Finally they get him.
Reflection on a reading from today's Church of England Lectionary. 1 October 2021. Mark 14: 53 - 65
Jesus has been arrested and is now before the Sanhedrin, the council of the religious and legal leaders. Keen to get a quick conviction before they must break for the Passover festival they parade a succession of perjuring witnesses whose accounts are so inconsistent that even the dishonest council can't convict him. Finally in desperation the Chief Priest begins to question Jesus. Having up to now remained silent Jesus now wants to make his identity known. In answer to the the question from the Chief Priest as to whether he is the Messiah, Jesus says that indeed he is and what is more that they will see him sitting at God's hand and coming down from heaven in triumph. This is an admission to the capital charge of blasphemy as far as the council is concerned and an immediate conviction is made.
Why did Jesus make the admission at this time? If he had remained silent as he had done through the earlier part of the proceedings he may not have been convicted. The simple yet far reaching answer is that this was Jesus's time. This was the right time to set in motion the events that led to his resurrection and the spread of God's kingdom.
Meanwhile, where were the disciples? Well, we know that Peter was watching from the middle of the onlooking crowd.