The Complete Sayings of Jesus

Christ's Trial Continued — False Witness — Peter Thrice Denies Christ — Morning: Further Questioning — Judas a Suicide.

A.D. 30. Age 33 Jerusalem.

Matthew 26, 59-75; 27, 1-7: Mark 14, 55-72: Luke 22, 56-71: John 18, 17-27.

THE chief priests and all the council sought witness against Jesus, to put him to death. Many bare false witness against him, but their witness agreed not together. At the last came two, saying, We heard this fellow say, I am able to destroy the temple of God, that is made with hands, and within three days I will build another made without hands. The high priest arose, and asked Jesus, Answerest thou nothing? But Jesus held his peace, and answered nothing. The high priest said, Tell us whether thou be the Christ, the Son of God. And Jesus said, Thou hast said. I am. Nevertheless I say unto you, Hereafter shall ye see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven. Then saith the high priest, Now ye have heard his blasphemy: what need ye any further witnesses? What think ye? They answered, He is guilty of death. When they had blindfolded Jesus, they struck him on the face, and say unto him, Prophesy, who is it that smote thee?

Now Peter was beneath in the palace: and the damsel that kept the door came and looked upon him as he sat by the fire, and said, Thou also wart with Jesus of Galilee. But he denied before them all, saying, I know him not: I know not, neither understand I what thou sayest. And he went into the porch; and the cock crew. After a little while another saw Peter, and said, Thou art also of them, for thou art a Galilean: thy speech agreeth thereto: thy speech betrayeth thee. And Peter denied again, Man, I am not. About the space of an hour after, another confidently affirmed, Of a truth this fellow was with Jesus. But Peter began to swear, saying, I know not this man of whom ye speak. And the second time the cock crew. Then Peter called to mind the word that Jesus said unto him, Before the cock crow twice, thou shalt deny me thrice. And when Peter thought thereon, he wept.¹

As soon as it was day, the elders of the people, and the chief priests and the scribes led Jesus into their council, saying, Art thou the Christ? And he said, If I tell you, ye will not believe: and if I also ask you, ye will not answer me, nor let me go. Hereafter shall the Son of man sit on the right hand of the power of God. Then said they, Art thou then the Son of God? And Jesus said, Ye say that I am. They said, We ourselves have heard of his own mouth. And the whole council held a consultation, to put Jesus to death.

Judas, when he saw that Jesus was condemned, repented, and brought the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests, saying, I have sinned in that I have betrayed the innocent blood. They said, What is that to us? see thou to that. Then Judas cast down the pieces of silver in the temple, and went and hanged himself.The chief priests said, It is the price of blood: it is not lawful to put them into the treasury. They took counsel, and bought with them the potter's field, to bury strangers in.

Footnotes:

¹The interested reader should compare, in the text, the four accounts of Peter's denials: Matthew 26, 69-75: Mark 14, 66-72: Luke 22, 56-62: John 18, 17-27.