Luke 22:54-62 – Peter denies Jesus

Jesus was led to the high priest's house after the arrest.  When a fire had been set up in the middle of the courtyard, the religious authority sat down together. Peter who was trailing at some distance eventually sat down among them, near enough to be warmed by the fire. At this point of time, every disciple had fled and left Jesus. To his credit, Peter had at least followed Jesus to see what would be the outcome. Being near the fire, his face was revealed by its light. A servant girl who had been gazing at him with intense, recognized him. Peter's first reaction was, "Woman, I do not know Him." That was a lie and his first denial. He denied knowing Jesus.

A little later, a man recognized him as a disciple of Jesus. He said to Peter, “You are one of them too!" Sternly Peter said to him, "I am not." This was the second denial where he refused to acknowledge that he was one of Jesus’ disciples. An hour passed by quickly. They must have asked Jesus many questions. Lo and behold, a third man was certain that Peter was a member of Jesus' band. But Peter vehemently exclaimed, “Man, I do not know what you are talking about.” This was the third denial and the real drama was about to begin.

It was precisely at this moment, even before Peter could complete his sentence that the rooster crowed. In the heat of his denial, Peter did not notice that Jesus was brought into the courtyard. Dramatically, Luke described the moment of truth. As the rooster crowed, Jesus looked straight into Peter's eye, and he remembered what Jesus said to him at the Upper Room. “Before a rooster crows today, you will deny Me three times.” And these words kept ringing in his ear. Something inside of Peter died that night. We would never know what anguish he experienced that moment. He couldn't bear the searching eye of the Lord He claimed to love. That look of Jesus striped Peter of all his rhetoric. So he went out and wept bitterly.

The Lord was after Peter's perfection. And this was Peter's moment of truth. That short moment of look from the Lord linked Peter's soul with his Master's. He was saying to Peter, "Remember I told you about this moment." It was also a reminder to Peter that when he had picked himself up from the fall, he was to strengthen the brethren. Similarly, the Lord is also after our perfection. Like Peter we are marked by the Lord. Moment by moment He is changing us. Everything we encounter in life is by divine providence. We either let them perfect or embitter us. We either become discouraged or allow them to build our resolve. Meanwhile let us not think more highly of ourselves than we ought to think. Let us think with sound judgment according to the grace that God has given to us. 

Let’s take counsel from the Apostle Paul recorded in Galatians 6:3 and 1 Corinthians 10:12 - Firstly, "For if anyone thinks he is something when he is nothing, he deceives himself.” And secondly, “Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed that he does not fall.”