Luke 22:54 - Printer Friendly

ESV: Then they seized him and led him away, bringing him into the high priest 's house, and Peter was following at a distance.

NIV: Then seizing him, they led him away and took him into the house of the high priest. Peter followed at a distance.

NASB: Now they arrested Him and led Him away, and brought Him to the house of the high priest; but Peter was following at a distance.

CSB: They seized him, led him away, and brought him into the high priest’s house. Meanwhile Peter was following at a distance.

NLT: So they arrested him and led him to the high priest’s home. And Peter followed at a distance.

KJV: Then took they him, and led him, and brought him into the high priest's house. And Peter followed afar off.

NKJV: Having arrested Him, they led Him and brought Him into the high priest’s house. But Peter followed at a distance.

This trial occurs at the home of Caiaphas, the high priest. Only John records that before this, the mob took him to Annas, former high priest and Caiaphas's father-in-law. Annas retains so much power that he gets to question Jesus first. John's account is short. Jesus points out that His teaching has been public, so there's no need for them to question Him. A guard strikes Him, not in punishment but because the guard felt Jesus insulted Annas (John 18:13–14, 19–24).

Caiaphas is the high priest. When Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead and the people flocked to Him, the religious leaders grew afraid that Jesus was building an army to fight the Romans. They feared He would lose and the Romans would take away the rights and authority of the Sanhedrin. So, they gathered to determine what they should do. Caiaphas said, "You know nothing at all. Nor do you understand that it is better for you that one man should die for the people, not that the whole nation should perish" (John 11:49–50). He meant that they would be justified in killing Jesus so the Romans wouldn't destroy the Jews. The Holy Spirit meant Jesus needed to die for the salvation and the reconciliation of the Jews. Fittingly, this gave the Sanhedrin the impetus they needed to find a way to kill Jesus (John 11:45–53).

Luke says nothing about the trial at Annas's home and little about the trial at Caiaphas's. His focus is on Peter's disloyalty. The chief priests, elders, and teachers of the law have a difficult time finding witnesses who can affirm Jesus has done anything wrong (Matthew 26:57–61). Two finally say that He said He would tear down the temple and rebuild it in three days (Mark 14:55–58), a claim He made early in His ministry (John 2:19). But even the two witnesses can't agree and, of course, Jesus was talking about His body that laid in the tomb for three days (Mark 14:59).

Having a trial at night is illegal. Caiaphas is trying to find a charge to bring against Jesus so he can formally convict Him in the morning before the Sanhedrin (Luke 22:66–71) and justify their demand that Pilate crucify Him (Luke 23:1–5).

Luke 22:54–62 begins the account of Jesus' trials before the religious leaders. These continue through the end of the chapter (Luke 22:71). Peter tried to physically defend Jesus (Luke 22:49–50). Now, he stands next to a relative of the man he maimed (John 18:26). Matthew 26:58, 69–75, Mark 14:54, 66–72, and John 18:15–18, 25–27 heighten the tension by going back and forth between the religious authorities' attempts to destroy Jesus by getting Him to admit He is the Messiah and Peter's attempts to save himself by denying he follows Jesus.

Luke 22 is a long chapter which records events leading to Jesus' political trials and crucifixion. He has successfully taught crowds at the temple and proved His authority over the religious leaders (Luke 19:47—20). Meanwhile the leaders have spent the week planning to arrest Jesus and have Him killed (Luke 19:47–48). This chapter records the Last Supper, the arrest on the Mount of Olives, and the trials before the Jewish religious leaders. Matthew 26, Mark 14, and John 18 cover much of the same information.

Luke 23 continues Jesus' trials before Pilate and Herod Antipas. He is then led to the cross where He forgives His murderers and saves a thief before He dies. In Luke 24, Jesus rises from the dead, meets two disciples while they travel, and explains to them how the Old Testament prophesied the death of the Messiah. In the final scene of the gospel, Jesus is reunited with His disciples, blesses them, and ascends into heaven.

Luke was a traveling companion of Paul (Acts 16:10) and a physician (Colossians 4:14). Unlike Matthew, Mark, and John, Luke writes his gospel as an historian, rather than as a first-hand eyewitness. His extensive writings also include the book of Acts (Acts 1:1–3). These are deliberately organized, carefully researched accounts of those events. The gospel of Luke focuses on the earthly ministry of Jesus Christ. Luke's Gentile perspective presents Christ as a Savior for all people, offering both forgiveness and direction to those who follow Him.