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Click a verse to see commentary22. Last Supper, Betrayal, Arrest
1Now the feast of unleavened bread drew nigh, which is called the Passover. 2And the chief priests and the scribes sought how they might put him to death; for they feared the people. 3And Satan entered into Judas who was called Iscariot, being of the number of the twelve. 4And he went away, and communed with the chief priests and captains, how he might deliver him unto them. 5And they were glad, and covenanted to give him money. 6And he consented, and sought opportunity to deliver him unto them in the absence of the multitude. 7And the day of unleavened bread came, on which the passover must be sacrificed. 8And he sent Peter and John, saying, Go and make ready for us the passover, that we may eat. 9And they said unto him, Where wilt thou that we make ready? 10And he said unto them, Behold, when ye are entered into the city, there shall meet you a man bearing a pitcher of water; follow him into the house whereinto he goeth. 11And ye shall say unto the master of the house, The Teacher saith unto thee, Where is the guestchamber, where I shall eat the passover with my disciples? 12And he will show you a large upper room furnished: there make ready. 13And they went, and found as he had said unto them: and they made ready the passover. 14And when the hour was come, he sat down, and the apostles with him. 15And he said unto them, With desire I have desired to eat this passover with you before I suffer: 16for I say unto you, I shall not eat it, until it be fulfilled in the kingdom of God. 17And he received a cup, and when he had given thanks, he said, Take this, and divide it among yourselves: 18for I say unto you, I shall not drink from henceforth of the fruit of the vine, until the kingdom of God shall come. 19And he took bread, and when he had given thanks, he brake it, and gave to them, saying, This is my body which is given for you: this do in remembrance of me. 20And the cup in like manner after supper, saying, This cup is the new covenant in my blood, even that which is poured out for you. 21But behold, the hand of him that betrayeth me is with me on the table. 22For the Son of man indeed goeth, as it hath been determined: but woe unto that man through whom he is betrayed! 23And they began to question among themselves, which of them it was that should do this thing. 24And there arose also a contention among them, which of them was accounted to be greatest. 25And he said unto them, The kings of the Gentiles have lordship over them; and they that have authority over them are called Benefactors. 26But ye shall not be so: but he that is the greater among you, let him become as the younger; and he that is chief, as he that doth serve. 27For which is greater, he that sitteth at meat, or he that serveth? is not he that sitteth at meat? but I am in the midst of you as he that serveth. 28But ye are they that have continued with me in my temptations; 29and I appoint unto you a kingdom, even as my Father appointed unto me, 30that ye may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom; and ye shall sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel. 31Simon, Simon, behold, Satan asked to have you, that he might sift you as wheat: 32but I made supplication for thee, that thy faith fail not; and do thou, when once thou hast turned again, establish thy brethren. 33And he said unto him, Lord, with thee I am ready to go both to prison and to death. 34And he said, I tell thee, Peter, the cock shall not crow this day, until thou shalt thrice deny that thou knowest me. 35And he said unto them, When I sent you forth without purse, and wallet, and shoes, lacked ye anything? And they said, Nothing. 36And he said unto them, But now, he that hath a purse, let him take it, and likewise a wallet; and he that hath none, let him sell his cloak, and buy a sword. 37For I say unto you, that this which is written must be fulfilled in me, And he was reckoned with transgressors: for that which concerneth me hath fulfilment. 38And they said, Lord, behold, here are two swords. And he said unto them, It is enough. 39And he came out, and went, as his custom was, unto the mount of Olives; and the disciples also followed him. 40And when he was at the place, he said unto them, Pray that ye enter not into temptation. 41And he was parted from them about a stone's cast; and he kneeled down and prayed, 42saying, Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done. 43And there appeared unto him an angel from heaven, strengthening him. 44And being in an agony he prayed more earnestly; and his sweat became as it were great drops of blood falling down upon the ground. 45And when he rose up from his prayer, he came unto the disciples, and found them sleeping for sorrow, 46and said unto them, Why sleep ye? rise and pray, that ye enter not into temptation. 47While he yet spake, behold, a multitude, and he that was called Judas, one of the twelve, went before them; and he drew near unto Jesus to kiss him. 48But Jesus said unto him, Judas, betrayest thou the Son of man with a kiss? 49And when they that were about him saw what would follow, they said, Lord, shall we smite with the sword? 50And a certain one of them smote the servant of the high priest, and struck off his right ear. 51But Jesus answered and said, Suffer ye them thus far. And he touched his ear, and healed him. 52And Jesus said unto the chief priests, and captains of the temple, and elders, that were come against him, Are ye come out, as against a robber, with swords and staves? 53When I was daily with you in the temple, ye stretched not forth your hands against me: but this is your hour, and the power of darkness. 54And they seized him, and led him away, and brought him into the high priest's house. But Peter followed afar off. 55And when they had kindled a fire in the midst of the court, and had sat down together, Peter sat in the midst of them. 56And a certain maid seeing him as he sat in the light of the fire, and looking stedfastly upon him, said, This man also was with him. 57But he denied, saying, Woman, I know him not. 58And after a little while another saw him, and said, Thou also art one of them. But Peter said, Man, I am not. 59And after the space of about one hour another confidently affirmed, saying, Of a truth this man also was with him; for he is a Galilaean. 60But Peter said, Man, I know not what thou sayest. And immediately, while he yet spake, the cock crew. 61And the Lord turned, and looked upon Peter. And Peter remembered the word of the Lord, how that he said unto him, Before the cock crow this day thou shalt deny me thrice. 62And he went out, and wept bitterly. 63And the men that held Jesus mocked him, and beat him. 64And they blindfolded him, and asked him, saying, Prophesy: who is he that struck thee? 65And many other things spake they against him, reviling him. 66And as soon as it was day, the assembly of the elders of the people was gathered together, both chief priests and scribes; and they led him away into their council, saying, 67If thou art the Christ, tell us. But he said unto them, If I tell you, ye will not believe: 68and if I ask you, ye will not answer. 69But from henceforth shall the Son of man be seated at the right hand of the power of God. 70And they all said, Art thou then the Son of God? And he said unto them, Ye say that I am. 71And they said, What further need have we of witness? for we ourselves have heard from his own mouth.
The Fall of Peter.
54 Then took they him, and led him, and brought him into the high priest's house. And Peter followed afar off. 55 And when they had kindled a fire in the midst of the hall, and were set down together, Peter sat down among them. 56 But a certain maid beheld him as he sat by the fire, and earnestly looked upon him, and said, This man was also with him. 57 And he denied him, saying, Woman, I know him not. 58 And after a little while another saw him, and said, Thou art also of them. And Peter said, Man, I am not. 59 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 Galilæan. 60 And Peter said, Man, I know not what thou sayest. And immediately, while he yet spake, the cock crew. 61 And the Lord turned, and looked upon Peter. And Peter remembered the word of the Lord, how he had said unto him, Before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice. 62 And Peter went out, and wept bitterly.
We have here the melancholy story of Peter's denying his Master, at the time when he was arraigned before the high priest, and those that were of the cabal, that were ready to receive the prey, and to prepare the evidence for his arraignment, as soon as it was day, before the great sanhedrim, v. 66. But notice is not taken here, as was in the other evangelists, of Christ's being now upon his examination before the high priest, only of his being brought into the high priest's house, v. 54. But the manner of expression is observable. They took him, and led him, and brought him, which methinks is like that concerning Saul (1 Sam. xv. 12): He is gone about, and passed on, and gone down; and intimates that, even when they had seized their prey, they were in confusion, and, for fear of the people, or rather struck with inward terror upon what they had seen and heard, they took him the furthest way about, or, rather, knew not which way they hurried him, such a hurry were they in in their own bosoms. Now observe,
I. Peter's falling. 1. It began in sneaking. He followed Christ when he was had away prisoner; this was well, and showed a concern for his Master. But he followed afar off, that he might be out of danger. He thought to trim the matter, to follow Christ, and so to satisfy his conscience, but to follow afar off, and so to save his reputation, and sleep in a whole skin. 2. It proceeded in keeping his distance still, and associating himself with the high priest's servants, when he should have been at his master's elbow. The servants kindled a fire in the midst of the hall and sat down together, to talk over their night-expedition. Probably Malchus was among them, and Peter sat down among them, as if he had been one of them, at least would be thought to be so. His fall itself was disclaiming all acquaintance with Christ, and relation to him, disowning him because he was now in distress and danger. He was charged by a sorry simple maid, that belonged to the house, with being a retainer to this Jesus, about whom there was now so much noise. She looked wistfully upon him as he at by the fire, only because he was a stranger, and one whom she had not seen before; and concluding that at this time of night there were no neuters there, and knowing him not to be any of the retinue of the high priest, she concludes him to be one of the retinue of this Jesus, or perhaps she had been some time or other looking about her in the temple, and had seen Jesus there and Peter with him, officious about him, and remembered him; and this man was with him, saith she. And Peter, as he had not the courage to own the charge, so he had not the wit and presence of mind to turn it off, as he might have done many ways, and therefore flatly and plainly denies it: Woman, I know him not. 4. His fall was repeated a second time (v. 58): After a little while, before he had time to recollect himself, another saw him, and said, "Even thou art one of them, as slyly as thou sittest here among the high priest's servants." Not I, saith Peter; Man, I am not. And a third time, about the space of an hour after (for, saith the tempter, "When he is down, down with him; let us follow the blow, till we get him past recovery"), another confidently affirms, strenuously asserts it, "Of a truth this fellow also was with him, let him deny it if he can, for you may all perceive he is a Galilean." But he that has once told a lie is strongly tempted to persist in it; the beginning of that sin is as the letting forth of water. Peter now not only denies that he is a disciple of Christ, but that he knows any thing of him (v. 60): "Man, I know not what thou sayest; I never heard of this Jesus."
II. Peter's getting up again. See how happily he recovered himself, or, rather, the grace of God recovered him. See how it was brought about:—
1. The cock crew just as he was the third time denying that he knew Christ, and this startled him and put him upon thinking. Note, Small accidents may involve great consequences.
2. The Lord turned and looked upon him. This circumstance we had not in the other evangelists, but it is a very remarkable one. Christ is here called the Lord, for there was much of divine knowledge, power, and grace, appearing in this. Observe, Though Christ had now his back upon Peter, and was upon his trial (when, one would think, he had something else to mind), yet he knew all that Peter said. Note, Christ takes more notice of what we say and do than we think he does. When Peter disowned Christ, yet Christ did not disown him, though he might justly have cast him off, and never looked upon him more, but have denied him before his Father. It is well for us that Christ does not deal with us as we deal with him. Christ looked upon Peter, not doubting but that Peter would soon be aware of it; for he knew that, though he had denied him with his lips, yet his eye would still be towards him. Observe, Though Peter had now been guilty of a very great offence, and which was very provoking, yet Christ would not call to him, lest he should shame him or expose him; he only gave him a look which none but Peter would understand the meaning of, and it had a great deal in it. (1.) It was a convincing look. Peter said that he did not know Christ. Christ turned, and looked upon him, as if he should say, "Dost thou not know me, Peter? Look me in the face, and tell me so." (2.) It was a chiding look. We may suppose that he looked upon him and frowned, or some way signified his displeasure. Let us think with what an angry countenance Christ justly looks upon us when we have sinned. (3.) It was an expostulating upbraiding look: "What, Peter, art thou he that disownest me now, when thou shouldest come and witness for me? What thou a disciple? Thou that wast the most forward to confess me to be the Son of God, and didst solemnly promise thou wouldest never disown me?" (4.) It was a compassionate look; he looked upon him with tenderness. "Poor Peter, how weak is thine heart! How art thou fallen and undone if I do not help thee!" (5.) It was a directing look. Christ guided him with his eye, gave him a wink to go out from that sorry company, to retire, and bethink himself a little, and then he would soon see what he had to do. (6.) It was a significant look: it signified the conveying of grace to Peter's heart, to enable him to repent; the crowing of the cock would not have brought him to repentance without this look, nor will the external means without special efficacious grace. Power went along with this look, to change the heart of Peter, and to bring him to himself, to his right mind.
3. Peter remembered the words of the Lord. Note, The grace of God works in and by the word of God, brings that to mind, and sets that home upon the conscience, and so gives the soul a happy turn. Tolle et lege—Take it up, and read.
4. Then Peter went out, and wept bitterly. One look from Christ melted him into tears of godly sorrow for sin. The candle was newly put out, and then a little thing lighted it again. Christ looked upon the chief priests, and made no impression upon them as he did on Peter, who had the divine seed remaining in him to work upon. It was not the look from Christ, but the grace of God with it, that recovered Peter, and brought him to-rights.