God." Neither did the question imply nor the answer furnish cause for
condemnation. The whole nation was looking for the Messiah; and if Jesus
claimed to be He, the only proper judicial action would be that of
inquiring into the merit of the claim. The crucial question followed
immediately: "Art thou then the Son of God? And he said unto them, Ye
say that I am. And they said, What need we any further witness? for we
ourselves have heard of his own mouth."[1271]

Jehovah was convicted of blasphemy against Jehovah. The only mortal
Being to whom the awful crime of blasphemy, in claiming divine
attributes and powers, was impossible, stood before the judges of Israel
condemned as a blasphemer. The "whole council," by which expression we
may possibly understand a legal quorum, was concerned in the final
action. Thus ended the miscalled "trial" of Jesus before the high-priest
and elders[1272] of His people. "And straightway in the morning the
chief priests held a consultation with the elders and scribes and the
whole council, and bound Jesus, and carried him away, and delivered him
to Pilate."[1273] During the few hours that remained to Him in
mortality, He would be in the hands of the Gentiles, betrayed and
delivered up by His own.[1274]

PETER'S DENIAL OF HIS LORD.[1275]

When Jesus was taken into custody in the Garden of Gethsemane, all the
Eleven forsook Him and fled. This is not to be accounted as certain
evidence of cowardice, for the Lord had indicated that they should
go.[1276] Peter and at least one other disciple followed afar off; and,
after the armed guard had entered the palace of the high priest with
their Prisoner, Peter "went in, and sat with the servants to see the
end." He was assisted in securing admittance by the unnamed disciple,
who was on terms of acquaintanceship with the high priest. That other
disciple was in all probability John, as may be inferred from the fact
that he is mentioned only in the fourth Gospel, the author of which
characteristically refers to himself anonymously.[1277]

While Jesus was before the Sanhedrists, Peter remained below with the
servants. The attendant at the door was a young woman; her feminine
suspicions had been aroused when she admitted Peter, and as he sat with
a crowd in the palace court she came up, and having intently observed
him, said: "Thou also wast with Jesus of Galilee." But Peter denied,
averring he did not know Jesus. Peter was restless; his conscience an