It's been a long time since I listened to Jesus Christ Superstar and I haven't seen The Passion or The Gospel of John the film so I don't how their producers chose to handle John, Chapter 18. I do know that the versions of the Bible that I have read don't read well and that applying a transposition-of-text theory leads to text that makes more sense. I believe that the King James' version of the Bible, the New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures, and the American Standard Version of the Holy Bible all perpetuate an early copy of the Bible, perhaps as early as 100 C.E., that deviates from the original writings of John. I belive the original writings of John are more faithfully rendered in the first column of the following table.
| John 18:12-27 using the language of the New World Translation, but with the verses in their correct order. | What Happened | The Holy Bible King James Version |
New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures (Jehovah's Witnesses) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Then the soldier band and their commander and the officers of the Jews seized Jesus and bound him, | Then the band and the captain and the officers of the Jews took Jesus, and bound him, | Then the soldier band and the military commander and the officers of the Jews seized Jesus and bound him, | |
| and they led him to Annas: for he was father-in-law to Caiaphas, who was the high priest that year. | NOTE: In all three accounts Jesus was being taken to Annas, the chief priest. Caiaphas was high priest (John 11:49). | And led him away to Annas first; for he was father in law to Caiaphas, which was the high priest that same year. | and they led him to Annas: for he was father-in-law to Caiaphas, who was high priest that year. |
| Caiphas was in fact the one who counseled the Jews that it was to their benefit for one man to die in behalf of the people. | A scribe, who was not paying attention to what he was doing, was distracted by John's reference to Caiaphas the high priest. Instead of preserving the story on the left, he jumped to the text describing the events at the high priest's palace. Which eventually lead to the mistaken texts on the right | Now Caiaphas was he, which gave counsel to the Jews, that it was expedient that one man should die for the people. | Caiphas was in fact the one that counseled the Jews that it was to their benefit for one man to die in behalf of the people. |
| And so the chief priest questioned Jesus about his teaching. | And Simon Peter followed Jesus, and so did another disciple: that disciple was known unto the high priest, and went in with Jesus into the palace of the high priest. | Now Simon Peter as well as another disciple was following Jesus. That disciple was known to the high priest, and he went in with Jesus into the courtyard of the high priest, | |
| Jesus answered him, "I have spoken to the world publicly. I always taught in the synagogue and in the temple, where all the Jews come together; and I spoke nothing in secret. | But peter stood at the door without. Then went out the other desciple, which was known unto the high priest, and spake unto her that kept the door, and brought in Peter. | but Peter was standing outside at the door. Therefore the other disciple, who was known to the high priest, went out and spoke to the doorkeeper and brought Peter in. | Why do you question me? Question those who have heard what I spoke to them. See! These know what I said." | Peter denied Jesus. |
Then saith the damsel that kept the door unto Peter, Art not thou also one of this man's disciples? He saith, I am not. | The servant girl, the doorkeeper, then said to Peter: "You are not also one of this man's disciples are you?" He said: "I am not." |
| After he said these things, one of the officers that was standing by gave Jesus a slap in the face and said, "Is that the way you answer the chief priest?" | Peter warmed himself. |
And the servants and officers stood there, who had made a fire of coals; for it was cold: and they warmed themselves: and Peter stood with them and warmed himself. | Now the slaves and the officers were standing about, as they had built a charcoal fire, because it was cold, and they were warming themselves. Peter also was standing with them and warming himself. |
| Jesus answered him, "If I spoke wrongly, bear witness concerning the wrong; but if rightly, why do you hit me?" | According to the far right text, the chief priest was spending the night at the palace of the high priest. | The high priest then asked Jesus of his disciples, and of his doctrine. | And so the chief priest questioned Jesus about his disciples and about his teaching. |
| Then Annas sent him away bound to Caiaphas the high priest. | Jesus answered him, "I spake openly to the world; I ever taught in the synagogue, and in the temple, whither the Jews always resort; and in secret have I said nothing. | Jesus answered him: "I have spoken to the world publicly. I always taught in a synagogue and in the temple, where all the Jews come to gather; and I spoke nothing in secret. | |
| Now Simon Peter as well as another disciple was following Jesus. That disciple was known to the high priest, and he went in with Jesus into the courtyard of the high priest, | Why askest thou me? ask them which heard me, what I have said unto them; behold they know what I said. | Why do you question me? Question those who have heard what I spoke to them. See! These know what I said." | |
| but Peter was standing outside at the door. Therefore the other desciple, who was known to the high priest, went out and spoke to the doorkeeper and brought Peter in. | The near right text says Jesus was answering the high priest. The far right text says it was the chief priest. | And when he had thus spoken, one of the officers which stood by struck Jesus with the palm of his hand, saying, Answerest thou the high priest so? | After he said these things, one of the officers that was standing by gave Jesus a slap in the face and said: "Is that the way you answer the chief priest?" |
| The servant girl, the doorkeeper, then said to Peter, "You are not also one of the man's disciples are you?" He said, "I am not." | Peter denied Jesus. |
Jesus answered him, If I have spoken evil, bear witness of the evil; but if well, why smitest thou me? | Jesus answered him: "If I spoke wrongly, bear witness concerning the wrong; but if rightly, why do you hit me?" |
| Now the slaves and the officers were standing about, as they had built a charcoal fire, because it was cold, and they were warming themselves. | According to the near right text, Jesus was just struck for his answer to the high priest. He couldn't be sent to him. He was already there. According to the far right text, the high priest was not spending the night at his own home. | Now Annas had sent him bound unto Caiaphas the high priest. | Then Annas sent him away bound to Caiaphas the high priest. |
| Peter also was standing with them and warming himself. Then they said to him, "You are not also one of his disciples are you?" He denied it and said, "I am not." | And Simon Peter stood and warmed himself. They said therefore unto him, Art not thou also one of his disciples? He denied it, and said I am not. | Now Simon Peter was standing and warming himself. Then they said to him: "You are not also one of his disciples, are you?" He denied it and said: "I am not." | |
| One of the slaves of the high priest, being a relative of the man whose ear Peter cut off, said: "I saw you in the garden with him did I not?" | One of the servants of the high priest, being his kinsman whose ear Peter cut off, saith, Did not I see thee in the garden with him? | One of the slaves of the high priest, being a relative of the man whose ear Perter cut off, said: "I saw you in the garden with him did I not?" | |
| However, Peter denied it again; and immediately the cock crowed." | Peter denied again: and immediately the cock crew. | However, Peter denied it again; and immediately the cock crowed." |
When the original text of John 18:12-27 referred to Peter, it referred only to Peter's fear and his three denials of Christ. Peter stayed outside because he was afraid of being recognized and when John brought him in the doorkeeper asked him if he, also, was one of Christ's disciples and Peter denied Christ the first time. By the fire he was asked again and he denied Christ the second time. A relative of Malchus asked him and he denied Christ the third time. The story of Peter is about his three denials of Christ and the cock crowing. It is not about his warming himself at different fires around town.
Some people may wonder why Caiaphas was mentioned so early in the chapter when Jesus was not taken to his palace until later. It explained why Jesus was arrested. He was arrested on the advice that Ciaphas gave the Jews in John Chapter 11.
John told about Jesus being questioned by Annas. John told what happened to Peter at the palace of the high priest. He did not mention any questioning of Jesus at the palace of the high priest. Caiaphas did not have to question Jesus. Caiaphas already knew that Jesus of Nazareth was the Christ. In Chapter 11, John told about Lazarus being raised from the dead (a very powerful sign with many, many witnesses of both the funeral and the resurrection) and about a meeting of the Sanhedrin in which Caiaphas prophesied that Jesus would die that he should gather together in one the children of God who were scattered abroad (in contrast to just the nation of Israel). The doorkeeper at the palace of the high priest asked Peter if he was also a disciple, because she already knew that John was. During the arrest of Jesus, Peter had cut off the right ear of the slave of the high priest. The slave's name was Malchus. John also knew by sight, if not by name, the relative of Malchus who questioned Peter. The inference is that John knew Caiaphas personally, that he knew Caiaphas well enough to know what he thought.
Pilate asked Jesus if he wanted to be released. Pilate became afraid when Jesus did not answer yes. Pilate wrote a sign that said Jesus was the King of the Jews and when asked to change it, he said that what he had written he had written. That is the Gospel of John : Jesus was the Christ and things happened just as they were supposed to happen (Amen).