Jesus has been arrested. He was not forcefully apprehended, but willingly submitted to His captors because He knew this was the Father’s will. The time had come for Jesus to lay down His life for His sheep (John 10:11). In John 18:12-38, John shares with us a riveting back and forth between Jesus’ faithful confessions that He is the Christ and Peter’s cowardly denials of being His disciple. John does this, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, to cause us to humble ourselves before Christ: our great and faithful High Priest!
1st: Jesus & Annas; Peter & A Servant Girl
After being apprehended, Jesus was taken to the High Priest for questioning. Matthew, Mark, and Luke write that Jesus was taken to the high priest Caiaphas after His arrest. This is accurate but John tells us that Jesus was first taken to Annas, the father in law of Caiaphas. Why? According to historical sources, Annas was regarded as the real high priest by the Jewish authorities. This was because the high priest was supposed to serve until his death (Num 35:25), but Annas was removed from the high priesthood by a Roman official named Valerius Gratus who appointed Caiaphas in his place. For this reason, the Jewish authorities went to Annas first and John speaks of him as the high priest (18:19) along with Caiaphas (18:24).
Annas sought to entrap Jesus. He “asked Jesus about His disciples and His doctrine” (18:19). Jesus, fully aware of this, answered, “I spoke openly to the world. I always taught in synagogues and in the temple, where the Jews always meet, and in secret I have said nothing. Why do you ask Me? Ask those who have heard Me what I said” (18:20-21). Jesus has nothing to hide. One of the officers slapped Jesus for His supposed lack of respect to the high priest. Jesus responded, “If I have spoken evil, bear witness of the evil, but if well, why do you strike Me?” (18:23). Annas dismissed Jesus to Caiaphas. Jesus courageously stood before the high priest in His first meeting.
In contrast to Jesus’ brave defense before the high priest, Peter cowardly denied even knowing Jesus. Peter is fearful of ending up with a similar fate as Jesus; even though he previously declared that he would die with Him (13:37). Jesus knew Peter would deny Him and prayed for him.
2nd: Jesus & Caiaphas; Peter & Unknown Persons
John mentions that Jesus met with Caiaphas, but doesn’t record what happened. Matthew and Mark tell us that the chief priests and scribes wanted to get false testimony against Jesus so that they may put Him to death (Matt 26:59, Mark 14:55). These false witnesses arose against Jesus, but even their testimonies did not agree (Mark 14:56). One man remembered Jesus said something about destroying the temple and raising it again (Mark 14:58). Jesus actually said, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up” (John 2:19). He was talking about His body in that He would die and be resurrected.
When Caiaphas asked Jesus if He was the Messiah, Jesus replied, “I am. And you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Power, and coming with the cloud of heaven” (Mark 14:62). Caiaphas knew that Jesus was applying to Himself messianic prophecies from Psalm 110:1 and Daniel 7:13–14 and he tore his clothes in outrage; crying out, “You have heard the blasphemy” (Mark 14:63-64). Jesus courageously stood before the other high priest in His second meeting.
In contrast to Jesus’ brave defense before the other high priest, Peter once again cowardly denied being one of Jesus’ disciples. When asked, “‘You are not also one of His disciples, are you?’ He denied it and said, ‘I am not!’” (18:25). Peter is being humbled by his pride and fear.
3rd: Jesus & Pilate; Peter & Malchus’ Relative
Jesus is next led from Caiaphas to Pilate. The Jewish authorities have heard the “blasphemy” they were seeking from Jesus and now they want to put Him to death (fulfilling Jesus’ words). Pilate was the Roman prefect (governor) of Judaea from 26–36 AD. The Jewish leaders did not want to “defile” themselves by going into a Roman building so Pilate came out to them and asked, “What accusation do you bring against this Man?” (18:29). Pilate questioned Jesus about the charges, but found no fault in Him worthy of death (18:38).
Pilate asked Jesus if He was the king of the Jews. Jesus answered, “Are you speaking for yourself about this, or did others tell you this concerning Me?” (18:34). Pilate wanted to know what Jesus had done to receive this treatment. Jesus said, “My kingdom is not of this world. If My kingdom were of this world, My servants would fight, so that I should not be delivered to the Jews; but now My kingdom is not from here” (18:36). Pilate asked, “So you are a king then?” (18:37). Jesus answered, “You say rightly that I am a king. For this cause I have come into the world, that I should bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth hears My voice” (18:37). Pilate, not understanding what Jesus meant, replied, “What is truth?” (18:38). Jesus is the King who is going to the cross for His people.
In contrast to Jesus’ brave defense before Pilate, Peter cowardly denied for the third time being one of Jesus’ disciples. When “one of the servants of the high priest, a relative of him whose ear Peter cut off, said, ‘Did I not see you in the garden with Him?’ Peter then denied again; and immediately a rooster crowed” (18:26-27).
Bear Witness to the Truth
John tells us about these final moments of Jesus’ life so that we would “believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in His name” (John 20:31). Jesus was not fearful like Peter was, but faithful. He was not ashamed like Peter was, but bold. Jesus did not deserve to die, but died for us so that we may live. In this section, we see Jesus faithfully bearing witness to the truth that He is the Son of God and is worthy of our worship. J.C. Ryle noted:
He was led away captive and dragged before the High Priest’s bar, not because He could not help Himself but because He had set His whole heart on saving sinners by bearing their sins, by being treated as a sinner, and by being punished in their stead. He was a willing prisoner, that we might be set free. He was willingly arraigned and condemned, that we might be absolved and declared innocent.
As we read about His sufferings, let us remember that He willingly endured all these things for us. In Him we can have our sins forgiven and be fully reconciled to the Father; so that we can love Him and enjoy Him forever. Let us boldly confess our confidence in Him and confess that He is Lord.
First Baptist Scott City, MO 
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