“Betrayest thou the Son of Man,” said Jesus, “with a kiss?” He rose in fear and then drew near to do that very thing; The jealous band most surely plan ned to take away the King. Then Simon Peter drew his sword, preparing for the end, But Jesus chose to call him off — to yield and not defend. The Lord agreed to go with them, as God His Father willed. His men forsook Him there and fled, and Scripture was fulfilled. They led Him down and into town as one would lead a beast; Securely tied, He came inside the palace of the priest. But Peter followed far behind, the brazenest of all, Till he came beside the fire in the center of the hall. He feared the end was soon to come as Jesus said it would, And sat among the servants to observe as best he could. The night wore on till nearly dawn; the council sought in vain To frame a lie depicting why the Master should be slain. They hated Him without a cause—in tent on His decease, And lied about Him many times, but Jesus held His peace. At last the aged priest addressed this Son of Abraham, “Art Thou the Christ, the Son of God” And Jesus said, “I am.” He also told how God of old would honor Him in time, And thus allowed the frenzied crowd to charge Him with a crime. Men heard the cry of blasphemy and hastened to condemn, For guilt was all but proven in the sight of each of them. They spat upon the King of Kings, and smote Him on the face, And mocked the very Lord of life to put Him in disgrace. But cruelty and mockery could never cause Him fear; The gruesome scene could only mean
that death lay very near. Now Peter sat beside the fire, anxious and afraid, And heard an accusation that a certain woman made. “This man was also with Him,” she declared upon the spot. But Simon Peter turned away and said, “I know Him not.” The rugged saint had proven faint; he rose in deep despair And tried to hide amid the throng quickly assembled there. But he was apprehended twice in but a little while, And twice again denied His Lord in very vulgar style. And met the gaze of Jesus Christ whom he had failed to own. A cock was heard, a conscience stirred, and Peter went outside To bear his grief without relief in tears he couldn’t hide. The dreadful night was over and the morning came at last. The Lord was left forsaken by the faithful of the past. The council met together to decide and shape His fate, And led Him off to Pilate in an at mosphere of hate. They lied with grim reports of Him before the judgment hall; Divinely trained, the Lord remained in silence through it all. Now Pilate marveled greatly that He answered not a word To charges more offensive than the court had ever 'heard. The governor inquired of the Kingdom and the King, And wondered that His enemies had failed to prove a thing. The scene conveyed that He was made the victim of a grudge. “What hast thou done?” the royal Son was questioned by the judge. The regal Christ again declared His case before the hall, And Pilate stated he could find no fault in Him at all. (Continued on next page) 13
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