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The Gospel of Mark

Chapter 14: The Shadow of the Cross

Published since 04. Sep. 2025
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Mark 14
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Now the passover and the [feast of] unleavened bread was after two days. And the chief priests and the scribes were seeking how they might seize him by subtlety and kill him. For they said, Not in the feast, lest perhaps there be a tumult of the people. And when he was in Bethany, in the house of Simon the leper, as he lay at table, there came a woman having an alabaster flask of ointment of pure nard, very costly; and having broken the alabaster flask, she poured it out upon his head. And there were some indignant in themselves, and saying, Why has this waste been made of the ointment? for this ointment could have been sold for more than three hundred denarii and given to the poor. And they spoke very angrily at her. But Jesus said, Let her alone; why do ye trouble her? she has wrought a good work as to me; for ye have the poor always with you, and whenever ye would ye can do them good; but me ye have not always. What *she* could she has done. She has beforehand anointed my body for the burial. And verily I say unto you, Wheresoever these glad tidings may be preached in the whole world, what this [woman] has done shall be also spoken of for a memorial of her. And Judas Iscariote, one of the twelve, went away to the chief priests that he might deliver him up to them; and they, when they heard it, rejoiced, and promised him to give money. And he sought how he could opportunely deliver him up. And the first day of unleavened bread, when they slew the passover, his disciples say to him, Where wilt thou that we go and prepare, that thou mayest eat the passover? And he sends two of his disciples, and says to them, Go into the city, and a man shall meet you carrying a pitcher of water; follow him. And wheresoever he enters, say to the master of the house, The Teacher says, Where is my guest-chamber where I may eat the passover with my disciples? and *he* will shew you a large upper room furnished ready. There make ready for us. And his disciples went away and came into the city, and found as he had said to them; and they made ready the passover. And when evening was come, he comes with the twelve. And as they lay at table and were eating, Jesus said, Verily I say to you, One of you shall deliver me up; he who is eating with me. And they began to be grieved, and to say to him, one by one, Is it *I*? [and another, Is it *I*?] But he answered and said to them, One of the twelve, he who dips with me in the dish. The Son of man goes indeed as it is written concerning him, but woe to that man by whom the Son of man is delivered up; [it were] good for that man if he had not been born. And as they were eating, Jesus, having taken bread, when he had blessed, broke [it], and gave [it] to them, and said, Take [this]: this is my body. And having taken [the] cup, when he had given thanks, he gave [it] to them, and they all drank out of it. And he said to them, This is my blood, that of the [new] covenant, that shed for many. Verily I say to you, I will no more drink at all of the fruit of the vine, until that day when I drink it new in the kingdom of God. And having sung a hymn, they went out to the mount of Olives. And Jesus says to them, All ye shall be offended, for it is written, I will smite the shepherd, and the sheep shall be scattered abroad. But after I am risen, I will go before you into Galilee. But Peter said to him, Even if all should be offended, yet not *I*. And Jesus says to him, Verily I say to thee, that thou to-day, in this night, before [the] cock shall crow twice, thou shalt thrice deny me. But he said [so much] exceedingly the more, If I should have to die with thee, I will in no wise deny thee. And likewise said they all too. And they come to a place of which the name [is] Gethsemane, and he says to his disciples, Sit here while I shall pray. And he takes with him Peter and James and John, and he began to be amazed and oppressed in spirit. And he says to them, My soul is full of grief even unto death; abide here and watch. And, going forward a little, he fell upon the earth; and he prayed that, if it were possible, the hour might pass away from him. And he said, Abba, Father, all things are possible to thee: take away this cup from me; but not what *I* will, but what *thou* [wilt]. And he comes and finds them sleeping. And he says to Peter, Simon, dost thou sleep? Hast thou not been able to watch one hour? Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation. The spirit indeed [is] willing, but the flesh weak. And going away, he prayed again, saying the same thing. And returning, he found them again sleeping, for their eyes were heavy; and they knew not what they should answer him. And he comes the third time and says to them, Sleep on now, and take your rest. It is enough; the hour is come; behold, the Son of man is delivered up into the hands of sinners. Arise, let us go; behold, he that delivers me up has drawn nigh. And immediately, while he was yet speaking, Judas comes up, [being] one of the twelve, and with him a great crowd, with swords and sticks, from the chief priests and the scribes and the elders. Now he that delivered him up had given them a sign between them, saying, Whomsoever I shall kiss, that is he; seize him, and lead [him] away safely. And being come, straightway coming up to him, he says, Rabbi, Rabbi; and he covered him with kisses. And they laid their hands upon him and seized him. But a certain one of those who stood by, having drawn his sword, struck the bondman of the high priest, and took off his ear. And Jesus answering said to them, Are ye come out as against a robber, with swords and sticks to take me? I was daily with you teaching in the temple, and ye did not seize me; but [it is] that the scriptures may be fulfilled. And all left him and fled. And a certain young man followed him with a linen cloth cast about his naked [body]; and [the young men] seize him; but he, leaving the linen cloth behind [him], fled from them naked. And they led away Jesus to the high priest. And there come together to him all the chief priests and the elders and the scribes. And Peter followed him at a distance, till [he was] within the court of the high priest's palace; and he was sitting with the officers and warming himself in the light [of the fire]. And the chief priests and the whole sanhedrim sought testimony against Jesus to cause him to be put to death, and did not find [any]. For many bore false witness against him, and their testimony did not agree. And certain persons rose up and bore false witness against him, saying, *We* heard him saying, *I* will destroy this temple which is made with hands, and in the course of three days I will build another not made with hands. And neither thus did their testimony agree. And the high priest, rising up before them all, asked Jesus, saying, Answerest thou nothing? What do these testify against thee? But he was silent, and answered nothing. Again the high priest asked him, and says to him, *Thou* art the Christ, the Son of the Blessed? And Jesus said, *I* am, and ye shall see the Son of man sitting at the right hand of power, and coming with the clouds of heaven. And the high priest, having rent his clothes, says, What need have we any more of witnesses? Ye have heard the blasphemy; what think ye? And they all condemned him to be guilty of death. And some began to spit upon him, and cover up his face, and buffet him, and say to him, Prophesy; and the officers struck him with the palms of their hands. And Peter being below in the palace-court, there comes one of the maids of the high priest, and seeing Peter warming himself, having looked at him, says, And *thou* wast with the Nazarene, Jesus. But he denied, saying, I know not nor understand what thou sayest. And he went out into the vestibule; and a cock crew. And the maid, seeing him, again began to say to those that stood by, This is [one] of them. And he again denied. And again, after a little, those that stood by said to Peter, Truly thou art [one] of them, for also thou art a Galilean. But he began to curse and to swear, I know not this man of whom ye speak. And the second time a cock crew. And Peter remembered the word that Jesus said to him, Before [the] cock crow twice, thou shalt deny me thrice; and when he thought thereon he wept.

With chapter 14, we enter the final solemn events of the Lord's life, revealing many hearts. We witness the corruption and violence of the Jewish leaders, the love of a devoted woman, the betrayal of a traitor, and the failure of a true disciple. Above all, the infinite love and perfect grace of Christ shine through as He institutes the Supper, faces the agony of Gethsemane, and submits in silence to the insults of men.

The chapter begins with a brief account of the deadly hostility from the nation's leaders. They had surrounded the Lord with hatred and fought against Him without cause; they had repaid Him evil for good and hatred for love (Ps. 109:2-5). Despite this, He had manifested perfect grace and done only good. He healed the sick, clothed the naked, fed the hungry, forgave sins, delivered people from demons, and raised the dead. He had warned these leaders, pleaded with them, and wept over them, but all in vain.

Thou loved'st them, but they would not be loved,

And human hatred fought with love divine.

They saw Thee shed the tears of love unmoved,

And mocked the grace that would have made them Thine.

Now, at last, the time has come when they are determined to arrest Him and put Him to death. To accomplish their purpose, they resort to deceit, a clear indication of their evil motives. Although they may fear men, they show no fear of God. The people, who may have had little awareness of their personal need for Christ, could at least appreciate His goodness and the benefits of His miracles. Concerned about a potential uproar during the Passover, these leaders decide not to seize the Lord on the feast day. However, God had determined otherwise, and His will prevails despite the schemes and plots of men.

With this brief reference to the leaders, we move to the beautiful scene in the home at Bethany. While the Lord dined in the house of Simon the leper, a woman—identified in other accounts as Mary, the sister of Martha—brought an alabaster flask of very precious spikenard ointment and poured it on the Lord's head. With this act, Mary expresses her appreciation for Christ, her love for Him, and her spiritual insight. In this moment, her understanding seems to surpass that of the other disciples. Captivated by grace and attracted by love, she had previously sat at His feet to hear His word. As has been noted, "The grace and love of Jesus had produced love for Him, and His word had produced spiritual intelligence."

Her love for Christ made her aware of the growing hatred of the Jews. Her act was a testament of love's appreciation for Christ at a time when the plotting of men expressed their hatred towards Him. Unfortunately, Mary's act of devotion exposes the greed of some present. According to the Gospel of John, Judas was among those who were indignant with Mary. What was beneficial to Christ represented a loss for Judas. While people can appreciate helpful acts for others, they often struggle to see any value in an act of worship that focuses solely on Christ. As Christians, we may be at risk of being actively engaged in preaching to sinners and caring for saints while showing little appreciation for acts of worship that exalt Christ. It's important to remember that those who criticize Mary's devotion inadvertently shine a light on Christ. If Mary's act is considered wasteful, then it suggests that Christ is not worthy of the homage from His people.

However, while human actions can provoke indignation among men, they can also draw forth appreciation from Christ. The Lord is pleased to declare, "She has wrought a good work on Me." In Luke 10, we read that Mary chose "the good part." Here, we learn that she performs "a good work." The good part is to sit at His feet and hear His word, while the good work is conducted with Christ as its motive. Although there may be much activity in service, if Christ is not the driving force, it will have little value in the days to come. Moreover, the Lord not only commends Mary's act for its pure motive, but also because she had done "what she could." In serving Christ, we shouldn't overlook opportunities for small and seemingly insignificant acts of service in favor of seeking grand public works, which may, in fact, be driven by a false motive of self-exaltation. This beautiful scene encourages us to do what we can, no matter how small the act of service, with the pure motive of exalting Christ.

Blessedly, the Lord reveals to us the true spiritual significance of Mary's act. She had come beforehand to anoint His body for burial. Others will come later with their sweet spices to express their genuine yet unintelligent appreciation for Christ. However, Mary, with greater spiritual understanding, expresses her love before His burial. The Lord values Mary's act so highly that He says, "Wheresoever this gospel shall be preached throughout the whole world, this also that she has done shall be spoken of for a memorial of her." Her act of love will serve as a lasting example of the proper response to the gospel. The gospel not only provides us with the knowledge of salvation and the forgiveness of sins but also draws our hearts to Christ, making Him the supreme focus of our lives.

The Lord's Supper, celebrated throughout the ages, serves as a continual reminder of the perfect Savior and His infinite love for His people. However, the one supper that took place at Bethany stands out as a lasting memorial of a devoted saint and her love for Christ.

In contrast to Mary's "good work," the evil work of Judas follows immediately. Urged by the devil's enmity without and his own covetousness within, Judas, devoid of conscience toward God, goes to the chief priests to betray the Lord. They, equally lacking in conscience or fear of God, promise him money. In pursuit of this bribe, Judas seeks to betray the Lord at a moment convenient for the chief priests.

Despite the wicked men's plots, the Lord continues with His perfect love for His own and institutes the Supper, allowing us to emulate Mary's act of worship. The simple incidents that prepare for the Supper display the glory of the Lord. Two disciples are sent to prepare the feast. Although the Lord is heading toward death, He remains the King with royal rights who can claim the guest chamber, to whom everyone's sovereign will must submit. He is a divine Person who knows everything. The man with the "pitcher of water," "the goodman of the house," and the "large upper room furnished" are all known to Him. As the disciples go forth to fulfill His instructions, they find everything happens as He said it would.

In the evening, He joins the twelve, and they sit down to partake of the Passover—the commemoration of the Israelites' deliverance from Egypt. However, the Lord is about to accomplish an even greater deliverance for His people. This eternal redemption requires His death, which will be brought about by the betrayal of one of the twelve. The Lord is deeply pained that one who had lived in His holy presence, heard His words of grace, and witnessed His infinite love would act in such a way. His anguish is evident when He says, "One of you who eats with Me shall betray Me." The depth of love correlates with the intensity of anguish when faced with such a betrayal.

Never before has love been so perfectly expressed as in Christ, and never has anyone lived so closely to Him as Judas did. Yet all of this is in vain, as even if Judas had any appreciation for that love, he loved money more. The heartlessness and wickedness of the betrayal are highlighted in that the very one about to betray the Lord could dip with Him in the same dish. The Lord desired others to share in His sorrows. As it has been said, "He does not proudly hide them," but rather aims to share His sorrows as a man with human hearts; love "counts upon love" (J.N.D.). While we cannot share in the sorrows caused by His forsaking on the cross, we can enter, to some extent, into the sorrows caused by men. However, the betrayal of Judas was long foretold: everything is unfolding "as it is written." But woe to the betrayer, for as has also been said, "The fulfillment of God's counsel does not absolve those who execute it from their iniquity; otherwise, how could God judge the world?" (J.N.D.).

(Vv. 22-24). The institution of the Lord's Supper follows. The phrase "as they did eat" clearly distinguishes between the Passover they were participating in and the Lord's Supper. In this supper, the bread represents His body, and the cup symbolizes His blood, shed not just for the Jews but for many. It is a supper of remembrance. We are loved with a love that prompts the Lord to value our remembrance of Him. The blood of Christ, with all its infinite worth, is always before God's eye, and He desires that His people continually remember it.

(V. 25). The Lord has used the cup as a symbol of His blood shed for many. When considering the wine in its natural sense as the fruit of the vine, it represents earthly joy. The death of Christ severs His ties with the earth until, ultimately, the Kingdom of God is established on the earth. Today, believers' connections are with a heavenly Christ who has suffered on earth, waiting for the future Kingdom to share in the glories and joys of the earthly Kingdom.

(V. 26). After the supper, having sung a hymn, "they went out into the mount of Olives." This moment is truly remarkable. It is easier to understand Him singing a hymn while remaining in the Upper Room, or heading out without singing. However, to sing a hymn while going forth to face betrayal, denial, the agony of Gethsemane, and the forsaking of the cross demonstrates a calmness of spirit that surely stems from having the Father's will in view and the joy set before Him beyond the cross.

(Vv. 27-31). Yet, the very circumstances that reveal the Lord's perfection also expose the weakness of the disciples. They can sing together in His presence, yet that same night, when apart from Him, they will be offended and scattered. How solemnly this reflects what happens among the Lord's people! It is only in His presence, with every heart engaged with Him, that we can sing together. As the prophet says, "With the voice together shall they sing; for they shall see eye to eye" (Isa. 52:8). Only when every eye is fixed on Him can we truly see eye to eye. Apart from His presence, we easily become offended by Christ and by one another, leading to scattered sheep. The dispersed of Israel, or the divided church, will never sing together again until they meet around the Lord and see Him face to face.

But blessed be His name, He never fails; therefore, the scattering will come to an end, and a time of gathering will arrive. After His resurrection, the disciples would discover that the Lord remained unchanged in all the love and grace of His heart. He, the great Shepherd of the sheep, would go before them, and once again His sheep would follow Him.

The Lord has given us a warning, followed by encouragement. Sadly, like Peter, we often ignore His warnings and miss the blessings of His words of encouragement due to our self-confidence. Ignorant of our own weaknesses, we assume we are safe, even if others fail. When Peter asserts, "Although all shall be offended, yet will not I," he expresses his self-confidence. Though all would be offended, the one who leads in declaring his confidence would face the greatest fall. We often stumble in the very areas where we boast. Peter, confident that he would never be offended, is told by the Lord, "This night… thou shalt deny Me thrice."

This prediction of his impending failure makes Peter even more fervent in his protestation of devotion. He insists, "If I should die with Thee, I will not deny Thee in any wise." While Peter was undoubtedly sincere, we must learn that sincerity alone is not enough to keep us true to the Lord. We need to be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus to overcome the flesh's weakness, escape the devil's wiles, and be freed from the fear of man. All it takes for the devil to bring about the fall of an apostle, when he is out of touch with Christ, is a simple question from a young girl. Peter's boasting, which echoes the sentiment of all the disciples, elicits no further response from the Lord. There are times when the statements of believers are so clearly made in the flesh that responses are unnecessary. There is a time to be silent and a time to speak.

(Vv. 32-42). It caused the Lord deep sorrow that the nation was plotting to put Him to death, that one of the twelve was about to betray Him, and that another would deny Him. Furthermore, all would be offended because of Him. In Gethsemane, the Lord confronted an even deeper sorrow that He was about to endure at the cross, where, made sin, God would forsake him. In the face of this immense sorrow, as in all the trials of His perfect life, He devoted Himself to prayer. However, while prayer can provide some relief, it also intensifies the immediate experience of the trial. Prayer brings all circumstances into God's presence, allowing them to be realized in all their true character. The ruin of Israel, the betrayal by Judas, the weakness and failure of His own disciples, the power and enmity of Satan, the reality of judgment, and the righteous requirements of a holy God were intensely felt by our Lord in the presence of the Father.

The Lord took Peter, James, and John with Him into the Garden—those who would later hold special positions as pillars in the church. They had previously been chosen as witnesses to His glory on the Mount; now, they had the opportunity to share in His sorrows in the Garden. Although no one could share the actual forsaking that would occur on the cross, others could partake of the emotional burdens associated with it. For Him, death was, as our holy substitute, the bearing of the penalty of sin, allowing Him to say, "My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death." Having borne the penalty of death, He has freed believers from its terrors. Stephen could rejoice at the prospect of death, and Paul could declare that it is far better to depart and be with Christ. While it was part of His perfection to deprecate the cross—hence He could say to the Father, "All things are possible for You; take this cup away from Me"—it was also part of His perfection to submit to it and fulfill the Father's will, leading Him to add, "Nevertheless, not what I will, but what You will."

The sorrows of the Garden were overwhelming, just as the glories of the Mount had been too great for weak human nature. In both instances, the disciples sought relief in sleep. Peter, who had boasted of his devotion to the Lord, was specially addressed when the Lord returned to find them sleeping: "Simon, are you sleeping? Could you not watch for one hour?" Prayer, which expresses our dependence on God, is what truly prepares us for the temptations that lie ahead. However, self-confidence often leaves us with little awareness of temptation and, consequently, little sense of our need for prayer. Yet, with tender compassion, the Lord acknowledged their love for Him while recognizing their weaknesses: "The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak."

Again, He went away and prayed, only to find that His disciples were still asleep. Despite the Lord's warnings, they were too heavy with sleep to respond. When He returned a third time, He had to say, "Sleep on now and take your rest." They had missed the opportunity to watch with the Lord, proving their own weakness. The Lord said, "It is enough." The time for watching and praying had passed; now the time of trial had come, and the betrayer was at hand. The One who had watched and prayed could now say with confidence and dependence on God, "Rise up, let us go."

(Vv. 43-45). In the solemn betrayal that followed, we see the evil potential of our own hearts when left to themselves and hardened by Satan. Without the grace of God, it is all too easy to indulge the flesh and, succumbing to our lusts, fall under the power of Satan, even leading to the betrayal of Christ. Judas, for instance, went to the enemies of the Lord and said, "Take Him and lead Him away safely." It appeared that Judas was mocking them; he seemed to believe that the Lord would pass through His enemies as He had done before, thus securing His own safety while Judas would claim the money he coveted. Completely unaware of God's plans or the perfection of the Lord's obedience, he was unprepared for the Lord's submission to His enemies in order to fulfill the will of the Father, as expressed in the Garden: "Not what I will, but what You will."

Consumed with his own desires and blind to Christ's glory, Judas dared not only to betray the Lord but to do so with a kiss. Shortly thereafter, the Lord's enemies would spit in His face. Yet, with equal grace, the Lord submitted to the horrifying hypocrisy of the betrayer who kissed Him, as well as to the contempt of the enemies who spat upon Him. What a wonderful Savior who endured the contradiction of sinners!

(Vv. 46, 47). Judas, the betrayer, was unprepared for the Lord's submission to His enemies, just as Peter, a true disciple, was. Although Peter's name is not mentioned, it is known that he was the one who drew his sword and struck a servant of the high priest. Driven by lust, Judas betrays the Lord; motivated by love, Peter defends Him. However, despite Peter's sincerity, he was actually opposing the path of the perfect Servant of Jehovah. This gospel does not focus on the miracle of healing the servant's wound; instead, it emphasizes the Lord's submission as the perfect Servant.

(Vv. 48, 49). The greed of Judas is exposed, as is the impulsive nature of Peter, who was eager to fight but not willing to pray. The cowardice and pettiness of the Jewish leaders are also revealed. They could have arrested the Lord openly in the temple, where He taught publicly, but their fear of the people and lack of principle led them to treat Him as if He were a thief. They understood how to deal with a thief, but the infinite perfections of Christ were beyond their comprehension.

(Vv. 50-52). We further see the weakness of the disciples: "They all forsook Him, and fled." One of them, however, dares to follow, only to retreat in greater shame later.

(Vv. 53-65). Submitting to the Father's will, the Lord allows Himself to be led away to face the Jewish council. Peter, expressing his love for the Lord, "followed Him," but in self-confidence and without the Lord's guidance, he followed "afar off." Like many of us, he lacked divine direction and entered temptation without support, ultimately recognizing the utter weakness of the flesh.

In the subsequent scene, the chief priests and their council reveal the depths of wickedness that religious flesh can reach. They had already determined to put Christ to death, so the trial that followed was not meant to ascertain His guilt, but rather was a despicable attempt to disguise murder as justice. With malice in their hearts, they sought witnesses "against Jesus to put Him to death." When they failed to find any credible witnesses, they resorted to false testimony, only to have those witnesses contradict each other.

Ultimately, the high priest turns to Christ Himself. Despite the hostility and malice directed at Him, the Lord "held His peace and answered nothing." Peter, who witnessed these solemn events, would later remind us that "when He was reviled, He reviled not again" (Isaiah 53:7). He remained silent in response to their malicious accusations. Still, when questioned about the glory of His person, He affirmed the truth without hesitation, showcasing the perfect example for all His servants. After their malicious lies failed to achieve their wicked purpose, they sought to condemn the Lord for speaking the truth. All the devil succeeded in doing was to reveal the truth about the glory of Christ and expose the utter wickedness of religious flesh, which, if allowed to momentarily succeed, only serves as an instrument to fulfill God's predetermined counsel.

Indeed, the Lord Jesus was the Christ, the Son of the Blessed, but He was also the Son of Man, who will ultimately be seen sitting at the right hand of power and returning to earth in glory. Rejected as the Son of God, as stated in Psalm 2, He takes on the role of Son of Man according to Psalm 8.

In the eyes of these leaders, blinded by disbelief, the truth appears as blasphemy. Without a dissenting voice, "they all condemned Him to be guilty of death." The One who will soon be exalted to the right hand of power and come again in glory offers no resistance to the outrages committed against Him by those who spit in His face and strike Him with their hands, fully submitting to the Father's will.

Alas! The Lord not only has to endure the insults of wicked men but also faces denial from a disciple. Peter's self-confidence led him to ignore the Lord's warnings and neglect His exhortations to watch and pray. The flesh has drawn him into temptation, which it cannot support. While the Lord remained silent in grace amidst the malice of His enemies, Peter was silent in fear as he warmed himself at the fire of the world, in the company of the Lord's foes. When the Lord speaks to confess the truth, Peter speaks to deny it. Despite having declared, "If I should die with Thee, I will not deny Thee," Peter, upon being questioned by a servant girl—without any suggestion of danger, let alone death—senses peril and denies the Lord.

However, his conscience does not allow him to stay among those to whom he has lied. He steps into the porch, and immediately, in accordance with the Lord's warning, he hears the cock crow. Again, the maid sees Peter and remarks to those standing by, "This is one of them." For the second time, Peter denies the Lord. Shortly afterward, others say to him, "Surely you are one of them." Rather than standing firm, Peter denies the Lord for the third time, doing so with curses and oaths. How little Peter knew—and how slow we all are to recognize—that "the heart is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked." Deceived by his self-confidence, he failed to realize that the same desperate wickedness lay in his heart, ready to break forth when the occasion arose.

Peter's conduct during these solemn scenes is recorded not to belittle him as a devoted servant of the Lord but to teach us about the evil of our own hearts and to prompt us to take heed of ourselves. When the Lord warns Peter of his impending denial, Peter contradicts Him, boasting of his own devotion. Later, when the Lord is watching and praying, Peter is found sleeping. While the Lord remains silent before His enemies, like a lamb before its shearers, Peter resorts to violence with a sword. At the moment when the Lord is making a good confession before the high priest, Peter denies Him before a simple maid.

Though Peter has broken down, the Lord remains unchanging and steadfast. The sufferings He endured—from rejection by the nation to betrayal by a false disciple, denial by a true disciple, and abandonment by all—could not deter Him from His own or diminish His love. As Peter hears the cock crow the second time, he recalls the words of Jesus: "Before the cock crows twice, you will deny Me three times." These words break Peter's heart, leading him to tears of repentance. "When he thought thereon, he wept."

It has been said, "While watchfulness and prayer are ever needed, he will be blameless and without offense only if he walks in the solemn conviction that he must fear the outbreak of the foulest sins unless his soul is occupied with Jesus." We often underestimate the deceitfulness of our own hearts. Scripture states that the heart is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked, and poses the question, "Who can know it?" The prophet answers, "I, the Lord, search the heart and test the mind" (Jer. 17:9). The One who searches and knows is the only one capable of keeping us from falling and restoring us when we do. Thus, after his restoration, Peter confesses on resurrection day, "Lord, Thou knowest all things." He will no longer boast about his own heart or what he can or cannot do; instead, he will place himself in the hands of the One who knows all—the One aware of all the wickedness of our hearts and the power of the enemy—and who alone can keep us from falling.

O keep my soul, then Jesus,

Abiding still with Thee,

And if I wander, teach me

Soon back to Thee to flee

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