The Second and Third Denial

Lesson #304

Try to imagine what is happening in the courtyard at this time when the focus moves from Jesus back to Peter. “Now Simon Peter was standing and warming himself. So they said to him, “You also are not one of his disciples, are you?” He denied it and said, “I am not.”” (John 18:25 ESV). Peter was asked this question as he was standing and warming himself by the fire and while Jesus was being taken across the courtyard from Annas to Caiaphas. Peter responds without clearly thinking and denies that he is a disciple of Jesus, who is there to hear him.

Peter still has not realized that his denials were foretold by Jesus, so one more question will be needed. “One of the servants of the high priest, a relative of the man whose ear Peter had cut off, asked, “Did I not see you in the garden with him?”” (John 18:26 ESV). Pressure really builds when Peter realizes this person was an eye witness of him cutting off the ear of the high priest’s servant. “Peter again denied it, and at once a rooster crowed” (John 18:27 ESV). This is the third denial recorded by John and as soon as the roster crowed, he realized what he had done in the presence of Jesus. Peter stands condemned and he knows it.

In looking at the other gospels for more information I realized there is some confusion about how many denials there were and how many times the roster crowed. I decided to Google this and found some very interesting material. I will include two links to this material in case you are interested.

How Many Times Did Peter Deny Jesus?

The Six Denials of Peter

There is room in this lesson for me to ask a question that might apply to our lives. “What was the reason behind Peter’s denial of Jesus?” I think there are two main reasons: weakness and fear. If someone were to ask you if you were a Christian and if an answer of “Yes” meant suffering for you, would weakness and/or fear cause you to also deny Jesus?

Peter’s weakness had caused him to be “devoured” as he denies Jesus, but in 1 Peter 5:8 (ESV) we find that he has learned his lesson because he exhorts us: “Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.”

Peter’s fear caused his focus to shift from pressing on with Jesus to thinking about harm to himself. We need to overcome this fear with a deeper love for Jesus because we may soon lose our safety and security that we enjoy now.

Prayer

Father, as I write this lesson I am reminded that I am “not be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord, nor of me his prisoner, but share in suffering for the gospel by the power of God” (2 Timothy 1:8 ESV). I am also reminded “that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death” (Philippians 3:10 NKJV). We may speak of the poser of his resurrection, but very little is said about the fellowship of suffering, being conformed to his death. Father, we need to prepare our hearts to stand in the face of opposition and be willing to sacrifice ourselves for the sake of the gospel.