Before the rooster crows twice, you will deny Me three times

Now as Peter was below in the courtyard, one of the servant girls of the high priest came. And when she saw Peter warming himself, she looked at him and said, "You also were with Jesus of Nazareth." But he denied it, saying, "I neither know nor understand what you are saying." And he went out on the porch, and a rooster crowed. And the servant girl saw him again, and began to say to those who stood by, "This is one of them." But he denied it again. And a little later those who stood by said to Peter again, "Surely you are one of them; for you are a Galilean, and your speech shows it." Then he began to curse and swear, "I do not know this Man of whom you speak!" A second time the rooster crowed. Then Peter called to mind the word that Jesus had said to him, "Before the rooster crows twice, you will deny Me three times." And when he thought about it, he wept.

- Mark 14:66-72

Yesterday's reading taught us about Jesus' trial before the Sanhedrin. The witnesses contradicted one another in their testimony, which referred to Jesus' statement about rebuilding the temple. Jesus would not answer any of the false accusations. Finally, the high priest asked Him, "Are You the Christ, the Son of the Blessed?" Jesus replied to this question: "I am. And you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Power, and coming with the clouds of heaven." The high priest tore his clothes, and said, "What further need do we have of witnesses? You have heard the blasphemy! What do you think?" They condemned Jesus to death. He was then blindfolded, and spat upon, and told to "Prophesy!" as the officers struck Him with the palms of their hands.

Now as Peter was below in the courtyard, one of the servant girls of the high priest came. And when she saw Peter warming himself, she looked at him and said, "You also were with Jesus of Nazareth." But he denied it, saying, "I neither know nor understand what you are saying." And he went out on the porch, and a rooster crowed. A sad story follows the events at Jesus' trial. Peter, we know, has followed Him. Peter has sworn allegiance. And yet, the question of a servant girl is enough to intimidate him. My study bible teaches, "Of the remaining faithful disciples, Peter and John alone have the courage to follow Jesus. Peter denies the Lord, but at least he is there to do so. His intentions are commendable, but his strength fails."

And the servant girl saw him again, and began to say to those who stood by, "This is one of them." But he denied it again. And a little later those who stood by said to Peter again, "Surely you are one of them; for you are a Galilean, and your speech shows it." Then he began to curse and swear, "I do not know this Man of whom you speak!" A second time the rooster crowed. Then Peter called to mind the word that Jesus had said to him, "Before the rooster crows twice, you will deny Me three times." Peter realizes the true power of Jesus' prophesy of what will happen. He had sworn the greatest allegiance, that he would be willing to die before betraying Christ. But Jesus knows Peter better than Peter knows himself. It is an illustrative story about what happens when we are living off of our emotions alone, and the heat of a moment when we are threatened. Of ourselves, our own strength is not something we can always rely on. We need faith to help us -- assisted by the One who knows us best!

And when he thought about it, he wept. The realization and recognition comes after the fact. Weeping and repentance ("change of mind" in the Greek) are good if they help us to go forward and to learn, a kind of cleansing. My study bible reminds us, "All of us fail; Peter bursts into tears of repentance over his denial." And we know that these tears are healthy: Peter will return to the disciples and will be restored by Christ.

Peter, we know, will be forgiven and restored by Christ. Of course, he will go on to become a great leader of the apostles and the early Church, a powerful orator -- and eventually will die a death with Christ in crucifixion, of tremendous courage and faith. (Tradition tells us that Peter will request to be crucified upside-down, so as not to be seen as equal to his Master.) And there is a powerful story here which in some ways follows the judicial language we encounter in Christ's life and work, as we were reminded in yesterday's reading. Peter's repentance is an acknowledgement of error, but even more importantly it is a springboard to restoration. He returns to the apostles, and is restored by Christ. It teaches us about this kingdom that is seeking to break into the world: it is one of love. The false kingdom with its false witnesses who contradict one another, its oppressive effects in the world of evil in all the stories of demonic possession in the Gospels, its prince who is called the "father of lies," relies on harsh and torturous methods for its control. In the Greek, we find words used in Jesus' healings of the victims of this false kingdom that are the same as those for torture and beating (as in extracting a confession). But Jesus' kingdom of truth (as in the way, the truth and the life) is one which works on an entirely different principle. Its aim is restoration to our places with God, and our image in God. It is a timeless perspective that sees what we can be, and welcomes us to that place as we "change our minds." In love, it invites us to be what we truly can be in God's sight, with our cooperation. Repentance is for restoration and justice and truth -- torture and oppression are the tools of the devils. In fact, the word for "devil" in the Greek means one who falsely accuses, a slanderer, one who falsely condemns in order to destroy. So this episode of Peter's failing is a great one for our instruction in the power of faith to restore and to build strength, and our need for the One who accompanies us and will be sent, the Paraclete, the Comforter, the Friend who comes when we call. Remember to what and to Whom you pray when you ask for strength! It is a whole kingdom of love that teaches us who we are, and wants us back in our place within it. Always remember what repentance is for!