The Rev. Paul J Cain, Jr.
The Passion of
Our Lord Jesus Christ Drawn from the Four Gospels (LSB/ESV)
III. THE PALACE OF
THE HIGH PRIEST
Wednesday of Lent III, 06 March
2013
Immanuel Lutheran Church,
Sheridan, Wyoming
In the Name of Jesus. Amen.
The Passion of
Our Lord Jesus Christ Drawn from the Four Gospels
III. THE PALACE OF
THE HIGH PRIEST
Those who had
arrested Jesus brought him to the high priest’s house, where the scribes and
elders were assembled. Peter followed him afar off, and so did another
disciple. That disciple was known to the high priest and went in with Jesus
into the palace of the high priest, but Peter stood outside at the door. So
that other disciple, who was known to the high priest, went out and spoke to
the doorkeeper and brought Peter in. He went in and sat with the servants to
see the end. He was warming himself at the fire they had kindled in the middle
of the courtyard.
Meanwhile, the chief
priests and the whole council were seeking evidence that might make the case for
a death sentence, but they could not find any. Many bore false witness against
him, but their statements did not agree. Two stepped forward and said, “We
heard him say, ‘I shall destroy this temple made with hands and after three
days I shall build another, not made with hands.’ “But even on this point their
evidence did not agree.
Then the High Priest
stood up, moved to the center, and put this question to Jesus, “Do you have no
answer? What is this evidence they have given against you?” But he was silent
and gave no answer. Again the High Priest put a question to him and said, “Are
you the Christ, the Son of the Blessed?” Jesus said, “I am. You will see the
Son of Man seated at the right hand of God’s power and coming with the clouds
of heaven.” The High Priest tore his garments and said, “Do we still need any
witnesses? You have heard this blasphemy. What is your opinion?” They all
agreed that he was deserving of death.
Then some of them
began to spit on him; they blindfolded him, struck him, and said to him,
“Prophesy to us, O Christ, who is it that struck you?” The guards beat him as
they took him away.
Meanwhile Peter was
sitting outside in the courtyard. One of the maidservants of the High Priest
came and saw Peter warming himself. She looked at him closely as he sat in the
light of the fire, and said, “You also were along with the man from Nazareth,
that Jesus.”
Peter denied it and
said, “I do not know what you mean.” He went out to the forecourt. Another
maidservant saw him there and said to those who were standing around, “This man
was with Jesus of Nazareth.” Peter denied it again with an oath, “I do not know
the man.” A little later those standing around said to Peter, “Surely you are
one of them. You are a Galilean. Your accent gives you away.” Peter started
calling down curses on himself and swore, “I do not know the man.”
And immediately while
he was still speaking, the cock crowed a second time, and the Lord turned and
looked on Peter. Then Peter remembered that Jesus had said to him, “Before the
cock crows twice, you will deny me three times.” Peter broke down, and went
out, and wept bitterly.
As soon as it was
morning the chief priests with the elders and the scribes held the court
session with all the Sanhedrin. Then they bound him, led him away, and turned
him over to Pilate. Then Judas, who had betrayed him, when he saw that he was
condemned, was sorry and brought back the thirty pieces of silver to the chief
priests and elders, saying, “I have sinned. I have betrayed innocent blood.”
They said, “What is
that to us? That is your affair.” Judas threw down the pieces of silver in the
temple and departed. He went and hanged himself.
The chief priests
took the silver pieces and said, “It is not lawful to put them into the
treasury, because it is the price of blood.” They took counsel and bought with
them the potter’s field to bury strangers in. That is why to this day that
field has been called “the field of blood.”
In this way was
fulfilled what was spoken by Jeremiah the prophet, saying, “They took the
thirty pieces of silver, the price of him on whom a price had been set by the
children of Israel, and gave them for the potter’s field.”
Here ends the
Reading.
By grace you have
been saved. This is what St. Paul wrote in Ephesians. This is a good Word of
the Lord to remember. With our candles burning tonight, one can almost picture
Peter, outside the Palace of the High Priest, warming himself.
Tonight’s reading
contrasts Jesus, Judas, and Peter.
Jesus, He who brings
grace and truth, was put on trial late at night against Jewish law. False
witnesses are brought forward to testify. He is accused of blasphemy. No grace
for Him. No benefit of the doubt. He accepts the cup the Father has prepared
for Him.
Judas appears
surprised by the consequences of his actions. We are not used to asking
questions about where our impulsive, selfish, sinful decisions will lead us
until we see the shocking results.
Did Judas think the
leadership would just punish Jesus, tell Him to be quiet, and let Him go? Did
he even care? We witness his remorse, the return of the blood money, and his
death, but Judas does not repent. He did not remember Jesus’ words of hope and
life.
By grace you have
been saved. That means it isn’t about you or what you do or some bit of
goodness left within you. The Law promises salvation if it is kept perfectly.
Every second of every day for a lifetime. One sin—just one—messes up that whole
system. Yet many continue to pursue that road, from Rome to Geneva and Salt
Lake to Pasadena.
By grace you have
been saved. And so was Peter. He was as much of a sinner as Judas was. Peter
denied His Lord three times. How foolishly he had boasted before about going
with Jesus to die with Him! Now Peter would not even acknowledge knowing Jesus.
Peter wasn’t any holier than Judas. So what made the difference?
By grace you have
been saved. In Paul’s letter to the Galatian Christians, Paul recounts that he
had to call Peter to repentance using the Word of God. That is what made the
difference after the cock crowed. Peter remembered Jesus’ words and wept
bitterly. He would be restored. In Jesus there is always hope, always grace,
always salvation. But not without repentance and faith.
Again, we rejoice
that the Lord brings forth faith within you. He calls you to repentance and
brings it about through His word of Law. And yes, sometimes it feels like a
guilt trip, especially when the sin is one of long-standing that we don’t want
to give up.
What did Judas’ sin
give him? Thirty pieces of silver that went to buy a potter’s field, akeldama,
a field of blood.
In contrast, you were
purchased and won from all sins, from death, and from the power of the devil
not with gold or silver, but with Jesus’ holy, precious blood and with His
innocent suffering and death that you may be His own. By grace you have been
saved.
Next week, we follow our Lord to THE PRAETORIUM. Amen.
In the Name of Jesus. Amen.
