Day FOUR Devotional: the TRIAL!

“And those who had LAID HOLD of Jesus LED HIM away to Caiaphas the high priest, where the scribes and the elders were assembled” (Matthew 26:57 NKJV).

Notice the words “laid hold” & “led”.  This indicates that the soldiers SEIZED JESUS & made “a FORCEFUL ARREST” (Rick Renner – Sparkling Gems from the Greek).

Not only did they arrest Jesus but they “led” him away with a ROPE tied around His neck. 

This phrase ‘led him away’ “…comes from the Greek word apago—the same word used to picture a shepherd who ties a rope about the neck of his sheep and then leads it down the path to where it needs to go” (Rick Renner – Sparkling Gems from the Greek).

This fulfilled a prophecy, given hundreds of years earlier, that says “He was led as a lamb to the slaughter” (Isaiah 53:7 NKJV).

But someone else was present at His trial, PETER!

“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” (Matthew 26:58 NKJV).

He heard many who testified against Jesus and finally “blasphemy” was considered the judgment to have Him crucified.

“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?’”

(Matthew  26:67, 68 NKJV).

But Jesus remained silent but Peter was about to speak…or was He?  Three times he was about to speak.  When accused by several servant girls Peter DENIED that he even knew Jesus.  Then the 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 26:75 NKJV).

What would your response be to denying Jesus @ His trial???  Think about it!