Peter Denies Knowing Jesus Series

LUKE 22: 54-62 [JESUS’ LAST NIGHT SERIES]

PETER DENIES KNOWING JESUS

After the betrayal of Judas Luke turns his attention to the arrest of Jesus and the denials of Peter. Simultaneous action is taking place in the house of the high priest with Jesus (v. 54) and in its courtyard with Peter (v. 55). Luke separates the two sequences of events instead of intertwining them [as in Matthew and Mark].

Here and throughout the following sections dramatic tension continues to mount. In the light of Jesus’ arrest, Peter is dealing with his fear. The story of Peter’s denial presents a sober and utterly real picture of the prominent apostle, and (along with vv. 31–32) it offers a deep spiritual lesson about humility and the spiritual conflict (CIT).

Peter follows Jesus at a safe distance to the high priest’s house. He settles in the courtyard to watch the proceedings. He is recognized by three different people as one of Jesus’ followers, and each time, out of fear for his own life, denies any connection with Jesus three times. With the crowing of the rooster, Jesus turns and looks at Peter. [Compare parallel accounts in Matt 26:67–75; 27:27–31; Mark 14:65–72; 15:16–20; John 18:12–27; 19:2–3.] Jesus’ look frees the memory and sends grace to the heart.

I. DENIAL’S BEGINNING, 54-57.

II. DENIAL’S GROWTH, 58-60.

III. DENIAL’S RECOVERY, 61–62.

At the arrest of Jesus, the disciples all continued fleeing except for Peter and another disciple (Jn 18:15) who apparently return to follow the crowd. Beginning in verse 54 we learn the story of Peter immediately after Jesus’ official arrest. “Then they seized Him and led Him away, bringing Him into the high priest's house, and Peter was following at a distance.”

Jesus first was taken “into the high priest’s house.” [Annas was a former high priest and the influential father-in-law of Caiaphas, the present high priest (John 18:13,24; Matt. 26:57-58). It is possible that they shared the same house or live around the same court yard.]

Peter, determined to keep his word (22:33;Mk 14:29–31) followed after the crowd. That Peter followed Jesus at all after such a frightening arrest was brave and showed a real concern for his Master. But he followed “at a distance” to stay out of danger. Following Jesus “afar off” is always a dangerous place to be.

Verse 55 points out that a fire was lite to warm those staying up to participate in the events of the night. ‘And when they had kindled a fire in the middle of the courtyard and sat down together, Peter sat down among them.’

The fire in the courtyard was needed because the evenings were—and still are—cool in springtime in Jerusalem. The enclosed courtyard might break the wind but the fire would provide warmth. The large fire not only radiated heat, it also emitted light. Peter joined them.

In verse 56 from the light of the fire a servant girl gets a good look at a stranger there. ‘Then a servant girl, seeing him as he sat in the light and looking closely at him, said, “This man also was with Him.”

The denial had three phases. All four Gospels identify the first speaker as “a servant girl.” As many have observed, the girl and what she said were relatively harmless and did not deserve such a drastic response. There was nothing illegal about being in Jesus’ company; if there was, then the authorities would have made more arrests in Gethsemane. But they didn’t. This woman simply observes that Peter was with Jesus. Fear-filled Peter though, realized that many ears were listening. He wanted to avoid any guilt by association with Jesus.

Verse 57 records Peter’s response. ‘But he denied it, saying, “Woman, I do not know Him.”

Peter’s courage in this hostile environment now fails him. His response to the servant girl is his first denial of Jesus. The word “deny” (arneomai) is used in the NT as the polar opposite of the word “confess” (homologeo). We are to confess (i.e., acknowledge) Christ but deny ourselves (i.e., disown our private interests for the sake of Christ, 9:23). Peter here does the reverse. He denies Christ in order to serve his own interests. [Walter L. Liefeld, “Luke,” in The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Matthew, Mark, Luke, ed. Frank E. Gaebelein, vol. 8 (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House, 1984), 1035.]

Before we over-react to Peter’s response in this story, we should remember that each of us at times has been inclined to downplay our commitment to Christ, for various reasons.

II. DENIAL’S GROWTH, 58-60.

After a brief time, someone else, not described by Luke, made another charge found in verse 58. ‘And a little later someone else saw him and said, “You also are one of them.” But Peter said, “Man, I am not.”