Page 94 - Life of Christ w videos

John 13 tells us about the Passover dinner in the Upper Room. Jesus had demonstrated the “Lord’s
Supper” after Judas left to betray Christ. Jesus began to tell His disciples that He must leave them (vs.
33) and Peter responded that he was willing to lay down his life for Jesus. Jesus answered him, “…The
cock will not crow, till you have denied me three times”. Then Jesus took the disciples on a journey to
the Garden of Gethsemane.

Mark 14 adds some more details to the scene. In verse 26, Jesus took them to the Mount of Olives. On
the trip there, Jesus began to talk with the disciples and warn them that He will would be smitten and
the sheep would be scattered. He told his disciples that he would be raised up and to go before Him to
Galilee. Peter responded again, “Even if everyone else is offended, I will not be”. Jesus told him, “…this
night, before the cock crows twice, you shall deny me three times”.

In the Upper Room, Jesus told Peter he would deny Him three times and then the cock would crow.
Then again, on the road to Gethsemane, Jesus told Peter that He would deny Him three times, and then
the cock would crow twice. There seems to be a cock that crows once, then once again when trying to
harmonize these two passages of Scripture. So, let’s follow what happened:

1. At the entrance, to the servant girl, before the Sanhedrin meet (John 18:17) Peter denied Christ.
2. Jesus bound to be taken, Peter was standing around the fire and denied he knew Christ before two
men (John 18:25).
3. Peter was sitting around the fire and denied knowing Christ to the high priest’s servant girl (Matt
26:69-70; Mark 14:66-68; Luke 22:56-57) (Peter goes out of the courtyard; Matt 26:71; Mark 14:68;
rooster one – Mark 14:68).

The Rooster CROWED ONCE!

4. Another woman and another man simultaneously accuse him (Matt 26:71-72; Luke 22:58).
5. The servant girl of the high priest returned again (Mark 14:69-70) and Peter denied.
6. Another man (Luke 22:59) — who is probably the kinsman of the one whose ear Peter had cut off
(John 18:26) — accuses him, and says that Peter’s “speech betrays him” (Matt. 26:73) This is when
Peter’s speech really does do the betraying, for he utters curses and even swears. Peter’s speech
betrays Jesus.

The Rooster CROWED TWICE. (Matt 26:75; Mark 14:72; Luke 22:60-61)

So, in harmonizing the various passages that reference this event, we can point to the possibility that
Peter denied his Savior six times. Whether it was three or six, Peter was heartbroken and left the scene
weeping because of his cowardice and for his denial of the One he loved.

Jesus endured four trials during the night and early morning. According to the Synoptics, Jesus was
taken to the home Caiaphas, the high priest at that time. John states that He was taken first to Annas.
Annas was Caiaphas’ father-in-law. He had been high priest for some time and had been disposed for
cruelty and greed for money and possessions. He continued to live in the priestly villa where Caiaphas
lived.

After meeting in Caiaphas’ house, the Sanhedrin was convened for a second trial at night. At this time
the false witnesses spoke against Jesus.

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