Tuesday
Tuesday
The Denial by Peter
Then Peter remembered the word Jesus had spoken to him: “Before the rooster crows twice you will disown me three times.” And he broke down and wept.
Mark 14:72
On their way to Gethsemane Jesus had predicted that Peter would disown him. But the impetuous Peter had vehemently denied the very possibility: “Even if I have to die with you,” he said, “I will never disown you” (v. 31). Yet he did the very thing he declared he would never do.
All four evangelists record Peter’s denial of Jesus, although it is not altogether easy to harmonize their different accounts. It seems, however, that each of the three challenges and each of the three denials became more serious than its predecessor. They all took place in or near the courtyard of the high priest’s house. One might summarize them as follows:
Firstly, an anonymous servant girl accused Peter of being “with that Nazarene Jesus” (v. 67), but Peter insisted that he did not know what she was talking about.
Secondly, another girl involved others in affirming that Peter was himself “one of them” but Peter denied it on oath.
Thirdly, a group of bystanders went up to Peter and challenged him directly, saying, “Surely you are one of them, because you are a Galilean” (v. 70). Then Peter began to curse and swear and even (some commentators suggest) call down a curse on Jesus. At this a cock crowed, and Jesus looked straight at Peter. Then Peter remembered what Jesus had said to him and broke down and wept.
We must not minimize the seriousness of Peter’s denials. But nor must we underestimate the greatness of God’s forgiving and transforming grace. In due course Peter was restored and became a rocklike leader in the church.
For further reading: Mark 14:66–72