Category: New Testament
Scriptures:
Matthew 26:69-26:75
Mark 14:66-14:72
Luke 22:54-22:62
John 18:15-18:18
John18:25-18:26
Matthew 26:69-26:75
69 Now Peter was sitting outside in the court, and a maid came to him, saying, “You were also with Jesus, the Galilean!”
70 But he denied it before them all, saying, “I don’t know what you are talking about.”
71 When he had gone out onto the porch, someone else saw him, and said to those who were there, “This man also was with Jesus of Nazareth.”
72 Again he denied it with an oath, “I don’t know the man.”
73 After a little while those who stood by came and said to Peter, “Surely you are also one of them, for your speech makes you known.”
74 Then he began to curse and to swear, “I don’t know the man!” Immediately the rooster crowed.
75 Peter remembered the word which Jesus had said to him, “Before the rooster crows, you will deny me three times.” He went out and wept bitterly.
Mark 14:66-14:72
66 As Peter was in the courtyard below, one of the maids of the high priest came,
67 and seeing Peter warming himself, she looked at him, and said, “You were also with the Nazarene, Jesus!”
68 But he denied it, saying, “I neither know, nor understand what you are saying.” He went out on the porch, and the rooster crowed.
69 The maid saw him, and began again to tell those who stood by, “This is one of them.”
70 But he again denied it. After a little while again those who stood by said to Peter, “You truly are one of them, for you are a Galilean, and your speech shows it.”
71 But he began to curse, and to swear, “I don’t know this man of whom you speak!”
72 The rooster crowed the second time. Peter remembered the word, how that Jesus said to him, “Before the rooster crows twice, you will deny me three times.” When he thought about that, he wept.
Luke 22:54-22:62
54 They seized him, and led him away, and brought him into the high priest’s house. But Peter followed from a distance.
55 When they had kindled a fire in the middle of the courtyard, and had sat down together, Peter sat among them.
56 A certain servant girl saw him as he sat in the light, and looking intently at him, said, “This man also was with him.”
57 He denied Jesus, saying, “Woman, I don’t know him.”
58 After a little while someone else saw him, and said, “You also are one of them!” But Peter answered, “Man, I am not!”
59 After about one hour passed, another confidently affirmed, saying, “Truly this man also was with him, for he is a Galilean!”
60 But Peter said, “Man, I don’t know what you are talking about!” Immediately, while he was still speaking, a rooster crowed.
61 The Lord turned, and looked at Peter. Then Peter remembered the Lord’s word, how he said to him, “Before the rooster crows you will deny me three times.”
62 He went out, and wept bitterly.
John 18:15-18:18
15 Simon Peter followed Jesus, as did another disciple. Now that disciple was known to the high priest, and entered in with Jesus into the court of the high priest;
16 but Peter was standing at the door outside. So the other disciple, who was known to the high priest, went out and spoke to her who kept the door, and brought in Peter.
17 Then the maid who kept the door said to Peter, “Are you also one of this man’s disciples?” He said, “I am not.”
18 Now the servants and the officers were standing there, having made a fire of coals, for it was cold. They were warming themselves. Peter was with them, standing and warming himself.
John18:25-18:26
25 Now Simon Peter was standing and warming himself. They said therefore to him, “You aren’t also one of his disciples, are you?” He denied it, and said, “I am not.”
26 One of the servants of the high priest, being a relative of him whose ear Peter had cut off, said, “Didn’t I see you in the garden with him?”
Commentary
It’s commonly held that Peter denied Jesus out of abject fear. Like the other disciples, he had heard Jesus’ explanation of His coming death and yet reacted as one using trauma coping mechanisms. Much is also made of Judas’ betrayal of Jesus, although the other disciples fled the scene. Judas intentionally, willfully, and premeditatedly gave Jesus up to be arrested (Matthew 26:14-16). As for the other ten disciples, it is unclear whether they were questioned or otherwise held to account by strangers the way Peter was. From how the Gospels describe it, they fled and hid together. While Peter denied Jesus, he also placed himself in a position physically close to Jesus’ trial to be near Him in some way.
Perhaps Peter was angry that this was the plan. He didn’t want Jesus to suffer but to ride out in glory; similar hypotheses have been made about Judas. Neither man wanted to face the reality of Jesus not doing what they hoped He would do. Most importantly, the denial fulfilled Jesus’ prophecy.
Despite Peter’s protestations, Jesus reveals that Peter will deny Him, yet He does not cast him out of the group. Rather, Peter receives the same instruction and encouragement as his peers. After the resurrection, Jesus appears multiple times, and on one occasion, asks Peter three times if he loves Him (some would say one for each time he denied knowing Jesus). When Peter affirms he loves Jesus, Jesus gives him the charge to care for the believers. Peter’s response (John 21:15) indicates that he knew Jesus understood his denial was impulsive.
Jesus knew that Peter would deny him, and He loved him anyway. Similarly, He understands that the pressures of this life wear on us and can cause us to waver in our resolve. The Bible says, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us...” (1 John 1:9). Jesus allowed his “faithlessness” for a time for the greater faith that would come after the resurrection. As 2 Timothy 2:13 says, “If we are faithless, he remains faithful—for he cannot deny himself.”