Even if I have to die with You

John 18 for the read John in July challenge

When Jesus had spoken these words, He went away with His disciples across the ravine of the Kidron, where there was a garden which He entered with His disciples. ² Now Judas, who was betraying Him, also knew the place, because Jesus had often met there with His disciples. ³ So Judas, having obtained the Roman cohort and officers from the chief priests and the Pharisees, came there with lanterns, torches, and weapons. ⁴ Jesus therefore, knowing all the things that were coming upon Him, came out into the open and said to them, “Whom are you seeking?” ⁵ They answered Him, “Jesus the Nazarene.” He said to them, “I am He.” And Judas also, who was betraying Him, was standing with them. ⁶ Now then, when He said to them, “I am He,” they drew back and fell to the ground. ⁷ He then asked them again, “Whom are you seeking?” And they said, “Jesus the Nazarene.” ⁸ Jesus answered, “I told you that I am He; so if you are seeking Me, let these men go on their way.” ⁹ This took place so that the word which He spoke would be fulfilled: “Of those whom You have given Me I lost not one.” ¹⁰ Then Simon Peter, since he had a sword, drew it and struck the high priest’s slave, and cut off his right ear; and the slave’s name was Malchus. ¹¹ So Jesus said to Peter, “Put the sword into the sheath; the cup which the Father has given Me, am I not to drink it?”

¹² So the Roman cohort, the commander, and the officers of the Jews arrested Jesus and bound Him, ¹³ and brought Him to Annas first; for he was the father-in-law of Caiaphas, who was high priest that year. ¹⁴ Now Caiaphas was the one who had advised the Jews that it was in their best interest for one man to die in behalf of the people.

¹⁵ Simon Peter was following Jesus, and so was another disciple. Now that disciple was known to the high priest, and he entered with Jesus into the courtyard of the high priest, ¹⁶ but Peter was standing at the door outside. So the other disciple, who was known to the high priest, went out and spoke to the doorkeeper, and brought Peter in. ¹⁷ Then the slave woman who was the doorkeeper said to Peter, “You are not also one of this Man’s disciples, are you?” He said, “I am not.” ¹⁸ Now the slaves and the officers were standing there, having made a charcoal fire, for it was cold and they were warming themselves; and Peter was also with them, standing and warming himself.

¹⁹ The high priest then questioned Jesus about His disciples, and about His teaching. ²⁰ Jesus answered him, “I have spoken openly to the world; I always taught in synagogues and in the temple area, where all the Jews congregate; and I said nothing in secret. ²¹ Why are you asking Me? Ask those who have heard what I spoke to them. Look: these people know what I said.” ²² But when He said this, one of the officers, who was standing nearby, struck Jesus, saying, “Is that the way You answer the high priest?” ²³ Jesus answered him, “If I have spoken wrongly, testify of the wrong; but if rightly, why do you strike Me?” ²⁴ So Annas sent Him bound to Caiaphas the high priest.

²⁵ Now Simon Peter was still standing and warming himself. So they said to him, “You are not one of His disciples as well, are you?” He denied it, and said, “I am not.” ²⁶ One of the slaves of the high priest, who was related to the one whose ear Peter cut off, said, “Did I not see you in the garden with Him?” ²⁷ Peter then denied it again, and immediately a rooster crowed.

²⁸ Then they brought Jesus from Caiaphas into the Praetorium, and it was early; and they themselves did not enter the Praetorium, so that they would not be defiled, but might eat the Passover. ²⁹ Therefore Pilate came out to them and said, “What accusation are you bringing against this Man?” ³⁰ They answered and said to him, “If this Man were not a criminal, we would not have handed Him over to you.” ³¹ So Pilate said to them, “Take Him yourselves, and judge Him according to your law.” The Jews said to him, “We are not permitted to put anyone to death.” ³² This happened so that the word of Jesus which He said, indicating what kind of death He was going to die, would be fulfilled.

³³ Therefore Pilate entered the Praetorium again, and summoned Jesus and said to Him, “You are the King of the Jews?” ³⁴ Jesus answered, “Are you saying this on your own, or did others tell you about Me?” ³⁵ Pilate answered, “I am not a Jew, am I? Your own nation and the chief priests handed You over to me; what have You done?” ³⁶ Jesus answered, “My kingdom is not of this world. If My kingdom were of this world, My servants would be fighting so that I would not be handed over to the Jews; but as it is, My kingdom is not of this realm.” ³⁷ Therefore Pilate said to Him, “So You are a king?” Jesus answered, “You say correctly that I am a king. For this purpose I have been born, and for this I have come into the world: to testify to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth listens to My voice.” ³⁸ Pilate said to Him, “What is truth?”

And after saying this, he came out again to the Jews and said to them, “I find no grounds at all for charges in His case. ³⁹ However, you have a custom that I release one prisoner for you at the Passover; therefore do you wish that I release for you the King of the Jews?” ⁴⁰ So they shouted again, saying, “Not this Man, but Barabbas.” Now Barabbas was a rebel.

In Matthew 26:31-35 it says:  Then Jesus said to them, “You will all fall away because of Me this night, for it is written: ‘I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock will be scattered.’ But after I have been raised, I will go ahead of you to Galilee.” But Peter replied to Him, “Even if they all fall away because of You, I will never fall away!” Jesus said to him, “Truly I say to you that this very night, before a rooster crows, you will deny Me three times.” Peter said to Him, “Even if I have to die with You, I will not deny You!” All the disciples said the same thing as well.   In today’s text we see the fulfillment of Jesus prediction that Peter would deny Him.  Simon Peter was following Jesus, and so was another disciple. Now that disciple was known to the high priest, and he entered with Jesus into the courtyard of the high priest, but Peter was standing at the door outside. So the other disciple, who was known to the high priest, went out and spoke to the doorkeeper, and brought Peter in. Then the slave woman who was the doorkeeper said to Peter, “You are not also one of this Man’s disciples, are you?” He said, “I am not.” Now the slaves and the officers were standing there, having made a charcoal fire, for it was cold and they were warming themselves; and Peter was also with them, standing and warming himself. The high priest then questioned Jesus about His disciples, and about His teaching. Jesus answered him, “I have spoken openly to the world; I always taught in synagogues and in the temple area, where all the Jews congregate; and I said nothing in secret. Why are you asking Me? Ask those who have heard what I spoke to them. Look: these people know what I said.” But when He said this, one of the officers, who was standing nearby, struck Jesus, saying, “Is that the way You answer the high priest?” Jesus answered him, “If I have spoken wrongly, testify of the wrong; but if rightly, why do you strike Me?” So Annas sent Him bound to Caiaphas the high priest. Now Simon Peter was still standing and warming himself. So they said to him, “You are not one of His disciples as well, are you?” He denied it, and said, “I am not.” One of the slaves of the high priest, who was related to the one whose ear Peter cut off, said, “Did I not see you in the garden with Him?” Peter then denied it again, and immediately a rooster crowed.  

I think what might be missed in the account of Peter’s denial of Jesus, is that it seems that as he had said, he was prepared to die with Jesus. When Jesus was arrested, the text says:  So Judas, having obtained the Roman cohort and officers from the chief priests and the Pharisees, came there with lanterns, torches, and weapons. Jesus therefore, knowing all the things that were coming upon Him, came out into the open and said to them, “Whom are you seeking?” They answered Him, “Jesus the Nazarene.” He said to them, “I am He.” And Judas also, who was betraying Him, was standing with them. Now then, when He said to them, “I am He,” they drew back and fell to the ground. He then asked them again, “Whom are you seeking?” And they said, “Jesus the Nazarene.” Jesus answered, “I told you that I am He; so if you are seeking Me, let these men go on their way.” This took place so that the word which He spoke would be fulfilled: “Of those whom You have given Me I lost not one.” Then Simon Peter, since he had a sword, drew it and struck the high priest’s slave, and cut off his right ear; and the slave’s name was Malchus. So Jesus said to Peter, “Put the sword into the sheath; the cup which the Father has given Me, am I not to drink it?” So the Roman cohort, the commander, and the officers of the Jews arrested Jesus and bound Him.   A Roman cohort was the equivalent of a modern day military battalion, typically around 480 soldiers.  That is the amount of military presence that Peter raised his sword to. It seems his profession was true. He was willing to die with Jesus. It turns out that it may be that it is harder to live for Jesus than to die with or for Him. I don’t mean to minimize those who have died and been martyrs for their faith in Christ. Many, including Peter himself, suffered terrible deaths because of their faith in Christ. Their deaths are a powerful testimony to us, encouraging us to also be willing to die for our faith. To die for Jesus is a decision that a person would need to make once at most. To live for Christ on the other hand is a decision we all must make daily and even minute by minute.  How often do each of us in some way deny our faith because we fear the reaction and the response of people?  It might not be that we actually say that we do not know Jesus, but rather that we are not willing to set ourselves apart from the unrighteousness of the world.

Are we willing to wink at sin, tolerating and even embracing the very things Jesus suffered and died to redeem people from? Are we more concerned with being politically correct than we are with being scripturally correct? In Matthew 28:18-20 Jesus says:  “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Me. Go, therefore, and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to follow all that I commanded you; and behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”   In Acts 1:8 He says: “You will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem and in all Judea, and Samaria, and as far as the remotest part of the earth.”   That’s what living for Jesus looks like. In Matthew 5:14-16 Jesus says: “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden; nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Your light must shine before people in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.”  It’s possible that we could die for Christ ourselves, but to truly live for Him, we need the power of the Holy Spirit.

Thank You heavenly Father, Lord Jesus Christ and precious Holy Spirit, like the psalmist I say: Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil, for You are with me. (Psalm 23:4) Because like Paul I say: For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain. (Philippians 1:21)   Amen.