Peter Remembers the Rooster! Matthew 26:69-75

Peter Disowns Jesus

69 Now Peter was sitting out in the courtyard, and a servant girl came to him. “You also were with Jesus of Galilee,” she said. 70 But he denied it before them all. “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” he said. 71 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.” 72 He denied it again, with an oath: “I don’t know the man!” 73 After a little while, those standing there went up to Peter and said, “Surely you are one of them; your accent gives you away.” 74 Then he began to call down curses, and he swore to them, “I don’t know the man!” Immediately a rooster crowed. 75 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. 

We now come to the passage that poor Peter is known for, his threefold denial of Jesus.  Rather than being interrogated before a tribunal of Jewish or Roman leaders, he is confronted by a servant girl, most likely a Gentile.  She refers to Jesus as, "Jesus of Galilee", where he was from.  His first denial was pretty straightforward, "I don't know what you are talking about."  There were also other who stood by taking it all in.  

“Loungers; seeing Peter’s confusion, and amusing themselves by tormenting him.” (Bruce)

Interestingly enough another servant girl questions him a second time.  This time the girl said it to all who were standing there.  We see a progression of his denial as he again affirms he doesn't know "Jesus from Nazareth", but also does it in the tone of an oath. 

Finally, the crowd approaches Peter recognizing his Galillean accent.  If Peter didn't know Jesus, he would have been hard pressed to explain why he was in Jerusalem by himself as a fellow Galilean. 

"The Galileans spoke with a burr; so ugly was their accent that no Galilean was allowed to pronounce the benediction at a synagogue service.” (Barclay)

Finally, Peter loses self control by calling down curses and swearing that he,"Did not know the man!"  While Peter was vehement in declaring his allegiance to Jesus at the Last Supper, he was now equally vocal about not knowing him at all.  As the rooster crowed, Peter remembered the word Jesus had said to him.  Luke tells us that just after the rooster crowed, the Lord "turned and looked at Peter". (Luke 22:61).

The passage ends with Peter going outside and weeping bitterly.  He had denied the man who called him from being a fisherman to being a fisher of men.  He denied the man who he proclaimed was the "Messiah, the Son of the living God".  He denied the man who took he, James and John into his inner circle.  As the reality of what he had done set in, all he could do was to go by himself outside and weep.  

Fortunately we know this is not the end of the story.  Peter would be restored.  Peter would be given the power of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost.  Peter would powerfully proclaim the gospel of Jesus in word and deed!  Peter would feed the sheep that Jesus gave him to feed.  Though Peter reached the low point in his life in courtyard, it was a lesson he would never forget. History tells us he gave his own life for his witness of Jesus as His Lord!  Unlike Judas, who hung himself, Peter ended well!   

How do you think Peter felt when Jesus looked at him after the rooster crowed?  How do you think Jesus used this experience to mold and shape Peter for the Great Commission he would give him and the other apostles?  Where do you deny Jesus before others?  Where to do shrink back from sharing Jesus as Your Savior in fear of being found out?  Remember no matter how badly you have denied Jesus he can restore you and use you for his mission to make disciples of all nations!