Jesus Accused Peter Denies Jesus

Carrying flaming torches, soldiers righted the way to the trials of Jesus. No sleep was permitted Him that night. He was brought before the council and before the High Priest, and again and again was questioned that they might find Him guilty of blasphemy against their religion. All the trials were irregular and illegal, but the men were in a hurry. Fearful lest they weaken, or lest the friends of Jesus rise up to defend Him, the religious and political authorities hastened to condemn Jesus.

Jesus was accused of disrupting the nation, making the people restless and filling them with discontent. It was testified against Him that He had forbidden His followers to pay the taxes to the Roman Emperor. And it was maintained that in saying that He was the Son of God He had blasphemed, and that He had suggested that He be made King of the Jews.

"What do you teach?" they asked Him.

"I have spoken openly in the temple," Jesus told them. "I have spoken openly to the world. I have said nothing in secret. Why do you ask me? Ask those who heard me, and they will tell you what I said to them."

One of the officers struck Jesus in the face, the worst insult that could be offered Him, and Jesus rebuked the man, who said he struck because of the way Jesus answered the High Priest. In words which have rung like a clarion call down through the centuries, Jesus quietly spoke:

"If I have spoken any evil, testify to that. But if I have done good, why do you strike me?"

Then came a witness who said that Jesus had threatened to destroy the temple they had made with their human hands and that He had said He would rebuild it in three days. But Jesus did not answer this charge, knowing that, though He had spoken such words, none had understood them.

"I adjure you by the living God," said the High Priest, "that you tell us whether you are the Christ."

If I tell you," Jesus replied, "you will not believe me. And if I ask you, you will not answer me, and you will not let me go. Nevertheless I say unto you, you shall see the Son of God sitting on the right hand of God, and coming in the clouds of Heaven."

"Are you the Son of God? they demanded.

And in words of majesty, Jesus told them calmly, "I am He."

"This is blasphemy!" shrieked the High Priest. "Do we need any further witness than this? We have heard the words out of His own mouth."

"He should die," the judges agreed.

Then was Jesus degraded by them, and abused. They struck at Him, and insulted His person in many ways. He was stripped to the waist and whipped. Servants struck Him in the face with the open palms of their hands.

Outside, as the night waned, and dawn came upon the city, a crowd of people were working themselves into a frenzy. Rumors came that the Nazarene was condemned to death. He was being tortured. And when Peter heard it, and that the servants were tormenting him also, he said, in desperation when asked if he was not a disciple of Jesus, "I do not know the man." Three times Peter denied Jesus that night, before the cock crew to show that day had dawned. And when Peter, at last, saw Jesus being led away, he went off alone and wept bitter tears of remorse.

Jesus was bound and led before Pontius Pilate, the Roman governor. Pilate was told that the priests had condemned this Man to death, and that the people demanded His death.

"We found this Man seeking to overthrow the government,"' they said, "and forbidding to give tribute to the Emperor, and saying that He Himself is our King."

Then Pilate called Jesus before him, and asked:

"Are you the King of the Jews?"

"You say so," Jesus answered. "Did you say it by yourself or did others tell you?"

Pilate replied, "I am not a Jew. The chief priests have delivered you to me. What have you done?"

"My kingdom is not of this world," the Nazarene answered. "If it were, my servants
would fight for me."

"Are you a king, then?" Pilate persisted.

"You say I am," Jesus repeated. "I was born into the world for but one thing--to bear witness to the Truth."'

Pilate, an educated man, well acquainted with the philosophy of his time, became interested in the noble aspect of the prisoner.

"What is truth?" Pilate asked, musingly.

But before Jesus answered, Pilate told the Jews that he had no fault to find with the Nazarene and that he was disposed to dismiss the case. But the priests and others fiercely insisted that Jesus be condemned. Then someone told Pilate that Jesus was from Galilee, and, glad to be free from pronouncing judgment, Pilate turned Him over to the governor of that region, a man by the name of Herod Antipas.

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