A. Matthew:

Then Jesus told them, “This very night you will all fall away on account of me, for it is written: “ ‘I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock will be scattered.’ Matthew 26:31 NIV

–Peter replied, “Even if all fall away on account of you, I never will.” Matthew 26:33 NIV

–But Peter declared, “Even if I have to die with you, I will never disown you.” And all the other disciples said the same.

Matthew 26:35 NIV

–But this has all taken place that the writings of the prophets might be fulfilled.” Then all the disciples deserted him and fled. Matthew 26:56 NIV

–Those who had arrested Jesus took him to Caiaphas the high priest, where the teachers of the law and the elders had assembled. But Peter followed him at a distance, right up to the courtyard of the high priest. He entered and sat down with the guards to see the outcome.

Matthew 26:57‭-‬58 NIV

✓✓Then the high priest tore his clothes and said, “He has spoken blasphemy! Why do we need any more witnesses? Look, now you have heard the blasphemy. Matthew 26:65 NIV

–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 don’t know what you’re talking about,” he said. Then he went out to the gateway, where another servant girl saw him and said to the people there, “This fellow was with Jesus of Nazareth.” He denied it again, with an oath: “I don’t know the man!” After a little while, those standing there went up to Peter and said, “Surely you are one of them; your accent gives you away.” Then he began to call down curses, and he swore to them, “I don’t know the man!” Immediately a rooster crowed.

Matthew 26:69‭-‬74 NIV

✓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.

Matthew 26:75 NIV

B. Mark:

But Peter insisted emphatically, “Even if I have to die with you, I will never disown you.” And all the others said the same.

Mark 14:31 NIV

v54 Peter follows Jesus from a distance.

v63 High priest tore his clothes

v66-72 Peter Denies Jesus

C. Luke

“Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift all of you as wheat. But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers.”

Luke 22:31‭-‬32 NIV

–But he replied, “Lord, I am ready to go with you to prison and to death.” Jesus answered, “I tell you, Peter, before the rooster crows today, you will deny three times that you know me.”

Luke 22:33‭-‬34 NIV

–While he was still speaking a crowd came up, and the man who was called Judas, one of the Twelve, was leading them. He approached Jesus to kiss him, but Jesus asked him, “Judas, are you betraying the Son of Man with a kiss?”

Luke 22:47‭-‬48 NIV

–Then seizing him, they led him away and took him into the house of the high priest. Peter followed at a distance.

Luke 22:54 NIV

–And when some there had kindled a fire in the middle of the courtyard and had sat down together, Peter sat down with them. A servant girl saw him seated there in the firelight. She looked closely at him and said, “This man was with him.” But he denied it. “Woman, I don’t know him,” he said.

Luke 22:55‭-‬57 NIV

A little later someone else saw him and said, “You also are one of them.” “Man, I am not!” Peter replied. About an hour later another asserted, “Certainly this fellow was with him, for he is a Galilean.” Peter replied, “Man, I don’t know what you’re talking about!” Just as he was speaking, the rooster crowed.

Luke 22:58‭-‬60 NIV

The 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.” And he went outside and wept bitterly. Luke 22:61‭-‬62 NIV

D. John: Peter denies Jesus without blinking an eye

–Simon Peter and another disciple were following Jesus. Because this disciple was known to the high priest, he went with Jesus into the high priest’s courtyard, but Peter had to wait outside at the door. The other disciple, who was known to the high priest, came back, spoke to the servant girl on duty there and brought Peter in. “You aren’t one of this man’s disciples too, are you?” she asked Peter. He replied, “I AM NOT.”

John 18:15-‬17 NIV

–It was cold, and the servants and officials stood around a fire they had made to keep warm. Peter also was standing with them, warming himself.

John 18:18 NIV

–Meanwhile, Simon Peter was still standing there warming himself. So they asked him, “You aren’t one of his disciples too, are you?” He denied it, saying, “I AM NOT.” John 18:25 NIV

–One of the high priest’s servants, a relative of the man whose ear Peter had cut off, challenged him, “Didn’t I see you with him in the garden?” John 18:26 NIV [Malchus- Name of the servant]

1. –Again Peter DENIED it, and at that moment a rooster began to crow.

John 18:27 NIV

Reflection:

How many times do we deny Jesus and it doesn’t bother us? And follow him from a distance?

Unlike Judas, Peter broke down because of His sin and wept bitterly (repentance) not just remorse.

Proverbs 28:13 – “Whoever conceals their sins does not prosper, but the one who confesses and renounces them finds mercy”

2 Corinthians 13:5 – “Examine yourselves to see if your faith is genuine. Test yourselves. Surely you know that Jesus is among you; if not, you have failed the test of genuine faith.” (NLT)

Jeremiah 48:10 – “Cursed are those who refuse to do the LORD’S work, who hold back their swords from shedding blood” (Maombi ya ulegevu, kutoa kwa ulegevu, kupenda kwa ulegevu, kujitoa kwa ulegevu)