He knows!

Luke 22:54-23:16

Peter Denies Jesus
54 Then they seized him and led him away, bringing him into the high priest's house, and Peter was following at a distance. 55 And when they had kindled a fire in the middle of the courtyard and sat down together, Peter sat down among them. 56 Then a servant girl, seeing him as he sat in the light and looking closely at him, said, “This man also was with him.” 57 But he denied it, saying, “Woman, I do not know him.” 58 And a little later someone else saw him and said, “You also are one of them.” But Peter said, “Man, I am not.” 59 And after an interval of about an hour still another insisted, saying, “Certainly this man also was with him, for he too is a Galilean.” 60 But Peter said, “Man, I do not know what you are talking about.” And immediately, while he was still speaking, the rooster crowed. 61 And the Lord turned and looked at Peter. And Peter remembered the saying of the Lord, how he had said to him, “Before the rooster crows today, you will deny me three times.” 62 And he went out and wept bitterly.

Jesus Is Mocked
63 Now the men who were holding Jesus in custody were mocking him as they beat him. 64 They also blindfolded him and kept asking him, “Prophesy! Who is it that struck you?” 65 And they said many other things against him, blaspheming him.

Jesus Before the Council
66 When day came, the assembly of the elders of the people gathered together, both chief priests and scribes. And they led him away to their council, and they said, 67 “If you are the Christ, tell us.” But he said to them, “If I tell you, you will not believe, 68 and if I ask you, you will not answer. 69 But from now on the Son of Man shall be seated at the right hand of the power of God.” 70 So they all said, “Are you the Son of God, then?” And he said to them, “You say that I am.” 71 Then they said, “What further testimony do we need? We have heard it ourselves from his own lips.”

Jesus Before Pilate
23:1 Then the whole company of them arose and brought him before Pilate. 2 And they began to accuse him, saying, “We found this man misleading our nation and forbidding us to give tribute to Caesar, and saying that he himself is Christ, a king.” 3 And Pilate asked him, “Are you the King of the Jews?” And he answered him, “You have said so.” 4 Then Pilate said to the chief priests and the crowds, “I find no guilt in this man.” 5 But they were urgent, saying, “He stirs up the people, teaching throughout all Judea, from Galilee even to this place.”

Jesus Before Herod
6 When Pilate heard this, he asked whether the man was a Galilean. 7 And when he learned that he belonged to Herod's jurisdiction, he sent him over to Herod, who was himself in Jerusalem at that time. 8 When Herod saw Jesus, he was very glad, for he had long desired to see him, because he had heard about him, and he was hoping to see some sign done by him. 9 So he questioned him at some length, but he made no answer. 10 The chief priests and the scribes stood by, vehemently accusing him. 11 And Herod with his soldiers treated him with contempt and mocked him. Then, arraying him in splendid clothing, he sent him back to Pilate. 12 And Herod and Pilate became friends with each other that very day, for before this they had been at enmity with each other.

13 Pilate then called together the chief priests and the rulers and the people, 14 and said to them, “You brought me this man as one who was misleading the people. And after examining him before you, behold, I did not find this man guilty of any of your charges against him. 15 Neither did Herod, for he sent him back to us. Look, nothing deserving death has been done by him. 16 I will therefore punish and release him.” [1]

There is a very VERY goood reason why i put the titles on rather than emitting them (usually i would cos they're NOT part of the original Bible). These titles summarises what i wanted to discuss so i might as well use them:

- Peter Denies Jesus

- Jesus Is Mocked

- Jesus Before the Council

- Jesus Before Pilate

- Jesus Before Herod

Can you see the connection between those five instances?

22:60-62 marks the beginning of the connection so clearly:

60 But Peter said, “Man, I do not know what you are talking about.” And immediately, while he was still speaking, the rooster crowed. 61 And the Lord turned and looked at Peter. And Peter remembered the saying of the Lord, how he had said to him, “Before the rooster crows today, you will deny me three times.” 62 And he went out and wept bitterly.

It says - "Peter remembered the saying of the Lord, how He had said to Him" - can u see how redundant Luke is being? He remembered the saying, how he had said - repeating the same thing twice in the Bible usually meant something very2 important.

These three verses points out too clearly that Jesus knew - He knew what was going to happen to Him. He knew who would betray Him and He knew that He would die in such a way. HE KNEW AND HE KNOWS.

BBUT! take a look at the next four instances that happened after the denial:

22: 64-65

64 They also blindfolded him and kept asking him, “Prophesy! Who is it that struck you?” 65 And they said many other things against him, blaspheming him.

67-71

67 “If you are the Christ, tell us.” But he said to them, “If I tell you, you will not believe, 68 and if I ask you, you will not answer. 69 But from now on the Son of Man shall be seated at the right hand of the power of God.” 70 So they all said, “Are you the Son of God, then?” And he said to them, “You say that I am.” 71 Then they said, “What further testimony do we need? We have heard it ourselves from his own lips.”

32:1-3

1 Then the whole company of them arose and brought him before Pilate. 2 And they began to accuse him, saying, “We found this man misleading our nation and forbidding us to give tribute to Caesar, and saying that he himself is Christ, a king.” 3 And Pilate asked him, “Are you the King of the Jews?” And he answered him, “You have said so.”

14-16

14 and said to them, “You brought me this man as one who was misleading the people. And after examining him before you, behold, I did not find this man guilty of any of your charges against him. 15 Neither did Herod, for he sent him back to us. Look, nothing deserving death has been done by him. 16 I will therefore punish and release him.”

Can u see the irony in all of these?

The Jews kept on asking for a sign - wanting to see Him guilty and punished. the Gentiles testify that there is nothing wrong with Him.

But in all of these - if you read it more closely. There is not a hint that Jesus said anything that was different from what He had said before. He did not defend Himself nor did He attempt to explain Himself. He was it. He was the answer to all their questions - in which they too knew the answer before they even asked Him.

When the soldiers asked : "Prophesy to us!" - HE did ! he told them long ago that they were going to betray Him

When the council asked Him: "Are you the Christ?"- He is! He told them over and over again before He was brought to them

When Pilate asked Him: "Are you the King of Jews?" - He answered "You have said so" - Jesus was pointing out the obvious that Pilate himself knew

When Herod questioned Him - i too am sure that all those questions were just to make Him repeat what He had said in the past in front of the public - that's why there is no point in answering them again - because Herod would know that they are true.

Can you see?

HE knew, He knows, He had publically announced all these things that were going to happen long before they even thought of killing Him.

He knew!

He knows!

Are we still going to undermine Him?