Peter’s Denials
TRANSLATION
(54) Then they seized Jesus and led him away, bringing him into the high priest’s house. And Peter followed at a distance. (55) And when some there had kindled a fire in the middle of the courtyard and had sat down together, Peter sat down with them. (56) A servant girl saw him sitting in the firelight. Looking at him closely, she said, “This man also was with him.” (57) But he denied it, saying, “Woman, I do not know him.” (58) A little later, someone else saw him and said, “You also are one of them.” But Peter said, “Man, I am not!” (59) About an hour later still another insisted, saying, “Truly this man was also with him, for he is a Galilean.” (60) But Peter exclaimed, “Man, I don’t know what you are talking about!” And immediately, while he was still speaking, the rooster crowed. (61) Then the Lord turned and looked at Peter. And Peter remembered the words the Lord had spoken to him, “Before the rooster crows today, you will deny me three times.” (62) And he went outside and wept bitterly.
OBSERVATIONS
Peter’s cowardice in denying his Lord three times was memorably recounted in these brief verses. Several words were emphasized by repetition: “sat/sitting” (used three times in vss. 55 & 56), “man” first referring to Peter (vss. 56 & 59) and then spoken emphatically by Peter (vss. 58 & 60), “with him” (vss. 56 & 59), and “the rooster crowed(s)” (vss. 60 & 61).
OUTLINE
I. Three times Peter denied knowing Jesus. (54-60a)
II. The rooster crowed as Jesus looked on. (60b & 61a)
III. Peter remembered Jesus’ warning and was overwhelmed with remorse. (61b & 62)
IDEA STATEMENT
Despite Jesus’ warning, Peter vehemently denied knowing his Lord three times when confronted by the bystanders and afterward experienced great remorse.
APPLICATION
Jesus’ admonition given to all the disciples, “Be on your guard,” may help to explain Peter’s cowardly behavior in denying his Lord three times the evening before the crucifixion. While awaiting the outcome of Jesus’ trial before the Sanhedrin in the courtyard outside the high priest’s house, he had clearly let down his guard in the confusion of the moment. His mind had become preoccupied with the perilousness of the situation and threat to his personal safety. He utterly forgot Jesus’ warnings and his own pledges to remain faithful no matter what happened.
Peter was by nature an impetuous, spur-of-the-moment kind of guy. On many occasions he had been the first to speak and the first to act without considering the consequences. While such an open-hearted, lovable person can be the life of the party, his undisciplined devotion needed to be brought under the Lord’s control. Part of Jesus’ training involved confronting him with the consequences of his impulsiveness and teaching him to think before speaking or acting. His three-fold denial became a watershed moment in his life. Like nothing else his utter failure forced him to face his frailty and need for standing firm in adversity. Only through this kind of training would his character become like a “rock,” the nickname Jesus had earlier bestowed on him.
After his resurrection, Jesus took special pains to restore Peter by asking him three times, “Do you love me?” Each repeated question not only reminded Peter of his three-fold denial but demonstrated to Peter the persistence of Christ’s love for him despite his shortcomings (Jn. 21:15-19). As a result of his restoration, Peter was prepared to serve Christ as an important leader of the early church until he died as a martyr. The remainder of his life would be characterized by an unwavering commitment to proclaiming Jesus as both Savior and Lord no matter what opposition he might be facing.