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The mocking revilings of these groups of people around the cross seem nothing compared to Apostle Peter’s earlier three denials of Christ in public, at a time and place when humanly He would have welcomed moral support. “I don’t even know Him!”

All the other disciples, except Apostle John, had also forsaken Jesus. They fled and followed Him at a distance after He was arrested in the garden. Annas, the former high priest, designed a sadistic way of tormenting Jesus, questioning Him about His teaching and His disciples in John 18:19 “The high Priest then asked Jesus of his disciples, and of his doctrine.” The inquiry and interrogation concerning His supposedly faithful followers were far more excruciating than lashes inflicted upon His bare back. “Tell me about your disciples. Why aren’t they here? What are they doing now?   Where are they hiding? Tell me about Judas, Peter, James, Bartholomew, Matthew, Simon and the others.” Jesus chose painful silence for His answer. Such a toughening process prepared Him for more emotional insults and physical tortures yet to come at the cross.

God’s wisest saints often choose to endure pain rather than escape it. Someone penned these lines; “To be released from sorrow, from sickness, weariness and pain. To be released from sin’s enslavement, from Satan’s enslavement, from Satan’s influence and domain. Could this be death?”

Our Lord Jesus Christ paid the full price with His own precious Blood to save all. We cannot add to the sacrifice made by our Lord Jesus. We cannot earn our right to be in His presence. Yet there is a sense in which we may be able to share in His suffering – bearing the cost of following Him.  Luke 9:23 “And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.”
And let us pray with the repentant sinner who was saved – who spoke vital words; “Jesus, Lord remember me when you comest into thy Kingdom.” Let us learn from the Lamb and hold fast to the promise of our Lord – 2 Corinthians 12:9 “And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee:  for my strength is made perfect in weakness.”