Therefore they said to him, "You are not also one of His disciples, are you?" He denied it and said, "I am not!"

 

 And Simon Peter followed Jesus, and so did another disciple.  Now that disciple was known to the high priest, and went with Jesus into the courtyard of the high priest.  But Peter stood at the door outside.  Then the other disciple, who was known to the high priest, went out and spoke to her who kept the door, and brought Peter in.  Then the servant girl who kept the door said to Peter, "You are not also one of this Man's disciples, are you?"  He said, "I am not."  Now the servants and officers who had made a fire of coals stood there, for it was cold, and they warmed themselves.  And Peter stood with them and warmed himself.

 

* * *

 

 Now Simon Peter stood and warmed himself.  Therefore they said to him, "You are not also one of His disciples, are you?"  He denied it and said, "I am not!"  One of the servants of the high priest, a relative of him whose ear Peter cut off, said, "Did I not see you in the garden with Him?"  Peter then denied again; and immediately a rooster crowed.

 

- John 18:15–18, 25–27 

 

Our recent readings in St. John's Gospel took place against the backdrop of the Feast of Tabernacles, an autumn festival.  The setting is the final year of Christ's earthly life.  He had been disputing with the religious leaders, who unsuccessfully tried to have Him arrested.  On Saturday, we read that Jesus replied to them, "He who is of God hears God's words; therefore you do not hear, because you are not of God."  Then the Jews answered and said to Him, "Do we not say rightly that You are a Samaritan and have a demon?"  Jesus answered, "I do not have a demon; but I honor My Father, and you dishonor Me.  And I do not seek My own glory; there is One who seeks and judges.  Most assuredly, I say to you, if anyone keeps My word he shall never see death."  Then the Jews said to Him, "Now we know that You have a demon!  Abraham is dead, and the prophets; and You say, 'If anyone keeps My word he shall never taste death.'  Are You greater than our father Abraham, who is dead?  And the prophets are dead.  Who do You make Yourself out to be?"  Jesus answered, "If I honor Myself, My honor is nothing.  It is My Father who honors Me, of whom you say that He is your God.  Yet you have not known Him, but I know Him.  And if I say, 'I do not know Him,' I shall be a liar like you; but I do know Him and keep His word.  Your father Abraham rejoiced to see My day, and he saw it and was glad."  Then the Jews said to Him, "You are not yet fifty years old, and have You seen Abraham?"  Jesus said to them, "Most assuredly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I AM."  Then they took up stones to throw at Him; but Jesus hid Himself and went out of the temple, going through the midst of them, and so passed by.

 

  And Simon Peter followed Jesus, and so did another disciple.  Now that disciple was known to the high priest, and went with Jesus into the courtyard of the high priest.  But Peter stood at the door outside.  Then the other disciple, who was known to the high priest, went out and spoke to her who kept the door, and brought Peter in.  Today the lectionary skips forward in the Gospel of St. John, as this week we enter into Lent.  Jesus has been arrested in the garden of Gethsemane, and has been taken for night trial in the home of the high priest.  See John 18:1-14.   Here my study Bible notes for us that the other disciple mentioned is St. John himself, the author of this Gospel.  It remarks that it was a common practice for an author to conceal his name in the details of his story (see John 13:23; compare with Mark 14:51-52; Luke 24:13, 18).

 

 Then the servant girl who kept the door said to Peter, "You are not also one of this Man's disciples, are you?"  He said, "I am not."  Now the servants and officers who had made a fire of coals stood there, for it was cold, and they warmed themselves.  And Peter stood with them and warmed himself.  My study Bible comments on the fact that it is a girl who is the first to test Peter.  It says that this is an icon of the temptation of Adam by Eve (Genesis 3:6).  The fallen state, my study Bible notes, is overcome in Christ, when a woman is the first to hear, believe, and proclaim the Resurrection, also told to us by St. John (John 20:1; 11-18).  

 

  Now Simon Peter stood and warmed himself.  Therefore they said to him, "You are not also one of His disciples, are you?"  He denied it and said, "I am not!"  One of the servants of the high priest, a relative of him whose ear Peter cut off, said, "Did I not see you in the garden with Him?"  Peter then denied again; and immediately a rooster crowed.  Peter has now denied Christ three times, before the rooster crowed (as Jesus prophesied, see John 13:38).  But St. Peter will be restored through his three affirmations of love following the Resurrection (John 21:15-17).  

 

 As we approach Lent this week, the lectionary now shifts to our preparation for this period.  In the Armenian Apostolic Church, Lent begins today.  In Western Churches, Lent begins Wednesday (Ash Wednesday); in the Eastern Orthodox Church, it begins on Monday, February 23rd and we are now in the period called Triodion.  The theme in today's reading, of course, is St. Peter's denial of Christ.  The story as it unfolds doesn't shrink from presenting the whole story in its essential angles.  St. John first gives us (in chapter 13) the moment at the Last Supper when St. Peter swore to Christ he would never deny Him, and Jesus made His prophesy that Peter would deny Him three times before the crowing of the cock.  We observe St. Peter's temperament, always with a sort of exuberance one way or another.  When Jesus seeks to wash his feet (as well as that of the other disciples), the conversation we're given goes as follows:  Peter said to Jesus, "Lord, are You washing my feet?"  Jesus replies, "What I am doing you do not understand now, but you will know after this."  Peter responds, "You shall never wash my feet!" Jesus tells him, "If I do not wash you, you have no part with Me."  Peter's new response:  "Lord, not my feet only, but also my hands and my head!" (see John 13:2-11).  So it is with Christ's prophesy of denial.  At the end of the Passover meal (the Last Supper), St. Peter asks Jesus, "Lord, where are You going?"  Jesus answers, "Where I am going you cannot follow Me now, but you shall follow Me afterward."  Peter asks Him, "Lord, why can I not follow You now?  I will lay down my life for Your sake."  Jesus said, "Will you lay down your life for My sake?  Most assuredly, I say you, the rooster shall not crow till you have denied Me three times."  Today's reading gives us the denouement, if you will, to that story.  Peter fails, and he fails miserably in this sense in which he'd sworn he would die for Christ's sake.  (His promise remains true however, in terms of St. Peter's martyrdom and choice of death by crucifixion, in humility requesting he be upside down so as not to be equal with Christ; see this short biography.  It would simply happen much later.)  But the Gospel, written in the light of St. Peter's subsequent leadership, powerful preaching, and heroic martyrdom, gives us all the details of a man whose exuberance perhaps outweighs his eventual wisdom, strength, and authority.  In short, we see St. Peter as a human being with our own flaws and weaknesses.  Courage indeed that we are presented with such a human leader, and the Rock of the Church (John 1:42).    But St. Peter's example serves all of us as a model for our lives, and especially leading into Great Lent, when we consider what repentance, humility, and spiritual discipline really mean for us.  For Christ's love -- and St. Peter's great love for Christ -- in the end reconciles all things for those who love God.  And this is our model, that repentance is our return to communion with our loving God, complete with loving correction, and the continuing journey of discipleship.  As my study Bible notes, Jesus, after His death and Resurrection, will ask Peter three times, "Do you love Me?"  And St. Peter will reply, "Yes," to which Jesus will give the command for restoration of his place as disciple, "Feed My lambs."  See John 21:15-19.  When we seek to return to Christ, we seek the loving communion that is always on offer.  Like St. Peter, regardless of our own shame at our weaknesses and susceptibility to temptation, God's love is so great that we're not only restored but brought to glory in response.  As human beings, we are not created perfect and incapable of error.  We are meant to grow, and to grow under the love of a loving God, not the harsh tutelage of a world based on rejection of God's love and all that rejection brings.  Let us proceed into Lent with this understanding, and seek a greater depth of communion and faith through all things and in light of all the practices of Lent for our growth in discipleship.