Jesus' arrest, Peter's denial (John 18)

Jesus finished praying, looking up to His Father, and then had to go across the valley. Jesus knew that in this garden he would face soldiers and his 'friend' who betrayed him. Peter thinks he has to fight for Jesus, but really Jesus is fighting for him - taking the hit for them. Will Jesus hide in the garden (think Adam and Eve)? No, He says I AM, and the soldiers bow, because he IS going to do what is needed to protect those who trust him and put their faith in him. He is prepared to go without a literal fight, because the battle is to trust God in the night time, when all looks dark. The false high priest behind the arrest says it is good for one man to die for the people - Jesus, the true high priest, agrees - and goes bound with them (bound to humanity) for a sham trial.

Peter was following Jesus, but, like us so often, he didn't have the same courage constantly. He'd been happy to fight when the soldiers arrived (it says a tenth of a legion = suicidal levels of commitment) but Jesus squashed that idea, and now he's facing a servant girl, afraid to say who he was. Jesus said I AM to his identity, Peter says "I am not" to his. Jesus is struck by the priestly servants but Peter is standing with them, warming himself up. The high priest is questioning Jesus in secret, and Jesus knows it is an illegal trial - he challenges them with his own conduct, teaching in the open air. Surely law experts could perform a proper trial? Never mind, because Jesus is doing it for disciples like Peter. Those who trust and fail, but trust again. Disciples who arm themselves or warm themselves wrongly, but find Jesus looking out for them through the night anyway.

Peter is still warming himself up, declaring that he is not following Jesus, until a cockerel (perhaps the name of a guards horn) sounds. Jesus has come through the night trial and is approaching a morning one, without ever shifting the blame or striking a deal. The Romans would do better justice in the daytime - but they weren't clean enough for the law experts. Pilate is now forced to go in and out. Believing Jesus is innocent, but trying to please the leaders. Inside with Jesus - the Passover  lamb at Passover  season - that's a good place to be. Outside with the hypocritical leaders? That proves worse for Pilate's judgement, and they refuse to enter the palace - unlike Jesus, who will go on to unite Jews and non-Jews (Gentiles) that believe in him, with a peace he will die to give.

Pilate doesn't want to make a judgement here - it always costs to decide for Jesus at some stage, and it is heating up. It is easier to give the religious leaders what they want, but Pilate is conflicted - what has Jesus even done wrong? He is a meant to be a king, but he's a very different kind of king. From another place, valuing truth above ... his own life it seems. Is truth worth so much? Pilate finds no grounds for Jesus' death, but that is strangely insufficient for this judge. The crowd outside would rather have an insurrectionist leader - a Roman ender - and Pilate says yes. The crowd would rather have a usurper than the true king (& king of truth), because Jesus is indeed the king of another place. Are we concerned for the truth even if it costs us? Is Jesus king to us?

(All images from Pixabay)