Peter’s Fall Step 7: A Rooster’s Cry and a Broken Heart

The Lord had warned Peter and told him that he would deny him three times before the rooster crowed. Peter went his way regardless, and now the final denial takes place. It’s the result of Peter’s condition of heart, which became so apparent to us in the last articles of this series.

Then he began to curse and swear, “I do not know the man!” And immediately a rooster crowed. And Peter remembered the statement that Jesus had made: “Before a rooster crows, you will deny Me three times.” And he went out and wept bitterly. (Matthew 26:74.75)

Peter, at the lowest point of his life, denies the Lord. Under the influence of his enemies and the fleshThe term "flesh" is used in different meanings in the Bible: a) as an expression of physicality or humanity, which is inextricably linked to our life on earth. Examples: “the... More, he can no longer face even simple questions with spiritual strength. He falls as soon as temptation arises. Peter, who had recently declared his willingness to die for the Lord, now denies him three times.

This act did not take place in secret but “in front of everyone”. At first, he denied having been with Jesus. When the question came, Peter had the opportunity to take the Lord's side, but instead he replied, "I don't know what you're talking about." What an effect this simple sentence had. By saying it, he not only denies the Lord but also destroys his testimony for everyone else.

After that, the denial continues and goes even further. Peter enters the gateway, and another woman sees him and realizes again that Peter was with Jesus the Nazarene"Can anything good come out of Nazareth?" said Nathanael. (John 1:46). Nazareth had a bad reputation. Jesus was called a Nazarene. This not only showed his origin in a value-neutral... More. But what does Peter do now?  Now he goes further, he denies and swears that he doesn't even know the Lord. But Peter, wasn't it the Lord who stretched out his life-saving hand to you on the sea? Once he saved your life, and now you say you don’t know him?

And then, unfortunately, the denial gets worse. The third time, Peter curses and swears, saying, "I don't know this person!" Now it becomes very clear that it was not an accident, but a conscious denial.  Surely Peter never wanted to do it because he loved his Lord. But he didn't know himself and the fleshThe term "flesh" is used in different meanings in the Bible: a) as an expression of physicality or humanity, which is inextricably linked to our life on earth. Examples: “the... More in him well enough. Because he trusted in himself, he had to fall so deep.

There was still a certain amount of time between each denial, so that the Lord always gave him the opportunity to repent, which Peter unfortunately didn’t take advantage of. After each denial, he could have left the court. In the Gospel of Mark, we even read that a rooster crowed between the second and third denial: an additional warning from the Lord that Peter ignored.

And again, we notice how similar we are to Peter. Once stuck on a particular path, we often have trouble turning back because of our pride. Admitting a wrong path means humbling yourself fully in the light of God. The Lord warns us and always gives us the opportunity to repent. May the Lord give us graceTo the one who earns something through performance, the reward is not according to grace but according to debt (Rom. 4:4). Grace is a favor that is not given by... More to make use of it. Peter should be a warning example to us. Despite everything, the Lord does not let go of Peter, but will show him that HE is merciful, slow to anger, and great in kindness!