John, 18
23. Jesus replied, 'If there is some offence in what I said, point it out; but if not, why do you strike me?'
23. Jesus replied, 'If there is some offence in what I said, point it out; but if not, why do you strike me?'
St. John 18 tells the arrest and judgment of Jesus before his crucifixion. The chapter begins with the betrayal of Judas Iscariot and ends with Peter denying Jesus three times. Some of the topics covered include the suffering and humiliation of Jesus, the loyalty and betrayal of his disciples, and the unjust judgment that Jesus faced.
Psalm 22:16 - "For dogs surround me; a bunch of evildoers surrounds me; they pierced my hands and feet." This prophetic psalm describes details of Jesus' crucifixion, including the fact that his hands and feet were pierced.
Isaiah 53:3 - "He was despised and the most rejected among men; man of pain and who knows what it is to suffer; and, as one of whom men hide the face, was despised, and we did not make a case." This verse describes the humiliation and suffering that Jesus faced before his death.
Matthew 26:56 - "But all this happened to fulfill the scriptures of the prophets. Then all the disciples, leaving him, fled." This verse shows how the disciples abandoned Jesus when he was arrested, fulfilling the prophecy that the pastor would be injured and the dispersed flock.
Mark 14:61 - "But he kept silence and nothing answered. They asked him again, 'Are you the Christ, the Son of the Blessed God?" This verse shows the unjust judgment that Jesus faced with the religious authorities seeking any reason to condemn him.
Luke 22:34 - "I tell you, Pedro, who will not sing the Rooster today before three times have you denied that you know me." This verse shows the sadness of Jesus in predicting that Peter would deny him three times, which happens later in chapter 18.
“Como é belo esperar!” São Padre Pio de Pietrelcina