Peter’s Denial
v15. Not likely to be John or another apostle, but another disciple who knew Caiaphas. Maybe Nicodemus or Joseph or Arimathea or another.
v17. How inconcequencial this slave girl was. What was Peter afraid of, what could she do to him?
v19. This whole process is out of line with Jewish law.
v20. He did teach in private, but was He said was not to be kept secret.
v21. He wasn’t required to prove His innocence, but they were required to have witnesses to prove His guilt.
v23. What had He done to deserve this? Nothing.
v25. The second denial. Multiple people around the fire were asking.
v27. The third denial even in the light of evidence. It takes a lie to cover a lie. John skips over the trial with the High Priest and the chief priests.
Conviction
v28. They have had no problem breaking all the rules to condemn and persecute Jesus to the death, but they would not enter the house of a gentile in order that they could eat the Passover feast. This is not in reference to the meal they ate the night before, but all seven days of the festival.
v30. They couldn’t even answer Pilate’s question because their reason didn’t apply to Roman law. Could they have been any more disrespectful?
v31. Pilate didn’t want to deal with this matter. Later they had no issue stoning Stephen. Why didn’t they just stone Jesus? Possibly to minimize a public uproar because they wouldn’t challenge the Roman authority. To avoid the scandal of killing this Man who had done so much good in Israel.
v33. What answer do you think Pilate expected? No.
v34. Jesus asked this question to know how to answer. No He wasn’t a threat to Rome, but Yes He is the Messiah.
v35. This accusation came from the chief priests. Pilate seems to want to distance himself from the Jews. Acting as if he is better than them. (Mal 2:8-9)
v36. Not a simple Yes or No answer. but both. Not a threat to Caesar, but definitely a King.
v37. He is King to His sheep.
v38. What is truth? Absolute truth is something that is true far all persons, at all times and in all places. He had broken no laws.
v39. If Pilate found no guilt in Him, then why didn’t he discharge Jesus himself? He may have thought the crowd would demand His release and this way he wouldn’t offend the chief priests.
v40. Pilate was mistaken.