Luke Chapter 22

vs 51

Jesus pre-empts the oncoming rumble by taking charge and healing the hurts. Like some sort of ministry of reconciliation.

vs 52

So this verse gives us a fair idea of who the crowd is made up of. As you can see, it's not a friendly crowd. But Jesus questions their small army as to its effectiveness. Why bring such a force to arrest a blasphemer?

vs 53

He points out his availability every day in front of the crowds, but what is done in secret is usually done against God (I guess praying and giving are exceptions).

Of course, it's probably literally dark, but it's also symbolically dark - the light of the world (not that Luke uses that term) is being caught by the forces of darkness.

vs 54

John followed too, but that doesn't get recorded, because Peter is the man of the hour here. They didn't take him to court, because I guess it starts off as a religious matter. Also, it's the middle of the night.

vs 55

Weird to think of Peter sitting in the courtyard of his Lord's captors, around a fire with them. You'd sort of expect him to stand outside the door or something.

vs 56

Well, it was dark, so I guess it's possible that she wouldn't recognise him immediately. Of course, we assume a servant girl wasn't with the crowd of clubs and pitchforks, so she probably saw him with Jesus in the temple.

vs 57

If you don't know him, then why are you here and not at home in a comfy bed?

vs 58

Again someone recognises him. You can get away with contradicting a servant girl, but another male is something differrent. Yet Peter defends his ground, and even manages to sound a little tetchy.

vs 59

I'm not sure what tells a Galilean apart from a Jerusalemite, but I would assume that it would be voice or dialect, rather than looks or fashion. And this means that Peter was sitting there talking with them, sitting conversing with his teacher's captors. While there's nothing wrong with that per se, I'm assuming he wasn't defending Jesus' cause or trying to build relationships with them.

vs 60

Uh-oh. And I bet Peter didn't even think he'd get the chance to do much of anything before the rooster crowed, especially after boozing it up at the last supper. So this would have been a major shock to him.