Matthew 26:57-75

Jesus was taken to the high priest. Peter followed at a distance and went in to see what would happen. Many false witnesses were brought to testify against Him, but they couldn't find any two with the same story, as was necessary under Jewish law. Finally, two men came forward to tell how they heard Jesus say He would destroy the temple and rebuild it. The high priest wanted Jesus to answer the accusation, but He didn't say anything. Then the high priest asked Him directly if He was the Christ, the Son of God. Jesus affirmed that He was, and at that the high priest accused Him of blasphemy and asked those present what further proof was needed. They cried for His death and spat on Him and beat Him, mocking Him asking Him to tell them which one had hit Him.

This was the beginning of a night of sham trials that Jesus would have to endure. He was accused of blasphemy, claiming to be God. If He were not God, the charges would have been founded, but He was and is God. The religious leaders of the time were just too wrapped up in their own agendas to recognize Him for who He was. If they accepted Jesus for who He was, they would have had to admit they were no longer relevant.


Outside, Peter was asked by three different people if he was one of Jesus’ followers. Three times he denied it, becoming more emphatic in his denial each time. After the third time, the rooster crowed and Peter immediately remembered what Jesus had said.

We are to be proud of our relationship with Christ. We need to boldly stand up and be counted as His followers. Too often, afraid of confrontation, we try to fit in by hiding our faith. We cannot answer the call to be salt and light to the world if we don’t dare to speak His name. We are to proclaim our faith by what we say and do. People should see a difference in us and wonder why we’re different. We should then use those opportunities to share the good news of Christ with those who are willing to listen. In this instance, Peter messed up. We know he went on to do great things, so even if you may have been hesitant to share your faith, there’s no reason you can’t start now.