March 31, 2026 | Be Connected
Betrayal and Denial
Scripture: John 18:1-27(NIV)
1 When he had finished praying, Jesus left with his disciples and crossed the Kidron Valley. On the other side there was a garden, and he and his disciples went into it.
2 Now Judas, who betrayed him, knew the place, because Jesus had often met there with his disciples. 3 So Judas came to the garden, guiding a detachment of soldiers and some officials from the chief priests and the Pharisees. They were carrying torches, lanterns and weapons.
4 Jesus, knowing all that was going to happen to him, went out and asked them, “Who is it you want?”
5 “Jesus of Nazareth,” they replied.
“I am he,” Jesus said. (And Judas the traitor was standing there with them.) 6 When Jesus said, “I am he,” they drew back and fell to the ground.
7 Again he asked them, “Who is it you want?”
“Jesus of Nazareth,” they said.
8 Jesus answered, “I told you that I am he. If you are looking for me, then let these men go.” 9 This happened so that the words he had spoken would be fulfilled: “I have not lost one of those you gave me.”
10 Then Simon Peter, who had a sword, drew it and struck the high priest’s servant, cutting off his right ear. (The servant’s name was Malchus.)
11 Jesus commanded Peter, “Put your sword away! Shall I not drink the cup the Father has given me?”
12 Then the detachment of soldiers with its commander and the Jewish officials arrested Jesus. They bound him 13 and brought him first to Annas, who was the father-in-law of Caiaphas, the high priest that year. 14 Caiaphas was the one who had advised the Jewish leaders that it would be good if one man died for the people.
15 Simon Peter and another disciple were following Jesus. Because this disciple was known to the high priest, he went with Jesus into the high priest’s courtyard, 16 but Peter had to wait outside at the door. The other disciple, who was known to the high priest, came back, spoke to the servant girl on duty there and brought Peter in.
17 “You aren’t one of this man’s disciples too, are you?” she asked Peter.
He replied, “I am not.”
18 It was cold, and the servants and officials stood around a fire they had made to keep warm. Peter also was standing with them, warming himself.
19 Meanwhile, the high priest questioned Jesus about his disciples and his teaching.
20 “I have spoken openly to the world,” Jesus replied. “I always taught in synagogues or at the temple, where all the Jews come together. I said nothing in secret. 21 Why question me? Ask those who heard me. Surely they know what I said.”
22 When Jesus said this, one of the officials nearby slapped him in the face. “Is this the way you answer the high priest?” he demanded.
23 “If I said something wrong,” Jesus replied, “testify as to what is wrong. But if I spoke the truth, why did you strike me?” 24 Then Annas sent him bound to Caiaphas the high priest.
25 Meanwhile, Simon Peter was still standing there warming himself. So they asked him, “You aren’t one of his disciples too, are you?”
He denied it, saying, “I am not.”
26 One of the high priest’s servants, a relative of the man whose ear Peter had cut off, challenged him, “Didn’t I see you with him in the garden?” 27 Again Peter denied it, and at that moment a rooster began to crow.
Devotional
ACT 1 - GARDEN OF GETHSEMANE
As Jesus and his disciples leave the city walls of Jerusalem, they cross the large Kidron Valley and enter a garden - the Garden of Gethsemane. This beautiful garden sits at the bottom of the Mount of Olives. Some of the olive trees are old enough to have been around at the time of Jesus! How amazing! But it’s here, in this serene garden, that Jesus is betrayed and arrested. As Jesus predicted, his disciples have all fallen away and left him in the garden to face his arrest alone. All except for Peter. In Chapter 13, during their last meal together, we learned that Peter declared that he would give up his life for Jesus. And here in the garden, Peter displayed his brashness once again as he raised his sword to attack the high priest’s servant. I wondered why he had brought a sword at all! But instead of praising him, Jesus scolded Peter, saying, “Put your sword away! Shall I not drink the cup the Father has given me?” What Peter simply does not understand is that violence has no place in Jesus’ mission and that Jesus is fulfilling God’s plan.
ACT 2 - PALACE OF THE HIGH PRIEST
Trekking all the way across the Kidron Valley once again, Jesus was brought to the Palace of the High Priest. As Jesus was being harshly interrogated inside the palace, close by in the courtyard Peter was experiencing his own kind of interrogation. Three times he was accused of being one of Jesus’ disciples, and three times he denied it. Boldly denied it! Emphatically denied it! Swearing in fact! All the confidence and conviction he displayed earlier was now disintegrating into fear and cowardice. So much for his saying, “I will lay down my life for you.” He couldn’t even admit that he knew Jesus! What a contrast - Jesus, standing strong and resolute before the authorities, and Peter, crumbling before his insignificant questioners. But Jesus had predicted it and Peter realized what he had done when the rooster began to crow.
ACT 3 - TODAY
On my recent trip to Israel, two of the most emotional locations for me were the Garden of Gethsemane and the Palace of the High Priest. Being in the very same garden where Jesus knelt and prayed is something I will never forget. I was also truly moved by being in the courtyard where Peter’s denials took place. Standing before an amazing statue in that courtyard depicting Peter and his three questioners, I asked myself, “What would I have done? Would I have denied Jesus?”.
What would you have done?
