Background:

-          Jesus had already predicted Peter would deny him 3 times before the rooster crows. Peter immediately promised he would never do that.

-          As Jesus and his disciples went to the Garden of Gethsemane. Jesus told them to keep watch and pray. But they all fell asleep.

-          After Jesus was arrested, he went through a total of 6 trials: 1. High Priest Annas 2. The acting High Priest Caiaphas 3. Before the Sanhedrin (Jewish council) 4. Pilate 5. Herod 6. Pilate. This passage records the 3rd trial.  


The trial of Jesus

53 Those who arrested Jesus led him to the house of the high priest. All the leading priests, the older Jewish leaders, and the teachers of the law were gathered there. 54 Peter followed Jesus but stayed back at a distance. He followed him to the yard of the high priest’s house. He went into the yard and sat there with the guards, warming himself by their fire.

55 The leading priests and the whole high council tried to find something that Jesus had done wrong so they could kill him. But the council could find no proof that would allow them to kill Jesus. 56 Many people came and told lies against Jesus, but they all said different things. None of them agreed.

57 Then some others stood up and told more lies against Jesus. They said, 58 “We heard this man[f] say, ‘I will destroy this Temple built by human hands. And three days later, I will build another Temple not made by human hands.’” 59 But also what these people said did not agree.

60 Then the high priest stood up before everyone and said to Jesus, “These people said things against you. Do you have something to say about their charges? Are they telling the truth?” 61 But Jesus said nothing to answer him.

The high priest asked Jesus another question: “Are you the Messiah, the Son of the blessed God?”

62 Jesus answered, “Yes, I am the Son of God. And in the future you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right side of God All-Powerful. And you will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven.”

63 When the high priest heard this, he tore his clothes in anger. He said, “We don’t need any more witnesses! 64 You all heard these insults to God. What do you think?”

Everyone agreed that Jesus was guilty and must be killed. 65 Some of the people there spit at him. They covered his eyes and hit him with their fists. They said, “Be a prophet[g] and tell us who hit you!” Then the guards led Jesus away and beat him.

The trial of Peter

66 While Peter was still in the yard, a servant girl of the high priest came there. 67 She saw him warming himself by the fire. She looked closely at him and said, “You were with Jesus, that man from Nazareth.”

68 But Peter said this was not true. “That makes no sense,” he said. “I don’t know what you are talking about!” Then he left and went to the entrance of the yard, and a rooster crowed.[h]

69 When the servant girl saw him there, she began saying again to the people standing around, “This man is one of them.” 70 Again Peter said it was not true. A short time later, the people standing there said, “We know you are one of them, because you are from Galilee.”

71 Then Peter began to curse. He said, “I swear to God, I don’t know this man you are talking about!”

72 As soon as Peter said this, the rooster crowed the second time. Then he remembered what Jesus had told him: “Before the rooster crows twice, you will say three times that you don’t know me.” Then Peter broke down and cried.

 

Questions

1.       In Mark 14:53-65, we see Jesus standing trial before the Jewish council. What aspects of this trial do you find particularly strange or unjust?

2.       In verse 62, Jesus responds to the high priest's question about His identity. What is the significance of this declaration, as revealed in the context of ‘I AM’ (Exodus 3:14) and the Son of Man coming (Daniel 7:13)?

3.       How did Peter follow Jesus according to verse 54? In 14:66-72, what do you think led Peter to deny Jesus so seriously? Have you ever found yourself in a situation where you struggled in the same way?

4.       Reflect on the role of fear in this passage. How does fear impact the actions and decisions of both the religious leaders and Peter? What lessons can we learn about fear in our own lives?