Let us note how tlie great wicked men of this world — the Sennacheribs and Neros, and bloody Marys, and Napoleons — are used by God as His saws and axes and liammers to do His work and carry out the Building of His Church, though they are not themselves in the least aware of it. Indeed Caiaphaa helps forward the one great sacrifice for the sins of the world 1
]5. — [And Simon Peter followed Jesus.] The first flight and run- ning away of the disciples is passed over entirely by John. He simply mentions that Peter followed his Master, though at a distance, lovingly anxious to see what was done to Him, yet not bold enough to keep near Him like a disciple. Any one can see that the unhappy disciple was under the influence of very mixed feelings. Love made him ashamed to run awav and hide himself. Cowardice made him afraid to show his co» ors, and stick by his Lord's side. Hence he chose a middk course, the worst, as it happened, that he could have followed After being self-confident when he should have been humble, and sleeping when he ought to have been praying, he could not have done a more foolish thing than to flutter round the fire, and place himself within reach of temptation. It teaches the foolishness of man when his grace is weak. No prayer is more useful than the familiar one : " Lead us not into temptation " Peter forgot it here.
[And so did another disciple.] This would be more lit- erally rendered. " the other disciple." The opinion of many commentators is, that this disciple was John. Precisely the same expression is used in four successive verses (John xx, 3, 3, 4, and 8), where John is clearly referred to. This is the view of Chrysostom, Cyril, Alford, Wordsworth, and Burgon.
Chrysostora and Cyril observe that it was John's humility that made him conceal his name both here and elsewhere. Here he would not proclaim that he stood while Peter fell. Ferus suggests that the presence of a disciple is mentioned in order to show that John saw with his own eyes all that went on at our Lord's examination.
[That disciple.... knoicn... priest.] How and in what mannei this acquaintance originated we are not told, nor is there anj clue to a knowledge of it. On the face of things it certainly seems strange that a humble Galilean fisherman, like John, should be personally known to Caiaphas ! On the other hand we must not forget that every devout Jew went up to Jerusa- lem at the three great feasts ; and on these occasions might easily have become acquainted with the high priest ; and the more likely to get acquainted, if a conscientious and godly man. Moreover we must remember that John was once a dis- ciple of John the Baptist, and that there was a time when " Je- rusalem and all Judca " attended on John's ministry. Ac- quaintance miglit have been formed then. Some have thought that John's calling as a fisherman might easily bring him int«