Wednesday 19 September 2007
- Bible Book:
- Luke
"Then they seized him and led him away, bringing him into the high priest's house. But Peter was following at a distance. When they had kindled a fire in the middle of the courtyard and sat down together, Peter sat among them. Then a servant-girl, seeing him in the firelight, stared at him and said, 'This man was also with him'. But he denied it, saying, 'Woman, I do not know him'". (v.54-56)
Background
Jesus had had his last supper with his friends; they had prayedin the Garden of Gethsemane; Jesus had been arrested, and it wasdawning on Peter and the others that perhaps the game was up. So,"Peter followed at a distance".
Usually Peter was brash and confident. He was outspoken andimpulsive. But he had the wind knocked out of his sails. Thistime.
It would be natural if, after all of this, Peter doubted that Jesuswas really the chosen one of God. After all he had not joined Peterin resisting his arrest. Surely a cruel, criminal cross was not tobe the end of all their hopes? The end of God in humanform?
So when he was asked about his association with Jesus, he liedabout knowing him. He was confused, disappointed andfrightened.
Meanwhile, not far away, Jesus persisted in telling the truth abouthimself. No doubt he was sorrowful at the self-serving Jewishleadership; sorrowful at the lack of support from his disciples -but his faith in the truth of God was undiminished.
To Ponder
Have you ever been tempted to dodge telling thetruth, when the heat was on?
If the values of God are those that change theworld, why are we afraid to be totally committed to that way, evenwhen the chips are down?