Remembering the Story:

A Devotional Guide for Holy Week-2013

Wednesday:  Trial and Denial:  Following from a Distance

Sing:    Ah, Holy Jesus, how hast thou offended, that we to judge thee have in hate pretended?  By foes derided, by thine own rejected, O most afflicted!

Who was the guilty?  Who brought this upon thee?  Alas, my treason, Jesus, hath undone thee!

’Twas I, Lord Jesus, I it was denied thee; I crucified thee.

“Ah, Holy Jesus”—word by Johann Heermann, trans. By Robert S. Bridges.  Hymn No. 289 in The United Methodist Hymnal.

Read:   Luke 22:54-71

Reflect on the Story:

Following Jesus’ arrest, Peter followed “at a distance” (Luke 22:54).  The one who, just hours earlier, had bragged that he would go to prison and to death with Jesus (see v. 33) now lagged behind.

In reading this story, we often focus on Peter’s response to the servant-girl’s charge that “This man also was with him” (v. 56).  To be sure, Peter’s response to the servant-girl’s question (“Woman, I do not know him”—v. 57) was dramatic—in part because Jesus had told Peter that this was going to happen.  But in a very real sense, Peter’s denial took place earlier.  Peter denied his Lord when Peter decided to keep his distance (v. 54) when Jesus needed him most.

I wonder what thoughts went through Peter’s mind as he followed his Lord at a distance.  Was he planning a strategy to rescue Jesus from the clutches of the temple police?  Was he waiting to strike for an “opportune time” that never came?  Did he rationalize his choice by concluding that there was nothing he could do?  Or did Peter simply panic in fear?

Whatever Peter’s motive and thought process may have been, his denial already had taken place.  Three times he told the people standing around the fire in the courtyard that he didn’t know Jesus—but those denials were confirming the inner denial that already had taken place.  “I do not know what you are talking about” (v. 60).  When the sound of the cock crowing split the quiet of the night like blaring siren, an alarm brought Peter to awareness of what he had already done—at a distance.  Peter knew, and Peter “wept bitterly” (Luke 22:62).

Reflect on Your Story:

1.      Reflect upon a time that you kept your distance from someone.  Did you do so consciously or unconsciously?  In doing so, did you cut yourself off completely from the other person?  Why?  Or did you stay close enough to see what was taking place in the other person’s life?  If so, why was this important to you?  In either case, how did you feel about your actions at that time?  How do you feel about your actions now?

2.      Is there a time and a place for keeping distance?  How do you tell the difference?

3.      We can be so creative in devising ways to keep our distance.  Are there ways that you have kept distant from God?  Have you consciously placed distance or other barriers between you and God or has someone else or something else intervened?  What risk would you take in removing those barriers?

Pray:    Lord Jesus:  Where have I denied you?  Lord, have mercy.  Amen