John - Week 51

Interrogation 

READ 

John 18:19-21 

19 Inside, the high priest began asking Jesus about his followers and what he had been teaching them. 20 Jesus replied, “Everyone knows what I teach. I have preached regularly in the synagogues and the Temple, where the people gather. I have not spoken in secret. 21 Why are you asking me this question? Ask those who heard me. They know what I said.” 

The high priest was asking for information he likely already knew. Although asking both about His followers and His teaching, Jesus replied only about His teaching. Pointing out that “everyone” knew what He taught; Jesus made the high priest seem like he didn’t know what everyone else knew. There were many witnesses to what Jesus had been teaching so it was unnecessary to ask Jesus this question. 

REFLECT 

Be on guard when people ask you something that they already know what the answer should be. Some like to ask questions to inform others even though they are not asking for themselves. If teaching a class and this occurs, make your answer short and ask if anyone else has a question. 

RESPOND 

Ask some experienced Bible teachers what they do when someone asks a question but likely already knows the answer. It will help you to be a better teacher of the Bible if you are observing and learning from more experienced Bible teachers what they do and how they do it. 

Speaking the Truth 

READ 

John 18:22-24 

22 Then one of the Temple guards standing nearby slapped Jesus across the face. “Is that the way to answer the high priest?” he demanded. 

23 Jesus replied, “If I said anything wrong, you must prove it. But if I’m speaking the truth, why are you beating me?” 

24 Then Annas bound Jesus and sent him to Caiaphas, the high priest. 

In spite of the abuse, Jesus answered to the point revealing He had said nothing wrong. Apparently the Temple guard thought Jesus made the high priest appear ignorant, which He did. Jesus was speaking the truth, and many times the truth makes others look bad. There is no record that Annas tried to answer or explain why he asked Jesus the question he did. He simply did away with his problem by sending Jesus to his son-in-law Caiaphas who was also a high priest.  

REFLECT 

In spite of abuse you might receive, do you still speak the truth? Ask God to give you the courage to do so.  

RESPOND 

Read 1 Peter 3:13-17 that tells about suffering even when you are doing good. Determine to honor Christ in all you do.  

Peter's Denial 

READ 

John 18:25-27 

25 Meanwhile, as Simon Peter was standing by the fire warming himself, they asked him again, “You’re not one of his disciples, are you?” 

He denied it, saying, “No, I am not.” 

26 But one of the household slaves of the high priest, a relative of the man whose ear Peter had cut off, asked, “Didn’t I see you out there in the olive grove with Jesus?” 27 Again Peter denied it. And immediately a rooster crowed. 

Peter, who had said earlier he was willing to die for Jesus, now refuses to admit he is one of the followers of Jesus. After his second denial of Jesus, an eyewitness who was a relative of the man whose ear he had cut off sees him. She says she had seen him “in the olive grove with Jesus.” After Peter’s third denial of Jesus, the rooster crowed, as Jesus predicted (see John 13:38). John, the writer of this Gospel, does not tell how Peter felt at this time. 

REFLECT  

It is difficult to believe that Peter would deny Jesus three times. Have you been given the opportunity more than once in a single setting to speak up for Jesus but you refused to do so? Surely your heart goes out to Peter because you can imagine how he must have felt. 

RESPOND 

Read Matthew 26:69-75 to read about Peter’s denials and what he did after the rooster crowed following his third denial. Can you identify with him in this?  

The Governor 

READ 

John 18:28-29 

28 Jesus’ trial before Caiaphas ended in the early hours of the morning. Then he was taken to the headquarters of the Roman governor. His accusers didn’t go inside because it would defile them, and they wouldn’t be allowed to celebrate the Passover. 29 So Pilate, the governor, went out to them and asked, “What is your charge against this man?” 

John does not record what occurred at the trial before Caiaphas, the son-in-law of Annas. Notice the time is “in the early hours of the morning.” John moves on to tell what occurred before Pilate, the Roman governor. Observe the hypocrisy of the accusers of Jesus: they wanted Him murdered on false charges, but they didn’t want to go into the headquarters of governor “because it would defile them.” So Pilate went out to them and asked what their charges were against Jesus. 

REFLECT 

Are you sometimes inconsistent in your thoughts about others. Are you accusing them of something of which you are also guilty? Jesus loved those who were admitted sinners, but He had no patience with those who were hypocrites. 

RESPOND 

Read Luke 6:42 that tells what Jesus said about being a hypocrite. For instance, are you judging someone for a behavior the Scriptures do not comment about? 

Seeking the Death Penalty 

READ 

John 18:30-32 

30 “We wouldn’t have handed him over to you if he weren’t a criminal!” they retorted. 

31 “Then take him away and judge him by your own law,” Pilate told them. 

“Only the Romans are permitted to execute someone,” the Jewish leaders replied. 32 (This fulfilled Jesus’ prediction about the way he would die.) 

The Jewish crowd did not want to give any evidences of why they wanted Jesus put to death. They simply wanted Pilate to take them at their word. Pilate did not want to get involved in Jewish problems so he told them to judge Him themselves. Then the truth came out: the Jewish people were not allowed to execute anyone. The writer, John, tells us that this fulfilled Jesus’ prediction about the way He would die—by being “lifted up” (see John 3:14; 12:32-33). In the past, the Jews executed by stoning; the Romans used crucifixion. 

REFLECT 

Sometimes the real reason is hard to find when a person is complaining about someone. Even in a church group occasionally, a doctrinal issue might seem to be the problem whereas it is a personality problem, or an offense caused by someone. 

RESPOND 

Read Proverbs 21:1-3 and notice that even in Old Testament times doing what is right was preferred to sacrifices. For instance, now, doing what is right is better than doing wrong and then thinking all you need to do is say “I’m sorry.”