April 26th

By Randall L. Broad

Read: Judges 6:1-40; Luke 22:54-23:12; Psalm 95-96:13; Proverbs 14:5-6

Two days ago we read in the One Year Bible the story of the Last Supper and the prophesy Peter would deny Jesus three times before the rooster crows.

³¹“Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift all of you as wheat. ³²But I have prayed for you, Simon that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers.” ³³But he replied, “Lord, I am ready to go with you to prison and to death.” ³⁴Jesus answered, “I tell you, Peter, before the rooster crows today, you will deny three times that you know me.”

Luke 22:31-34

In today’s reading Luke describes the first two denials:

⁵⁴Then seizing him, they led him away and took him into the house of the high priest. Peter followed at a distance. ⁵⁵And when some there had kindled a fire in the middle of the courtyard and had sat down together, Peter sat down with them. ⁵⁶A servant girl saw him seated there in the firelight. She looked closely at him and said, “This man was with him.”

⁵⁷But he denied it. “Woman, I don’t know him,” he said.

⁵⁸A little later someone else saw him and said, “You also are one of them.”

“Man, I am not!” Peter replied.

Luke 22:54-58

And the third:

⁵⁹About an hour later another asserted, “Certainly this fellow was with him, for he is a Galilean.”

⁶⁰Peter replied, “Man, I don’t know what you’re talking about!” Just as he was speaking, the rooster crowed. ⁶¹The Lord turned and looked straight at Peter. Then Peter remembered the word the Lord had spoken to him: “Before the rooster crows today, you will disown me three times.” ⁶²And he went outside and wept bitterly.

Luke 22:59-62

Can you imagine that look? All of us have been given ‘the look’ by our parents, teachers, bosses, or spouse. It makes your skin crawl, usually because you know that you have done something wrong, broken some kind of promise or trust. Other people’s recognition is a fundamental component of being human. We seek the approval of the people we respect to validate our own humanity. Fredrick Hegel believed the desire for recognition was the motor that drives human history and all scientific and economic activity is a product of that process. When Peter denied Christ he was acting as a human. He feared for his own life even though he had boldly told Jesus in front of all the disciples he would follow Christ into prison and the grave. He did not honor that promise on the day Jesus was arrested. He denied Christ not once, but three times.

All of us as human beings, even the most faithful to Jesus have done the same thing at least three times in our lives. I personally can testify to years of denial. For decades I had a hard time wrapping my mind intellectually around Jesus. I longed for him in my heart, but my rational nature could not accept the gospel as truth. Peter knew Jesus was the truth. He was the one to answer when Jesus asked the disciples, “Who do you think I am?” So his denial was not based on confusion or ignorance. It was based purely on fear for his own safety. Life challenges us that way. God makes us chose between the easier wrong and the harder right.

I believe when Jesus looked at Peter this is what Peter saw:

The humility and strength of a man–Jesus stood before all the people not as a king or a god, but as a man accountable for his beliefs, teachings, and actions. He wanted Peter to know the price for following Him. Jesus would soon be shedding the flesh and returning to the spirit from which he came. Now Peter would have to lead the disciples and build the church. He would need humility and strength. Jesus knew Peter had those qualities, so he chose him to be the rock on which the church would be built. In the eyes of Jesus must have been the affirmation of that declaration not the condemnation of disappointment.

The courage of a warrior–it takes incredible courage to fight and die for your convictions. Faith is an important part of the warrior culture. Who would die for something they did not believe in? All warriors feel fear. Whether they want to admit it or not, most warriors have succumbed to fear at some point in their lives. They are left with the feeling they let themselves or someone else down. Jesus may be the one exception to that truth. In the eyes of Jesus must have been incredible courage that would sustain Peter all the remaining days of his life.

The Love of God–‘the look’ is usually made harder to bear because of our love and respect for the person giving it to us. We know that we have let them down in some inexplicable way. Is it any wonder Peter went and wept? But I have to believe in the eyes of Jesus were the forgiveness of a brother and the love of a father. Forgiveness and love are the foundations of God’s Grace. That is why he sent Jesus to die on the cross. That is why he sent Peter to deny Jesus so we could remember to be humble and strong, to have the courage of a warrior, and share the love of God.

Walk with the Lord …

Ephesians 1:17

(RLB250426)

© Copyright 2018: Randall L. Broad

Disclaimer: This commentary is written by Randall L. Broad. It is in no way affiliated with or represents any denomination, university, church, or pastor. Any errors or omissions are purely my responsibility.