Peter’s Denial; John 18:15–18, 25–27.

Church History: 15Simon Peter and another disciple were following Jesus. Because this disciple was known to the high priest, he went with Jesus into the high priest's courtyard, 16but Peter had to wait outside at the door. The other disciple, who was known to the high priest, came back, spoke to the girl on duty there and brought Peter in. 17"You are not one of his disciples, are you?" the girl at the door asked Peter. He replied, "I am not." 18It was cold, and the servants and officials stood around a fire they had made to keep warm. Peter also was standing with them, warming himself. 25As Simon Peter stood warming himself, he was asked, "You are not one of his disciples, are you?" He denied it, saying, "I am not." 26One of the high priest's servants, a relative of the man whose ear Peter had cut off, challenged him, "Didn't I see you with him in the olive grove?" 27Again Peter denied it, and at that moment a rooster began to crow.

Peter's First Denial; This took place, when he was in the lower hall of Caiaphas's house. He was not in the higher part where Christ stood before the high priest; but in the lower part with the servants and officers, at the fire kindled in the midst of the hall, The girl who was the doorkeeper had entered into the hall, where she questioned Peter.

Peter's Second Denial; came a short time after the first. Having once denied his Master, he naturally retired from the place where his accuser was to the vestibule of the hall, and it was the time of the first cock-crowing, or soon after midnight. After remaining here a short time, perhaps an hour, another girl saw him, and said to those who were standing by in the vestibule, that he was one of them. Peter, to avoid this charge, withdraws into the hall, and warms himself. The girl, and those to whom she had spoken, follow him; the communication between the two places being immediate. Here a man enforces the charge of the girl, according to Luke; and others urge it, according to St. John; and Peter denies Jesus vehemently.

Peter's Third Denial; He was now in the hall, and also within sight of Jesus, though at such a distance from him that Jesus could not know what passed, but in a supernatural way. And, about an hour after his second denial, those who stood by made a third charge against him, accusing him of being a Galilean, which Luke says, (Luke 22:59), one in particular strongly affirmed; and which, according to John, John 18:26, was supported by one of Malchus's relations. This caused a more vehement denial than before, and immediately the cock crew the second time. The first denial may have been between twelve and one AM; and the second between our two and three AM.

At the time of the third denial, Luke 22:61 proves that Jesus was in the same room with Peter. We must farther observe that Matthew, Matthew 26:57, lays the scene of Peter's denials in the house of Caiaphas: whereas John, John 18:15-23, seems to intimate that these transactions took place in the house of Annas. The time of Peter's denials happened during the space of the third Roman watch, or that division of the night, between twelve and three, which is called cock-crowing, Mark 13:35.

Jesus Goes Before The High Priests.John 18:12–14,19–24.

Church History: 12Then the detachment of soldiers with its commander and the Jewish officials arrested Jesus. They bound him 13 and brought him first to Annas, who was the father-in-law of Caiaphas, the high priest that year. 14Caiaphas was the one who had advised the Jews that it would be good if one man died for the people.
19Meanwhile, the high priest questioned Jesus 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 said nothing in secret. 21Why question me? Ask those who heard me. Surely they know what I said." 22When Jesus said this, one of the officials nearby struck him in the face. "Is this the way you answer the high priest?" he demanded. 23"If I said something wrong," Jesus replied, "testify as to what is wrong. But if I spoke the truth, why did you strike me?" 24Then Annas sent him, still bound, to Caiaphas the high priest.

Annas must have had great authority in his nation. He had been a long time high priest and he had no less than five sons who successively enjoyed the dignity of the high priesthood. His son-in-law Caiaphas was at this time in possession of that office. It is likely that Annas was chief of the Sanhedrin, and that it was to him in that office that Christ was first brought. Some think that Annas was still high priest, and that Caiaphas was only his deputy, though he did the principal part of the business, and was because of this that he is called high priest.1
The high-priest asked Jesus of his disciples, to ascertain their number and power. The charge on which they wished to arraign him was that of sedition, or of rebellion against Caesar. To make that plausible, it was necessary to show that he had made so many disciples as to form a strong and dangerous faction; but, as they had no direct proof of that, the high-priest insidiously and improperly attempted to draw the Savior into a confession. Of this he was aware, and referred him to the proper source of evidence; his open, undisguised conduct before the world.
The object was doubtless to convict him of teaching sentiments that tended to subvert the Mosaic institutions, or that were treasonable against the Roman government. Either would have answered the design of the Jews, and they doubtless expected that he, an unarmed and despised Galilean, now completely in their power, would easily be drawn into confessions which art and malice could use to procure his condemnation.
If his doctrine had tended to excite sedition and tumult, if he had aimed to overthrow the government, he would have trained his friends in secret; he would have retired from public view, and would have laid his plans in private. This is the case with all who attempt to subvert existing establishments. Instead of that, he had proclaimed his views to all. He had done it in every place of public concourse, in the synagogue and in the temple. Here he speaks the language of one conscious of innocence and determined to insist on his rights. Jesus insisted on his rights, and reproved the high-priest for his unjust and illegal manner of extorting a confession from him. If he had done wrong, or taught erroneous and seditious doctrines, it was easy to prove it, and the course which he had a right to demand was that they should establish the charge by fair and incontrovertible evidence.
One of the officers struck Jesus. A prisoner, before he is condemned, is considered to be under the special protection of justice; no one has any one a right to touch him, according to the direction of the law. But it has been observed before that, if justice had been done to Christ, he could neither have suffered or died.1 Jesus could easily have revenged himself upon this officer; but, to teach us our duty, he only gently reproves him, and lets him know that he did not behave himself as one ought
to do in the face of a court of justice, where he had both a liberty and a present opportunity to have accused him, if he had
spoken ill; and if he had spoken well, there was no reason for his striking him.

The Betrayal; John 18:1–11

Church History:1When he had finished praying, Jesus left with his disciples and crossed the Kidron Valley. On the other side there was an olive grove, and he and his disciples went into it. 2Now Judas, who betrayed him, knew the place, because Jesus had often met there with his disciples. 3So Judas came to the grove, guiding a detachment of soldiers and some officials from the chief priests and Pharisees. They were carrying torches, lanterns and weapons. 4Jesus, knowing all that was going to happen to him, went out and asked them, "Who is it you want?" 5"Jesus of Nazareth," they replied. "I am he," Jesus said. (And Judas the traitor was standing there with them.) 6When Jesus said, "I am he," they drew back and fell to the ground. 7Again he asked them, "Who is it you want?" And they said, "Jesus of Nazareth." 8"I told you that I am he," Jesus answered. "If you are looking for me, then let these men go." 9This happened so that the words he had spoken would be fulfilled: "I have not lost one of those you gave me." 10Then Simon Peter, who had a sword, drew it and struck the high priest's servant, cutting off his right ear. (The servant's name was Malchus.) 11Jesus commanded Peter, "Put your sword away! Shall I not drink the cup the Father has given me?"

Sin began in the Garden of Eden, there the curse was pronounced, there the Redeemer was promised; and in a garden that promised Seed entered into conflict with the old serpent. Christ was buried also in a garden. Let us, when we walk in our gardens, take occasion to mediate on Christ's sufferings in a garden. Our Lord Jesus, knowing all things that should come upon him, went forth and asked Who do you seek? When the people tried to place a crown upon him, he withdrew, (John 6:15), but when they came to force him to a cross, he offered himself; for he came into this world to suffer, and went to the other world to reign. He showed plainly what he could have done; when he struck them down he could have struck them dead, but he would not do so. It must have been the effect of Divine power that the officers and soldiers let the disciples go away quietly, after the resistance which had been offered. Christ set us an example of meekness in sufferings, and a pattern of submission to God's will in every thing that concerns us. It is but a cup, a small matter. It is a cup that is given us; sufferings are gifts. It is given us by a Father, who has a father's authority, and does us no wrong; a father's affection, and means us no hurt. From the example of our Savior we should learn how to receive our lighter afflictions, and to ask ourselves whether we ought to oppose our Father's will, or to distrust his love. We were bound with the cords of our iniquities, with the yoke of our transgressions. Christ, being made a sin-offering for us, to free us from those bonds, himself submitted to be bound for us. To his bonds we owe our liberty; thus the Son makes us free.

The History Of The Crucifixion And Resurrection John 18:1-John 20:31

Church History: The time drew near that Jesus must die. We learn here the circumstances of his sufferings. How Christ was arrested in the garden and surrendered himself a prisoner. How he was abused in the high priest's court, and how Peter, in the meantime, denied him. How he was prosecuted before Pilate, examined by him, and put in election with Barabbas for the favor of the people, and lost. We learn the sentence given, and execution done upon it, the crown of thorns upon his head, the parting of his garment, The care he took of his mother, The piercing of his side, the burial of his body.
The history of Christ' resurrection; not of the thing itself, for none of the writers describe how he rose, but of the proofs and evidences of it, which demonstrated that he was risen. The proofs of Christ's resurrection, some occurred immediately at the sepulcher. The sepulcher was found empty, and the grave clothes were in good order. Two angels appeared to Mary Magdalene at the sepulcher. Christ himself appeared to her. Other proofs occurred afterwards at the meetings of the apostles. The evening of the same day that Christ rose, he appeared to them when Thomas was absent. He appeared to them again, seven nights later, when Thomas was with them. We close this chapter with Luke’s account of the ascension.

The Sacerdotal Prayer; John 17:1–26.

Church History:Our Lord prayed as a man, and as the Mediator of his people; yet he spoke with majesty and authority, as one with and equal to the Father. Eternal life could not be given to believers, unless Christ, their Surety, both glorified the Father, and was glorified of him. This is the sinner's way to eternal life, and when this knowledge shall be made perfect, holiness and happiness will be fully enjoyed. The holiness and happiness of the redeemed, are especially that glory of Christ, and of his Father, which was the joy set before him, for which he endured the cross and despised the shame; this glory was the end of the sorrow of his soul, and in obtaining it he was fully satisfied. Thus we are taught that our glorifying God is needed as an evidence of our interest in Christ, through whom eternal life is God's free gift.

The Promise Of The Holy Spirit, And Of Christ’s Return; John 14:1 – 16:33 Part -2

Church History: It is generally agreed that Christ's discourse was at the close of the last supper, the night in which he was betrayed, and it is a continued discourse, and what he chose to discuss was very pertinent to the present sad occasion of a farewell sermon. He was about to leave them. He was concerned that they would be tempted to leave him, and return to Moses again; and therefore he tells them how necessary it was that they should by faith adhere to him and abides in him. They would be tempted to grow strange one to another; and therefore he presses it upon them to love one another, and to keep up that communion when he was gone which had until now been their comfort. They would be tempted to shrink from their apostleship when they met with hardships; and therefore he prepared them to bear the shock of the world's ill will. There are four words to which this portion of his discourse may be reduced;
1. Fruit, John 15:1-8.
2. Love, John 15:9-17.
3. Hatred, John 15:18-25.
4. The Comforter, John 15:26-27.7
Among other glorious things God has spoken of himself this is one, I wound, and I heal, Deuteronomy 32:39.
Christ's concludes his farewell sermon to his disciples and in doing so he gives them.
I. Wounding words in the notice he gives them of the troubles that were before them, John 16:1-6.
II. Healing words in the comforts he administers to them for their support under those troubles:
1. That he would send them the Comforter, John 16:7-15.
2. That he would visit them again at his resurrection, John 16:16-22.
3. That he would secure to them an answer of peace to all their prayers, John 16:23-27.
4. That he was now but returning to his Father, John 16:28-32.
5. That, whatever troubles they might meet with in this world, by virtue of his victory over it they should be sure of peace in him, John 16:33.

The Promise Of The Holy Spirit, And Of Christ’s Return; John 14:1 – 16:33 - Part -1

Church History: When he had convicted and discarded Judas, he set himself to comfort the rest, who were full of sorrow upon what he had said of leaving them, and a great many good words and comfortable words were spoken to them. Like Peter earlier, Thomas, Philip, and Jude, questioned what he had told them, giving their thoughts upon what he had said. The general scope of this discussion is as follows; It is designed to keep trouble from their hearts; now in order to do this they must believe:

Heaven as their everlasting rest, John 14:2-3.
Christ himself as their way, John 14:4-11.
The great power they shall be clothed with by the prevalence of their prayers, John 14:12-14.
The coming of another comforter, (the Holy Spirit) John 14:15-17.
The fellowship and communion that should be between him and them after his departure, John 14:18-24.
The instructions which the Holy Ghost should give them, John 14:25-26.
The peace Christ bequeathed to them, John 14:27.
Christ's own cheerfulness in his departure, John 14:28-31. And this which he said to them is designed for the comfort of all his faithful followers.