Thrice Denial

I grew up in a strict family that believed Christians shouldn’t watch movies. One day, I left school early with my best friend Regi and went to a theater. As I was standing in line to get my ticket, my great-uncle saw me. He said, “Andrew, what are you doing here?” I didn’t answer him. When my friend Regi asked, “Who is he, Andrew? Does he know you? Are we going to get into trouble?” I said, “No, I don’t know this guy. He is confused.” My great-uncle walked away sad and never reported me to my parents.

Peter was in a similar situation. Jesus had been arrested with swords and sticks as if he were a thief (Luke 22:52). Peter tried to stop the capture with a sword fight, missed his target’s head and tore his earlobe, and Jesus shamed him in front of the enemies by healing the wounded man’s ear (22:53). He was frightened and ran away.

Later, he entered the high priest’s courtyard, where Jesus was tried. All Peter wanted to do was to see how the trial went.

The weather was cold. Soldiers, servants, and onlookers sat by campfires to warm themselves. Peter joined them. Beside him was a young servant girl (pedia-iski). As the campfire light flickered on his face, she “stirred at him” and said,

“This one was with him.” (22:56)

She didn’t even qualify him as a man or “he,” just this one! Fearing what would happen if he was caught, Peter denied (arneomai),

“I don’t know him, woman.” (22:57)

After a while, another identified him and said,

“You, you are one of them.” (22:58a)

That fellow didn’t have any doubt (neither did the young servant girl). Yet, Peter didn’t want to own up to his oneness with his teacher. So he said,

“Man, I am not.” (22:58b)

An hour passed by, and another forcefully said,

“Truly, this one was with him [meaning, Jesus] since he is a Galilean.” (22:59)

Peter’s cover was blown. Those three knew him as Jesus’s disciple and as Galileans. It’s like spotting two Indians among two hundred Vikings! Galileans were out of place among the Judeans, especially in a high priest’s courtyard!  

Once again, Peter said,

“Man, I don’t know what you are saying.” (22:60)

As he said those words, a rooster crowed. At that very moment,

Jesus, turning, looked gently at Peter. (22:61a)

Peter immediately remembered the Lord’s words—“Before the rooster crows today, you will utterly deny (aparneomai) me three times”—and he went out of the courtyard and cried bitterly (22:61b–62).

A few observations. First, in all his responses, Peter used vocative: “woman,” “man,” “man.” This shows intensity as if he was yelling at them. Second, they didn’t refer to him as “this man” but “this one” as if he wasn’t someone worthy of a title like Mr. or Sir. After all, he was a Galilean. Third, although Jesus referred to utter denial (with ap before areneomai) and Peter’s original denial is just a denial (areneomai), his thrice denial authenticates Jesus’s statement of utter denial. Fourth, Peter wasn’t behaving like a petros, a rock. He was frightened. Fifth, his memory was good (even after three glasses of wine and a sleepless night). As soon as the rooster crowed, he remembered Jesus’s words the night before. Sixth, Jesus waited for an opportunity to turn around and look gently at Peter. He was standing with his back to Peter, being questioned, mocked, and insulted by everyone else. Yet, he knew Peter would remember his words as the rooster crowed; Peter would be guilt-driven. So he turned around and looked gently at him to affirm his love. Seventh, Jesus’s care amid his pain made Peter cry bitterly and, no doubt, repent.

Sometimes, we might be tempted to deny the Lord by our actions or words. If we do, he still turns around and looks at us gently so we’ll not be guilt-driven but repent. That’s true love.