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Author: Stephen Weller
625 words, 3 minutes read time

Peter’s First Denial

Scripture: John 18:17-21

In the previous lesson Jesus was taken to Annas and we find Peter, and most likely, John in the courtyard of the high priest. In this lesson a servant girl is going to identify Peter as a disciple, and he is going to deny it.

^{Jn 18:17} The servant girl at the door said to Peter, “You also are not one of this man’s disciples, are you?” He said, “I am not.” ¹⁸ Now the servants and officers had made a charcoal fire, because it was cold, and they were standing and warming themselves. Peter also was with them, standing and warming himself.

Standing at the door of the courtyard was a servant girl who kept watch at the door. The disciple, who was known by the high priest, goes to the servant girl and tells her that it is ok for her to allow Peter to enter. As he comes in the servant girl seems to recognizes him as one of the disciples, but Peter denies that he is. This is his first denial.

There is no further conversation at the door and Peter enters to take his place near the warmth of the charcoal fire that the servants and officers had made.

^{Jn 18:19} The high priest then questioned Jesus about his disciples and his teaching. ²⁰ Jesus answered him, “I have spoken openly to the world. I have always taught in synagogues and in the temple, where all Jews come together. I have said nothing in secret. ²¹ Why do you ask me? Ask those who have heard me what I said to them; they know what I said.”

There is some confusion about who questioned Jesus. According to history, Annas served as high priest from A.D. 6 to 15 and Caiaphas, his son-in-law, became high priest in A.D. 18. Because of the influence of Annas after leaving his office, he was still referred to as a high priest. The high priest that questioned Jesus was Annas, who officially was no longer a high priest, because at verse 24, Annas sends Jesus to Caiaphas the official high priest.

Annas questions Jesus about his disciples and his teachings to see if he could find anything they were doing or saying that could be used as evidence in building a case against him. Since Jesus spoke openly to the world and taught in synagogues and in the temple and in open areas where all could join him, there should be nothing that is not known about his message. Since he was open and did nothing in secret, how would they expect to find anything to charge him with.

What Jesus did and taught echoes Isaiah 45:19 ESV: “I did not speak in secret, in a land of darkness; I did not say to the offspring of Jacob, ‘Seek me in vain.’ I the Lord speak the truth; I declare what is right.”; also, Isaiah 48:16 ESV: “Draw near to me, hear this: from the beginning I have not spoken in secret, from the time it came to be I have been there.” And now the Lord God has sent me, and his Spirit.”

Even what Jesus taught his disciples was the same and so Jesus responds with, “Why do you ask me? Ask those who have heard me what I said to them; they know what I said.” This is not the kind of response that was wanted, and we will see in the next lesson brings a physical response against Jesus.

Conclusion

So far the questioning has not produced any evidence to use in building a case against Jesus and Peter has already spoken his first denial.