Peter Followed from Afar

Matthew 26:57-58. “And they that had laid hold on Jesus led Him away to Caiaphas the high priest, where the scribes and the elders were assembled. But Peter followed Him afar off unto the high priest’s palace, and went in, and sat with the servants, to see the end.”

I failed to note a most important statement in the verses from yesterday’s post:  At the end of verse 56, we see the pitiful statement, “Then all the disciples forsook Him, and fled.”  How utterly sad!  When they could see that there was no saving Him from arrest, they forgot all about His great power.  They forgot how much He loved them, and that they, too, loved Him. In their great fear, all they could do was run away.

So Jesus was hustled off  to Caiaphas, the high priest, where he and the scribes and elders waited with great anticipation for His appearance before them, humbled at last in the face of their great power and authority.  This time, they had Him!  Everything was arranged, and the trial could begin immediately, with false witnesses ready and waiting to do their damage.

But wait, here’s Peter!  He followed at a safe distance, but at least he followed! When he arrived at the palace  of Caiaphas, he blended in with the servants gathered there and waited, as the scripture says, to see the end.

Did he finally get it?  Did he finally understand that Jesus must die?