Life of Jesus Peters Denial

Matthew 26:69-75
Now Peter was sitting out in the courtyard, and a servant girl came to him. You also were with Jesus of Galilee, she said. But he denied it before them all. I dont know what youre talking about, he said. Then he went out to the gateway, where another girl saw him and said to the people there, This fellow was with Jesus of Nazareth. He denied it again, with an oath: I dont know the man! (69-72) Though all the disciples fled (26:56), later Peter followed the procession to Caiaphas The fact that Peter was sitting in the courtyard likely means that he was aware of the imminent danger of being associated with Jesus with this turn of events This place of observation from a safe distance would allow Peter to make a quick escape As a part of the aristocratic household of Caiaphas the high priest, the servant girl had undoubtedly seen Jesus and the disciples in the temple courts Peter says to her, I dont know what youre talking about, which was a standard form for denial in Jewish legal texts (much like we would hear today I have no recollection. . .) When asked a second time, he used an oath the type of language Jesus taught against in the Sermon on the Mount: Dont swear at all . . . let your yes be yes (5:34-37) Peter was lying our sinful nature leads us to substitute truth with volume and profanity After a little while, those standing there went up to Peter and said, Surely you are one of them, for your accent gives you away. Then he began to call down curses on himself and he swore to them, I dont know the man! Immediately a rooster crowed. Then Peter remembered the word Jesus had spoken: Before the rooster crows, you will disown me three times. And he went outside and wept bitterly. (73-75) In this group of accusers was a servant of the high priest who was actually related to the servant whose ear was severed by Peter and immediately healed by Jesus (John 18:26) Peters accent was Galilean, which was significantly different from the Judean accent Those from Jerusalem looked down on Galileans as rural, coarse and less educated (their enunciation was marked with carelessness in vowels indistinct guttural consonants) With the third accusation, Peter progresses from the use of an oath to the calling down of curses on himself (such as, I swear to you, if what I am saying is untrue may I be . . .) With this third denial came to crowing of the rooster, as Jesus had prophesied (26:34) We deny Christ by desiring to please men more than God, by refusing to share the gospel when we have opportunity, or by compromising our faith as we blend with the world We may not hear a rooster crow, but we do hear Jesus words of warning: if anyone is ashamed of Me and My words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will be ashamed of him when He comes in His Fathers glory with the angels (Mark 8:38)