Jesus before the Sanhedrin

Matt 26:57-67

Reflection
Jesus was taken before the Sanhedrin, which was a council of men, usually 23; they sat in judgement of religious affairs.

In our reading we hear that Peter followed, to see the end.
Peter who in Matthew 16, when asked by Jesus “who do you say I am” declared “You are the Christ, the son of the living God”.

The law of Moses required two witnesses; and still they could not agree, the Sanhedrin to and froed between opinions. Questions were asked of Jesus and He remained silent. The final question “are you the Christ, son of God” a long silence, then Jesus answered “thou hast said it”.

In Peter’s eyes, he was witnessing the end, there can be no coming back from this; the High Priest tore his clothes.

When someone lets us down, hurts or moves radically away from what we imagined, and believed to be; our response tends to be isolation, rejection and anger. We turn this round and fire it back at the source of our pain, because we do not know what else to do.

Peter went on that night to strongly deny ever knowing Jesus, separating himself from a situation he could not understand; Peter wanted an end he could make sense of.

What was to unfold could not have been imagined; Jesus death and resurrection ensured there is no end – but an infinite number of beginnings for each one of us.