Introduction
Can you remember (though you probably do not want to) the time when you where ashamed of yourself, so much so that you despised yourself for some act you committed or failed to commit. You knew that you could never sink so low as to…whatever it may be, and you did it to your great shame. Perhaps you had committed yourself to accomplishing some great feat, and you not only failed, you humiliated yourself in utter failure. Perhaps you broke a trust; perhaps you hurt terribly someone you loved; perhaps you boasted of what you could do and then publicly showed yourself a coward. Well, I don’t want to go on. I simply bring the topic up to introduce perhaps the most embarrassing and tragic episode in the Bible – Peter’s denial of his Lord. Whatever you may have experienced, I assure you that Peter felt the shame and self-hatred all the more.
Text
Before we study the text, go back to the room of the last supper in verses 27-31.
27 “You will all fall away,” Jesus told them, “for it is written:
”‘I will strike the shepherd,
and the sheep will be scattered.’ a
28 But after I have risen, I will go ahead of you into Galilee.”
29 Peter declared, “Even if all fall away, I will not.”
30 “I tell you the truth,” Jesus answered, “today—yes, tonight—before the rooster crows twice b you yourself will disown me three times.”
31 But Peter insisted emphatically, “Even if I have to die with you, I will never disown you.”
Now to our text: While Peter was below in the courtyard, one of the servant girls of the high priest came by.
Let’s construct the scene. Verse 54 reported that Peter followed him at a distance, right into the courtyard of the high priest. There he sat with the guards and warmed himself at the fire. This scene is taking place outside the high priest’s home, where Jesus is being tried by the Sanhedrin. We know that at Jesus’ arrest in Gethsemane the disciples ran away. But at least Peter and John did not completely flee. Evidently they followed the arrest party at a distance to the high priest’s home. I suppose they did. It is possible that they already knew where he was being taken and took another route there. At least one servant of the high priest had been with the party and it was evident that the arrest was being made in the name of the Sanhedrin. Whatever the case, they make their way to the scene of the trial. From John’s gospel, we learn that John had some connection with the high priest – perhaps a relative of some kind. He is the one who gets them into the courtyard where he apparently leaves Peter to find out what is going on inside. Who knows, maybe it is John who reports what took place inside? Thus, Peter is left alone in the courtyard.
It is late at night, or rather, early morning. The second cock crow takes place approximately 1:30 a.m. Peter is approached by a servant girl. 67 When she saw Peter warming himself, she looked closely at him.
“You also were with that Nazarene, Jesus,” she said.
68 But he denied it. “I don’t know or understand what you’re talking about,” he said, and went out into the entryway.
This unnamed servant girl plays a big role in Peter’s downfall. It is evident that she does not take kindly to him or is sympathetic with Jesus, “that Nazarene.” She apparently has seen Peter before. It is doubtful that she was part of the arrest party, but she very well could have seen him sometime during the past week in Jerusalem with Jesus. Everybody wanted to get a look at Jesus.
She looked closely at him. Maybe she is just a busybody who doesn’t like strangers. Peter certainly has attracted her interest, which was probably the opposite of what he wanted to do. Then the what? An accusation? Simply an innocent identification? Whatever it was, Peter wanted nothing to do with it. He categorically denies her remark. Indeed, he is so disturbed by it, he walks away.
69 When the servant girl saw him there, she said again to those standing around, “This fellow is one of them.” 70 Again he denied it.
Unfortunately for Peter, this is a woman who will not be contradicted. Now she speaks directly to the others standing around, a number of whom are guards and officers. Remember, it is after midnight in the courtyard of the high priest. These bystanders all have some connection with the proceedings going on inside. Some were members of the arrest party. Peter is in an uncomfortable, indeed, a dangerous position, and this woman won’t leave him alone! Again he denied it.
“Even if all fall away, I will not.”
Peter is alone. John, well, where is John! He is the one who got Peter into this mess by getting him in the courtyard and then leaving him alone. After a little while, those standing near said to Peter, “Surely you are one of them, for you are a Galilean.” How did they know that? His accent gave him away. Stupid woman! If she hadn’t spoken to him, he could have kept quiet. Why couldn’t she leave him alone?
“Even if I have to die with you, I will never disown you.”
71 He began to call down curses on himself, and he swore to them, “I don’t know this man you’re talking about.”
“What do you want from me? I’ve told you I don’t know this man you’re talking about. He means nothing to me. If I am lying then let God curse me, and for all I care let him curse you. I have nothing, and I want nothing, to do with that man!” That’s the cleaned up version of what Peter said.
72 Immediately the rooster crowed the second time. 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.
Why?
Why, Peter? Why did you do it? You said you would never deny Jesus. You said that you would die with him before you would do such a thing. You said it, Peter, you traitor. You are no different than Judas. No, you are worse. Judas was just being true to his character. At least he didn’t boast of his undying love for Jesus. Peter, you are the worst kind of a coward. Out of fear you deny the one you most love.
What happened? We are at a safe distance. Let’s try to analyze Peter. The night did not start well. At a meal that is supposedly the most joyous of the year, Jesus announces that he is about to be betrayed by one of the disciples and abandoned by them all. Instead of pronouncing the usual blessing with the cup of wine, he speaks of his blood being poured out. Death is what the evening is about – Jesus’ death. Why won’t Jesus leave it alone? Why this insistence that he must die? Who wants to hear that kind of talk?
And then this accusation – yes, call it an accusation – that the disciples will all prove themselves to be cowards at his time of need. Why must Jesus talk like this? Doesn’t he know by now how devoted his disciples are to him? At least, doesn’t he know Peter’s devotion? How can he doubt Peter? All right, Peter has made his share of mistakes, but all of them out of his devotion to Jesus. Maybe he doesn’t think through what he ought to say at times, but how could Jesus ever accuse him of being a coward, especially when it comes to his commitment to his Lord?
And then the evening goes on and on. Jesus talks late into the night. They go out to Gethsemane, presumably to spend the night, but Jesus is so gloomy. He has never acted like this before. Peter’s nerves must be on edge. Finally, the chance to lie down. Okay, okay, he should have stayed awake, but it is so late and they are all so tired. Three times he falls asleep and three times Jesus wakes him up with a rebuke. Have you ever been shaken out of a deep sleep. You try keeping your wits about you.
Then this crowd comes with their torches and clubs. The time has come that Jesus has feared. Well, Peter is not going to let him down. He draws his sword to defend his master. An ear is the best he can do, but he is ready to swing again, when Jesus rebukes him. But, Jesus, you said to bring a sword! Then Jesus walks away with the crowd saying something about the Scriptures being fulfilled. What is he doing? I wonder if it is at that moment that real fear grips Peter as he realizes that Jesus plans to die.
It is a setup, not by the silly conspirators, but by Jesus. Everyone – the conspirators, Judas, the disciples, even Peter – are doing just what Jesus said would happen. And not because Jesus could look into the future, but because he planned it this way. The Scriptures must be fulfilled.
Peter’s trip to the courtyard is not a rescue attempt. It is the pitiful effort of a man to be near the master whom he loves so much and does not understand. I think what frightens Peter more than any arrest party is Jesus’ intent to die. In that courtyard stands a man already shaking with fear at the events that are beyond his understanding. The denial is the easy next step to take.
Lessons
Now what do we learn from this embarrassing episode in Peter’s life. I suppose the natural reaction is to learn from Peter’s mistakes. What could Peter have done differently to avoid his downfall and what can we do? That’s not too hard to figure out. Peter needed to learn not to be so impulsive, which was big problem for him. Instead of protesting what Jesus said back in the upper room, he should have been humbled and examined himself. Then he ought to have fervently engaged in prayer in Gethsemane. I’ve learned not to judge a person by how enthusiastic he or she may initially be about a teaching or project. I’ve been surprised by how quickly the most enthusiastic person loses interest, and how the firm the commitment made by another person who shows nearly no emotion. What matters is how well one listens, considers what is taught, and then follows through.
But I really do not want to follow this course of cross-examining Peter for tips on how to avoid his mistakes. Jesus gave the reason why Peter and the other disciples failed him. It is the same reason everything else was happening as it did. The Scriptures had to be fulfilled. This episode is not really about Peter. The moral of the story is not, “What could happen to you if you are not prepared.”
Think about it. What is happening inside the house? Jesus is on trial. Why? Because his enemies got the upper hand and the disciples would not defend him? No! Because Jesus was fulfilling his mission to bring redemption from sin, i.e. to provide forgiveness for sin. Whose sin? All for whom God has chosen past, present, and future. What kind of sin? Every kind of sin. Every kind? Surely there are some sins too bad to be forgiven. No. How do you know? Because of Peter.
Peter was among the twelve closest companions of Jesus. More than that he belonged to the inner ring of three – Peter, James and John. More than that he was for all intent the leader of the Twelve. And he failed to keep watch over Jesus in his most troubled time; he then abandoned him; and finally even denied knowing the person he loved and confessed as the Messiah. And he was forgiven. Peter was not only forgiven, he was raised back to his position of leader and given the privilege to be the primary preacher of the early church.
That’s the gospel. The gospel is what this episode is meant to display. While Peter is falling in sin, his Savior is resolutely procuring his redemption. While Peter is demonstrating that no one can get close enough to God or be good enough for God, Jesus is perfectly performing God’s will to atone for the sins that beset everyone.
Here is your lesson. If Peter couldn’t stay true to Jesus, what makes you think that you can? Your lesson is don’t depend on your ability to be good enough, to be tough enough, or spiritual enough to overcome sin. I don’t know how many persons who have come to me devastated by sins they thought they could never commit. “How could I have committed such a sin?” they ask. My response is, “What made you think you could not commit such a sin?”
Let’s get this straight. You and I are sinners. Yes, I know, but now that I am a Christian I shouldn’t be sinning so much or so badly. Well, no, you ought not to sin, but you ought not to have sinned before becoming a Christian. You are contaminated with sin, and though Christ has redeemed you from the guilt of sin, it is still in you.
I want to be careful here. There is a popular but misleading bumper sticker which reads, “Christians aren’t perfect, just forgiven.” The first part is right, but the second part doesn’t tell the whole truth. Because of Jesus’ death on the cross we do receive forgiveness for sin, but his work did not stop on the cross. After he rose from the dead, he sent us the Holy Spirit. That Holy Spirit is the one who gives us new life and who continues to work in us to sanctify us and make us better people, i.e. make us righteous.
But having said that, his work will not be completed until the return of our Lord when he then glorifies us. Until then we will remain beset with sin, and the most dangerous position for us to be in is to think that we have reached a stage in Christian maturity where we don’t have to worry about committing such and such sin. We are in danger if we turn the teachings and stories of the Bible into mere morality lessons, which once we learn them, we are now safe.
If we leave this text thinking that we have learned a valuable lesson how to avoid Peter’s mistake, then we have learned nothing. What we are to learn is not how to avoid sin, but when we do sin what our hope is. And we do have hope; we do have reason to believe that however we mess up, Jesus is there to lift us up. Jesus did not look out the window at Peter and declare he had had enough of faithless disciples. When the disciples fled from him at Gethsemane, he did not cry out, “Why am I going through this for such rotten friends like you?”
So why do you think he does now? Some of you think that. Some of you are thinking, “I’ve blown it now,” or “I blew it again. How can God forgive me now? Jesus died for me and here I go back into the same old sin, or even going lower than I though I could. He must be fed up with me now.” Do you think your sin is worse than Peter’s? You don’t really think that Peter stopped sinning after the resurrection or Pentecost, do you? Paul tells us of an instance when Peter copped out on his Gentile brothers for the same reason of feeling intimidated.
Your hope, my hope, is in the gospel – that Jesus Christ has paid for our sins; that God’s love for us is not dependent on how well we kept the rules this past week, but on his grace. By his grace God loves us. By his grace Jesus died for us. By his grace he continues to intercede for us. By his grace he picks us up again and again and again.
But to any of you who may have yet to turn to Christ for whatever reason, I cannot tell you the same thing. God is angry for your sin. God will judge you for the full guilt. You may laugh it off or you may be filled with guilt feelings; it does not matter; God holds you guilty. The gospel is not that God is so loving that in the end he will forgive everybody their sins. If that is the case, Jesus is not needed. Or if his death covered the sins of everybody regardless of their attitude towards him, then the Scriptures have lied, for they teach that it is by faith in Jesus that his salvation comes. Will you turn to him? Without him, you have no hope and the smallest of sins condemns you. With him, you have a hope that is made sure through whatever pitfalls await you.
Peter did learn his lesson, by the way. And it was not what techniques to use to make sure he stayed on the right path. He learned the joy of a salvation that is made certain through the mercy and power of God. Listen to what he had to say years later.
3 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4 and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade—kept in heaven for you, 5 who through faith are shielded by God’s power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time (1 Peter 1:3-5).
