When Jesus was arrested and taken away, Peter followed from a distance and came to where Jesus was. There, they had kindled a fire in the middle of the courtyard and sat down together, Peter sat down among them. Then a servant girl, seeing him as he sat in the light of the fire and looking closely at him, said, “This man also was with Jesus.” But Peter denied it, saying, “Woman, I don’t know him.” Then he went out into the porch, and the cock crowed.
A little later, another person saw him and said, “You also are one of them.” But Peter replied, “Man, I am not.” And after an interval of about an hour, still, another insisted, saying, “Certainly this man also was with Jesus, for he too is a Galilean.” But Peter replied, “Man, I don’t know what you are talking about.” And while he was still speaking, the rooster crowed a second time. And Jesus turned and looked at Peter. And Peter remembered what the Lord Jesus said to him, “Before the rooster crows twice, you will deny me thrice.” And Peter went out and wept bitterly. (see Luke 22:54-62 and Mark 14:53-72)
What if Peter had not denied Jesus? What if he told the truth that he was one of Jesus’ disciples? What would have happened? What would have happened to Peter was very obvious, for, at that time, Jesus was going through persecution. According to Luke, the men who held Jesus mocked him and smote him. And when they had blindfolded him, they struck him on the face, and asked him, saying, “Prophesy, who is it that smote thee?” And they spoke many blasphemous things against him. (Luke 22:63-65).
According to Matthew, they spat in his face and struck him; and some slapped him, saying, “Prophecy to us, you Christ! Who is it that struck you?” (Mt 26:67-68). And Mark and John testified that He was bound – bound like a criminal or a captive of war. If Peter had confessed that he was Jesus’ disciple, he would have had his fair share of the persecution Jesus suffered – the beating, the insults, the torture, the slaps, the humiliation of being spat on and being treated like a worthless criminal and afterward, death on the cross. At that point, to save his own life, he resorted to telling a lie and denying Jesus.
Why should Peter of all people deny Jesus? Peter was no ordinary disciple. He was a disciple of valor. He loved the Lord Jesus and was part of His inner circles and he did testify great things about Him:
- At Caesarea Philippi, Peter was the one who testified, answering Jesus, “Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God. Having said that, Jesus warmly commended him, saying, “Blessed art thou, Simon Bar-
jona : for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven. (Matthew 16:16-17)” - In Capernaum, when Jesus realized his disciples were offended at His teachings and turned their backs on Him, He asked the twelve disciples, “Will ye also go away?” Simon Peter answered Jesus, testifying, “Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life. (John 6:67-68).”
- When Jesus and His disciples sat at a table during the Last Supper, Jesus disclosed to his disciples that they were all going to apostatize that night just as it is written in the scriptures. Peter was the first to boldly answer Jesus, “Although all shall be offended, yet will not I.” Even when Jesus said that he shall deny him thrice, he still insisted strongly, saying, “If I should die with thee, I will not deny thee in any wise.” (Mr 14:27, Mr 14:29, Mr 14:30-31).
Such a zealous disciple as Peter; the testimonies and the promise he gave were his honest words to his Master and Teacher. If at any point he had meant to lie, certainly, Jesus would have exposed him as deceitful. When Peter promised to die with Jesus, he really meant it. However, when he got to where he had to confess his faith and honor his promise to his Master, persecution drove him to commit the grave sin of apostasy, betraying his faith and his testimonies, worse yet, he denied his Lord and Master as if he was not the same Peter who had once given great testimonies about Jesus.
Jesus’ earliest and closest disciples became the very first examples of people who denied Him in the face of persecution. How long should we get on with the debate about whether a true Christian can apostatize? The very disciples of Jesus who believed in Him, called Him Lord and Teacher, heard His teachings, saw His miracles, and even healed and cast out demons in His name forsook and denied Him in the face of persecution. They certainly were the first but not the last.