Who’s Really on Trial?

In this message covering the end of Matthew 26, Chuck Swindoll examines the "dark part" of the Passion narrative, contrasting the unjust public trial of Jesus with the private spiritual failure of Peter. Swindoll notes that while the "horizontal" perspective of these events reveals cruelty and unfairness, the "vertical" perspective reveals a theological triumph: the sinless Savior was taking on sin so that believers might receive the righteousness of God [1, 20–22]. The sermon dissects the illegality of Jesus’ trial before Caiaphas. Taking place around 3:00 in the morning, the proceedings violated Jewish legal codes that prohibited night trials and required a delay before issuing a verdict. Swindoll highlights the corruption of the religious leaders, who sought false witnesses and eventually forced a charge of blasphemy when Jesus affirmed He was the Messiah [28–31, 37]. Simultaneously, the message tracks Peter’s descent from confidence to collapse. While Jesus remained silent and dignified under abuse, Peter, hiding in the shadows, denied his Lord three times to save his own skin. Swindoll integrates details from Luke 22 to show the crushing moment when the rooster crowed and Jesus made eye contact with Peter. The sermon concludes by urging compassion rather than judgment toward Peter, reminding listeners that "we all have some Peter in us" and challenging them to live with integrity in a world that is watching their lives [25–26, 53, 60].

Message Key Facts:

• The Six Trials: Swindoll explains that Jesus faced a total of six trials—three Jewish (religious) and three Roman (civil)—because the Jews did not have the authority to execute capital punishment under Roman rule [18–19].
• The Doctrine of Imputation: Swindoll defines the heart of the Gospel as a "magnificent tradeoff": Christ, who knew no sin, became sin so that God could impute (credit) His righteousness to the believer [21–22].
• The Illegal Night Court: The trial before Caiaphas likely occurred around 3:00 AM. Swindoll notes that Jewish law forbade trials at night and required the council to eat light food and sleep for a day before rendering a verdict—rules the council ignored in their rush to judgment [29–31].
• The "Gallean Accent": During the third denial, bystanders recognized Peter because of his accent. Swindoll likens this to how easily one can identify a person from Texas or New Jersey today; Peter could not hide his origins [45–48].
• Peter’s Oath: When Peter denied Jesus the third time, he "swore a curse." Swindoll clarifies this was not just profanity, but a severe legal formula meaning, "May I be damned by God if I am lying" [48–49].
• The Look of Jesus: Citing Luke 22:61, Swindoll points out that three events happened simultaneously: Peter denied Jesus, the rooster crowed, and Jesus turned and looked directly at Peter. This glance caused Peter to remember the prediction and weep bitterly [52–55].
• The Soviet Church Illustration: Swindoll tells a true story from the 1980s about Soviet soldiers who threatened to shoot a congregation if they did not renounce their faith. After the wavering members fled, the soldiers revealed they were actually secret believers who had learned that "no one can be trusted unless he is willing to die for his faith" [63–67].
• Compassion for Peter: Swindoll argues against "heaping guilt" on Peter, suggesting that his bitter weeping was the first step toward repentance and that believers today often fail to keep their own promises to God [56–57].

Message References:

• Matthew 26:57–68: The trial of Jesus before Caiaphas, the false witnesses, and the charge of blasphemy [3–5, 37].
• Matthew 26:69–75: The narrative of Peter’s three denials in the courtyard [5–6].
• Luke 22:61: "The Lord turned and looked at Peter" (referenced to supplement Matthew's account).
• 2 Corinthians 5:21: "He who knew no sin became sin on our behalf that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him".
• Matthew 26:64: Jesus’ affirmation of His identity: "You will see the Son of Man seated in the place of power... and coming in the clouds of heaven".

Message Speaker:

Pastor Chuck Swindoll