This Study Guide is from The Rev. Adam Hamilton’s Course in the Last 24 Hours of Jesus’ life on earth. If you have a text book, read along with the corresponding chapters, and if you have a daily devotional you might start on Ash Wednesday. There are no hard and fast rules. You can do this at your own speed. Classes are on Sundays after church with Jim Poplin or on Wednesday mornings at 9:30 with Rev. Card. If neither of these times is convenient, you can follow along online at https://www.facebook.com/pumcnh/, or our website peterboroughumc.org. This information is shared for your enrichment.
Session 3 of 24 Hours That Changed the World
Study Guide #3
Condemned By the ‘Righteous’
Mark 14:53-72 (selected verses) 53 They took Jesus to the high priest; and all the chief priests, the elders, and the scribes were assembled…55 Now the chief priests and the whole council were looking for testimony against Jesus to put him to death…the high priest asked him, “Are you the Messiah, the Son of the Blessed One?” 62 Jesus said, “I am; and ‘you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of the Power,’ and ‘coming with the clouds of heaven.’ ” 63 Then the high priest tore his clothes and said, “Why do we still need witnesses? 64 You have heard his blasphemy! What is your decision?” All of them condemned him as deserving death. 65 Some began to spit on him, to blindfold him, and to strike him, saying to him, “Prophesy!” The guards also took him over and beat him. 66 While Peter was below in the courtyard, one of the servant-girls of the high priest came by. 67 When she saw Peter warming himself, she stared at him and said, “You also were with Jesus, the man from Nazareth.” 68 But he denied it, saying, “I do not know or understand what you are talking about” after a little while the bystanders again said to Peter, “Certainly you are one of them; for ou are a Galilean.” 71 But he began to curse, and he swore an oath, “I do not know this man you are talking about” 72 At that moment the cock crowed for the second time. Then Peter remembered that Jesus had said to him, “Before the cock crows twice, you will deny me three times. “And he broke down and wept.
This week we’ll study the trial of Jesus by the Sanhedrin and Peter’s denial of Jesus, not simply from Mark’s gospel, but from the other gospels as well, You’ll have a chance to notice the similarities but also the differences in the different gospel accounts of the events that took place between midnight and 6:00 am on the day Jesus was crucified. This will seem repetitious to you. Yet each day read the story with fresh eyes. Look for the differences like a detective. Ask what the differences teach, how they round out the story, or why they are there; but don’t simply focus on the differences. Each day reflect upon the meaning of each part of the story: The Sanhedrin’s condemnation, Jesus’ testimony about himself, and Peter’s denial of Christ,
Monday: Take a piece of notepaper, turn it sideways and make four three-inch columns. At the top of each column write the name of a different gospel: Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. As you do each day’s study guide reading note the unique characteristics or the insights you have gained from reading that particular gospel’s account of the trial of Jesus by the Sanhedrin and Peter’s denial of Christ. You will find there are many similarities, but also a few differences. Let’s begin with Matthew’s account. Read Matthew 26:57-75. Matthew’s account comes closest in agreement with Mark’s account of these events. Look over your notes from Sunday’s sermon — what was the Sanhedrin Syndrome? How are we modern people like the Jewish Sanhedrin? What does it take for evil to triumph? Imagine that you were sitting watching the events of the Sanhedrin — what do you think it would have been like to have been in the room? Why did they beat and spit upon Jesus? How does the account of Peter’s denial make you feel? Can you identify with Peter?
Tuesday: Using your notepaper from yesterday, be sure to include the details of Mark’s account of the trial and Peter’s denial, noting the differences. Read Mark 14:53-72. Why did they blindfold Jesus as they were preparing to strike him? Look at the response of Jesus when he was on the “witness stand” — what did his words in verse 62 mean? Look over your sermon notes to recall the significance of his testimonial. Jesus draws from Exodus 3:14, Psalm 110 and Daniel 7:13 and following. Look up these scriptures and see if you can tell why Jesus responded to the high priest by making allusions to these passages. What does Jesus’ testimony tell us about how he understood his ministry?
Wednesday: Write down on your notepaper the similarities and differences between Luke’s account of the trial before the Sanhedrin and Mark and Matthew’s accounts. Read Luke 22:54-71. How much courage did it take for Peter to come into the courtyard with the guards who had arrested Jesus? If Jesus was arrested about midnight and finally arrived at the High Priest’s home by 1 •.00 am, try to imagine the time these various things take place. What hints do you have that help you set a time for this. Notice, Luke tells us Jesus looked at Peter from the place he was being held at the moment Peter denied Jesus the third time. Imagine this look across the courtyard. How do you see this in your mind’s eye? What other differences do you see between this account and Matthew and Mark’s accounts? Reflecting upon your notes from Sunday’s sermon, why did the early church recount Peter’s story of his denial of Jesus?
Thursday: Today we turn to John’s account of the arrest and denial. Again, note the similarities and differences between the four gospel accounts of this event, Read John 1 8:12-27. John does not mention the entire Sanhedrin — he may assume the reader knows about this body meeting to try Jesus, but he doesn’t mention this. Instead, he mentions two trials — one before the former high priest, Annas and a second before the sitting high priest, Caiphas. Put all of this information together from your study to get a harmonized or comprehensive picture of what happened. Reflect again upon the reasons two high priests (first century Popes) called for Jesus’ death. How do you envision the tone of Jesus when he speaks here? What does Peter’s denial mean to you?
Friday: Let’s see how the story of Peter’s denial of Jesus is resolved. Read John 21:15-19. This takes place after the resurrection. How many times does Jesus ask about Peter’s love? What is the significance of this? What did this story mean to Peter? To you?
Copyright 0 2006, The United Methodist Church of the Resurrection.
13720 Roe, Leawood, Kansas 66224, (913) 897-0120 voice, (913) 897-0361 fax http://www.cor.org