"If I have spoken wrongly,
bear witness to the wrong;
but if I have spoken rightly,
why do you strike me?"
(John 18:23)
Jesus is the ultimate truth, the fulfillment of all prophecies foretold. He is the word made flesh, and by His suffering, we were all saved. He has endured immense suffering, teaching us that trials shape us and draw us closer to God. His crucifixion fulfilled God's plan for salvation, demonstrating His love and grace.
The world may not always be fair, but God's justice prevails. The challenge is for us to stand firm to our faith in the Lord even when we are under pressure. We should rely on God's strength to overcome fear. Let us always seek God's guidance through prayer most especially during difficult times.
The world may twist, may bend, may break,
Unjust hands may rule and take.
The weak may cry, the lost may roam,
Seeking mercy, far from home.
But heavens watch, with steadfast sight,
Truth stands firm, beyond the night.
For every sorrow, every tear,
God’s justice whispers, ever near.
The scales of men may tilt and sway,
Yet righteousness will have its day.
No cruel word, nor selfish scheme,
Can dim the light of His redeem.
So stand in faith, walk strong, walk true,
His promises will carry through.
For though the world may fail and fall,
God reigns, in justice over all.
Lord Jesus,
In a world of trials and uncertainty, where injustice seems to reign, we turn our hearts to you, our righteous King, knowing that your justice never fails. Though the hands of men may falter, and fairness may seem distant, your truth stands firm, your mercy shines bright.
When we face struggles and oppression, help us trust in your perfect plan. Strengthen our hearts to walk in faith, knowing that your justice prevails. Guide us to be instruments of your peace, to stand for truth and righteousness, to show mercy even when wronged, and to love as you have loved us.
Lord, may we find rest in your promises, hope in your everlasting grace, and confidence in your sovereign will. For though the world may be broken, you are unshaken, and you reign forever.
Amen.
Pericope:
III: The Book of Glory
JESUS ARRESTED
John 18:1-42
1 When Jesus had spoken these words, he went forth with his disciples across the Kidron valley, where there was a garden, which he and his disciples entered.
2 Now Judas, who betrayed him, also knew the place; for Jesus often met there with his disciples.
3 So Judas, procuring a band of soldiers and some officers from the chief priests and the Pharisees, went there with lanterns and torches and weapons.
4 Then Jesus, knowing all that was to befall him, came forward and said to them, "Whom do you seek?"
5 They answered him, "Jesus of Nazareth." Jesus said to them, "I am he." Judas, who betrayed him, was standing with them.
6 When he said to them, "I am he," they drew back and fell to the ground.
7 Again he asked them, "Whom do you seek?" And they said, "Jesus of Nazareth."
8 Jesus answered, "I told you that I am he; so, if you seek me, let these men go."
9 This was to fulfil the word which he had spoken, "Of those whom thou gavest me I lost not one."
10 Then Simon Peter, having a sword, drew it and struck the high priest's slave and cut off his right ear. The slave's name was Malchus.
11 Jesus said to Peter, "Put your sword into its sheath; shall I not drink the cup which the Father has given me?"
12 So the band of soldiers and their captain and the officers of the Jews seized Jesus and bound him.
13 First they led him to Annas; for he was the father-in-law of Ca'iaphas, who was high priest that year.
14 It was Ca'iaphas who had given counsel to the Jews that it was expedient that one man should die for the people.
PETER'S FIRST DENIAL
15 Simon Peter followed Jesus, and so did another disciple. As this disciple was known to the high priest, he entered the court of the high priest along with Jesus,
16 while Peter stood outside at the door. So the other disciple, who was known to the high priest, went out and spoke to the maid who kept the door, and brought Peter in.
17 The maid who kept the door said to Peter, "Are not you also one of this man's disciples?" He said, "I am not."
18 Now the servants and officers had made a charcoal fire, because it was cold, and they were standing and warming themselves; Peter also was with them, standing and warming himself.
THE INQUIRY BEFORE ANNAS
19 The high priest then questioned Jesus about his disciples and his teaching.
20 Jesus answered him, "I have spoken openly to the world; I have always taught in synagogues and in the temple, where all Jews come together; I have said nothing secretly.
21 Why do you ask me? Ask those who have heard me, what I said to them; they know what I said."
22 When he had said this, one of the officers standing by struck Jesus with his hand, saying, "Is that how you answer the high priest?"
23 Jesus answered him, "If I have spoken wrongly, bear witness to the wrong; but if I have spoken rightly, why do you strike me?"
24 Annas then sent him bound to Ca'iaphas the high priest.
PETER DENIES JESUS AGAIN
25 Now Simon Peter was standing there keeping warm. And they said to him, “You are not one of his disciples, are you?” He denied it and said, “I am not.”
26 One of the slaves of the high priest, a relative of the one whose ear Peter had cut off, said, “Didn’t I see you in the garden with him?”
27 Again Peter denied it. And immediately the cock crowed.
THE TRIAL BEFORE PILATE
28 Then they brought Jesus from Caiaphas to the praetorium. It was morning. And they themselves did not enter the praetorium, in order not to be defiled so that they could eat the Passover.
29 So Pilate came out to them and said, “What charge do you bring against this man?”
30 They answered and said to him, “If he were not a criminal, we would not have handed him over to you.”
31 At this, Pilate said to them, “Take him yourselves, and judge him according to your law.” The Jews answered him, “We do not have the right to execute anyone,”
32 in order that the word of Jesus might be fulfilled that he said indicating the kind of death he would die.
33 So Pilate went back into the praetorium and summoned Jesus and said to him, “Are you the King of the Jews?”
34 Jesus answered, “Do you say this on your own or have others told you about me?”
35 Pilate answered, “I am not a Jew, am I? Your own nation and the chief priests handed you over to me. What have you done?”
36 Jesus answered, “My kingdom does not belong to this world. If my kingdom did belong to this world, my attendants would be fighting to keep me from being handed over to the Jews. But as it is, my kingdom is not here.”
37 So Pilate said to him, “Then you are a king?” Jesus answered, “You say I am a king. For this I was born and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone who belongs to the truth listens to my voice.”
38 Pilate said to him, “What is truth?” When he had said this, he again went out to the Jews and said to them, “I find no guilt in him.
39 But you have a custom that I release one prisoner to you at Passover. Do you want me to release to you the King of the Jews?”
40 They cried out again, “Not this one but Barabbas!” Now Barabbas was a revolutionary.
19:1 Then Pilate took Jesus and had him scourged.
2 And the soldiers wove a crown out of thorns and placed it on his head, and clothed him in a purple cloak,
3 and they came to him and said, “Hail, King of the Jews!” And they struck him repeatedly.
4 Once more Pilate went out and said to them, “Look, I am bringing him out to you, so that you may know that I find no guilt in him.”
5 So Jesus came out, wearing the crown of thorns and the purple cloak. And he said to them, “Behold, the man!”
6 When the chief priests and the guards saw him they cried out, “Crucify him, crucify him!” Pilate said to them, “Take him yourselves and crucify him. I find no guilt in him.”
7 The Jews answered, “We have a law, and according to that law he ought to die, because he made himself the Son of God.”
8 Now when Pilate heard this statement, he became even more afraid,
9 and went back into the praetorium and said to Jesus, “Where are you from?” Jesus did not answer him.
10 So Pilate said to him, “Do you not speak to me? Do you not know that I have power to release you and I have power to crucify you?”
11 Jesus answered him, “You would have no power over me if it had not been given to you from above. For this reason the one who handed me over to you has the greater sin.”
12 Consequently, Pilate tried to release him; but the Jews cried out, “If you release him, you are not a Friend of Caesar. Everyone who makes himself a king opposes Caesar.”
13 When Pilate heard these words he brought Jesus out and seated him on the judge’s bench in the place called Stone Pavement, in Hebrew, Gabbatha.
14 It was preparation day for Passover, and it was about noon. And he said to the Jews, “Behold, your king!”
15 They cried out, “Take him away, take him away! Crucify him!” Pilate said to them, “Shall I crucify your king?” The chief priests answered, “We have no king but Caesar.”
16 Then he handed him over to them to be crucified.
THE CRUCIFIXION OF JESUS
17 and carrying the cross himself he went out to what is called the Place of the Skull, in Hebrew, Golgotha.
18 There they crucified him, and with him two others, one on either side, with Jesus in the middle.
19 Pilate also had an inscription written and put on the cross. It read, “Jesus the Nazarene, the King of the Jews.”
20 Now many of the Jews read this inscription, because the place where Jesus was crucified was near the city; and it was written in Hebrew, Latin, and Greek.
21 So the chief priests of the Jews said to Pilate, “Do not write ‘The King of the Jews,’ but that he said, ‘I am the King of the Jews.’”
22 Pilate answered, “What I have written, I have written.”
23 When the soldiers had crucified Jesus, they took his clothes and divided them into four shares, a share for each soldier. They also took his tunic, but the tunic was seamless, woven in one piece from the top down.
24 So they said to one another, “Let’s not tear it, but cast lots for it to see whose it will be,” in order that the passage of Scripture mightbe fulfilled that says: “They divided my garments among them, and for my vesture they cast lots.” This is what the soldiers did.
THE CRUCIFIXION OF JESUS
25 Standing by the cross of Jesus were his mother and his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary of Magdala.
26 When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple there whom he loved, he said to his mother, “Woman, behold, your son.”
27 Then he said to the disciple, “Behold, your mother.” And from that hour the disciple took her into his home.
THE CRUCIFIXION OF JESUS
28 After this, aware that everything was now finished, in order that the Scripture might be fulfilled, Jesus said, “I thirst.”
29 There was a vessel filled with common wine. So they put a sponge soaked in wine on a sprig of hyssop and put it up to his mouth.
30 When Jesus had taken the wine, he said, “It is finished.” And bowing his head, he handed over the spirit.
THE BLOOD AND WATER
31 Since it was preparation day, in order that the bodies might not remain on the cross on the sabbath, for the sabbath day of that week was a solemn one, the Jews asked Pilate that their legs be broken and they be taken down.
32 So the soldiers came and broke the legs of the first and then of the other one who was crucified with Jesus.
33 But when they came to Jesus and saw that he was already dead, they did not break his legs,
34 but one soldier thrust his lance into his side, and immediately blood and water flowed out.
35 An eyewitness has testified, and his testimony is true; he knows that he is speaking the truth, so that you also may come to believe.
36 For this happened so that the scripture passage might be fulfilled: “Not a bone of it will be broken.”
37 And again another passage says: “They will look upon him whom they have pierced.”
THE BURIAL OF JESUS
38 After this, Joseph of Arimathea, secretly a disciple of Jesus for fear of the Jews, asked Pilate if he could remove the body of Jesus. And Pilate permitted it. So he came and took his body.
39 Nicodemus, the one who had first come to him at night, also came bringing a mixture of myrrh and aloes weighing about one hundred pounds.
40 They took the body of Jesus and bound it with burial cloths along with the spices, according to the Jewish burial custom.
41 Now in the place where he had been crucified there was a garden, and in the garden a new tomb, in which no one had yet been buried.
42 So they laid Jesus there because of the Jewish preparation day; for the tomb was close by.
Reflection Source:
Conversation with Copilot
