Peter Denies Knowing Jesus

Topic: Denial
Passage: Luke 22:54–71

August 11, 2019

Commentary

 

Jesus was given six different “trials” (three before the Jewish religious leaders and three before the Roman authorities) before He was condemned to die on a cross. First He was taken to Annas, who was a retired high priest and a very influential Jew (Jn. 18:12-13). Then He was sent to Caiaphas, his son-in-law, who was the official high priest (vv. 54-65). These Jewish leaders were in a hurry; they wanted to complete the execution before the Sabbath and get on with the Passover celebration. Then at day break (They met at daybreak because it was illegal for them to assemble at night) He was taken before the Sanhedrin and found guilty (vv. 66-71).

Since the Jews did not have the right to declare capital punishment, they had to then take Jesus to the Roman authorities to have Him crucified. It was during the second Jewish “trial” before Caiphas, that Peter denied his Lord three times. After the rooster crowed, Jesus turned and looked at Peter, and  Peter remembered the words that Jesus had spoken earlier in the evening (v. 61). When he realized what he had done, he was heart-broken. During this trial Jesus was violently abused, mocked, and ridiculed (vv. 63-65). The only thing they could find against Him was His positive reply to their question as to whether or not He was the Son of God (vv. 70-71). This is certainly strong proof against liberal theologians who say that Jesus never claimed to be God.

Application

 

I may not deny the Lord like Peter did, but it is easy for me to fail the Lord in other ways. This was not the end for Peter, nor will it be for me if I claim I John 1:9.

Luke 22:54– 71 (NET)

54 Then they arrested Jesus, led him away, and brought him into the high priest’s house. But Peter was following at a distance. 55 When they had made a fire in the middle of the courtyard and sat down together, Peter sat down among them. 56 Then a slave girl, seeing him as he sat in the firelight, stared at him and said, “This man was with him too!” 57 But Peter denied it: “Woman, I don’t know him!” 58 Then a little later someone else saw him and said, “You are one of them too.” But Peter said, “Man, I am not!” 59 And after about an hour still another insisted, “Certainly this man was with him, because he too is a Galilean.” 60 But Peter said, “Man, I don’t know what you’re talking about!” At that moment, while he was still speaking, a rooster crowed. 61 Then the Lord turned and looked straight at Peter, and Peter remembered the word of the Lord, how he had said to him, “Before a rooster crows today, you will deny me three times.” 62 And he went outside and wept bitterly.

63 Now the men who were holding Jesus under guard began to mock him and beat him. 64 They blindfolded him and asked him repeatedly, “Prophesy! Who hit you?” 65 They also said many other things against him, reviling him.

66 When day came, the council of the elders of the people gathered together, both the chief priests and the experts in the law. Then they led Jesus away to their council 67 and said, “If you are the Christ, tell us.” But he said to them, “If I tell you, you will not believe, 68 and if I ask you, you will not answer. 69 But from now on the Son of Man will be seated at the right hand of the power of God.” 70 So they all said, “Are you the Son of God, then?” He answered them, “You say that I am.” 71 Then they said, “Why do we need further testimony? We have heard it ourselves from his own lips!”