Mat 26:69-75 | KingComments | STEP | Peter, who followed the Lord at a distance, has arrived in the courtyard of the high priest. There he has taken a seat among the enemies of the Lord who are warming themselves by a fire. He thinks he can stay there unnoticed to see what is happening to his Lord. Then a servant-girl comes to him who recognizes him as someone who was with “Jesus the Galilean”. What must have gone through Peter’s mind when the servant-girl said this to him. He wanted to be unknown, he hoped no one would recognize him in the dark. Because of this observation he has to show his true colors. The girl did not ask a question, she established a fact. Then the great apostle, the first of the twelve, seeks an excuse. He pretends not to know what the servant-girl is talking about. This is tantamount to denial. It is a denial that he belongs to the Lord Jesus. All who are there hear him express his denial. Because it has become dangerous for him there, he moves away from that place. He wants to leave the court and goes to the front gate. But there too is a servant-girl who recognizes him. She says that he belongs to “Jesus of Nazareth”. In the first case Peter is addressed personally. In this case, the woman’s comment is addressed to all those who are there. Peter again denies that he knows Him. This time his denial is stronger. He swears that he does not know Him. He also calls Him “man”, as if the Lord were no more than that. Peter is not yet at the low point of his denial. The fall has yet to be made complete, as the Lord foretold. It is not a moment of weakness. It is a situation in which Peter has voluntarily entered. The Lord uses that situation to teach Peter what is in himself and that he is no better than the other disciples. For the third time there will be a recognition of his relationship with the Lord Jesus, this time from a whole group. They come to him and confirm what the woman has noticed. They recognize Peter not only by his appearance, but also by his accent. Peter betrays himself through his accent which he cannot deny. Then the fall of Peter becomes complete. In even more powerful terms, in which he even curses, he repeats his earlier statement and declares under oath that he does not know the “man”. As soon as Peter has pronounced his third denial, the rooster crows, as the Lord foretold. That reminds Peter of the word of the Lord. This word is now doing its work in his conscience. Crushed by guilt, he goes out and weeps bitterly. His conscience is deeply touched and convinced of sin. This is the result of the work of the Lord Jesus as the Advocate with the Father ( ). “Jesus Christ, the righteous”, prayed for him that his faith would not fail ( ). Therefore he goes out to weep bitterly and not to hang himself, like Judas ( ). His tears cannot erase his guilt, but they prove by grace the existence of the sincerity of his heart. They testify of that powerlessness for which even sincerity of heart is no remedy. Only close attachment to Christ, faith in His word and distrust in ourselves save us from falling. I may find myself in situations where I deny the Lord and treat Him as nothing more than a ‘man’. When I put forward my own views on a matter because I am afraid to say what the Lord thinks about it in His Word, I deny Him. Then to me He is no more than a man, that is, no more than I am. In reality I am lowering Him and not giving Him the rights He has over my life. Christ wants to remind me of this in His grace, and I must confess that. Then restoration can follow.

‏ Matthew 26:69-75

Peter Denies the Lord

Peter, who followed the Lord at a distance, has arrived in the courtyard of the high priest. There he has taken a seat among the enemies of the Lord who are warming themselves by a fire. He thinks he can stay there unnoticed to see what is happening to his Lord. Then a servant-girl comes to him who recognizes him as someone who was with “Jesus the Galilean”. What must have gone through Peter’s mind when the servant-girl said this to him. He wanted to be unknown, he hoped no one would recognize him in the dark. Because of this observation he has to show his true colors. The girl did not ask a question, she established a fact.

Then the great apostle, the first of the twelve, seeks an excuse. He pretends not to know what the servant-girl is talking about. This is tantamount to denial. It is a denial that he belongs to the Lord Jesus. All who are there hear him express his denial.

Because it has become dangerous for him there, he moves away from that place. He wants to leave the court and goes to the front gate. But there too is a servant-girl who recognizes him. She says that he belongs to “Jesus of Nazareth”. In the first case Peter is addressed personally. In this case, the woman’s comment is addressed to all those who are there. Peter again denies that he knows Him. This time his denial is stronger. He swears that he does not know Him. He also calls Him “man”, as if the Lord were no more than that.

Peter is not yet at the low point of his denial. The fall has yet to be made complete, as the Lord foretold. It is not a moment of weakness. It is a situation in which Peter has voluntarily entered. The Lord uses that situation to teach Peter what is in himself and that he is no better than the other disciples.

For the third time there will be a recognition of his relationship with the Lord Jesus, this time from a whole group. They come to him and confirm what the woman has noticed. They recognize Peter not only by his appearance, but also by his accent. Peter betrays himself through his accent which he cannot deny.

Then the fall of Peter becomes complete. In even more powerful terms, in which he even curses, he repeats his earlier statement and declares under oath that he does not know the “man”.

As soon as Peter has pronounced his third denial, the rooster crows, as the Lord foretold. That reminds Peter of the word of the Lord. This word is now doing its work in his conscience. Crushed by guilt, he goes out and weeps bitterly. His conscience is deeply touched and convinced of sin.

This is the result of the work of the Lord Jesus as the Advocate with the Father (1Jn 2:1). “Jesus Christ, the righteous”, prayed for him that his faith would not fail (Lk 22:32). Therefore he goes out to weep bitterly and not to hang himself, like Judas (Mt 27:5).

His tears cannot erase his guilt, but they prove by grace the existence of the sincerity of his heart. They testify of that powerlessness for which even sincerity of heart is no remedy. Only close attachment to Christ, faith in His word and distrust in ourselves save us from falling.

I may find myself in situations where I deny the Lord and treat Him as nothing more than a ‘man’. When I put forward my own views on a matter because I am afraid to say what the Lord thinks about it in His Word, I deny Him. Then to me He is no more than a man, that is, no more than I am. In reality I am lowering Him and not giving Him the rights He has over my life. Christ wants to remind me of this in His grace, and I must confess that. Then restoration can follow.