Day: January 9, 2024

Tuesday, January 9, 2024

“And about the space of one hour after another confidently affirmed, saying, Of a truth this fellow also was with him: for he is a Galilaean. And Peter said, Man, I know not what thou sayest. And immediately, while he yet spake, the cock crew” (Luke 22:59,60 KJV).

How was Peter the Apostle being preposterous?

Peter’s third denial of Jesus Christ is as follows. “And after a while came unto him they that stood by, and said to Peter, Surely thou also art one of them; for thy speech bewrayeth thee. Then began he to curse and to swear, saying, I know not the man. And immediately the cock crew” (Matthew 26:73,74). “And a little after, they that stood by said again to Peter, Surely thou art one of them: for thou art a Galilaean, and thy speech agreeth thereto. But he began to curse and to swear, saying, I know not this man of whom ye speak” (Mark 14:70b,71). “And about the space of one hour after another confidently affirmed, saying, Of a truth this fellow also was with him: for he is a Galilaean. And Peter said, Man, I know not what thou sayest” (Luke 22:59,60—today’s Scripture). “One of the servants of the high priest, being his kinsman whose ear Peter cut off, saith, Did not I see thee in the garden with him? Peter then denied again: and immediately the cock crew” (John 18:26,27).

Overall, it was just three denials preserved in Four Gospel Records (see Matthew 26:34,75; Mark 14:30,72; Luke 22:34,61). That final denial is (literally) most revealing, for it sheds light on all three renunciations. Matthew (26:73) reports it as, “Surely thou also art one of them; for thy speech bewrayeth [variation of ‘betrayeth’] thee.” Mark (14:70) writes it was, “Surely thou art one of them: for thou art a Galilaean, and thy speech agreeth thereto.” Today’s Scripture affirms the accusation, “for he is a Galilaean.” The more he spoke in protest, the harder it was for Peter to conceal his true identity. Every time Peter was rejecting the Lord Jesus Christ, Peter’s voice was giving away a secret. The distinct way he talked, the unique manner in which he expressed his words, made it quite obvious to them that Peter was indeed a foreigner….