Paul Kretzmann Commentary - Luke 22:54 - 22:62

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Paul Kretzmann Commentary - Luke 22:54 - 22:62


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This Chapter Verse Commentaries:

Christ before Caiaphas. The Denial of Peter.

The fall of Peter:

v. 54. Then took they Him, and led Him, and brought Him into the high priest's house. And Peter followed afar off.

v. 55. And when they had kindled a fire in the midst of the hall, and were set down together, Peter sat down among them.

v. 56. But a certain maid beheld him as he sat by the fire, and earnestly looked upon him, and said, This man was also with Him.

v. 57. And he denied Him, saying, Woman, I know Him not.

v. 58. And after a little while another saw him and said, Thou art also of them. And Peter said, Man, I am not;

v. 59. And about the space of one hour after, another confidently affirmed, saying, Of a truth this fellow also was with Him; for he is a Galilean.

v. 60. And Peter said, Man, I know not what thou sayest. And immediately, while he yet spake, the cock crew.

v. 61. And the Lord turned, and looked upon Peter. And Peter remembered the word of the Lord, how He had said unto him, Before the cock crow, thou shalt deny Me thrice.

v. 62. And Peter went out and wept bitterly.

There was little rest, and no sleep, in the palace of. the high priest that night. The departure of the band had caused great excitement throughout the household, and its victorious return caused all the servants to be worked up to the highest pitch. For the time being, all the adherents of the prisoner were in like condemnation. The servants had surrounded Jesus and thus taken Him captive, and then marched Him to the house of the high priest. Peter's impulsive nature came to the front here: he must see what was going to happen. The servants had kindled a good fire in the midst of the court of the palace, one which supplied light as well as heat. Peter, having gained admission into the arched doorway, joined the servants about the fire, for the chill of the spring night was in the air. Here a maid saw him, as he was sitting toward the light. Fixing her eyes upon him very firmly to be sure she was making no mistake, she accused him of being a follower of Jesus. She made her accusation in the form of a statement to the other servants: Also this man was with Him. And Peter, taken by surprise, uttered the words before he really had time to consider them: I don't know Him, woman. His conscience may have bothered him some after that, for he appears to have gone away from the fire for some time. But it was not long before he was attacked from different sides, not only the janitresses accusing him, but also one of the men: And thou also art of them, a member of that notorious band. Peter had denied being a follower of Jesus now he denies his discipleship, with greater emphasis. But the opposition was not quieted, for hardly had another hour gone by when still another man affirmed more strongly: In truth also this man was with Him, for he is a Galilean. And Peter again denied, pretending even ignorance of what the man was saying. So the threefold denial of the Lord had become a fact, according to the prophecy of the evening before. At this moment the cock crowed, and at the same time Jesus turned to look at Peter. This look of the Savior, whom he had so deeply grieved with his great sin, entered deeply into the heart of Peter. It was either that Jesus at this time was taken from the chambers of Hannas to those of his son-in-law, Caiaphas, or that the judgment-hall was on a level from which one could look down into the court. Now Peter recalled every word of his Master, and surely also the boastfulness with which he had answered Him. And he went out of the palace into the open and wept bitterly. That was sincere sorrow and repentance. Peter trusted in the Word of the Gospel, the promise of salvation which he had heard so often out of the mouth of his Teacher, and in the strength of that faith he found forgiveness.