Luke 22:54-71 Focusing On Peter

My commentary really focused on Peter and his denials, and had a very interesting take on things.  Asking the question, “How did it happen [that Peter denied Jesus three times}?”, it walks through the mistakes Peter made – mistakes that we too need to watch out for in our lives.

“To begin with, Peter did not take the Lord’s warnings seriously, nor did he watch and pray as Jesus had instructed in the garden.  For all of his courage and zeal, the apostle Peter was totally unprepared for Satan’s attacks.”

“Jesus was led out of the garden, and ‘Peter followed afar off.’  This was the next step toward his defeat … Peter was not intended to follow at all.  The sheep were supposed to scatter and then meet Jesus later in Galilee.  In fact, when He was arrested, Jesus said to the guards, ‘Let these [disciples] go their way,’ a clear signal that they were not to follow Him.”

“Peter and John followed the mob and gained entrance into the courtyard of Caiphas’s house.  It was a cold night, and Peter first stood by the fire and then sat down with the servants and officers.  Sitting there in enemy territory, Peter was an easy target.”

After lying about knowing Jesus the first time, ‘he left the fire and went out to the porch, and the cock crowed the first time.  This in itself should have warned him to get out, but he lingered.”  Twice more he was accused and lied, and the cock crowed that second time.  “At that moment, Jesus, being led away to the next trial, turned and looked at Peter, and His look broke Peter’s heart … Peter slipped out and went off and wept bitterly.  It was to Peter’s credit that all the Lord had to do was look at him to bring him to the place of repentance.”

My commentary spoke of the encouragements the cock crowing gave to Peter:

“First, it was an assurance to him that Jesus Christ was still in control of things even though He was a prisoner, bound and seemingly helpless before His captors.”

“Second, it assured Peter that he could be forgiven.  Peter had not been paying close attention to the word of God.  He had argued with it, disobeyed it, and even run ahead of it, but now he remembered the word of the Lord, and this brought him hope.”  Jesus had told him in verse 32, “I have prayed that you will not lose your faith.  Help your brothers be stronger when you come BACK to Me.”

Finally, it told Peter than a new day was dawning, “as he repented and wept bitterly … On resurrection morning, the angel sent a special message to encourage Peter, and the Lord Himself appeared to Peter that day and restored him to fellowship.”

“Each one of us, at one time or another, will fail the Lord and then hear (in one way or another) ‘the crowing of the cock.’  Satan will tell us that we are finished, that our future has been destroyed, but that is not God’s message to us.”

Father, thank You for this promise.  Keep me vigilant to not place myself where Satan can attack me.  Remind me always of Your warnings.  Help me to obey them.  And if I fail, don’t let me listen to Satan’s putdowns.  Instead, let me hear Your message of hope to me!

Your Brother In Christ,

Gary Ford