Peter’s Failure
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Peter’s Failure

 (ID: 1726)

In telling our life stories, we’re often quick to gloss over embarrassing mistakes and missteps. In Scripture, however, God retains the record of His saints’ many failures. When Peter, for instance, denied knowing the Lord, he boasted too much, prayed too little, acted too soon, and realized his error too late. If we think we won’t make Peter’s mistakes, Alistair Begg warns us, we run the risk of falling into sin and failing to live as God calls us to.


27And Jesus said to them, “You will all fall away, for it is written, ‘I will mstrike the shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered.’ 28But after I am raised up, nI will go before you to Galilee.” 29oPeter said to him, “Even though they all fall away, I will not.” 30And pJesus said to him, “Truly, I tell you, this very night, before qthe rooster crows twice, you will deny me three times.” 31But rhe said emphatically, “If I must die with you, I will not deny you.” And they all said the same.

Jesus Prays in Gethsemane

32sAnd they went kto a place called Gethsemane. And he said to his disciples, “Sit here while I pray.” 33And he took with him tPeter and James and John, and began uto be greatly distressed and troubled. 34And he said to them, v“My soul is very sorrowful, even to death. Remain here and wwatch.”4 35And going a little farther, he fell on the ground xand prayed that, if it were possible, ythe hour might pass from him. 36And he said, z“Abba, Father, aall things are possible for you. Remove bthis cup from me. cYet not what I will, but what you will.” 37And he came and found them sleeping, and he said to Peter, “Simon, are you asleep? Could you not watch one hour? 38wWatch and dpray that you may not eenter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.” 39And again he went away and prayed, fsaying the same words. 40And again he came and found them sleeping, for gtheir eyes were very heavy, and hthey did not know what to answer him. 41And he came the third time and said to them, “Are you still sleeping and taking your rest? iIt is enough; jthe hour has come. kThe Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. 42Rise, let us be going; see, my betrayer is at hand.”

Betrayal and Arrest of Jesus

43lAnd immediately, while he was still speaking, mJudas came, one of the twelve, and with him a crowd with swords and clubs, from the chief priests and the scribes and the elders. 44Now the betrayer had given them a sign, saying, “The one I will kiss is the man. Seize him and lead him away under guard.” 45And when he came, he went up to him at once and said, n“Rabbi!” And he okissed him. 46And they laid hands on him and seized him. 47But one of those who stood by drew his psword and struck the servant5 of the high priest and cut off his ear. 48And Jesus said to them, “Have you come out as against a robber, with swords and clubs to capture me? 49qDay after day I was with you in the temple rteaching, and you did not seize me. But slet the Scriptures be fulfilled.” 50tAnd they all left him and fled.

A Young Man Flees

51And a young man followed him, with nothing but ua linen cloth about his body. And they seized him, 52but he left the linen cloth and ran away naked.

Jesus Before the Council

53vAnd wthey led Jesus to the high priest. And all the chief priests and the elders and the scribes came together. 54wAnd xPeter had followed him at a distance, yright into zthe courtyard of the high priest. And he was sitting with athe guards and bwarming himself at the fire. 55Now the chief priests and the whole council6 were seeking testimony against Jesus to put him to death, but they found none. 56cFor many bore false witness against him, but their testimony ddid not agree. 57And some stood up and bore false witness against him, saying, 58e“We heard him say, f‘I will destroy this temple gthat is made with hands, and in three days I will build another, hnot made with hands.’” 59Yet even about this their testimony did not agree. 60And the high priest stood up in the midst and asked Jesus, “Have you no answer to make? What is it that these men testify against you?”7 61But ihe remained silent and made no answer. jAgain the high priest asked him, “Are you kthe Christ, the Son of lthe Blessed?” 62And Jesus said, “I am, and myou will see the Son of Man nseated at the right hand of Power, and mcoming with the clouds of heaven.” 63And the high priest otore his garments and said, “What further witnesses do we need? 64You have heard phis blasphemy. What is your decision?” And they qall condemned him as rdeserving death. 65sAnd some began tto spit on him and uto cover his face and to strike him, saying to him, “Prophesy!” And the guards received him vwith blows.

Peter Denies Jesus

66wAnd as Peter was below in the courtyard, one of the servant girls of the high priest came, 67and seeing Peter xwarming himself, she looked at him and said, “You also were with the Nazarene, Jesus.” 68But he denied it, saying, “I neither know nor understand what you mean.” And he went out into the gateway8 and ythe rooster crowed.9 69And the servant girl saw him and began again to say to the bystanders, “This man is one of them.” 70But again he denied it. And after a little while the bystanders again said to Peter, “Certainly you are one of them, for you are a Galilean.” 71But he began to invoke a curse on himself and to swear, “I do not know this man of whom you speak.” 72And immediately the rooster crowed za second time. And Peter remembered how Jesus had said to him, a“Before the rooster crows twice, you will bdeny me three times.” And he broke down and wept.10

Copyright © 2024, Alistair Begg. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved. The ESV text may not be quoted in any publication made available to the public by a Creative Commons license. The ESV may not be translated in whole or in part into any other language.

Alistair Begg
Alistair Begg is Senior Pastor at Parkside Church in Cleveland, Ohio, and the Bible teacher on Truth For Life, which is heard on the radio and online around the world.