The Pulpit Commentary — Luke — Volume 2 — Section 198

c0mp:1ninn. Pcter's motive in p?'<'ssing into the interrOJ:\'Rtion before Ce.illplma to be ex- what he knew for him was a locality full of amined before the Sanhedrin 11ssemblod in peril, is gi'l"en by St. Matthew (xi.vi. 58), solemn council, he hea.rd his servant's well• "to see the end." There was no doubt known voice raised a.nd nccompanied with thC're was in the heart of tho impulsive, oaths and curses, 11.Ssuring the by-standers loving mnn, sorrowful anxiety and deep he had no connection with and know so1Tow for his dear Master's fate. But., alas I nothing of Jesus of Nazareth. Then, ns he with the feyerish sad expectation to see passed, the Master turned and looked on bis what he frlt would be the end, there was no old friend, that disciple who so lately had earnest prayer for guidance and help. The declared that even if a.11 others deserted the tire is mentioned because, generally speak- Lord, he never would I The glauce of Jesus ing, the nights in the Holy Land about the was full of the tenderest pity; it woe not Passover season a.re wnrru. The cold on angry, only sorrowful; but it rera.lled Peter this night appear8 to be spoken of o.s some- to his better, nobler self. SS. Matthew and thing unusual. Peter sat down among them. Mark (Peter's own Gospel) record how, "St. John (it must be supposed) had passed when he heard the cock crow, which St. on into the audience-chamber, so that St. Luke tells us happened a.a our Lord turned Peter wos alone. St. John, who remained to look on the recreant disciple, he re• cl,,scst to the Lord, was unmolested; St. membered all, and burst into bitter weeping. Peter, who mingled with the indifferent We meet him age.in on the Resurrection crown, fell" (Westcott). morning in company with St. John (John Ver. 56.-But a certs.in maid beheld him xx. 3), whence, it would seem, that in his e.s he sat by the :lire, and ea.r:nestly looked bitter sorrow he ha.d turned to his old friend, upon him, and said, This man was also with who had probably heard his denial. St. ltim. Comparing the several aooonnts of John, who brieflv in his narrative touches the en.ngelist8 together, we see how upon the "denial," omits to mention the natnrallv the incidents followed each other. repentance, but, according to his custom, As he entered, the portress :first thought she specially illnstra.tes it in the scene by the reco!!ll.ized him as one of the followers of the lake (John xxi. 15, a.nd following verses). weli:.known Teacher just arrested on a. Vere. 63-65.-.After the second ezamina- capita.I charge. Then as, weary and chilled, tion, the (ljficial.s of the Sanhedrin mock and he drew near the fire, the firelight shone ill treat J eBUB as one doomed to death. on his face, a. face known to many who had Ver. 63.-A.nd the men that held J'esna listened during the last few days to his mocked him, a.nd smote him. The position Master as he taught, with his disciples of the Redeemer when the cruelties took grouped round him in the temple-courts pla.ce, described in this and the two follow- before crowds of listeners. Thoroughly ing verses, was ea follows : After the arrest ala.rmed, he drew a.side from the friendly in Gethsemane, the guards, Jewish and Ro- warmth of the fire into the onter she.de of man, escorted the Prisoner to the palnce of the gateway; yet he conld not tear himself the hlgh priest in Jerusalem. There both awa.y from the neighbourhood of the spot Annas and Ca.iaphas apparently lodged. In where his dear Master wa.s being interro- the first instance, Jesus was brought before gated by his deadly foes; and even there, Annas, who wns evidently the lea.ding per- while lurking in the shadow, he was re- sonage of the Sa.nhedrin of that dn.;r, De- cognized again, and then, just as he was in tails of the preliminary examination are the a.et of fiercely denying, with oaths a.nd given a.pparently by John xviii. 13, 19-24. curses, his friendship for and connection In this first and informal trial Caiaphaa with Jesus, came the Master by, a.fter the wa.s evidently present, and took part (ver. second examination before Caiaphas and 19). At the close of this unofficial but im- certain members of the Sa.nheclrill, being porta.nt proceeding, Annas sent him to Caia.- conducted by the guard to a.nother and phas. The true reading in John xviii. 24 ia more formn.l court. And as the Master ci.1rlu-r•tJ..•v oliv, "Annas therefore sent him." pa.seed, he turned and looked upon his poor That is, at the close of the first unofficial cowardly disciple. examina.tion, which took pla.ce in Aunn.s'a Ver. 59.-For he is a Galileean. The apartments in the pa.lace of the high priest, strong provincial dialect of the fisherman of Annas sent him to be axe.mined officially the Lake of Galilee at once told these before Caia.phas, the reigning high priest, Jerusalem Jews, accustomed to the peculiar and a. committee of the Sanhedrin. 'fhis, prouuncia.tion of the Galilee pilgrims at the the second trial of Jesus, is reln.ted at sonie Pilssover Feast, that the man whom they length by St. Mn.tthew (xxvi. 59-66) and suspet:ited certainly came from the same St. Mark (xiv. 55-64). The priests on that provir.cc as Jesus the Accused. occasion sought false witnesses, but their Ver. CL-And the Lord turned, and witness did not, we know, agree. Jesus looked upon Pciter. As he was passing from kept silence until Caiaph&s arose, and wJt4 011. xxn. 1-71.] THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO ST. LUKE. 207