18. — [And.. .servants. ..officers. ..stood there.] Tliis seems to indicate that when Peter entered, the hall, he found the common ser- vants, and the higher attendants of the high priest, standing round a fire. It is the pluperfect tense, " they had stood," or " had been standing there " some little time.
[ Who had made... fire. ..coals...cold...them8elves.] It is remarked by all travellers in Palestine, that the nights in that country about Easter time, are often so extremely cold that a fire is very acceptable. The servants and officers were in the act of warming themselves when Peter entered.
It is worth notice that the Greek word rendered " a fire of coals " is only used here and at John xxi. 9, in the marvellous account of Jesus appearing to the disciples at the sea of Gali- lee. Some have thought that tlie " fire of coals" on that latter occasion was purposely intended by our Lord to remind Peter of his fall.
[And Peter stood with them. ..himself.'] — The Greek words here would be more literally rendered "and there was among them Peter, standing and warming himself." The tense is imperfect, and conveys the idea of continuous action for a little time. The apostle stood among the crowd of his Master's enemies, and warmed himself like one of them, as if he had nothing to think of but his bodily comfort ; while his beloved Master stood in a distant part of the hall, cold, and a prisoner. Who can doubt that Peter, in his miserable cowardice, wished to appear one of the party who hated his Master, and thought to conceal his real cliaracter by doing as they did ? And who can doubt that while he warmed his hands he felt cold, wretched, and comfortless in his own soul ? " The backslider in heart is filled with his own ways."
How many do as others do, and go with the crowd, while they know inwardly they are wrong !
Cyril suggests that Peter wished to conceal his disciplesliip by warming himself, and trying to look comfortable among tho high priest's servants.
19, — [The high jyricst... asked... disciples... doctrine.] This verse de- scribes the first judicial examination that our Lord underwent. He was questioned concerning " His disciples," — that is, who they were, how many, what position they occupied, and what were their names. And concerning " His doctrine," — that is, what were the principal points or truths of His creed, what were the peculiar things He called on man to believe. The object of this preliminary inquiry seems manifest. It was meant to elicit some admission from our Lord's mouth, on which some formal charge of heresy and blasphemy before the San hedrim might be founded. There are two grave difficulties growing out of this verse, both of which require consideration.
(a) Who was the " High Priest " in this verse ? Most com-