your actions."
	At this point Annas, having accomplished nothing by his
questioning of Jesus, sent Jesus to Caiaphas to be tried
before Caiaphas and before the Sanhedrin Council.  V.  24,
"Now Annas had sent him bound unto Caiaphas the high
priest."  It is worthy of note that most translators do not
include the word "now" or "had" in their translation of this
verse.  Most of them use the words "then."  They say, "Then
Annas sent Jesus to Caiaphas the high priest."
	So Annas was the high priest, or technically, the former
high priest who did the preliminary questioning of Jesus and
Caiaphas was the high priest before whom the trial itself
would take place.  It appears that the trial took place
within the same huge place where the preliminary questioning
had taken place.
	At this point John changes his subject and says nothing
whatsoever about the trial before Caiaphas and the Sanhedrin
Council.  Rather John turns his attention back to Simon
Peter who had already denied Jesus one time.  Jesus had
predicted that Peter would deny Him three times before the
cock would crow twice.  John proceeds to tell about the
other two times.  V. 25-27, " And Simon Peter stood and
warmed himself.  They said therefore unto him, Art not thou
also one of his disciples? He denied it, and said, I am not.
One of the servants of the high priest, being his kinsman
whose ear Peter cut off, saith, Did not I see thee in the
garden with him?  Peter then denied again: and immediately
the cock crew."  John does not mention that the cock crew
twice, but back in John 13:38 he recorded the word of Jesus
saying that it would crow twice.  So we know that it did.

VI.  Jesus still on trial today

	The trial of Jesus before Annas and before Caiaphas and
the Sanhedrin Court took place nearly 2000 years ago.  Yet
in a sense, Jesus is still on trial in our world today.
Just this past week someone here at church handed me a paper
that illustrates the point.
	It cited a newspaper article stating that it is now
illegal to engage in prayer in the Rotunda of our nation's
capitol.
	In Alabama a federal judge has issued an injunction
against any kind of religious expression in the public
schools of Alabama.
	The ACLU has succeeded in forcing the city of Stow, Ohio
to remove images of the cross and the Bible from the city's
official seal.  They won their case in court even though the
voters of the city voted to keep them on the seal.
	In an elementary school in New Jersey students in a
class were asked to read their favorite story to the class.
One student chose a story from a book entitled, "The
Beginner's Bible."  The student was not allowed to read the
story.
	In Fort Myers, Fla., a high school course which taught
Bible history was forced by the ACLU in court to stop
teaching that course.
	The paper states that a 14 year old boy in Padukah, Ky.
shot down a group of students in his who were engaged in
prayer at the time he shot them.
	In Hollywood, on the television, in the music industry
and in much of the news media there is an all war upon
anything that pertains to Christianity or high moral
standards.
	As bad as those things are, even they are small compared
to what in happening in the world at large.  According to an
article in Readers Digest a year or so ago, several Arab
nations have waged a world-wide terrorist campaign against
Christians and against nations which favor Christianity.
	Yet not only is Jesus still being condemned by many
people in the world today, but like the Apostle Peter there
are people who are denying Jesus without even realizing it.
In Matthew 12:30 Jesus said, "He that is not with me is
against me; and he that gathereth not with me scattereth
abroad."
	Every person who really believes in Jesus Christ should
be living for the Jesus.  He should not only believe in his
heart, but he should actively serve the Lord.  He should
dedicate his life to the Lord.  I am not talking about
surrendering his life to the gospel ministry.  Only those
who have been called of God to preach should surrender to
preach, but everybody who is saved by the grace of God
should be living his or her life for the honor and glory of
God.
	But there are some who are saved who are --- in effect
at --- working against Jesus simply because they are not
working for Him.  They could be making an impact for Jesus,
but they are not.  Everybody who is saved by the blood of
Jesus Christ can have an impact for good in the lives of
somebody if only they would give their lives over to Jesus
Christ and serve Him.
	In closing this service there are three things I want to
say.  More than anything else I want to live my own life the
way that God would have me to live.  I want to be the kind
of person God wants me to be.  I am keenly aware that there
are faults and failures in my life and I don't like that.  I
know also that I will always have faults and failures as
long as I live, but do want to change my life and to live as
the Lord would have me live.  I want to keep on trying to
trying to improve my life.  I wish I could live in such a
way that I would never do anything that would displease the
Lord.  I wish that I could please God in everything that I
do.  I want to keep working at it and keep changing my life
for the better.
	Secondly, I want to touch the lives of those who are
lost in sin in such a way that I will make them aware that
they are headed out into eternity and that they need to get
prepared to go while there is time.  I wish I could win
someone to Jesus Christ every day that I live.  One of my
greatest regrets is my failure to win more people to Christ
for salvation.  If you are here unsaved, then it is my
prayer to God this morning that you will be saved before you
leave here today.
	Thirdly, I want to be able to help those who are
Christians to live their lives in such a way as to please
God.  I want to be able to help the saved to honor and
glorify God in the things they do.  I want to be able to
help them to overcome the sinful things in their lives and
to grow in the grace of God.  You who are saved may be a
very good Christian already, but I hope and pray that as a
result of my preaching and as a result of the life that I
try to live that you will be challenged to be a better
Christian than you already are.  I want to be able to
implant the word of God in your heart and mind in such a way
that you will be made a stronger, better Christian by the
word of God.