City Life Church Bible Study 20240618
John
18:15-40 (NIRV)
15 Simon Peter and another disciple were
following Jesus. The high priest knew the other disciple. So that disciple went
with Jesus into the high priest’s courtyard. 16 But Peter had to wait outside
by the door. The other disciple came back. He was the one the high priest knew.
He spoke to the servant woman who was on duty there. Then he brought Peter in.
17 She asked Peter, “You aren’t one of
Jesus’ disciples too, are you?”
“I am not,” he replied.
18 It was cold. The slaves and officials
stood around a fire. They had made it to keep warm. Peter was also standing
with them. He was warming himself.
19 Meanwhile, the high priest questioned
Jesus. He asked him about his disciples and his teaching.
20 “I have spoken openly to the world,”
Jesus replied. “I always taught in synagogues or at the temple, where all the
Jews come together. I didn’t say anything in secret. 21 Why question me? Ask
the people who heard me. They certainly know what I said.”
22 When Jesus said that, one of the
officials nearby slapped him in the face. “Is this any way to answer the high
priest?” he asked.
23 “Have I said something wrong?” Jesus
replied. “If I have, then tell everyone what it was. But if I spoke the truth,
why did you hit me?” 24 Annas sent him, tied up, to Caiaphas, the high priest.
25 Meanwhile, Simon Peter was still standing
there warming himself by the fire. So they asked him, “You aren’t one of Jesus’
disciples too, are you?”
He said, “I am not.”
26 One of the high priest’s slaves was a
relative of the man whose ear Peter had cut off. He said to Peter, “Didn’t I
see you with Jesus in the garden?” 27 Again Peter said no. At that exact moment
a rooster began to crow.
28 Then the Jewish leaders took Jesus from
Caiaphas to the palace of the Roman governor. By now it was early morning. The
Jewish leaders did not want to be made “unclean.” They wanted to be able to eat
the Passover meal. So they did not enter the palace. 29 Pilate came out to
them. He asked, “What charges are you bringing against this man?”
30 “He has committed crimes,” they replied.
“If he hadn’t, we would not have handed him over to you.”
31 Pilate said, “Take him yourselves. Judge
him by your own law.”
“But we don’t have the right to put anyone
to death,” they complained. 32 This happened so that what Jesus said about how
he was going to die would come true.
33 Then Pilate went back inside the palace.
He ordered Jesus to be brought to him. Pilate asked him, “Are you the king of
the Jews?”
34 “Is that your own idea?” Jesus asked. “Or
did others talk to you about me?”
35 “Am I a Jew?” Pilate replied. “Your own
people and chief priests handed you over to me. What have you done?”
36 Jesus said, “My kingdom is not from this
world. If it were, those who serve me would fight. They would try to keep the
Jewish leaders from arresting me. My kingdom is from another place.”
37 “So you are a king, then!” said Pilate.
Jesus answered, “You say that I am a king.
In fact, that’s the reason I was born. I was born and came into the world to be
a witness to the truth. Everyone who is on the side of truth listens to me.”
38 “What is truth?” Pilate replied. Then
Pilate went out again to the Jews gathered there. He said, “I find no basis for
any charge against him. 39 But you have a practice at Passover time. At that
time, you ask me to set one prisoner free for you. Do you want me to set ‘the
king of the Jews’ free?”
40 They shouted back, “No! Not him! Give us
Barabbas!” Barabbas had taken part in an armed struggle against the country’s
rulers.
Discussion:
1. What do you think about Peter? What can you learn from him?
2. What do you think about Pilate?
3. Can you find any contrast or paradox in the passage? For example, is Jesus King?
4. There are many questions in the passage. Some of them are rhetorical and
demand an answer from the readers. Do you notice?
Reflection and
Application:
5. What message do you get from this
passage? How does this passage speak to you as a disciple of Jesus?
