Denial of St. Peter, Gerret van Honthort |
Quiet
Spirit: Hello. Today we have with us one who can tell us a bit
about one of the events at the house of Caiaphas, the High Priest. Welcome!
Would you like to give us your name and tell us a little bit about yourself?
Servant
Girl: Thank you for
asking me to visit your blog today. It is an honor to be here. My name is not
important; it is long forgotten in history. I was a servant girl in the house
of Caiaphas, the High Priest. His family chose me to be in their service when
Caiaphas received his appointment from a Roman official. When I had been in
service for 15 years, the Feast of Passover brought tensions to Jerusalem. The
religious leaders brought that rabbi, Jesus, to Caiaphas to go on trial.
Q.
S.: Did
you have knowledge of who Jesus was? Had you ever heard Him teach?
S.
G.: A
few days before the night in question, I was returning from purchasing supplies
for the household in preparation for the Seder meal. I came upon a large group
of people as they listened to the Rabbi preach. I asked a woman in the crowd
who that Rabbi was. She told me he was Jesus. Another man stood close to this
Jesus. I asked who that man was. She told me the second man was Cephas, who
also was called Peter.
S. G.: Some of the others
who were in service built a fire in the yard. A lot of people who were in town
for the feast began to arrive at the gate. Soldiers brought in this Jesus for
Caiaphas to interview. When the crowd brought that man Jesus into the
courtyard, one of his followers came with him. Later, I recognized someone
among the people who had been allowed to come into the yard. My friend told me
this man hesitated outside the gate, talking to another man. That first man
entered the yard and said something to one of the senior servants who went to
Caiaphas’ son-in-law, Annas, conversed with him and returned to that first
man. The senior servant accompanied him to the gate and spoke to the one
waiting on the other side. The second man entered the yard and headed to the
fire to get warm. I stood right by him and realized he had been with the
Galilean. I told him that he had been with the Nazarene, but he responded with
anger as he denied it. Suddenly, a rooster crowed and this man standing by the
fire broke down and started sobbing. He then bolted
from the fire and into the crowd.
Q.
S.: Is
there anything else you remember happening that night?
S.
G.: Later,
those in service talked about the events of the evening. Two others had confronted
this man with the fact that he had been with this rabbi. Each time, he became agitated
and, when I spoke with him, he seemed to not be able to contain himself any
longer.
Q.
S.: Servant
Girl, you have given us new insight into the events of that event at the high priest’s
home. Thank you for stopping by.
S.
G.: Thank
you for inviting me.