Matthew 26:57-75 Peter Denies Jesus

After his arrest, Jesus is taken before the high priest and the whole Council (Sanhedrin). The Sanhedrin, with 71 members in all, is the equivalent of the Supreme Court for the Jews. They had paid Judas to turn Jesus in and were paying false witnesses to accuse him, but none of them stuck and Jesus did not comment on any of them. In a last attempt to accuse him, the high priest questions him about his claim of being the Christ, the Son of God. Jesus admits his identity and the high priest accuses him of blasphemy. Blasphemy was condemned with the death penalty, but under Roman domination the Jews were prohibited to exact the death penalty. This is the reason for the Council taking Jesus before the Roman authorities (Pilate).

As members of the Council take turns to slap and spit on Jesus, Peter is outside waiting to see how it all turns out. While he is waiting, he is recognized by a servant girl as one who was with Jesus, but he denies it. And as he moves out of the courtyard, by the entrance, another slave girl recognizes him as well, but this time he denies with an oath. Finally, the bystanders come to him because they recognize his accent, but he denies again while swearing. At this time, the rooster crows and Peter remembers Jesus' prophecy about his denial and weeps bitterly.

It is easy for me to hide behind the Jews, or the Romans, even Peter. I could say to myself that they were the ones who spat and slapped and denied Jesus, but not me. The truth is that my sin was the cause of it all. I am the high priest who pronounced judgment on Jesus. I am the Council member who spat on his face. I am the Roman soldier who slapped him. And even though I can't imagine doing such a thing, I am the Peter who denied him three times. Why? Because my sin is the reason Jesus came to drink of that cup.

Even today, I spit, slap, and deny when I let sin reign in my life. I have been bought at a price and I am not my own. Christ bought me from the grip of death and gave me life to live it for him. When I give into sin, I spit his face. When I cave into temptation, I slap him again. When I surrender to the flesh, I deny that I know him even if for a moment. The abuse against Christ is not on the Jews, or the Romans; not even on Peter. It is on me!

Lord, forgive my lack of faithfulness to you. Give me strength to live for you. May I proclaim to all that I know you, not just with words, but with my life.