Mark 14:66-7266And as Peter was beneath in the palace, there cometh one of the maids of the high priest: 67And when she saw Peter warming himself, she looked upon him, and said, And thou also wast with Jesus of Nazareth. 68But he denied, saying, I know not, neither understand I what thou sayest. And he went out into the porch; and the cock crew. 69And a maid saw him again, and began to say to them that stood by, This is one of them. 70And he denied it again. And a little after, they that stood by said again to Peter, Surely thou art one of them: for thou art a Galilean, and thy speech agreeth thereto. 71But he began to curse and to swear, saying, I know not this man of whom ye speak. 72And the second time the cock crew. And Peter called to mind the word that Jesus said unto him, Before the cock crow twice, thou shalt deny me thrice. And when he thought thereon, he wept. (Mark 14:66‑72)
The men we call disciples, had seen the great miracles done by the Lord Jesus and had heard His words, and believed Him to be the Holy One expected by their people. They thought He would soon take the throne as King over Israel. So when He told them, before the soldiers came to take Him, that they would all be “offended” that night because of Him, they could not believe they would ever turn from Him, or deny they belonged with Him.
One disciple, Peter, said he would never deny the Lord, even if others did. Then Jesus said to Peter,
It was not long before the soldiers and other men came, with lanterns and weapons, to take Jesus. At first Peter tried to fight against them, and struck one man with a sword. But Jesus healed the man, showing kindness to an enemy.
Yet Jesus did not use His power to save Himself, but let the soldiers bind Him and lead Him away. The disciples became frightened that they would be captured too, and all ran away.
But later, Peter followed to the pace where they took Jesus, and went in where the servants were. It was a cold night in early spring, and he sat down the fire. He was a stranger to the servants, but they all knew of the taking of Jesus; and a maid, who perhaps had sometime seen Jesus and the disciples, noticed Peter, and said to him,
“Thou wast also with Jesus of Nazareth.”
Peter answered that he did not know or understand what she said, meaning he did not know anything about Jesus. Then he went from the room onto the porch, and just then he heard a cock, or rooster, crow, as they do very early in the morning. But Peter seems not to have then recalled what Jesus had told him.
Soon the maid told the servants that Peter was one of those with Jesus. But Peter denied again that he knew Him. Afterward a servant said to him, “Surely thou art one of them, for thou art a Galilean, and thy speech agreeth thereto.”
No doubt Peter thought they might make him a prisoner, as they had Jesus, and he very wrongly answered again that he did not know Jesus.
After that he again heard a rooster crowing. Then he remembered the Lord’s words telling him that he would deny Him, and he realized he had not been true to the Lord.
He was sorry and ashamed, for he really loved Jesus.
Peter seems never afterward to have been afraid to speak for the Lora Jesus; he spoke even to those same priests who were against Jesus, and told them that there was no way to be saved but by the name of Jesus. He did not fear although they had him put in prison (Acts 4:6-12; 5:186And Annas the high priest, and Caiaphas, and John, and Alexander, and as many as were of the kindred of the high priest, were gathered together at Jerusalem. 7And when they had set them in the midst, they asked, By what power, or by what name, have ye done this? 8Then Peter, filled with the Holy Ghost, said unto them, Ye rulers of the people, and elders of Israel, 9If we this day be examined of the good deed done to the impotent man, by what means he is made whole; 10Be it known unto you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom ye crucified, whom God raised from the dead, even by him doth this man stand here before you whole. 11This is the stone which was set at nought of you builders, which is become the head of the corner. 12Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved. (Acts 4:6‑12)
18And laid their hands on the apostles, and put them in the common prison. (Acts 5:18)).
“If any man suffer as a Christian (because he belongs to Christ) let him not be ashamed ... .but let him glorify God on this behalf.” 1 Peter 4:1616Yet if any man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God on this behalf. (1 Peter 4:16).
ML 08/13/1944