November 16

Betrayal and Arrest - Matthew 26:38-56; Mark 14:32-52; Luke 22:40-53; John 18:1-12; Trial Before Sanhedrin - John 18:12-27; Matthew 26:57-75, 27:1-10; Mark 14:53-72, 15:1; Luke 22:54-71

The statue purportedly at the place where the cock crowed after Peter denied Christ...three times...six times?

There are so many stories going on here - Jesus and Peter, how Peter deals with his denial of Christ and how Judas deals with his denial of Christ. The reaction of the Jewish religious leaders to their Messiah - their Messiah.

We focus so much on Peter and his denial and watching Christ from afar. What about "another disciple"? "Because this disciple was known to the high priest, he went with Jesus into the high priest's courtyard, but Peter had to wait outside." Who is this other disciple? John is writing this. Is it John? John stays with Jesus if he is the unnamed disciple. He doesn't flee.

The way this chronological reading puts things together it looks like Peter actually denied Christ six times and not just three. He denied Him twice as many times as Christ prophecied. I don't think this is a condemnation of Christ's ability to see the future. Instead, it is an insight into His grace and His desire not to destroy Peter.

The six denials don't seem to be six individual events and not just retellings by the other gospel writers. Let's look at them:

1. Peter is questioned by a girl at Annas' door and Peter says, "I am not [one of Christ's disciples].

2. Peter sets down at a fire in the courtyard at Caiaphas' house and a servant girl says he was with Christ. Peter says, "Woman I don't know him."

3. Then when Peter goes out Caiaphas' gate another girl said he was with Jesus, Peter says, "I don't know the man!"

4. A little later someone else saw him and said, "You also are one of them." And Peter says, "Man I am not!"

5. About an hour later, still at Caiaphas', people standing in the courtyard say to Peter, "Surely you are one of them, for your accent gives you away." And Peter calls down curses and swears, "I don't know the man!"

6. Finally, one of the high priest's servants, a relative of the man whose ear Peter had cut off, challenges Peter, saying, "Didn't I see you with Him in the olive grove?" And even to this man who is a specific witness to the truth, Peter replies, "Man, I don't know what you're talking about!"

Six times and the cock crows. Peter leaves weeping. Judas when he realizes that Jesus will die, admits his sin and hangs himself. So who truly feels the weight of his sin? Is Peter the better for having been able to deal with his sin than Judas who can't handle the horror of his actions? What makes Peter's story different than Judas'? That Judas' story ends right there? That Peter lives to let repentance work in his life?

Lord knows.