<

The Chronological Gospel –

Holy Week: Friday Part 1,
Jesus' Arrest and Two Informal Trials

John 18:2-9; Mark 14:44-45; Luke 22:48; Mark 14:46; Luke 22:49; John 18:10-11; Luke 22:51b; Matthew 26:53-56; Mark 14:51-52, Friday, not long after midnight. Jesus is arrested.
Luke 22:54; John 18:13-14, 19-23, Friday, not long after midnight. First trial, before Annas, former high priest
John 18:15-18, Friday, not long after midnight. Meantime, Peter and a companion (probably John) gain admission to the courtyard.
John 18:24; Mark 14:55-60; Matthew 26:63-66; Luke 22:63, Matthew 26:67-68; Luke 22:65, Friday, 2:00 or 3:00 A.M. Second trial, an informal meeting of the Sanhedrin; Jesus is beaten and mocked.
Mark 14:66-68a; Matthew 26:71-74; Luke 22:61-62, Friday, shortly before daybreak. Meantime, Peter denies Jesus three times.

More of The Chronological Gospel

Copyright information, disclaimers, and sponsors
Return to homepage


Jesus stops Peter's attack on the servant. Click to enlarge. See below for provenance.
John 18:2-9; Mark 14:44-45; Luke 22:48; Mark 14:46; Luke 22:49; John 18:10-11; Luke 22:51b; Matthew 26:53-56; Mark 14:51-52, Friday, not long after midnight. Jesus is arrested. (10/3/14)

After ardently praying to be released from a situation that seems to be leading inevitably to his execution, Jesus calmly goes to meet the soldiers who are about to arrest him. The religious authorities and the Romans were apparently not so calm – they had sent a large number of armed men after this one simple rabbi, and now when he gives his name, they all fall back in apparent fear.

Jesus is the one controlling the events, although Luke 22:51 is ambiguous about exactly what he’s saying. Translations range from “Stop! That’s enough of this” (God’s Word), to “Permit me thus far” (Weymouth). Notice that the soldiers are holding onto him firmly, and then Simon Peter draws his sword and cuts off the ear of the High Priest’s servant. Jesus says (literally), “Let be until,” and then he reaches out and touches the ear. Some translators think he’s talking to Peter, telling him to stop. Others think Jesus is talking to the soldiers, telling them to free his arms so that he can heal the man’s ear. I have long been in the second camp; I am gratified that John Wesley thought roughly the same thing. I think Jesus was saying, “Allow me,” as you might when you do someone a courtesy, like opening a door.

Luke 22:54; John 18:13-14, 19-23, Friday, not long after midnight. First trial, before Annas, former high priest (10/6/14)

Jesus was subjected to six “trials,” some of them of questionable legality, after his arrest shortly after midnight on the Mount of Olives. The first of these was before the former high priest, Annas, who was the father-in-law of the current high priest, Caiaphas.

John 18:15-18, Friday, not long after midnight. Meantime, Peter and a companion (probably John) gain admission to the courtyard. (10/7/14)

A lot was happening in the very early hours of Friday. Probably the “other disciple” was John, who apparently had some sort of connection with the high priest; we don’t know what kind of connection. Anyway, he managed to get Peter admitted to the courtyard while Jesus was appearing before Annas, the former high priest, inside the palace. Even though Peter followed Jesus this far, he denies that he knows Jesus when he is asked.

John 18:24; Mark 14:55-60; Matthew 26:63-66; Luke 22:63, Matthew 26:67-68; Luke 22:65, Friday, 2:00 or 3:00 a.m. Second trial, an informal meeting of the Sanhedrin; Jesus is beaten and mocked. (10/8/14)

The high priest and the Sanhedrin were determined to have Jesus executed, and they held a second trial (although apparently not in an official gathering, as we’ll see later). According to Jewish law, they had to have two witnesses who could give identical testimony to impose a death sentence (Deuteronomy 17:6), but they couldn’t get any of the witnesses to agree. Finally the high priest decided to try for a confession. Notice the irony here. They aren’t able to execute Jesus based on the lies of their own “witnesses”; however, when the high priest puts Jesus on oath and he tells them the truth, they find him guilty of blasphemy, a capital offense.

Mark 14:66-68a; Matthew 26:71-74; Luke 22:61-62, Friday, shortly before daybreak. Meantime, Peter denies Jesus three times. (10/9/14)

While Jesus was inside the palace at what was apparently an informal gathering of the Sanhedrin, Peter was waiting outside in the courtyard. He denies that he knows Jesus not once, not twice, but three times. At that moment, Jesus is led outside, and he looks at Peter. The cock crows.

More of The Chronological Gospel

Birth Announcements and Early Lives of Jesus and John the Baptist
Early Ministries of Jesus and John the Baptist
Jesus’ Early Ministry
Jesus’ Galilean Ministry
Sabbath Controversies
The Sermon on the Mount
The Sermon on the Plain
John the Baptist
Signs and Parables
Miracles and Mission Trips
Bread of Life
Miracles and Meanings
Transfiguration and Teachings
To Jerusalem for the Festival of Tabernacles
Some Results of Luke’s Research
Light
More of Luke’s Research
On the Road Again
The Raising of Lazarus
Holy Week: Palm Sunday and Monday
Holy Week: Tuesday, Parables and Questions
Holy Week: Wednesday Part 1, Discussions
Holy Week: Wednesday Part 2, Be Ready!
Holy Week: Thursday Part 1, Jesus' Celebration of the Passover
Holy Week: Thursday Part 2, Jesus' Farewell Discourse
Holy Week: Friday Part 1, Jesus' Arrest and Two Informal Trials
Holy Week: Friday Part 2, More Trials
Holy Week: Friday, Part 3, and Saturday, Jesus' Death and Burial
The Empty Tomb
Final Appearances of Jesus Prior to Pentecost

Copyright 2014 by Regina L. Hunter. All rights reserved. Scripture readings are from the Weymouth New Testament (1912); caps indicate quotations from the Old Testament. "Jesus Betrayed by Judas" is from the Binns Family Bible, now in the private collection of Regina Hunter. This page has been prepared for the web site by RPB.

Opinions expressed on this page are solely those of the author, Regina Hunter, and may or may not be shared by the sponsors or the Bible-study participants.  Thanks to the Holy Spirit for any useful ideas presented here, and thanks to all the readers for their support and enthusiasm.  All errors are, of course, the sole responsibility of the author.

Our Sponsors:

St. John's United Methodist Church, "Transforming Lives Through Christ."
2626 Arizona NE, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87110

St. John's Music Ministries now has a YouTube channel, bringing you free concerts and choral music. Check it out!

Traditional worship services are held Sundays at 8:15 and 11:00 a.m. in the sanctuary.  Casual worship services are held Sundays at 9:30 a.m. in the Family Life Center.  Jazz Vespers are held monthly on the second Saturday at 5:00 p.m. in the sanctuary. St. John's feels especially called to the worship of God and to the service of our neighbors through our music program.

Storm Dragon SoftwareTM

Ducks in a Row, Inc.

This website is supported in part by the generosity of Mrs. J. Jordan.