Station four: Peter denies Jesus

Bible reading

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. 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 26:69-74 (NIV)

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Pause

Jesus had told Peter earlier in the evening, whilst they were eating together with the other disciples, that he would deny knowing him. He predicted that Peter would do this three times that night, before the rooster crowed at dawn. Peter had been quite upset and had told Jesus, that he would never do that. Peter had bravely followed Jesus as he was arrested and taken to the High Priest’s house. The other disciples ran away when the guards arrived in the garden. As Peter tries to blend in, he is asked whether he knows Jesus, afraid and wanting to be invisible he does exactly what he said he would not do. Christians believe that when you pretend to not be someone’s friend, because you are scared, Jesus forgives you.

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Ponder

• Why do you think Peter was afraid of admitting he was a friend of Jesus?
  
• How do you think Peter felt when he heard the Cock crowing?
  
• Have you ever pretended to not be a friend of someone because you were afraid to admit it?