📖 Mark 14:53-72
Jesus Before the High Priest
Jesus is led to the high priest, where the entire council seeks testimony against Him.
There is irony throughout the passion narrative — even when trying to lie about Jesus, the accusers can't get their stories straight.
They struggle to find consistent witnesses, highlighting the mob mentality and one-upmanship among the accusers.
The temple destruction claim becomes their focus since it was publicly witnessed.
When asked if He's "the Christ, the son of the blessed," Jesus responds with "I am" — potentially the divine name (Yahweh in Greek).
He adds that they'll see "the son of man seated at the right hand of power," a clearly divine Old Testament reference.
The high priest's dramatic response — tearing his garments and crying "blasphemy" — proves that Jesus' contemporaries understood His divine claims.
This refutes arguments that Jesus never claimed to be God.
Peter's Denial
Peter's threefold denial reveals how quickly human courage crumbles.
The same disciple who promised loyalty and drew his sword now denies even knowing Jesus.
Peter represents all believers. We're sinners in need of redemption, not heroes earning salvation.
Mark (possibly influenced by Peter) intentionally includes this failure to show that apostles weren't sinless leaders but redeemed sinners.
This prevents us from viewing ourselves as superior to Peter.
Jesus' prediction of Peter's denial demonstrates divine omniscience without fatalistic predestination.
The appropriate response isn't "I would never do that" but "thanks be to God" that Christ saves sinners.
We need the gospel preached continually, not just information from a book, because we forget our identity and need as redeemed sinners daily.
Contributor Rev. Harrison Goodman is the Higher Things Executive Director of Missions and Theology.
Contributor Eli Lietzau is the pastor at Wheat Ridge Evangelical Lutheran Church in Wheat Ridge, CO.
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