Thursday: Peter’s Denial
Jesus knew beforehand about Judas’s freewill decision to betray Him, one of many instances in the Bible showing that God’s foreknowledge of our free choices in no way infringes upon the freedom of those choices. And He knew not only of Judas’s betrayal, but also that Peter, despite all his bravado, would at the crucial moment flee and then deny Him.
Read Matthew 26:51-75. Why do you think Peter denied Jesus?
Image © Educational Concepts from GoodSalt.com
Often we have the idea that Peter denied Jesus simply because he was afraid. Yet, it was Peter (according to John 18:10) who had the courage to pull his sword against Roman soldiers! Peter was willing to go out in a blaze of glory—until Jesus stopped him.
So, what changed in Peter from the moment he’s brandishing a sword to just a little while later, when he’s denying he knows Jesus? Why did he say that he wasn’t a disciple? Why does Peter say, “‘I do not know the Man!’” (Matt. 26:72, NKJV)?
Maybe because Peter realized that he didn’t know the Man, didn’t know what His coming was for and didn’t know what His arrest meant. So, in a moment of panic, he denied he ever knew Him. Perhaps Peter denied Jesus when he realized that he didn’t understand what Jesus was doing. He gave up when he saw what he thought was Jesus giving up. Peter was still putting too much faith in his own understanding rather than putting his full faith in Jesus, even despite all the incredible signs he had seen and even despite his bold confession of faith in Jesus as the Christ (Matt. 16:16). Peter’s denial should tell us that all the miracles and signs in the world won’t keep us faithful to God until our hearts are fully surrendered to Him.
| In Luke’s account, the third time Peter denied that he was a disciple of Jesus, Jesus Himself “turned and looked straight at Peter” (Luke 22:61, NIV). This is the word, emblepo, used to describe the way Jesus looked deep into Peter’s soul when they first met (see John 1:42). What hope can we draw from this for ourselves regarding God’s love for us even when we fail, as Peter did here? |
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The first question to ask is: why did Peter carry a knife on this occasion? One would think that the disciples were not commonly armed. Could it be that he misconstrued what Jesus said in Luke 22:38? Did he think they were in some danger thus needing to provide means to defend themselves, perhaps against criminals? Peter loved his Lord and Master very much to the point of wanting to defend Him physically. His self-confidence led him to believe that he would stand with Jesus to the bitter end. But as soon as the Master was apprehended he wilted away like all the other disciples.
Peter's self confidence led him to fall. He hadn't prepared himself through prayer but had slept. He'd underestimated his own human frailty. His denial of Jesus by the fireside began when he followed afar offf the crowd that had earlier arrested Jesus. He had witnessed an illegal trial continue with false witnesses contradicting themselves. Then the damsel confronted him and he denied Jesus.
There's hope for all of us in the story. Take heart and know that if you've fallen Jesus will pick you up. If you've failed, He will make you useful again. If you've lost your way with Christ, He will give it back to you again. If He did it for Peter, He will do it for you too! Do not despair, God still loves you. He always has and always will. Never forget that a broken bone becomes stronger after it is healed.
Peter wept bitterly after what he had done, so did Judas. The difference is ofcourse that Judas' tears led to suicide whereas Peter's tears led to repentance. Tears are good if they lead to Jesus and a resolute determination to submit to His will and purpose. When broken by sin, when down and out, look up you will see Jesus looking at you! When the Israelites were bitten by snakes in the wilderness, they looked to Jesus and lived!
The first question to ask is: why did Peter carry a knife on this occasion? One would think that the disciples were not commonly armed. Could it be that he misconstrued what Jesus said in Luke 22:38? Did he think they were in some danger thus needing to provide means to defend themselves, perhaps against criminals? Peter loved his Lord and Master very much to the point of wanting to defend Him physically. His self-confidence led him to believe that he would stand with Jesus to the bitter end. But as soon as the Master was apprehended he wilted away like all the other disciples.
Peter's self confidence led him to fall. He hadn't prepared himself through prayer but had slept. He'd underestimated his own human frailty. His denial of Jesus by the fireside began when he followed afar offf the crowd that had earlier arrested Jesus. He had witnessed an illegal trial continue with false witnesses contradicting themselves. Then the damsel confronted him and he denied Jesus.
There's hope for all of us in the story. Take heart and know that if you've fallen Jesus will pick you up. If you've failed, He will make you useful again. If you've lost your way with Christ, He will give it back to you again. If He did it for Peter, He will do it for you too! Do not despair, God still loves you. He always has and always will. Never forget that a broken bone becomes stronger after it is healed.
Peter wept bitterly after what he had done, so did Judas. The difference is ofcourse that Judas' tears led to suicide whereas Peter's tears led to repentance. Tears are good if they lead to Jesus and a resolute determination to submit to His will and purpose. When broken by sin, when down and out, look up you will see Jesus looking at you! When the Israelites were bitten by snakes in the wilderness, they looked up to Jesus and lived!
I thank God for always offering us a second chance, for not giving up on us. His grace knows no boundaries and is just amazing. I'm reminded of the following song;
"The Potter's House"
[Verse:]
In case you have fallen by the wayside of life
Dreams and visions shattered,
You are broken inside
You don't have to stay in the shape that you're in
The potter wants to put you back together again.
In case your situation has turned upside down
And all that you've accomplished
Is now on the ground
You don't have to stay in the shape that you're in
The potter wants to put you back together again.
Oh, the potter wants
To put you back together again.
[Chorus:]
You who are boken
Stop by the potter's house
You who needs mending
Stop by the potter's house
Give him the fragments of your broken life
My friend, the potter wants
To put you back together again.
Oh, the potter wants
To put you back together again.
Thank you for posting this turnaround in thought about Peter and his motive for his denial of knowing Jesus. I have heard it said - 'to conceal is to reveal'. Your explanation makes total sense and yet all of us miss it all the time.
"Maybe because Peter realized that he didn’t know the Man, didn’t know what His coming was for and didn’t know what His arrest meant. So, in a moment of panic, he denied he ever knew Him. Perhaps Peter denied Jesus when he realized that he didn’t understand what Jesus was doing. He gave up when he saw what he thought was Jesus giving up. Peter was still putting too much faith in his own understanding rather than putting his full faith in Jesus."
We can take a lesson in this in our own understanding.
The answer to the first question above is - Jesus told them to arm themselves and checked what weapons they had and approved. Read the bit before.
Godbless us today, Mrs A Stolz
Maybe this lets us know that we cannot depend on another's understanding/interpretaion of the Word of God. We need to study it ourselves and pray/listen for the Holy Spirit's guidance. We need to be open to God's truth which may be different from what we understand.
From what I've read in books, other than the Bible, there is a strong chance that Peter was a deeply religious man prior to meeting Christ. When one man relies upon another man's wrong interpretation this lesson can show us how deeply it can become ingrained in our purpose for our lives.
Please God, help us . . .
Peter realised that he didn't know Jesus yet he said that he was the messiah the christ when Jesus asked who saith though I am...is it that Peter by his action of following Jesus from a distance portray maybe the doubt that could have crept in his heart that Jesus was not the Christ like john the baptise in prison did and that could be the reason he followed at a distance despite witnessing so many miracles the transfiguration on the mount etc ..could this act symbolise our christian walk with Christ that maybe I know enough to believe but just incase this turns out otherwise I will follow Christ from a distance ...this is a deception that many of us fall in to unfortunately God will spew us out if we r Luke warm so is it possible that Peters faith waivered here..peter realised his sin and repented let us not be Luke warm let us be on fire for our Lord proclaiming Christ's iminant return ...let our faith not waine help me Lord Jesus I pray
I don't agree that Peter denied Jesus because he didn't know Him or understand what Jesus was doing. I believe that he was afraid and didn't want to be arrested. It is not surprising that at one time Peter was bold and reckless, taking out his knife and cutting off the servant's ear and the next, he is denying that he knows Jesus. Remember he was the one who volunteered to come out of the boat and walk on the water to where Jesus was? He was bold until he took his eyes off Jesus. Then he became afraid and began to sink. Another example is the prophet Elijah who was bold when he had the showdown with Baal's priests yet when Jezebel threatened his life, he ran away. John the Baptist had a crisis of faith when he questioned if Jesus was the One they were waiting for or if they should expect someone else. There are times in our Christian walk when we are strong in our faith and filled with courage and then there are other times when we waver and are filled with doubt and fear. Peter was no different. I believe that he was afraid and that's why he denied Jesus. The other disciples fled because they too were afraid. Jesus knew that they would do so and that Peter would deny Him but He still commissioned them to go out and preach the Gospel. We should follow Jesus' example and not cast others aside because they fail or disappoint us as Paul initially did with John Mark.
It's easy to identify with Peter whenever we fail miserably in a real life situation. We think our faith and conviction are so solid, when they need to be shored up with prayer and trial before we can have any confidence that we wouldn't (sin) deny Jesus ourselves.
In response to the question, "Why do you think Peter denied Jesus?"
I believe the answer lies in Scripture's revelation that Peter was a son of Adam in transition. All descendants of Adam share his (Adam's) characteristics (Rm 5:12; 1 Cor 15:22). He started something (Gen 3:8,10) his descendants are destined to also do (Ps 14:2-3). Regardless of our natural or cultivated brilliance (or lack thereof), Scripture testifies to the present natural state of ALL individuals (1 Cor 2:14; Rm 3:9). Are the words of Gen 8:21 and Rm 3:10-12 our Creator's truth or just hyperbole--from a human point of view? What physical part of us produces our concepts? Are there any individuals exempt from producing false concepts? If there are individuals who are exempt from God's declarations regarding Adam's descendants, Peter certainly wasn't one of them. Or was he--but just in transition?
Clearly, Peter's "truth" (Mt 26:33,35) was out of harmony with Scripture's (Mt 26:31) and his Master's (Mt 26:34) truth. Scripture bears witness as to whose truth was actuality (Mt 26:70,72,74-75). Scripture records that it wasn't Peter's first full-throttled drive either (Mt 16:21-23). Peter is every human! With the exception of Christ, Scripture declares what is every human's birthright (Isaiah 44:20; Jer 17:9-10). God's inescapable truth is consistent from ancient to modern man, this writer and every reader (Gen 6:5; Deut 5:29; Rm 8:7). Scripture further reveals that this condition, that consistently "turns us aside" from our Creator, is our "first state" at birth (1 Cor 15:46) and has only ONE cure (Isaiah 53:5-6). Had Peter only accepted his Creator's truth instead of forcefully insisting on his own, he most certainly would have spared himself a painful, humiliating life experience. May all who profess discipleship of Christ be reminded by Peter's experience, what is the true requirement of all His disciples (Jn 4:23; Ps 51:6,10).