City Life Starter

Written by Jason Scherzer

The Word

²⁵ Now Simon Peter stood and warmed himself. Therefore they said to him, “You are not also one of His disciples, are you?”

He denied it and said, “I am not!”

²⁶ One of the servants of the high priest, a relative of him whose ear Peter cut off, said, “Did I not see you in the garden with Him?” ²⁷ Peter then denied again; and immediately a rooster crowed.

Exegesis

Jesus has been arrested by the Romans, at the instigation of the Jews, which God had destined to happen. John’s gospel refers to the place of Jesus’ arrest as located across the Kedron ravine, a place where there was a garden. Mark and Matthew call the garden “Gethsemane” which means the place of the oil press. Oil frequently signifies joy in Scripture. Although it does mean joy, there is a pressing or crushing which must take place to obtain the oil, such as when oil is taken from olives. Jesus will be crushed for our sins, but in the end, there will be joy after He has triumphed.

A detachment of soldiers bearing weapons, together with Jewish officials, and the betrayer Judas came to Jesus. He was bound, arrested, and brought to Annas, the father in law of the high priest, Caiaphas.

In these few verses, we have Peter’s 2^nd and 3^rd denial of Christ. His 1^st denial of Christ is recorded in John 18:17. With the 2^nd and 3^rd denials we see the perfect fulfillment of Jesus’ prediction to Peter. We need to recall the earlier interaction between Jesus and Peter, shortly after the foot washing by Jesus:

Simon Peter asked him, “Lord, where are you going?” Jesus replied, “Where I am going, you cannot follow now, but you will follow later.” Peter asked, “Lord, why can’t I follow you now? I will lay down my life for you.” Then Jesus answered, “Will you really lay down your life for me? Very truly I tell you, before the rooster crows, you will disown me three times!

John 13:36-38

As Son of God, Jesus knows the future, and He knows the weaknesses of each of His servants. He does not announce it to bring shame, but to show that He is Lord, knows all things, and is the source of all forgiveness and restoration.

Amazingly as these events unfold, we see Jesus being interrogated, and we also see Peter being questioned. The reasons of Jesus and Peter being questioned are different yet intertwined. Jesus will shortly be in an unjust trial; Peter is hopelessly trying to distance himself from association with Jesus. John’s writing brings the double suspense to the forefront, so that as readers we are inclined to be concerned with Jesus on trial and also about Peter being questioned.

If it were a crime to know Jesus, then Peter was quite obviously implicated. The high priest’s servant, whose ear Peter had cut off with a sword, that Jesus instantly healed, seemingly must have told his relative. This relative, having been told all that had happened in the garden, was naturally inquisitive and asked Peter with the expectation of an honest reply. Peter knew that they recognized him, yet he was so uncomfortable, fearful, and perhaps panicked. Feeling a loss of control, Peter desperately wanted to distance himself from Jesus, as his world seemed to collapse around him.

Ultimately Peter will be restored, but he certainly had no expectation of any restoration at all.

Application

We should not think that we would respond any better than Peter, if we were in his shoes. Peter was not any more or any less sinful than we are. He had character flaws just as we do. It is humbling to think that we could have walked closely with Jesus in person for about three years and still fail miserably. Yet Christ does not call us to Himself to set us up for failure. He provides the means for us to rise up and take hold of godliness and eternal life.

Prayer

Lord, in these difficult and uncertain days, You never change and You are still faithful and true. Strengthen us so that we can be a strong witness for Jesus Christ, confessing that we have been with You and had our hearts changed. Give us more of the Holy Spirit to lead us and reveal Christ in our hearts. Amen.