Luke 55-22:54 NIVUK
[54] Then seizing him, they led him away and took him into the house of the high priest. Peter followed at a distance. [55] And when some there had kindled a fire in the middle of the courtyard and had sat down together, Peter sat down with them. https://bible.com/bible/113/luk.22.54.NIVUK
I never cease to be astonished at the price people pay for fame, popularity and money.
Reality TV used to be the barometer of this. And it has gotten progressively worse over the years. From the blatantly exploitative ‘talent’ shows, to the poor taste shows where participants are locked in a house together and must perform tasks, to the newer shows that actually reward theft and betrayal and now, beyond any shred of human decency, a show that rates potential dating partners on what they look like naked, the worst of human nature is permanently on display.
If there was such a thing as aliens, they would watch these shows, turn around and go home, because we would not be worth invading.
Why would they expose their offspring to that filth?
These days, though, it’s not just late night TV that shows the worst of us. The internet has democratised media. Now anyone can put a video on the internet of them behaving in some terribly outlandish manner and crave popularity like a drug.
What has become of us?
But I doubt if technology has made us worse. Technology is like an x-ray or an ultrasound. No-one blamed an x-ray for their broken bones or an ultrasound scan for their pregnancy. X-rays and ultrasound only expose what is already there.
Technology has done the same for the human heart.
And we do not like what we see.
These verses are shocking. They are deeply challenging. Because they involve a trade: a trade of loyalty versus a place by the fire on a cold night.
Peter is not unique in this trade. Christians are asked to make it regularly.
Some fail the test. In fact, many fail the test. As Jesus predicted:
Matthew 13-24:12 NIVUK
[12] Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold, [13] but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved.
Essentially, that’s what happened to Peter in this brief moment. His love grew cold in that instant. He favoured the fire of safety and security over his Lord.
But we can’t condemn him for it. Let’s face it: sometimes we have made the same foolish choice.
We’ll go through each of Peter’s denials, review the accusation, the evidence against him and his response, to try to learn from his mistakes.
Peter’s first denial, and all Gospel writers agree on this, was to a servant girl. Matthew (Matthew 26:69-70), Mark (Mark 14:66-67) and Luke (Luke 22:56-57) state that this denial took place around the fire on a cold night. John states that it was the servant girl on duty at the gate who let him in and noticed who he was (John 18:15-18).
Either way, we see this girl, whose station in life was way below Peter’s as she was in servitude, even if it was to the High Priest, suspected that he was a disciples of Jesus. She was the gatekeeper not just to the courtyard, but to comfort around the fire.
So Peter denied to her that he knew Jesus.
While Jesus was facing a fearsome trial with His life at stake, being questioned by a High Priest and Sanhedrin who were already hostile to Him and plotting to take His life (John 11:45-53), Peter stumbled in front of a lowly servant girl to gain a place at the fire.
And isn’t that just the way? There are people in life who are gatekeepers for us: those who promise fame or fortune or comfort or any other worldly treasure. So, in the face of
a straight choice between worldly treasure and owning Jesus Christ, we deny Jesus and choose the treasure.
All this in the face of Someone who let go of heavenly treasure to save us (Philippians 2:6-7).
All this in the face of Someone who warned us that the Kingdom of Heaven has an excess baggage rule: we cannot enter there with our worldly treasure (Luke 18:18-30).
All this in the face of Someone who told us to not worry, fret or be anxious about worldly treasure because He would provide for us (Matthew 6:31-33).
How many of us have sat where Peter sat?
Peter’s second denial is located by Matthew and Mark at the gateway (Matthew 26:71-72; Mark 14:69-70). Luke doesn’t say where it took place (Luke 22:58). John places it close to the fire, again (John 18:25). These accounts were all recorded years after the event, so small differences are possible.
The main point is that Peter is approached again and challenged on whether or not he is a follower of Jesus. Again, the questioner offers no evidence to support their presupposition.
Again, Peter’s comfort is at stake, only this time it is comfort he has already acquired, instead of comfort he is seeking to acquire.
Again, Peter denies knowing Jesus. This time, however, Matthew states that he strengthened his denial with an oath – like someone swearing on the Bible in court.
Ironically, while Jesus is facing trial before the kangaroo court in the High Priest’s residence.
How many of us have stood where Peter stood?
How many of us have been so keen to retain our comfortable lifestyle that we traded Jesus for it in an instant?
Peter’s third denial, according to Matthew, takes place in the gateway on the way out, as if Peter has had enough of the heat – not of the fire, but the questioning – and is trying to distance himself from it (Matthew 26:71-74). Mark doesn’t say where it took place (Mark 14:69-71), and neither does Luke (Luke 22:59-60), or John (John 18:26-27).
However, in this case two pieces of evidence are mentioned against Peter. The first is his accent (Matthew 26:73; Mark 14:70; Luke 22:59).
At first glance, this seems to be riddled with bias. Why would someone’s accent mark them out as a follower of anyone?
However, Jesus was a Galilean. His followers were Galilean. Galileans were northerners. Rural folk. Rough. They had a particularly strong accent. And they were absolutely looked down on because of it. As Jim Barclay noted: ‘The Galileans spoke with a burr; so ugly was their accent that no Galilean was allowed to pronounce the benediction at a synagogue service.’
So the Jerusalem Jews noticed that Jesus was a Galilean, that His followers, that Peter was a Galilean, and connected the dots.
However, that would not be enough.
The evidence that John recorded, however, would be decisive:
John 18:26 NIVUK
[26] One of the high priest’s servants, a relative of the man whose ear Peter had cut off, challenged him, ‘Didn’t I see you with him in the garden?’ https://bible.com/bible/113/jhn.18.26.NIVUK
An eyewitness. Not just an eyewitness, but someone whose relative was injured by Peter as he sought to save Jesus from arrest.
Let’s be in no doubt here: these words are loaded. And Peter knows it. He is not just battling to obtain comfort, or retain comfort here.
Peter is battling to stay alive.
That explains the deep strengthening of his denial. Matthew and Mark both record Peter calling down curses on himself and swearing that he does not know Jesus. This is not bad language here. Peter is invoking oaths and wishing something bad would happen to him if he is not telling the truth.
Which, of course, he is not.
Jesus warned against this:
Matthew 37-5:33 NIVUK
[33] ‘Again, you have heard that it was said to the people long ago, “Do not break your oath, but fulfil to the Lord the oaths you have made.” [34] But I tell you, do not swear an oath at all: either by heaven, for it is God’s throne; [35] or by the earth, for it is his footstool; or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the Great King. [36] And do not swear by your head, for you cannot make even one hair white or black. [37] All you need to say is simply “Yes,” or “No”; anything beyond this comes from the evil one. https://bible.com/bible/113/mat.5.33.NIVUK
In other words, Jesus’ followers should distinguish themselves by their flawless integrity and credibility. They should not need to use oaths or curses for effect.
Have any of us spoke what Peter spoke? Have we invoked oaths and curses to deny something we know to be true?
There is a bitter, bitter irony in these verses.
Matthew 75-26:73 NIVUK
[73] After a little while, those standing there went up to Peter and said, ‘Surely you are one of them; your accent gives you away.’ [74] Then he began to call down curses, and he swore to them, ‘I don’t know the man!’ Immediately a cock crowed. [75] Then Peter remembered the word Jesus had spoken: ‘Before the cock crows, you will disown me three times.’ And he went outside and wept bitterly.
Some commentators believe that Peter headed into the courtyard to somehow prove Jesus was wrong when He prophesied that Peter would deny Him (Matthew 26:21-35; Mark 14:27-31; Luke 22:31-33).
But look what happened!
He denied Jesus for a place by the fire.
But finds himself outside the courtyard, away from the warmth, in the cold of the night, weeping bitterly.
Is that not what happens when we deny Jesus?
Is it not bitter? Is it not dark? Is it not lonely?
Is it not empty?
But that is a good thing. If it was easy, comfortable and warm, we would do it and keep doing it. After all, what would the harm be?
However, because it is bitter, dark, cold and lonely, because we feel the painful pang in our conscience and the hot tears on our cheeks, we know we are in the wrong. As Paul explained:
2 Corinthians 7:10 NIVUK
[10] Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death.
Often, when I have my lunch, a TV show called ‘Bargain Hunt’ is on. People go on this TV show, they are given some money, and then they go to a place where second-hand goods are sold. They buy a few things and then sell them through an auctioneer to see if they can make a profit. And some of them do: they trade their money to buy something someone else values.
On the other hand, at certain times of the year, after a big sought-after product launch, we often hear of people who spent their money on some expensive good, only to receive bricks or empty boxes through the post.
They have spent their money expecting something expensive, but have received something cheap in return.
Jesus told this parable about the Kingdom of Heaven:
Matthew 46-13:44 NIVUK
[44] ‘The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field. [45] ‘Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls. [46] When he found one of great value, he went away and sold everything he had and bought it. https://bible.com/bible/113/mat.13.44.NIVUK
What Jesus is saying is that the Kingdom of Heaven is worth everything we have. It is of inestimable value.
Peter would know that later. But then, as the tension and the threat mounted, and the likelihood was that Jesus would be crucified increased, Peter sacrificed it all, and swapped his Lord for a place by the fire.
What’s so shocking about this event is not just that it happened to a senior leader among the disciples. That is bad enough. What’s even more shocking is that we often do what Peter did. We deny our Lord in the moral choices, the spilt second decisions, the over-reactions, the anxiety, the online sniping, the hypocrisy of it all.
Peter’s failure stings because it is our failure.
Peter’s shame hurts because it is our shame.
Peter’s tears burn like lava because they are our tears.
And that moment – that singular, heart-stopping moment – when Jesus, on trial for his life, turns to look at His erring disciple (Luke 22:61)... Well, His gaze must have seared like a laser.
One fact also stands out to me. And it is an equally challenging fact. John records that another disciple was there and got Peter into that courtyard (John 18:15-16). As John is the only disciple to record this, many commentators believe it to have been John himself.
But here is the challenging fact: that disciple saw Peter denying Jesus Christ three times and yet he did nothing. He didn’t intervene. He didn’t step in.
Peter’s remorse is plain.
But what about that other disciple? Did he feel sorry for his silence?
It is a wonderful truth that should warm our hearts and wet our cheeks with joy that Peter was called again by the risen Christ (John 21:15-24). There is hope for those who make this terrible mistake. We can return to the fold.
But we must fir feel the bitter sting of godly sorrow and repent.
However, it would be far, far better if we spared ourselves this sorrow in the first place.
Prayer
Lord Jesus, I can relate to this event in Peter’s life. I am sorry for all the times I have denied You on the things I have said or should not have said, or done or should not have done. Help me to learn from them and become a better follower for You. Amen.
Questions
1. Why did Peter deny Jesus? Can you relate to his reasons? Are they justified?
2. What can we learn from his denials? How can we apply this to our lives?
3. Have you ever denied Jesus like this? How can you stop it from happening again?
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