While Jesus, bound with a rope, was being led to the high priest’s house, Peter—who had fled earlier—returned and followed at a distance. On the way, he witnessed a young man who had been following Jesus; when people tried to seize him, the young man left his linen cloth behind and ran away naked. Later, Peter met another disciple who was known to the high priest, and together they went to the high priest’s house.
The high priest’s house, located in the upper city of Jerusalem, was not far from the place where Jesus had eaten. With the help of this other disciple, Peter was able to enter. As he went in, the servant girl at the gate looked at him suspiciously, but Peter pretended not to notice and went into the courtyard. There, he blended in with the servants warming themselves by the fire, quietly observing the situation.
Before being taken to the high priest Caiaphas, Jesus was first interrogated by Annas, Caiaphas’s father-in-law. Annas was a former high priest who, though he had long since retired, still wielded significant influence behind the scenes. He had served as high priest for about nine years after replacing Joazar, who had failed to suppress a rebellion during a census ordered by Archelaus. During Annas’s tenure, there was an incident on Passover night when Samaritans secretly threw a corpse into the temple portico as soon as the gates opened, then fled. After this, Samaritans were completely banned from entering the Jerusalem temple—a severe measure never taken before. Annas was highly sensitive and tended to overreact to temple-related issues—not out of love for God, but because his power and authority were rooted in the temple. Given this, it was natural for him to be both curious and hostile toward Jesus, who suddenly appeared and seemed to be attacking the temple through his words and deeds.
“What about your disciples? What kind of teaching do you give?” Annas asked.
“I have spoken openly to the world. I always taught in synagogues and in the temple, where the Jews always meet. I said nothing in secret. Why do you ask me? Ask those who have heard me what I said to them. Behold, these know the things which I said.”
Although Jesus had been teaching in parables to fulfill the prophecy of Isaiah—so that people might hear but not understand, and see but not perceive—this did not mean that everything was completely hidden. There were many teachings that were not in parables, and even for the parables, anyone who set their heart to it could grasp the hidden meaning through those who had once followed Jesus but left him, or even through Judas Iscariot, who had come to betray Him. However, Annas had paid no attention until his own position was threatened. His interest now was not genuine concern, but mere curiosity. The high priest’s role was to pacify the people so they would remain loyal to Rome, and he even harbored the wicked thought that perhaps Jesus’ teachings could be used for that purpose. Knowing such a heart, Jesus had nothing more to say. Just as the story of the rich man and Lazarus shows: “If they don’t listen to Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded if one rises from the dead.”
However, his response only irritated Annas further. Seeing Annas’s annoyed expression, one of the guards struck Jesus hard with the palm of his hand.
“Do you answer the high priest like that?”
“If I have spoken evil, testify of the evil; but if well, why do you beat me?”
Annas decided that further questioning was pointless and ordered Jesus to be taken to Caiaphas.
* * *
Seeing Jesus being struck by the guard, Peter was enraged and could not bear it. Jesus was the living Son of God, the Christ. How could they treat Him like this? When Peter had heard that Jesus would suffer, he had never imagined it would be like this. Whether Pharisees or Sadducees came, Jesus always spoke boldly, even when Herod Antipas sought to kill Him.
“Go and tell that fox, ‘Behold, I cast out demons and perform cures today and tomorrow, and the third day I complete my mission.’ Nevertheless I must go on my way today and tomorrow and the next day, for it can’t be that a prophet perish outside of Jerusalem. Jerusalem, Jerusalem, who kills the prophets, and stones those who are sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, like a hen gathers her own brood under her wings, and you refused! Behold, your house is left to you desolate. I tell you, you will not see me until you say, ‘Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!’”
Jesus had called Herod a fox and yet continued on His way undeterred. No one could touch Him. But now, Jesus was being struck for no reason. This was unthinkable.
Peter clenched his fist and, before he knew it, was about to step forward, not thinking at all about what might come next. But at that very moment, a strange woman’s voice rang out.
“This man also was with him.”
When he turned his head, he saw the servant girl at the gate—the one he had noticed when he first entered the house. She had sensed something suspicious about Peter and had followed him inside right away. Now, glaring at Peter, she questioned him as if interrogating a suspect.
“You were also with Jesus, the Galilean, the Nazarene. Aren’t you one of this man’s disciples?”
Her face was flushed in the firelight. When Peter saw her glaring at him with fierce, piercing eyes, he suddenly felt a surge of fear. If even the servant girl could recognize him and act this way, what would happen if others did the same?
“I am not. I don’t know what you are talking about. I neither know nor understand what you are saying.”
Peter protested, wearing an aggrieved expression. However, this only heightened their suspicion. When the other servants by the fire began to look at him with suspicion as well, Peter became even more fearful. Their faces, lit by the fire, seemed to him like the faces of demons closing in on him. In panic, Peter cried out, “Woman, I don’t know him!”, and hurriedly fled the place.
As Jesus was taken from Annas to Caiaphas, Peter went out to the outer courtyard and came to a charcoal fire burning near the gate where he had entered. As he warmed himself, he suddenly heard the voice of another servant girl.
“This man also was with Jesus of Nazareth. He is one of them."
“You also are one of them!”
Upon hearing those words, another person asked,
“Are you also one of his disciples?”
Peter became angry. Why were they so eager to accuse him? If he said no, wouldn’t they understand? Why did they keep pressing him, as if trying to sift him like wheat?
“Man, I am not! I don’t know the man.”
His voice and expression were filled with indignation. Anyone seeing him would think he was truly innocent and wronged. The people, hearing him deny it loudly, questioned him no further. Who would want to provoke someone who seemed ready to explode? Tonight was no ordinary night; there was no need to cause unnecessary trouble.
* * *
As Peter continued to deny Jesus with all his might, Jesus arrived at Caiaphas’s location. It was deep into the night, just over an hour before the rooster would crow at dawn. Many scribes and elders were gathered there, though not the entire Sanhedrin. However, most of those who had long wanted to kill Jesus, including the high priest’s faction, were present.
They placed Jesus in the middle and sought evidence to condemn him to death. Several people testified, but many of their testimonies were false and did not agree, so they could not be used. The gathering included people who considered themselves righteous and faithful, so no one suggested accepting false testimonies, as this could lead to future repercussions. The Sadducees and Pharisees had complex relationships, with internal divisions among both groups—for example, the Sadducees were often at odds with each other, and the Pharisees were split between the schools of Shammai and Hillel—making it risky to propose using false evidence. The only somewhat credible testimonies came from two witnesses.
“This man said, ‘I am able to destroy the temple of God, and to build it in three days.’”
“We heard him say, ‘I will destroy this temple that is made with hands, and in three days I will build another made without hands.’”
These statements were based on Jesus’ words early in His public ministry when He visited Jerusalem, drove out those selling cattle, sheep, and doves, and overturned the tables of the money changers in the temple. He said that if they destroyed the temple, He would rebuild it in three days. However, these testimonies were subtly altered to suggest that Jesus threatened to destroy the temple.
The high priest, who had been silent until then, spoke up.
“Have you no answer? What is this that these are testifying against you?”
But Jesus remained silent, His eyes closed. Caiaphas asked again.
“I adjure you by the living God, tell us whether you are the Christ, the Son of God—are you the Christ, the Son of the Blessed?”
Jesus opened His eyes and looked straight at Caiaphas. It was a collision of convictions, just like the day they faced each other in the temple. However, the situation was different now. Back then, Caiaphas had to back down because of the people’s presence, but now there was no need to worry about their eyes. Everyone gathered here wanted Jesus dead, so they were all on Caiaphas’s side. The high priest sensed that his question would settle the situation and, with a slight smirk, raised the corner of his mouth.
The high priest was the only person qualified to enter the Holy of Holies once a year on the Day of Atonement. Therefore, he represented all the people of Israel. Among his duties was selecting a scapegoat—a male goat—to transfer the sins of the people and send it away into the wilderness to Azazel. For the Day of Atonement ritual, he would lay both hands on the head of the prepared goat and confess all the evil deeds, rebellious acts, and sins committed by the children of Israel, thereby transferring all the people’s sins onto the goat’s head. This sin-bearing goat was then sent out into the wilderness. Caiaphas was performing a similar action now. His attempt to sentence Jesus to death on charges He never committed was no different from transferring the people’s sins onto the scapegoat Azazel.
Jesus looked at Caiaphas, who wore a victorious smile, and spoke.
“You have said so. I am. Nevertheless, I tell you, from now on you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of Power, and coming with the clouds of the sky.”
To the Sadducees and Pharisees, and indeed to all Jews, God was a sacred being whose name should not be taken lightly. But to say that the Son of Man would sit at the right hand of Power and come on the clouds of heaven was, to them, outright blasphemy.
“He has spoken blasphemy! Why do we need any more witnesses? Behold, you have now heard this blasphemy. What do you think?”
The high priest tore his clothes and cried out loudly, but beneath his rage, his heart was overflowing with joy.
“He is worthy of death!”
“Yes, he is worthy of death.”
Excited people rushed toward Jesus, spitting on Him and striking Him with fists and palms. Insults and curses filled the air. Some covered Jesus’ eyes and hit Him, mocking Him.
“Prophesy to us, you Christ! Who is the one who struck you?”
Jesus was bearing all their wicked deeds just as they were, carrying the full burden of their sins.
* * *
“Truly this man also was with him, for he is a Galilean.”
“You truly are one of them, for you are a Galilean, and your speech shows it.”
“Surely you are also one of them, for your speech makes you known.”
“Didn’t I see you in the garden with him?”
In the relentless barrage of accusations from the people, Peter couldn’t collect his thoughts. After his second denial, about an hour passed without much trouble, but as the situation inside grew noisy and he saw Jesus being led away, people began to accuse him again. Jesus was getting farther away, and the people wouldn’t leave Peter alone, so it seemed there was no way to escape. Peter began to call down curses and swore an oath.
“Man, I don’t know what you are talking about. I don’t know this man you speak of; I don’t know the man!”
At that very moment, a rooster crowed. Beyond the crowd, Peter saw Jesus, who was being led away, stop and turn to look directly at him. Peter looked at Jesus as well. Then, the rooster crowed a second time, signaling the coming dawn.
“Most certainly I tell you, tonight, before the rooster crows twice, you will deny me three times.”
Those words from the previous night came back to him. Peter went out and wept bitterly.
* * *
Early in the morning, the Sanhedrin council was filled with people. On one side of the temple, preparations were being made for the morning sacrifice, while on the other, a plot to kill the Son of God was unfolding.
“If you are the Christ, tell us.”
It was a formal question, for the conclusion had already been reached.
“If I tell you, you won’t believe, and if I ask, you will in no way answer me or let me go. From now on, the Son of Man will be seated at the right hand of the power of God.”
It was the same response they had heard before—blasphemy. The voices of anger rose from those who had not been present at dawn, but the high priest pressed on to expedite the proceedings.
“Are you then the Son of God?”
“You say it.”
“Why do we need any more witness? For we ourselves have heard from his own mouth!”
The high priest made the decision swiftly. Some council members, like Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus, did not agree with the verdict, but it was too late to change. They needed to hand Jesus over to Pilate before the pilgrims woke up, to avoid taking responsibility themselves. Their priority was to kill Jesus quickly to resolve all problems.
The passages from Matthew 26:34, 61-74, Mark 14:30, 58-71, Luke 13:32-35, 22:31, 56-71, John 18:17-26 quoted in this narrative are taken directly from the World English Bible (WEB) translation. Of the parallel passages, I have combined them into a single version that includes all the content.
Listen to the audiobook now.
