I do not know this Man of whom you speak!

 

 Now as Peter was below in the courtyard, one of the servant girls of the high priest came.  And when she saw Peter warming himself, she looked at him and said, "You also were with Jesus of Nazareth."  But he denied it, saying, "I neither know nor understand what you are saying."  And he went out on the porch, and a rooster crowed.  And the servant girl saw him again, and began to say to those who stood by, "This is one of them."  But he denied it again.  And a little later those who stood by said to Peter again, "Surely you are one of them; for you are a Galilean, and your speech shows it."  Then he began to curse and swear, "I do not know this Man of whom you speak!"  A second time the rooster crowed.  Then Peter called to mind the word that Jesus had said to him, "Before the rooster crows twice, you will deny Me three times."  And when he thought about it, he wept.

 

- Mark 14:66–72 

 

Yesterday we read that they led Jesus away to the high priest after seizing Him in the garden of Gethsemane; and with him were assembled all the chief priests, the elders, and the scribes.  But Peter followed Him at a distance, right into the courtyard of the high priest.  And he sat with the servants and warmed himself at the fire.  Now the chief priests and all the council sought testimony against Jesus to put Him to death, but found none.  For many bore false witness against Him, but their testimonies did not agree.  Then some rose up and bore false witness against Him, saying, "We heard Him say, 'I will destroy this temple made with hands, and within three days I will build another made without hands.'"  But not even then did their testimony agree.  And the high priest stood up in the midst and asked Jesus, saying, "Do You answer nothing?  What is it these men testify against You?"  But He kept silent and answered nothing.  Again the high priest asked Him, saying to Him, "Are You the Christ, the Son of the Blessed?"  Jesus said, "I am.  And you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Power, and coming with the clouds of heaven."  Then the high priest tore his clothes and said, "What further need do we have of witnesses?  You have heard the blasphemy!  What do you think?"  And they all condemned Him to be deserving of death.  Then some began to spit on Him, and to blindfold Him, and to beat Him, and to say to Him, "Prophesy!"  And the officers struck Him with the palms of their hands.

 

  Now as Peter was below in the courtyard, one of the servant girls of the high priest came.  And when she saw Peter warming himself, she looked at him and said, "You also were with Jesus of Nazareth."  But he denied it, saying, "I neither know nor understand what you are saying."   My study Bible comments that a girl being the first to test Peter is an icon of the temptation of Adam by Eve (Genesis 3:6).  It says that our fallen state is overcome in Christ when it is women who are the first to hear, believe, and proclaim the Resurrection (Mark 16:1-11).  

 

 And he went out on the porch, and a rooster crowed.  And the servant girl saw him again, and began to say to those who stood by, "This is one of them."  But he denied it again.  And a little later those who stood by said to Peter again, "Surely you are one of them; for you are a Galilean, and your speech shows it."  Then he began to curse and swear, "I do not know this Man of whom you speak!"  A second time the rooster crowed.  Then Peter called to mind the word that Jesus had said to him, "Before the rooster crows twice, you will deny Me three times."  And when he thought about it, he wept.   St. Peter is so overcome with fear that neither Christ's prediction of his denial (Mark 14:27-31), nor the first crowing of the rooster calls him to repentance.  But only the second time the rooster crowed called to mind the word that Jesus had said to him.  And when he thought about it, he wept.  My study Bible quotes commentary from St. Ambrose of Milan, saying that nonetheless, "through tears, what cannot be defended can be purged, for tears wash away the offense which is shameful to confess out loud."

 

 We all fail in our courage sometimes.  This is the man -- St. Peter -- whom tradition tells us requested to be crucified upside-down for fear of being considered equal with His Lord.  St. Peter also figures prominently in the Gospels as the one who so often speaks for the rest of the apostles, as he will also figure in the story of the early Church, after Christ's Ascension.  So, this same heroic, stalwart, strong, and courageous St. Peter is the man is today's story -- the one who cannot confess his faith in Christ in front of a servant girl.  To add insult to injury, as the expression goes, he's also the one who swore to Christ, after Jesus warned him that he would deny Him, "If I have to die with You, I will not deny You!" (See this reading.)  Neither should we forget that it is the same St. Peter to whom Jesus issued the unforgettable rebuke, "Get behind Me, Satan! For you are not mindful of the things of God, but the things of men" (see Mark 8:30-33).  So the life of this exemplary disciple (as one who more often than not might be called "first among equals") is filled with ups and downs, humiliating mistakes and failures, grand triumphs, total exuberance, a great and undoubted love of Christ, terrible heartache and fear, and finally the triumph of a martyr.  This is St. Peter.  But perhaps the best thing that St. Peter gives us is his love that is so strong it overcomes his shame and he returns to Christ and the rest of the disciples.  You see, it really seems that this is the great -- perhaps the greatest -- gift that St. Peter gives to us, to all of us, the rest of the Church, and for all time.  Because St. Peter shows us that, like the Prodigal Son (Luke 15:11-32), we can return to a loving Father, a loving Lord and Master, who does not lose His love for us because we make mistakes and err in our humanity, even multiple times.  It's to St. Peter that Jesus directed the admonition in the garden of Gethsemane, just before His betrayal and arrest, "Simon, are you sleeping? Could you not watch one hour? Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak" (see again Friday's reading).  And to St. Peter that Jesus said, "Simon, Simon! Indeed, Satan has asked for you, that he may sift you as wheat. But I have prayed for you, that your faith should not fail; and when you have returned to Me, strengthen your brethren" (Luke 22:31).  We note Jesus' confidence that St. Peter would return, and indeed this man so afraid of a servant girl in today's reading would be the one to strengthen his brethren.  As human beings, like St. Peter, even with his great faith, we may go through our own tumult, fear, lack of courage, and insensibility on a number of occasions and for many reasons.  But we need to remember that our story in the Gospels contains all these facts about St. Peter for good reasons, because in him we find ourselves and our direction for our faith:  we return to Christ.  We always must return to Christ.  For we are meant to overcome even ourselves, to grow and gain courage and confidence in our faith, to strengthen one another, to find our deeper faith, and to move forward.  For it is this deepening of faith that is the true universal mark of discipleship:  we seek to grow toward God.  It matters not at all where we are right now, how well our faith and our strength and our courage is serving is or how poorly.  But what matters is our ongoing deepening understanding and growth of our faith, for our destiny is in Him, and that journey is meant to be infinite.  Let us take courage and know that we are meant for this journey.  Like St. Peter, our failures and even shame may become springboards to greater love and truth, and deeper faith in our future.  For he lived knowing that this story would be told of him -- even that he stood outside reduced to cursing and swearing that He did not know the Man while Jesus was on trial; and he died choosing also to serve the Lord in humility even in death.

 

 

 

 

But this is your hour, and the power of darkness

 

 Then Jesus said to the chief priests, captains of the temple, and the elders who had come to Him, "Have you come out, as against a robber, with swords and clubs?  When I was with you daily in the temple, you did not try to seize Me.  But this is your hour, and the power of darkness."

 

Having arrested Him, they led Him and brought Him into the high priest's house.  But Peter followed at a distance.  Now when they had kindled a fire in the midst of the courtyard and sat down together, Peter sat among them.  And a certain servant girl, seeing him as he sat by the fire, looked intently at him and said, "This man was also with Him."  But he denied Him, saying, "Woman, I do not know Him."  And after a little while another saw him and said, "You also are of them."  But Peter said, "Man, I am not!"  Then after about an hour had passed, another confidently affirmed, saying, "Surely this fellow also was with Him, for he is a Galilean."  But Peter said, "Man, I do not know what you are saying!"  Immediately, while he was still speaking, the rooster crowed.  And the Lord turned and looked at Peter.  Then Peter remembered the word of the Lord, how He had said to him, "Before the rooster crows, you will deny Me three times."  So Peter went out and wept bitterly.

 

- Luke 22:52–62 

 

On Saturday, we read that coming out from the temple in Jerusalem, Jesus went to the Mount of Olives, as He was accustomed, and His disciples also followed Him.  When He came to the place, He said to them, "Pray that you may not enter into temptation."  And He was withdrawn from them about a stone's throw, and He knelt down and prayed, saying, "Father, if it is Your will, take this cup away from Me; nevertheless not My will, but Yours, be done."  Then an angel appeared to Him from heaven, strengthening Him.  And being in agony, He prayed more earnestly.  Then His sweat became like great drops of blood falling down to the ground.  When He rose up from prayer, and had come to His disciples, He found them sleeping from sorrow.  Then He said to them, "Why do you sleep?  Rise and pray, lest you enter into temptation." And while He was still speaking, behold, a multitude; and he who was called Judas, one of the twelve, went before  them and drew near to Jesus to kiss Him.  But Jesus said to him, "Judas, are you betraying the Son of Man with a kiss?"  When those around Him saw what was going to happen, they said to Him, "Lord, shall we strike with the sword?"  And one of them struck the servant of the high priest and cut off his right ear.  But Jesus answered and said, "Permit even this."  And He touched his ear and healed him.

 

  Then Jesus said to the chief priests, captains of the temple, and the elders who had come to Him, "Have you come out, as against a robber, with swords and clubs?  When I was with you daily in the temple, you did not try to seize Me.  But this is your hour, and the power of darkness."   For our understanding of darkness in this context, my study Bible refers us to John 3:19-21; 13:30.  In these contexts, we observe that the power of darkness is that which resists the light, the true light that has come into the world, Jesus Christ, who is Light of Light (Nicene Creed).

 

 Having arrested Him, they led Him and brought Him into the high priest's house.  But Peter followed at a distance.  Now when they had kindled a fire in the midst of the courtyard and sat down together, Peter sat among them.  And a certain servant girl, seeing him as he sat by the fire, looked intently at him and said, "This man was also with Him."  But he denied Him, saying, "Woman, I do not know Him."   My study Bible comments on the fact that it is a girl who is the first to test Peter.  In patristic understanding, this is an icon of the temptation of Adam by Eve in Genesis 3:6.  Our fallen state, it notes, is overcome in Christ when women are the first to hear, believe, and proclaim the Resurrection (see Luke 24:1-10).  

 

 And after a little while another saw him and said, "You also are of them."  But Peter said, "Man, I am not!"  Then after about an hour had passed, another confidently affirmed, saying, "Surely this fellow also was with Him, for he is a Galilean."  But Peter said, "Man, I do not know what you are saying!"  Immediately, while he was still speaking, the rooster crowed.  And the Lord turned and looked at Peter.  Then Peter remembered the word of the Lord, how He had said to him, "Before the rooster crows, you will deny Me three times."  So Peter went out and wept bitterly.  My study Bible notes that Peter is so overcome with fear that neither Christ's prediction (Luke 22:34) nor the crowing of the rooster calls him to repentance.  Only the gaze of the Lord causes Peter to weep bitterly.  St. Ambrose of Milan is quoted, who says that, nonetheless, "through tears, what cannot be defended can be purged, for tears wash away the offense which is shameful to confess out loud." 

 

What do we do when we have done something that seems unforgivable -- and most of all, unforgivable to ourselves?   Just prior to Christ's seizure by the authorities, He said to Peter, "Satan has asked for you, that he may sift you as wheat.  But I have prayed for you, that your faith should not fail . . .."  But Peter responded to Him, "Lord, I am ready to go with You, both to prison and to death."  See Luke 22:31-34.  But here, even before a servant girl, the first to spot Peter as a follower of Christ, he wavers and caves to his fears, denying that he was a disciple.  A man then affirms that he was one of them, and Peter denies it again.  Finally, another affirms that it must be so, due to Peter's Galilean accent he recognizes, Jesus' disciples having followed Him from Galilee.  It's only the gaze of Christ that causes Peter to come to himself, and to realize what he has done.  He hasn't simply denied Christ, he has also betrayed himself in so doing.  We can only imagine what it is to confidently predict what steadfast people we are, how we will uphold our values or principles, we will always be loyal and never waver -- and then, just like that, we are tested and we fail even in our own eyes.  No wonder Peter went out and wept bitterly.  Not only has Peter failed himself and, more importantly, His Lord, Peter's overconfidence came in the face of Christ's prophecy to him.  When we look at this story this way, we see that Christ, of course, was not trying to bring Peter down or even to criticize him, but to forewarn him of the test and temptation to come, to solemnly warn him of his own weaknesses and his need to be conscious of them.  How many of us could confess to making similar mistakes in our lives, only to have to come to terms with how we have come up short?  Certainly this author can say so.  But for St. Peter, for myself, and one may dare say for all, Christ is the answer to our bitter failures and shortcomings.  For Jesus, as He indeed indicated, still wants St. Peter for his mission.  Even if we fail in our own eyes, and in the eyes of the world, our disappointment is only really tempered through Christ, who has a place for us, a plan, a way to go forward.  That means is through repentance, through turning back to Christ through all things, and accepting the reality He offers us.  That is, just as in this specific case we're given in the Gospels with St. Peter, we need to accept His judgment instead of our own -- even on ourselves as well.  Jesus also predicts to Peter, ". . . when you have returned to Me, strengthen your brethren."  There is a very important lesson here about our faith, about confidence in ourselves, about our own judgment and estimation of our own potential weaknesses.  But most of all, it also tells us about temptation, for the devil who wanted to sift Peter as wheat apparently helped bring along the means of the failure of his faith, a way to trip him up in his weakness.  But with Christ, such stumbling blocks become opportunities for growth and for the strengthening of our faith, in that we become more aware of who we are, grow in helpful knowledge of our weaknesses, and may always turn and return to Him in repentance so that He shows us the way for us to the future and a better destiny and life.  St. Peter, of course, went on to have remarkable faith, going to his martyrdom for Christ, finally true to his word.  But before that he became a pillar of the Church, part of the foundation as the "rock" that Jesus named him, giving to us in turn a faith against which the gates of hades could not prevail (Matthew 16:18).  Yesterday, across the world and across many denominations, was the Feast of the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul.  Let us be truly grateful for the foundation they gave us, and follow in their footsteps as faithful to Christ.  For we all may be tested by the power of darkness, but with Christ it shall never prevail.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And Peter remembered the word of Jesus who had said to him, "Before the rooster crows, you will deny Me three times." So he went out and wept bitterly

 

Now Peter sat outside in the courtyard.  And a servant girl came to him, saying, "You also were with Jesus of Galilee."  But he denied it before them all, saying, "I do not know what you are saying."  And when he had gone out to the gateway, another girl saw him and said to those who were there, "This fellow also was with Jesus of Nazareth."  But again he denied with an oath, "I do not know the Man!"  And a little later those who stood by came up and said to Peter, "Surely you also are one of them, for your speech betrays you."  Then he began to curse and swear, saying, "I do not know the Man!"  Immediately a rooster crowed.  And Peter remembered the word of Jesus who had said to him, "Before the rooster crows, you will deny Me three times."  So he went out and wept bitterly.

 

- Matthew 26:69-75

 

Yesterday we read that those who had laid hold of Jesus in the garden of Gethsemane led Him away to Caiaphas the high priest, where the scribes and the elders were assembled.  But Peter followed Him at a distance to the high priest's courtyard.  And he went in and sat with the servants to see the end.  Now the chief priests, the elders, and all the councils sought false testimony against Jesus to put Him to death, but found none.  Even though many false witnesses came forward, they found none.  But at last two false witnesses came forward and said, "This fellow said, 'I am able to destroy the temple of God and to build it in three days.'"  And the high priest arose and said to Him, "Do You answer nothing?  What is it these men testify against You?"  But Jesus kept silent.  And the high priest answered and said to Him, "I put You under oath by the living God:  Tell us if You are the Christ, the Son of God!"  Jesus said to him, "It is as you said.  Nevertheless, I say to you, hereafter you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Power, and coming on the clouds of heaven."  Then the high priest tore his clothes, saying, "He has spoken blasphemy!  What further need do we have of witnesses?  Look, now you have heard His blasphemy!  What do you think?"  They answered and said, "He is deserving of death."  Then they spat in His face and beat Him; and others struck Him with the palms of their hands, saying, "Prophesy to us, Christ!  Who is the one who struck You?"

 

 Now Peter sat outside in the courtyard.  And a servant girl came to him, saying, "You also were with Jesus of Galilee."  But he denied it before them all, saying, "I do not know what you are saying."  My study Bible comments on the report that it is a girl who is the first to test Peter.  It notes that this is considered an icon of the temptation of Adam by Eve (Genesis 3:6).  It says that our fallen state is overcome in Christ when women are the first to hear, believe, and proclaim the Resurrection (Luke 24:1-10).  

And when he had gone out to the gateway, another girl saw him and said to those who were there, "This fellow also was with Jesus of Nazareth."  But again he denied with an oath, "I do not know the Man!"  And a little later those who stood by came up and said to Peter, "Surely you also are one of them, for your speech betrays you."  Then he began to curse and swear, saying, "I do not know the Man!"  Immediately a rooster crowed.  And Peter remembered the word of Jesus who had said to him, "Before the rooster crows, you will deny Me three times."  So he went out and wept bitterly.  Peter is so overcome with fear, my study Bible notes, that through these three people questioning him as to his relation to Christ, he did not recall Christ's prediction nor come to repentance.  But the crow of the rooster causes him to remember.  As St. Luke reports this story, it is the gaze of Christ from within the home of the high priest which causes him to weep bitterly (Luke 22:61-62).  

Let us note that Peter's denial of Christ is not a simple matter of simply staying silent and moving away, but the second time he's questioned, he actually denied knowing Christ with an oath.   The third time he's questioned, moreover, he began to curse and swear to make an even more vehement denial.   To our modern ears, these may seem like vehement embellishments of speech, emotionally digging himself in to make his denial seem more significant.  But in the Bible oaths and swearing are taken quite seriously, for these are seen as commitments one makes with one's word before the Lord.  Jesus has taught, in the Sermon on the Mount, "Again you have heard that it was said to those of old, 'You shall not swear falsely, but shall perform your oaths to the Lord.' But I say to you, do not swear at all: neither by heaven, for it is God’s throne; nor by the earth, for it is His footstool; nor by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King. Nor shall you swear by your head, because you cannot make one hair white or black. But let your 'Yes' be 'Yes,' and your 'No,' 'No.' For whatever is more than these is from the evil one" (Matthew 5:33-37).  So, in a certain sense, Peter is not just simply denying knowing Christ, but he is even disobeying His commands to His disciples.  The other example we have in the Gospels of someone so carried away by his passions that he swears a rash oath, with disastrous consequences, is King Herod Antipas (see this reading).  So the denial of Christ by Peter is an occasion upon which we have to reflect what it means that Jesus teaches us not to swear at all, because our simple words must suffice for the power of truth.  So important is this understanding of our word and the importance of its truth, the Lord teaches us that swearing and oaths are vain -- and more than "Yes" or "No" is from the evil one.  Clearly Peter's emotions have put him in a place where he's without the balance to even recall Christ's words to him earlier in the evening, and so this becomes a cautionary tale to us.  If even the great St. Peter, leader among the apostles, can be so easily thrown off his guard and fail to remember his devotion to Christ, then what about the rest of us?  Let's recall Peter's words to Jesus earlier in this evening:  "Even if all are made to stumble because of You, I will never be made to stumble," and, "Even if I have to die with You, I will not deny You!" (see Matthew 26:31-35).  There's another essential, important lesson we can learn from Peter's denial, and that is in his tremendous capacity for humility.  We recall the powerful rebuke given to him by Jesus, when Peter protested that Jesus should not die:  "Get behind Me, Satan!" (see Matthew 16:22-24).  Can we imagine such a word from Christ, in front of the rest of the disciples?  And yet, Peter did not turn away, but accepted.  From this humiliating and bitter failure, Peter will also return to the disciples, and for his true repentance be also specifically forgiven and received by Christ.  So, in the telling of this story, we also have St. Peter's saving humility, inseparable from his capacity for repentance, and from his genuine love of Christ.  But we're taught, also, not to trust in ourselves to the point that we're unaware of our own vulnerabilities and weakness under strain.  Let us once again consider how Christ teaches us the true power of our word, to be aware of the things we swear, the heat of the moment, and the challenges to our honor or standing in front of others.  Let us, indeed, endeavor to remember to keep it simple.  The capacity for humility is perhaps the greatest tool we have for saving grace, for finding our way through the difficult struggles and pressures we encounter in life, and in the carrying of our cross of faith. 

 

 

Then Peter called to mind the word that Jesus had said to him, "Before the rooster crows twice, you will deny Me three times." And when he thought about it, he wept

 

 Now as Peter was below in the courtyard, one of the servant girls of the high priest came.  And when she saw Peter warming himself, she looked at him and said, "You also were with Jesus of Nazareth."  But he denied it, saying, "I neither know nor understand what you are saying."  And he went out on the porch, and a rooster crowed.  And the servant girl saw him again, and began to say to those who stood by, "This is one of them."  But he denied it again.  And a little later those who stood by said to Peter again, "Surely you are one of them; for you are a Galilean, and your speech shows it."  Then he began to curse and swear, "I do not know this Man of whom you speak!"  A second time the rooster crowed.  Then Peter called to mind the word that Jesus had said to him, "Before the rooster crows twice, you will deny Me three times."  And when he thought about it, he wept.

 

- Mark 14:66-72 

 

 Yesterday we read that the arresting soldiers led Jesus away to the high priest; and with him were assembled all the chief priests, the elders, and the scribes.  But Peter followed Him at a distance, right into the courtyard of the high priest.  And he sat with the servants and warmed himself at the fire.   Now the chief priests and all the council sought testimony against Jesus to put Him to death, but found none.  For many bore false witness against Him, but their testimonies did not agree.  Then some rose up and bore false witness against Him, saying, "We heard Him say, 'I will destroy this temple made with hands, and within three days I will build another made without hands.'"  But not even then did their testimony agree.  And the high priest stood up in the midst and asked Jesus, saying, "Do You answer nothing?  What is it these men testify against You?"  But He kept silent and answered nothing Again the high priest asked Him, saying to Him, "Are You the Christ, the Son of the Blessed?"  Jesus said, "I am.  And you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Power, and coming with the clouds of heaven."  Then the high priest tore his clothes and said, "What further need do we have of witnesses?  You have heard the blasphemy!  What do you think?"  And they all condemned Him to be deserving of death.  Then some began to spit on Him, and to blindfold Him, and to beat Him, and to say to Him, "Prophesy!"  And the officers struck Him with the palms of their hands.

 

 Now as Peter was below in the courtyard, one of the servant girls of the high priest came.  And when she saw Peter warming himself, she looked at him and said, "You also were with Jesus of Nazareth."  But he denied it, saying, "I neither know nor understand what you are saying."  And he went out on the porch, and a rooster crowed.  And the servant girl saw him again, and began to say to those who stood by, "This is one of them."  But he denied it again.  My study Bible comments on the fact that a girl is the first to test Peter.  It notes that this is an icon of temptation of Adam by Eve (Genesis 3:6).  Our fallen state is overcome in Christ, it notes, when women are the first to hear, believe, and proclaim the Resurrection (see Luke 24:1-10).  

 

 And a little later those who stood by said to Peter again, "Surely you are one of them; for you are a Galilean, and your speech shows it."  Then he began to curse and swear, "I do not know this Man of whom you speak!"  A second time the rooster crowed.  Then Peter called to mind the word that Jesus had said to him, "Before the rooster crows twice, you will deny Me three times."  And when he thought about it, he wept.  In Luke's telling of this story, neither Christ's prediction of his betrayal (Mark 14:29-31), nor the crowing of the rooster calls Peter to repentance, but rather the Lord's gaze causes him to weep bitterly (Luke 22:61-62).   My study Bible quotes St. Ambrose of Milan, who writes that "through tears, what cannot be defended can be purged, for tears wash away the offense which is shameful to confess out loud." 

 

Today's reading gives us a good lesson in humility, and does so on a number of levels.  First of all, there is the story of Peter himself, de facto leader and spokesman among the disciples for so much of Christ's ministry and of the early Church.  And yet it is the great Peter who suffers this humiliation and failure in his own eyes and from the word of his own mouth.  While we're told that all the disciples followed Peter in affirming that they would willingly die with Christ before they would deny Him (Mark 14:29-31), it is Peter himself who gives the lie to his own affirmation by denying Christ three times in that early morning while Christ is inside the high priest's home, being tried and convicted by the Council.  Peter's bitter tears express his recognition of this humiliating defeat of his own best intentions, and his own belief in himself and in his faith, which has failed him.  We could say that the great humiliation is in the fact that he failed himself, even though Christ told him this would come to pass.  There is another level of humiliation in that Peter himself was such an important disciple and an icon of faith among them.  So often chosen by Christ as part of His closest circle, such as at the Transfiguration, and the healing of Jairus' daughter, Peter has now in effect let them all down through his denial.  Finally, there is the greater circle as witness to this humiliation, and that is all those who hear and read the Gospel, and will continue to do so.  For our faith includes this story for all of us to read, as it is a great teaching for all of us.  It is just as equally powerfully a story of Peter's own humility, in that wherever the gospel is preached so is this story included about the great disciple St. Peter, named "Rock" by Christ for his faith.  Can we possibly imagine the tremendous humility it took for such a person to bear this story about himself everywhere the Church would go, everywhere the gospel message would go?  Peter, in effect, through this failure, teaches us all about how humility and faith go hand in hand.  For Peter's own restoration to the Church (Mark 16:7), and special mission given by Christ after the Resurrection, depends upon both humility and faith (John 21:15-19).  Indeed, it is Peter who so often is chastised by Christ in part because of his enthusiasm, as he rushes in with his heart where wisdom will correct him.  This happens most vividly when Peter tries to dissuade Jesus from going to His death, as Peter suffers a tremendous rebuke:  "Get behind Me, Satan!"  (Mark 8:33), but that incident is one among others.  Possibly one of the most ironic comes just after Peter's full restoration, as reported by John in the final verses of his Gospel, as Peter then turns around and must ask Christ about someone else's work to do.  He's told by the Resurrected Christ then, "What is that to you?  You follow Me" (see John 21:20-25).  The fullness of the experiences of Peter given to us tell us of the exceptional nature both of his faith and of his humility, for he had to withstand repeated corrections and personal failures, and yet continue in his faith.  And this, we might conclude, is what effectively makes for great leadership, at least in this man so capable of deep feeling as well as his own errors.  What we learn from Peter is that in every defeat we may find the seeds of our own "resurrection" if we have the humility to do so, and to turn to Christ in that humility.  Peter shows us effectively how essential humility really is to true greatness, for it is only in real humility that we can accept what is true, despite our own bitter tears at our own mistaken failures. 

 

 

And Peter remembered the word of Jesus who had said to him, "Before the rooster crows, you will deny Me three times." So he went out and wept bitterly

 

Now Peter sat outside in the courtyard.  And a servant girl came to him, saying, "You also were with Jesus of Galilee."  But he denied it before them all, saying, "I do not know what you are saying."  And when he had gone out to the gateway, another girl saw him and said to those who were there, "This fellow also was with Jesus of Nazareth."  But again he denied with an oath, "I do not know the Man!"  And a little later those who stood by came up and said to Peter, "Surely you also are one of them, for your speech betrays you."  Then he began to curse and swear, saying, "I do not know the Man!"   Immediately a rooster crowed.  And Peter remembered the word of Jesus who had said to him, "Before the rooster crows, you will deny Me three times."  So he went out and wept bitterly.

 

- Matthew 26:69-75 

 

Yesterday we read that those who had laid hold of Jesus in the garden of Gethsemane led Him away to Caiaphas the high priest, where the scribes and the elders were assembled.  But Peter followed Him at a distance to the high priest's courtyard.  And he went in and sat with the servants to see the end.  Now the chief priests, the elders, and all the council sought false testimony against Jesus to put Him to death, but found none.  Even though many false witnesses came forward, they found none.  But at last two false witnesses came forward and said, "This fellow said, 'I am able to destroy the temple of God and to build it in three days.'"  And the high priest arose and said to Him, "Do You answer nothing?  What is it these men testify against You?"  But Jesus kept silent.  And the high priest answered and said to Him, "I put You under oath by the living God:  Tell us if You are the Christ, the Son of God!"  Jesus said to him, "It is as you said.  Nevertheless, I say to you, hereafter you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Power, and coming on the clouds of heaven."  Then the high priest tore his clothes, saying, "He has spoken blasphemy!  What further need do we have of witnesses?  Look, now you have heard His blasphemy!  What do you think?"  They answered and said, "He is deserving of death."  Then they spat in His face and beat Him; and others struck Him with the palms of their hands, saying, "Prophesy to us, Christ!  Who is the one who struck You?"

 

 Now Peter sat outside in the courtyard.  And a servant girl came to him, saying, "You also were with Jesus of Galilee."  But he denied it before them all, saying, "I do not know what you are saying."  My study Bible comments that a girl being the first to test Peter is an icon of the temptation of Adam by Eve in Genesis 3:6.  It says that our fallen state is overcome in Christ when it is women who are the first to hear, believe, and proclaim the Resurrection (Luke 24:1-10).  

And when he had gone out to the gateway, another girl saw him and said to those who were there, "This fellow also was with Jesus of Nazareth."  But again he denied with an oath, "I do not know the Man!"  And a little later those who stood by came up and said to Peter, "Surely you also are one of them, for your speech betrays you."  Then he began to curse and swear, saying, "I do not know the Man!"   Immediately a rooster crowed.  And Peter remembered the word of Jesus who had said to him, "Before the rooster crows, you will deny Me three times."  So he went out and wept bitterly.  My study Bible comments that in this scenario in the courtyard, Peter is so overcome with fear that Christ's earlier prediction (see Matthew 26:31-35, especially verse 34) does nothing to make him aware of what he is doing until he hears the crowing of the rooster, and he remembers Christ's word.  In St. Luke's version of these events, it is only the gaze of Christ that calls Peter back to remembrance (Luke 22:61-62).  His remembrance causes him to weep bitterly.  St. Ambrose of Milan comments that nevertheless, "through tears, what cannot be defended can be purged, for tears wash away the offense which is shameful to confess out loud."

Peter weeps, purging his sin in true repentance, and realizing the truth of what he had done.  We recall his words to Christ on the night Christ predicted all the disciples would be made to stumble because of Him:   "Even if all are made to stumble because of You, I will never be made to stumble," and "Even if I have to die with You, I will not deny You!" (Matthew 26:33, 35).  These declarations, although vehement, in the end did nothing to prevent just such a scenario from happening.  Peter's own weakness is on display to himself, his denial plainly a denial of his own vulnerability and fears, and thus he weeps bitterly at having realized what he's done.  But Peter is our picture of courage and strength nonetheless.  He is a leader among the apostles.  We know his weaknesses and his exuberance.  In John's Gospel, Peter first declares to Jesus at the Last Supper, "You shall never wash my feet!"  But when Jesus tells him, "If I do not wash you, you have no part with Me," Peter changes altogether, and demands, "Lord, not my feet only, but also my hands and my head!" (John 13:3-9).  When Jesus first predicts His own death, Peter declares, "Far be it from You, Lord; this shall not happen to You!"  We understand Peter's denials in this case, but it simply leads to a stunning rebuke by Jesus:  "Get behind Me, Satan! You are an offense to Me, for you are not mindful of the things of God, but the things of men" (see Matthew 16:21-23).  In the end of John's Gospel, Peter is directed by Jesus what he should do, and even given a preview of his courageous death.  But then he goes on to ask what the beloved disciple, John, must do, saying, "But Lord, what about this man?"  Jesus answers him by asking, "What is that to you?  You follow Me"  (see John 21:15-25).  In so many examples in the Gospels, Peter is the one, although a leader among the Twelve, and certainly a leader to come after Christ's death, who shows the weaknesses of human beings, our fallibilities, the one who stumbles through exuberance and emotion.  And yet, Peter is the one who comes to terms with his own failure in humility, recognizing how he has stumbled and disappointed himself.   In Peter we find both greatness and humility, the capacity for leadership of the fledgling Church that would soon spread to the entire known world, and yet the humility to be corrected.  And perhaps it is just this humility that gave Peter his greatest strength, for he is the one who could endure a rebuke of Christ and persist, and remain true to his calling despite Christ's prediction of Peter's own death by crucifixion (John 21:18-19).  I can speak for no one but myself, but I would venture to say that many (if not all) of us have parts of ourselves of which we're ashamed or embarrassed, aspects of weakness and vulnerability we'd not care to see nor to admit.  But Peter's strength is in acceptance of this truth about himself, even if accompanied by bitter tears.  For it enables him repeatedly to return to Christ, to find correction in repentance, to carry on and to manifest his position as leader in the early Church, "first among equals."  Let us find also his courage and humility, and his capacity for turning back to Christ, for it is a saving grace, the strength that restores us to our proper relation to Christ when we've stumbled.

 

 

 

 

 

 

And when he thought about it, he wept

 

 Now as Peter was below in the courtyard, one of the servant girls of the high priest came.  And when she saw Peter warming himself, she looked at him and said, "You also were with Jesus of Nazareth."  But he denied it, saying, "I neither know nor understand what you are saying."  And he went out on the porch, and a rooster crowed.  And the servant girl saw him again, and began to say to those who stood by, "This is one of them."  But he denied it again.  And a little later those who stood by said to Peter again, "Surely you are one of them; for you are a Galilean, and your speech shows it."  Then he began to curse and swear, "I do not know this Man of whom you speak!"  A second time the rooster crowed.  Then Peter called to mind the word that Jesus had said to him, "Before the rooster crows twice, you will deny Me three times."  And when he thought about it, he wept.

 

- Mark 14:66–72 

 

Yesterday we read that they led Jesus away to the high priest; and with him were assembled all the chief priests, the elders, and the scribes.  But Peter followed Him at a distance, right into the courtyard of the high priest.  And he sat with the servants and warmed himself at the fire.  Now the chief priests and all the council sought testimony against Jesus to put Him to death, but found none.  For many bore false witness against Him, but their testimonies did not agree.  Then some rose up and bore false witness against Him, saying, "We heard Him say, 'I will destroy this temple made with hands, and within three days I will build another made without hands.'"  But not even then did their testimony agree.  And the high priest stood up in the midst and asked Jesus, saying, "Do You answer nothing?  What is it these men testify against You?"  But He kept silent and answered nothing.  Again the high priest asked Him, saying to Him, "Are You the Christ, the Son of the Blessed?"  Jesus said, "I am.  And you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Power, and coming with the clouds of heaven."  Then the high priest tore his clothes and said, "What further need do we have of witnesses?  You have heard the blasphemy!  What do you think?"  And they all condemned Him to be deserving of death.  Then some began to spit on Him, and to beat Him, and to say to Him, "Prophesy!"  And the officers struck Him with the palms of their hands.   

 Now as Peter was below in the courtyard, one of the servant girls of the high priest came.  And when she saw Peter warming himself, she looked at him and said, "You also were with Jesus of Nazareth."  But he denied it, saying, "I neither know nor understand what you are saying."  And the servant girl saw him again, and began to say to those who stood by, "This is one of them."  But he denied it again. We can't read this passage without refreshing our memories of the events earlier in the night, when Peter swore to Jesus at the Last Supper, "Even if all are made to stumble, yet I will not be."  Jesus then told Peter, "Assuredly, I say to you that today, even this night, before the rooster crows twice, you will deny Me three times."  Peter then spoke more vehemently, "If I have to die with You, I will not deny You!"  (See Friday's reading.)  My study Bible comments regarding the events in today's passage that a girl being the first to test Peter is an icon of the temptation of Adam by Eve (Genesis 3:6).  Our fallen state, it says, is overcome in Christ when women are the first to hear, believe, and proclaim the Resurrection (Luke 24:1-10).  

And a little later those who stood by said to Peter again, "Surely you are one of them; for you are a Galilean, and your speech shows it."  Then he began to curse and swear, "I do not know this Man of whom you speak!"  A second time the rooster crowed.  Then Peter called to mind the word that Jesus had said to him, "Before the rooster crows twice, you will deny Me three times."  And when he thought about it, he wept.   As Mark reports it, the second time the rooster crowed, Peter called to mind the word that Jesus had said to him.  In Luke's report of this event, it's not the rooster's second crow that makes Peter recall Jesus' word to him, but a gaze from the Lord Himself (Luke 22:61-62).  Either way, Peter wept at the realization.  My study Bible quotes St. Ambrose of Milan who comments that "through tears, what cannot be defended can be purged, for tears wash away the offense which is shameful to confess out loud."

St. Ambrose comments on the cleansing nature of tears.  This is an important understanding in the traditions of the Church.  The Orthodox tradition of using prayer ropes evolved out of the practice of the desert monastics, in which knots are made for use as "beads" of prayer.  In such practice, there is almost always a tassel at the end of the rope (see this image, for example).  It is said that this tassel is for wiping away the tears that come from true repentance.  There is possible no greater nor more powerful image for such cleansing tears as the one of St. Peter in today's reading.  In so many ways, Peter has set the example of discipleship for us, both in his failings and in his greatness as de facto spokesman for the Twelve.  In today's reading, the comment from St. Ambrose reminds us, we are taught by Peter's example, that "through tears, what cannot be defended can be purged, for tears wash away the offense which is shameful to confess out loud."  While people might often speak disparagingly of those who are able to produce false tears at the drop of a hat, historically it is understood that it is in tears that the soul truly reveals itself.  We cry not only for repentance about those things of which we are ashamed, but also for other things which we cannot change -- and still, the tears remain signs of truthfulness, and also repentance of a different sort.  That is, tears are also signs of the sorrow that comes from mourning.  Tears might easily accompany a confession of childhood abuse or trauma; in the sense of which we speak today, these would not be tears of self-pity nor even tears of suffering, but tears that accompany the recognition of a truth one does not like to admit to oneself.  This still fits in the important category of repentance and confession, for it isn't until we can reveal the painful truths at the bottom of behavior patterns we'd like to heal that we can begin to have the "change of mind" we seek in Christ (for "change of mind" is the true meaning of the Greek word for repentance).  In modern times we seem to have waylaid our understanding of the significance of tears in this light, but that would seem to me a grave mistake.  Possibly it is because we are saturated with images on social and other media where, for decades now, we can see nothing but acting or playing a role.  But the significance of the tears that memories can produce in our own lives should not be thrown away easily or lightly, for a great deal depends upon the reality that is truly revealed in such tears.   In those tears, the soul reveals true feelings about past events, the trauma of things we've kept hidden from ourselves, the shame of those experiences we don't want to look at.  But the healing even from things that are not our fault is necessary in the process of transformation and repentance ("change of mind") that we will find in our journey with Christ, for it is from such painful experiences that false behaviors grow, and that depend upon the lies we tell to ourselves.  The only true way to heal is through the faith that Christ offers us, and the transformation process of the Cross to find the better way in which we are guided to live our lives, for of such character is true confession made, even in the lives of the saints.  Our toughest and most shameful experiences belong with Christ, for it is His way we seek out of them and through them.  This is part of the process of forgiveness, in which we seek God's way to respond even to people who have harmed us.  Just as tears reveal St. Peter's coming to terms with the truth of his own failure and reconciliation to Christ in the truth that Christ revealed to him, so tears also reconcile us to the truth of things we'd rather pretend were not there in any circumstance.  Each comes out of necessary confession and revelation of a truth we need to face, and each comes to wash away falsehood before Christ, and to help to reconcile us to Christ.  For it is only Christ who can help us to properly address our flaws and weaknesses, and the hard experiences that have given us our vulnerabilities.  It is Christ and the saints, and the angels who seek to help us through life, upon whom we must seek our way through pain and difficulty, lest we fall victim to false ways in which to cope or create the illusion of invulnerability or pride.  Let us come to terms with the power of tears and of confession, in which our soul is revealed to us before God, in the loving hands and heart of Christ.  In this way, like Peter, our tears can wash away what can't be defended so that we return to Him with empty hands, for only He can properly fill them for us.

 

 

 

I do not know this Man of whom you speak!

Now as Peter was below in the courtyard, one of the servant girls of the high priest came.  And when she saw Peter warming himself, she looked at him and said, "You also were with Jesus of Nazareth."  But he denied it, saying, "I neither know nor understand what you are saying."  And he went on the porch, and a rooster crowed.  And the servant girl saw him again, and began to say to those who stood by, "This is one of them."  But he denied it again.  And a little later those who stood by said to Peter again, "Surely you are one of them; for you are a Galilean, and your speech shows it."  Then he began to curse and swear, "I do not know this Man of whom you speak!"  A second time the rooster crowed.  Then Peter called to mind the word that Jesus had said to him, "Before the rooster crows twice, you will deny Me three times."  And when he thought about it, he wept.

- Mark 14:66-72

Yesterday we read that those who seized Jesus led Him away to the high priest; and with him were assembled all the chief priests, the elders, and the scribes.  But Peter followed Him at a distance, right into the courtyard of the high priest.  And he sat with the servants and warmed himself at the fire.  Now the chief priests and all the council sought testimony against Jesus to put Him to death, but found none.  For many bore false witness against Him, but their testimonies did not agree.  Then some rose up and bore false witness against Him, saying, "We heard Him say, 'I will destroy this temple made with hands, and within three days I will build another made without hands.' "  But not even then did their testimony agree.  And the high priest stood up in the midst and asked Jesus, saying, "Do You answer nothing?  What is it these men testify against You?"  But He kept silent and answered nothing.  Again the high priest asked Him, saying to Him, "Are You the Christ, the Son of the Blessed?"  Jesus said, "I am.  And you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Power, and coming with the clouds of heaven."  Then the high priest tore his clothes and said, "What further need do we have of witnesses?  You have heard the blasphemy!  What do you think?"  And they all condemned Him to be deserving of death.  Then some began to spit on Him, and to blindfold Him, and to beat Him, and to say to Him, "Prophesy!"  And the officers struck Him with the palms of their hands.

Now as Peter was below in the courtyard, one of the servant girls of the high priest came.  And when she saw Peter warming himself, she looked at him and said, "You also were with Jesus of Nazareth."  But he denied it, saying, "I neither know nor understand what you are saying."  And he went on the porch, and a rooster crowed.  And the servant girl saw him again, and began to say to those who stood by, "This is one of them."  But he denied it again.  And a little later those who stood by said to Peter again, "Surely you are one of them; for you are a Galilean, and your speech shows it."  Then he began to curse and swear, "I do not know this Man of whom you speak!"   My study bible comments on the fact that a girl is the first to test Peter:  it is an icon of the temptation of Adam by Eve (Genesis 3:6).  Our fallen state, it notes, is overcome in Christ when it is women who are the first to hear, believe, and proclaim the Resurrection (Luke 24:1-10).  We notice how Peter's fear escalates to the point where he began to curse and swear that he did not know Jesus.  This happens particularly after the servant girl identifies him as a Galilean, by his accent and dialect.

A second time the rooster crowed.  Then Peter called to mind the word that Jesus had said to him, "Before the rooster crows twice, you will deny Me three times."  And when he thought about it, he wept.  Peter's fear was so strong that neither Christ's warning nor the first crowing of the rooster called him to repentance, but only after the second time the rooster crowed did he recall Christ's prophecy to him (see this reading).  In Luke's Gospel, it is Jesus' gaze, apparently from within the home of the high priest while Peter is outside in the courtyard, that calls him to awareness (Luke 22:60-62).  In his sudden consciousness of what had transpired, Peter wept.  St. Ambrose of Milan comments that nonetheless, "through tears, what cannot be defended can be purged, for tears wash away the offense which is shameful to confess out loud."

Once again, the Gospels give us a humiliating, cowardly moment in the life of one of the disciples.  And this isn't just any disciple; it is Peter, their ostensible leader and the one who speaks so often for all of the twelve.  And yet this story appears for each of us, and is present in all four Gospels.  What does it mean that the Church includes this in its life for all the faithful?  We don't get a sugar-coated story, meant only to please our ears nor simply to flatter the images of those who are the founders and pillars of the Church.  Peter got his very name from Christ, who pronounces him Cephas, (in Aramaic), or Peter, from the Greek petros, meaning stone - see John 1:42.  In Matthew's Gospel, it is Peter's confession of faith that Jesus is the Christ which prompts Jesus to pronounce that "on this rock I will build my Church" (see Matthew 16:15-19).  From the traditional Orthodox perspective, this pronunciation applies to the faith that Jesus is the Christ, and Peter speaks for all the disciples.  But nevertheless, it remains Peter who did so.  So this image of Peter the coward, the one who is afraid to tell the servant girl he was a follower of Christ, becomes something quite contradictory to the Peter that we know as leader and spokesman, and who would go on to become the powerful apostle and pillar of the Church.  Let us consider why this story is here, for all of us.  It is so important and crucial to our faith to understand that our faith is all about a wholistic journey of the self, toward an identity and meaning that strengthens us and helps us to grow as human beings.  It is within that realm of the faith of Peter's confession that Jesus is the Christ in which we are able to participate in His life through grace -- a synergistic realm of God and human beings which works through faith and grace.  This Peter who denies Christ three times after swearing he was willing to die with Him is the same Peter whom tradition tells us requested to be martyred upside down, as he was unworthy to be crucified in the same manner in which Jesus was, an act of courage and humility that goes beyond normal understanding.  It is this same impulsive Peter who blurts out something rather insensible at the Transfiguration, and who earlier swore he would die with Jesus before denying Him, and yet who spoke first to confess that Jesus was the Christ.  Our faith gives us what it is to be all too human, with all our failings and disappointments -- even this scene in today's reading which must have been simply humiliating for Peter to recall -- and couches it within the story of what it is to struggle with faith and come to victory.  Peter's salvation from this moment comes when he rejoins the apostles and returns to Christ, still one of the twelve -- a sign of repentance and that his tears are cleansing and life-changing.  We may view this in contrast with the remorse or regret of Judas (as opposed to repentance, true change in humility), which does not lead to his return to the apostles nor to his salvation (see Matthew 27:3-5).  Our faith is not a process of simple reward and punishment, but works through the positive encouragement of repentance, a return to Christ for resurrection and renewal after our failures.   This is why humility remains the keystone and foundation of all virtue, because we must see ourselves in process of an approach to Christ, a sense of trial and error, always learning, getting back upon that road, facing ourselves and our failures and putting them properly into perspective through our participation in the Cross, in both carrying our own cross and living with Him in the Resurrection.  This is our journey!  Let us be grateful for its truth in all things, even our most shameful moments, which may be shared with Him for His direction and faith.  For our God is a God of love.

I find no fault in this Man

 Then the whole multitude of them arose and led Him to Pilate.  And they began to accuse Him, saying, "We found this fellow perverting the nation, and forbidding to pay taxes to Caesar, saying that He Himself is Christ, a King."  Then Pilate asked Him, saying, "Are You the King of the Jews?"  He answered him and said, "It is as you say."  So Pilate said to the chief priests and the crowd, "I find no fault in this Man."  But they were the more fierce, saying, "He stirs up the people, teaching throughout all Judea, beginning from Galilee to this place."

When Pilate heard of Galilee, he asked if the Man were a Galilean.  And as soon as he knew that He belonged to Herod's jurisdiction, he sent Him to Herod, who was also in Jerusalem at that time.  Now when Herod saw Jesus, he was exceedingly glad; for he had desired for a long time to see Him, because he had heard many things about Him, and he hoped to see some miracle done by Him.  Then he questioned Him with many words, but He answered him nothing.  And the chief priests and scribes stood and vehemently accused Him.  Then Herod, with his men of war, treated Him with contempt and mocked Him, arrayed Him in a gorgeous robe, and sent Him back to Pilate.  That very day Pilate and Herod became friends with each other, for previously they had been at enmity with each other.

- Luke 23:1-12

Yesterday, we read that after His arrest, the men who held Jesus mocked Him and beat Him.  And having blindfolded Him, they struck Him on the face and asked Him, saying, "Prophesy!  Who is the one who struck You?"  And many other things they blasphemously spoke against Him.  As soon as it was day, the elders of the people, both chief priests and scribes, came together and led Him into their council, saying, "If You are the Christ, tell us."  But He said to them, "If I tell you, you will by no means believe.  And if I also ask you, you will by no means answer Me or let Me go.  Hereafter the Son of Man will sit on the right hand of the power of God."  Then they all said, "Are You then the Son of God?"  So He said to them, "You rightly say that I am."  And they said, "What further testimony do we need?  For we have heard it ourselves from His own mouth."

 Then the whole multitude of them arose and led Him to Pilate.  And they began to accuse Him, saying, "We found this fellow perverting the nation, and forbidding to pay taxes to Caesar, saying that He Himself is Christ, a King."  Then Pilate asked Him, saying, "Are You the King of the Jews?"  He answered him and said, "It is as you say."  So Pilate said to the chief priests and the crowd, "I find no fault in this Man."  But they were the more fierce, saying, "He stirs up the people, teaching throughout all Judea, beginning from Galilee to this place."   My study bible says that the religious accusations against Jesus (see yesterday's reading, above) aren't enough to justify a death sentence under Roman occupation (even if blasphemy under Jewish law would do so).  Therefore here the chief priests make politically charged accusations in front of Pilate, so that he might be persuaded to put Jesus to death.  We've seen the attempt to trap Jesus with a question about paying taxes, here.  Pilate's question, it says, is more of a mockery of the accusation than a mockery of Jesus -- he clearly doesn't take the political charges seriously.  Jesus' response, "It is as you say," may also be translated, "You say so."

When Pilate heard of Galilee, he asked if the Man were a Galilean.  And as soon as he knew that He belonged to Herod's jurisdiction, he sent Him to Herod, who was also in Jerusalem at that time.  Now when Herod saw Jesus, he was exceedingly glad; for he had desired for a long time to see Him, because he had heard many things about Him, and he hoped to see some miracle done by Him.  Then he questioned Him with many words, but He answered him nothing.  And the chief priests and scribes stood and vehemently accused Him.  Then Herod, with his men of war, treated Him with contempt and mocked Him, arrayed Him in a gorgeous robe, and sent Him back to Pilate.  That very day Pilate and Herod became friends with each other, for previously they had been at enmity with each other.  My study bible says that Herod sees Jesus as a novelty.  (He had a similar attitude toward John the Baptist.)   Christ's silence, it notes, is an act of compassion -- revealing divine mysteries in the face of blasphemy would have brought Herod a greater condemnation.  It says, "St. Ambrose sees Herod as a figure representing all unrighteous people who, if they do not recognize Jesus as the Christ, will never understand His words nor recognize His miracles."  We note the irony of the newfound friendship between Herod and Pilate, cemented through the abuse of Christ.

Jesus becomes a pawn in the hands of the worldly powerful.  He is shuttled between Herod and Pilate, an opportunity to cement relations between the two men.  Each time He is handed over to another court, abuse takes place -- He's mocked and struck and spit upon.  Earlier before being presented at the night trial of the Council, He was even told to prophesy who hit Him.  It is a kind ultimate humiliation not only of One who came to save, but of the One who is divine.  And as the time passes now, we will see Him further humiliated, brought low, crucified as one of the worst criminals.  One of the things that is striking here is that all of these people know He is innocent.  He's innocent of the charges against Him, innocent of seeking insurrection against the state or of proclaiming Himself a worldly king.   He has often said that He is the fulfillment of the Law and the Prophets; He does not come to the world to tear down Jewish spiritual heritage.  And yet, here He is, for all kinds of reasons, but none of them having anything to do with justice or with truth.  As we've discussed earlier, we know the motivation of the religious leadership is envy.  We can see the politics between Herod and Pilate, the cynical way Pilate views the religious leadership who've brought Christ before him.  Herod is a kind of spoiled child figure, fascinated by holy men and trying to see some sort of miracle performed on cue.  It is a loathsome scene, in that in some sense it is the worst of the world on display, having their way with our Savior.  He has warned about casting pearls before swine, giving what is sacred to dogs, we know.  So we have to ask ourselves, who is really on trial here?  Who's actions will be weighed in the balance?  It's rather an extreme picture in which we can remind ourselves of Jesus' words:  "Judge not, lest you be judged."   And therein is the power of "witnessing."   We look to the note in my study bible, speaking about Christ's mercy to Herod in not revealing more.   If we stand for what is righteous and spiritually true, then we bring a kind of judgment into the arena, wherever we are.  It may be a hard fact to grasp, but Jesus teaches over and over again about witnessing, about the righteous of the past who will rise to witness against the present generation, about the righteous of other lands who will judge Israel.  Judgment comes by the work of the Spirit, and when we witness in the word, in the righteousness of the Spirit, when we truly shine the light we are asked to shine, it becomes a time of judgment.  But we're not the judge, He is the judge.  Righteousness must be present for this kind of judgment, true witnessing is the testimony in this spiritual court.  When we stand for something true, when we stand in righteousness -- no matter what the response we think we see -- we should always remember who's really on trial, and who the real judge is.   We witness to that court, and we follow Him.  Righteous witnessing calls on others to do the same, and sets a standard for everyone, whether they know it or not.  There will be times we are called to speak, and times we are called to silence -- but this court is always in session.