LESSON VIII.—SUNDAY, MAY 21, 1899.
CHRIST BEFORE THE HIGH PRIEST.
15 "And Simon Peter followed Jesus, and so did another disciple. Now that disciple was known unto the high priest, and 16 entered in with Jesus into the court of the high priest; but Peter was standing at the door without. So the other disciple, which was known unto the high priest, went out and spake 17 unto her that kept the door, and brought in Peter. The maid therefore that kept the door saith unto Peter, Art thou also 18 one of this Man's disciples? He saith, I am not. Now the servants and officers were standing there, having made a fire of coals; for it was cold; and they were warming themselves; and Peter was also with them, standing and warming himself. 19 "The high priest therefore asked Jesus of His disciples, 20 and of His teaching. Jesus answered him, I have spoken openly to the world; I ever taught in synagogues, and in 21 the temple, where all the Jews come together; and in secret spake I nothing. Why askest thou Me? ask them that have heard Me, what I spake unto them; behold, these know 22 the things which I said. And when He had said this, one of the officers standing by struck Jesus with his hand, saying, 23 Answerest thou the high priest so? Jesus answered him, If I have spoken evil, bear witness of the evil; but if well, why 24 smitest thou Me? Annas therefore sent Him bound unto Caiaphas the high priest. 25 "Now Simon Peter was standing and warming himself. They said therefore unto him, Art thou also one of His disciples? 26 He denied, and said, I am not. One of the servants of 27 the high priest, being a kinsman of him whose ear Peter cut off, saith, Did not I see thee in the garden with Him? Peter therefore denied again; and straightway the cock crew." Golden Text: "He came unto His own, and His own received Him not." John 1:11. (1) Who followed Jesus to the house of Annas after His arrest in Gethsemane? How did the other disciple get into the court? V. 15. Note 1. (2) Where did Peter stand? How did he finally get in? V. 16. Note 2. (3) What did the door-keeper say to Peter? What did Peter answer? V. 17. (4) What were the servants and officers doing? What was Peter doing? V. 18. Note 3. (5) Of what did the high priest ask Jesus? V. 19. (6) How did Jesus answer? V. 20. (7) Whom did Jesus say the high priest should ask? Why? V. 21. Note 4. (8) Then what did one of the officers do? What question did he ask? V. 22. (9) What did Jesus say in reply? V. 23. Note 5. (10) What then did Annas do with Jesus? V. 24. (11) What was Simon Peter still doing? What question was again asked of him? What did he say this time? V. 25. Note 6. (12) Who again spoke to Peter? What question did he ask? What was Peter's answer? V. 27. Note 7. (13) Then what took place? Same verse. Note 8. 1. "Followed Jesus."—According to Matthew's account, when Jesus was taken in the Garden of Gethsemane "all the disciples forsook Him, and fled;" and both Matthew and Luke state that "Peter followed Him afar off." It would seem that after escaping arrest with Jesus, at least two of them plucked up courage or curiosity enough to go to the palace to see what the outcome would be. 2. "The other disciple" was no doubt John, as John is the only one of the four evangelists who mentions any other than Peter. 3. "Peter was with them."—Peter wanted to be on the safe side, yet he wanted to see what was going on. "Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful." Ps. 1:1. Had he been beside Jesus, as John was, he would not have been subjected to such sore temptation; or, being tempted, would have received strength to resist. It is always dangerous to follow Jesus "afar off." His counsel through the apostle James is, "Draw nigh to God, and He will draw nigh to you." James 4:8. Also, through the prophet Azariah, He says: "The Lord is with you, while ye be with Him; and if ye seek Him, He will be found of you; but if ye forsake Him, He will forsake you." 2 Chron. 15:2. 4. "Why askest thou Me?"—The high priest was trying to take a mean advantage of the prisoner. There were plenty of other witnesses to His doctrine who might have been examined, but the rulers sought to condemn Him on His own evidence, which was contrary both to the law and to the spirit of justice. Jesus refused to be a party to such injustice. 5. "Why smitest thou Me?"—It was also illegal for an officer to smite an uncondemned prisoner, as well as to try any one by night. If Jesus had done evil, it was the business of the officer, or any competent witness, to testify of the evil. To smite Him was as unwarranted as the later abuse He received from the soldiers of Pilate and Herod. 6. "Warming himself."—Peter was thinking of his own comfort, as well as his safety, while his Master was in peril of His life. This was parallel in principle, tho more flagrant in appearance, to the act of sleeping in the garden during the agony of Jesus, when the disciples should have been watching with Him, as He had commanded them. 7. "He denied."—Even Peter's physical courage, which a little while before had been so demonstrative, when he smote the servant of the high priest, had now left him. He was not so ready to die with the Master (John 13:37), when the apparent prospect of such a result confronted him, as he had thought. Herein is a lesson,—physical bravado is not a spiritual support. "God is our refuge and strength." Ps. 46:1. "Happy is he that hath the God of Jacob for his help, whose hope is in the Lord his God." Ps. 146:5. 8. "The cock crew."—That was just what the Lord had told Peter, only a few hours before: "The cock shall not crow, till thou hast denied Me thrice." John 13:38. Peter remembered the word; the Spirit struck it home to his heart, and deep repentance followed. "He went out, and wept bitterly." Matt. 26:75.