Perhaps you have never heard of this biblical testimony before, or it has been a while since you studied who denied Jesus. Perhaps you know this person very well. Today we are going to do a refresher course on the three times Jesus was denied by his own disciple and how Jesus redeemed those decisions and still does for believers today. Who denied Jesus three times?
Have you ever felt personally rejected by a loved one? There are few things that hurt more than being surprised and denied. Jesus experienced all of the humanity that we make as people here on earth, and unfortunately that included the denial of one of his closest friends. Peter, James, and John were often described as attending events where the Bible did not mention other disciples. There seemed to be a close brotherhood that these men and Jesus shared. They were with him at the transfiguration (Matthew 17), when Jesus raised Jairus’ daughter from the dead (Luke 8:49–56), and in the Garden of Gethsemane (Matthew 26:36-46). However, even all those intimate moments were not enough for Peter to defend being one of Jesus’ friends and followers once he was arrested. Peter was given the opportunity three times to identify himself with Jesus at the time of his crucifixion, but Peter denied knowing Jesus three times.
Who was Peter in the Bible?
To understand why it was such a big deal that Peter was the one to deny Jesus, it is important to look back at his history. Peter accepted Jesus and followed him when Jesus called him at the Sea of Galilee. Peter (originally called Simon) was a fisherman with his brother Andrew (Matthew 4: 18-22, Luke 5: 1-11, John 1: 35-42). Peter asked what Jesus was asking them to do with their nets, but then, after seeing Jesus provide a boatful of fish in his net, he immediately responded in Luke 5:8: “When Simon Peter saw it, he fell into the nets. feet of the net. Jesus. He said, “Depart from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man.” Peter had instant humility and dedication in Luke 5:11 to follow Jesus immediately “When they came ashore with their boats, leaving everything, they followed Jesus.”
Peter was fully disposed to Jesus. He was a bold disciple who spoke openly about his opinions. In fact, of all the disciples who denied Jesus, Peter would not be the obvious guess. Jesus told Peter in Matthew 16:18: “And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it.” Peter was called to start the church. Peter was the only disciple brave enough to get out of the boat on the Sea of Galilee and walk to Jesus on the water. (Matthew 14:22-33) Peter cut off the ear of a guard in the Garden of Gethsemane who was coming to arrest Jesus (John 18:10).
We see an overconfident Peter in Luke 22:33-34, “But he answered, ‘Lord, I am ready to go with you to prison and to death.’ Jesus replied, “I tell you, Peter, before the rooster crows today, you will deny three times that you know me.”
What were Peter’s denials?
Luke 22:55-62 breaks down each of Peter’s denials of Jesus once Jesus had been arrested.
Denial 1: A servant
First, I find it interesting that the first person Peter denied Jesus was a servant girl. This girl would probably be the least threatening to him, but even though she was a young woman in a service position, Peter was still afraid of her. Maybe he knew how much girls like to talk? Whatever the reason, he was ashamed to be recognized as a follower of Christ.
Luke 22:55-57 says, “And when some kindled a fire in the middle of the court and sat down together, Peter sat down with them. A servant girl saw him sitting there in the firelight. She looked at him closely and said, ‘This man was with him.’ But he denied it. ‘Woman, I don’t know him,’ she said.
Denial 2: Someone Else and Denial 3: Other
The last two people are described as male but no other description. One occurs and then an hour later the other asks. The third person must have asked Peter near Jesus because Jesus sees Peter.
Luke 22:58-60, “Soon afterward, someone else saw him and said, ‘You are one of them too.’ .” “Man, I’m not!” Peter answered. An hour or so later, another claimed: “Certainly this man was with him, because he is a Galilean.” Peter responded, “Man, I don’t know what you’re talking about!” As he spoke, the rooster crowed.”
Jesus’ eyes were on Peter
After this moment, Pedro heard the cock crow. raven, and the words of Jesus were repeated in his head while Jesus himself looked Peter in the eye. I imagine that this look of Jesus was not one of hatred, but of great disappointment and sadness, and even mercy.
Luke 22:61-62 says, “The Lord turned and looked directly at Peter. Then Peter remembered the word that the Lord had spoken to him: ‘Before the rooster crows today, you will deny me three times.’ And he went outside and wept bitterly.”
This caused Pedro to cry bitterly. Think about it, the last time Peter saw Jesus before Jesus died was in the midst of his denial. Maybe you’ve had a final goodbye that didn’t end the way you expected. It might even haunt you to this day that things ended the way they did. Peter felt this too. I imagine that the three days until Jesus was resurrected were torture for Peter. He probably reproduced the image of the face of Jesus with the rooster crowing in the background over and over again.
When Mary Magdalene and the women tell the men that Jesus has risen, the disciples are quiet. unbelieving, but Peter ran to the tomb with John. (Luke 24:10-12), John 20:1-9) I can imagine Peter running with anticipation to reconcile with Jesus. Yes, he wanted to behold his risen Savior, but I think he ran after the opportunity to beg for forgiveness and see him again.
Jesus reappears and redeems Peter’s mistakes
In John 21, we see Jesus appearing to Peter. It is a beautiful image of Jesus returning to a situation similar to the one he was in when he first appeared to Peter. This time in the Sea of Tiberias. Peter, Thomas, Nathanael, James, and John were out fishing overnight and didn’t catch anything. From the shore, Jesus called out, “Children, do you have any fish?” Once again, Jesus tells them to cast the net over the right side of the boat. Suddenly, his boat fills up like Peter’s first encounter with Jesus. In verses 7-8 we see the impulsive Peter again, jumping into the sea and swimming to shore to go with Jesus.
Jesus prepared breakfast for them and asked them to bring some of the fish they caught. In this case we see that God provides for his followers to have fish and they obeyed and fished, then invites them to bring their contribution to be part of their meal. Jesus invites his followers to participate in his work.
Peter’s 1st new commission:
John 21:15 says, “When they finished eating, Jesus asked Simon Peter, ‘Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?’ “Yes, Lord,” he answered, “you know that I love you. Jesus replied, “Feed my lambs.”
Second new commission of Peter:
John 21:16 says, “Jesus asked a second time, ‘Simon, son of John, do you love me?’ ‘Yes, Lord,’ he answered, ‘You know that I love you.’ Jesus said to him: ‘Shepherd my sheep’”.
Pedro’s 3rd recommissioning:
John 21:17 says, “Jesus asked a third time, ‘Simon, son of John, do you love me?’ Peter was deeply hurt because Jesus had asked him for the third time: ‘Do you love me?’ ‘Lord, you know all things,’ he answered. ‘You know I love you.’ Jesus said to him: ‘Feed my sheep’”.
Jesus declares his love for Peter and gives the example of a shepherd and a sheep. Peter had heard that Jesus taught that He was the Good Shepherd. He heard that Jesus was the Bread of Life and the Living Water. This was a moment of re-dedication to Christ for Peter. Jesus gave Peter the freedom to be recommissioned even after Peter rejected and decided on Jesus and probably disqualified himself in his own mind from being used because of his sin against Jesus. We even see Jesus prophesy about Peter’s future martyrdom. Where Peter had been afraid to be associated with Jesus that he was being crucified, one day he would rise up for Jesus and go through a similar death on behalf of his Savior. This was not the end for Peter, but the turning point for his full dedication to Jesus, not out of a place of guilt, but out of love.
John 21:18-19 says, “Truly, truly, I say to you, when you were young, you dressed and walked wherever you wanted; but when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will clothe you and take you where you do not want to go. Jesus said this to indicate the type of death by which Peter would glorify God. And having said this, he said to her: ‘Follow me’”.
Clarence L. Haynes of Crosswalk shares that historical records reveal how Peter died in AD 64. C. in Rome during the reign of Nero. “When Peter died in AD 64, many of the other apostles, possibly all of them except John, had been martyred.”
Through the life of Peter, we see the forgiveness and mercy of Jesus. We see an invitation to follow Jesus even in our imperfections. We see a heart eager to obey Christ and show him to others. Although Peter denied Jesus three times, Jesus gave Peter the opportunity to affirm his love for him three times and reminded Peter of the original call he received in Galilee again in Tiberias. The message we learn is “follow me”.