“Peter asked, “Lord, why can’t I follow you now? I will lay down my life for You.” Then Jesus answered, “Will you really lay down your life for me? Very truly I tell you, before the rooster crows, you will disown me three times!” (John 13:37-38)
The Lord’s last days on earth were full of climatic events. The closer suffering and death were, the stronger the forces of darkness attacked Him, and the more God’s power manifested itself in His actions.
Lazarus’ resurrection showed such power from above, that many Jews believed in Christ and skeptics and enemies could no longer claim that Christ worked miracles through the power of darkness. God testified that it was He who acted through Jesus Christ.
However, this undeniable manifestation of God’s power had the opposite effect on priests, scribes and Pharisees. They hastily hold an emergency Sanhedrin meeting for the sole purpose: “What are we accomplishing?” … “Here is this man performing many signs.” (John 11:47) – and make an official decision to kill Christ; “But the chief priests and the Pharisees had given orders that anyone who found out where Jesus was should report it so that they might arrest Him.” (John 11:57)
The entry of our Lord into Jerusalem came as another miracle. It was the fulfillment of Zechariah’s prophecy. “Rejoice greatly, Daughter Zion! Shout, Daughter Jerusalem! See, your king comes to you, righteous and victorious, lowly and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.” (Zechariah 9:9)
And again, thousands of Israelites rejoice, while the scribes and Pharisees are filled with annoyance, dread and hatred. “So the Pharisees said to one another, “See, this is getting us nowhere. Look how the whole world has gone after Him!”” (John 12:19) This event and the subsequent betrayal of Judas prompted them to take serious actions: initially they intended to kill Jesus after Easter.
Another episode astonished all witnesses. At the celebration, some Greeks asked Philip to show them the Lord. That’s how all those gathered for the feast heard a short sermon of the Lord. In response to Jesus’ call: “Father! Glorify Your name!” God the Father spoke loudly from heaven: “I have glorified it, and will glorify it again.” Jesus said to this: “This voice was your benefit, not Mine.” (John 12: 28-30)
The three greatest omens mentioned above couldn’t reverse the course of events. Blinded by envy, embittered to the breaking point Pharisees and chief priests did everything they could to put Jesus to death as well as His disciples. We can make this conclusion because the Sanhedrin council decided to kill not only Jesus, but also Lazarus. “So the chief priests made plans to kill Lazarus as well, for on account of him many of the Jews were going over to Jesus and believing in Him.” (John 12:10-11)
Obviously, the members of the Sanhedrin intended to eradicate Christ’s teachings with a single strike, and to achieve this they needed to eliminate everyone who could become His follower. It’s not surprising that chief priests decided to get rid of the disciples: the resurrection of Lazarus made a lot of people believe in Jesus. That’s why after Lord’s resurrection the Apostles met secretly, with great caution and fear of being caught by the Jews. “On the evening of that first day of the week, when the disciples were together, with the doors locked for fear of the Jewish leaders…” (John 20:19)
Judas Iscariot was the only Jew among Jesus’ disciples. As is well known, the others were Galileans. Probably, Judas somehow found out about the Sanhedrin’s intention to put the Master and His followers to death and decided to flee the “sinking ship”. He cooperated with the official authorities to save his life.
Three evangelists describe this event in the same way: Judas himself, without coercion goes to the chief priests, who absolutely didn’t expect it and were happy to take his offer. They immediately set the price and made an action plan: “He consented, and watched for an opportunity to hand Jesus over to them when no crowd was present.” (Luke 22:6)
There’s another event that happened when our Lord was arrested in the garden of Gethsemane, which can serve as evidence of this version. Here is how the Apostle John, an eyewitness, writes about it: “So Judas came to the garden, guiding a detachment of soldiers and some officials from the chief priests and the Pharisees. They were carrying torches, lanterns and weapons.”
“Jesus, knowing all that was going to happen to Him, went out and asked them, “Who is it you want?” “Jesus of Nazareth,” they replied. “I am He,” Jesus said. And Judas the traitor was standing there with them. When Jesus said, “I am He,” they drew back and fell to the ground. Again he asked them, “Who is it you want?”“Jesus of Nazareth,” they said. Jesus answered, “I told you that I am He. If you are looking for me, then let these men go.” This happened so that the words he had spoken would be fulfilled: “I have not lost one of those you gave me.””
“Then 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. … Then the detachment of soldiers with its commander and the Jewish officials arrested Jesus. They bound him…” (John 18:3-12) The evangelist Mark clarifies the picture saying what happened after that: “Then everyone deserted Him and fled.” (Mark 14:50)
We can see that none of the Disciples were killed, as the Lord prophetically spoke of this in His high priestly prayer at the Last Supper: “While I was with them, I protected them and kept them safe by that name you gave me. None has been lost except the one doomed to destruction so that Scripture would be fulfilled. …” (John 17:12)
Here the Apostle John writes about a curious fact, not mentioned by other evangelists. When the crowd came close to Jesus and the disciples, the Lord stepped forward and asked: “Who is it you want?” They answered: “Jesus of Nazareth.” And when He said: “I am He”, a huge crowd of warriors, their military chief and commanders, high priests, officials and church ministers stepped back and fell to the ground.
Just imagine God’s power that manifested itself at that moment: everyone was cast to the ground. I think when these people came to their senses, their decisiveness was significantly diminished and they were standing there not knowing what to do. They understood who they were dealing with. If just one word of the Lord casts you to the ground, who will have the nerve to come close to Him?
The Lord had other plans. He asked them again: “Who is it you want?” Apparently, their answer was less confident: “Jesus of Nazareth”. Jesus repeated the same words to them: “I told you that I am He.” And then the Lord took them up on it: “If you are looking for me, then let these men go.” This happened so that the words He had spoken would be fulfilled: “I have not lost one of those you gave me.” Now no one dared to touch the disciples. They fled unhindered and saved their lives. (Mark 14:50)
But not everyone ran away. “Then 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.” This article begins with Peter’s promise to Jesus: “I will lay down my life for You.” The drama in the garden of Gethsemane helps us evaluate this promise.
Did Peter keep his word? We can answer this question with certainty: “Yes” Peter truly laid down his life for the Lord. When other disciples fled, Peter did the opposite: he took out his sword, stood ahead of the Lord and single-handedly started a one-sided battle with a huge crowd. Did he have any chance of success? None! He was alone against several hundreds of professional soldiers and a furious mob. Just a simple fisherman, who perhaps hadn’t handled anything except oars and nets, he drew his sword and desperately rushed to protect his Lord.
Did Peter lay down his life? By all means. Even if he survived in this uneven fight, he would certainly be crucified for armed rebellion against the established authority. In those days people were put to death for even less serious offences, and we are talking about attacking the legitimate authority! Peter could be sure he would be nailed to a cross.
Like the rest of the disciples, the Lord saved Peter. He stopped this one-sided battle at the very beginning. While amazed warriors and ministers watched what was happening, the Lord cured Malchus’ ear and told Peter to stop this meaningless fight. Though it seemed meaningless from a human point of view, in the eyes of the Lord, Peter truly laid his life down for Him.
Let’s take a closer look at another thing that happened on this terrible night. Peter’s abdication took place, as they say, hot on the trail, just a few hours after the battle, where Peter was desperately trying to protect his Lord.
Peter and another disciple watched from afar how they led Jesus into the house of the High Priest Annas. Cautiously following the procession in the dark of night, blending into the crowd, they approached the gate of the house. The other disciple, who personally knew people from the High Priest’s house, helped Peter get inside. That’s where another drama happened: Peter three times denied knowing Jesus.
It was a cool night and everyone outside the house gathered around the fire. Peter was standing there too. We can read about it in the Book of John, who apparently was that disciple, who led Peter into the yard. “Meanwhile, Simon Peter was still standing there warming himself. So they asked him, “You aren’t one of his disciples too, are you?” He denied it, saying, “I am not.”” In the next verse we can find the real reason for Peter’s words of abdication: “One 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 garden?” Again Peter denied it, and at that moment a rooster began to crow.” (John 18:25-27)
It’s simply impossible for us to imagine what Peter had to go through on that terrible night. Miraculously, he managed to escape death, when armed with a sword he was trying to protect his Lord. And now Malchus’ relative looks into his eyes and points a finger at him. For Peter it virtually meant imminent death. He dared to go against the law with a weapon in his hands. He could be immediately turned over to Sanhedrin, and then he would probably become one of the robbers crucified next to Christ.
Another possibility is even simpler. On that night of darkness and lawlessness nobody would pay attention to Peter’s arrest and death. He understood that if in the garden of Gethsemane he was saved by the Lord, now Jesus was tied up and couldn’t help him. That’s why Peter denied knowing the Lord, afraid of his inevitable death, unable to go through with it, since it was so close again, the second time during that night. The first time he laid down his life for the Lord, when with his sword he rose to protect Him, but the second time he was trying to save his life, because the relatives of Malchus, whose ear Peter had cut off, wouldn’t give him the slightest chance.
So, do not rush to judge Peter for abdication. Peter was never tempted to betray the Lord, but denied knowing Him, forced into a terrible choice: life or death. No one knows what they would do in Peter’s place. Let’s thank God that by His mercy we don’t have to go through such ordeals and be judged afterwards. The Lord didn’t condemn Peter and let him feed his sheep.
