Luke 22:61

This miserable act arose from the affliction of human cowardice. The disciple's conscience condemned him. The proof of this is his grieving immediately afterwards and his tears of repentance that fell from his eyes as for a serious sin. It says, "Having gone out, he wept bitterly," after Christ had looked at him and reminded him of what he had said to Peter.

(Hom. 83. in Joan.) Marvel now at the case of the Master, who though He was a prisoner, had exercised much forethought for His disciple, whom by a look He brought to Himself, and provoked to tears; for it follows, And the Lord turned, and looked upon Peter.

Peter, according to Christ's prediction, proved weak and denied the Master Christ not once, but three times, and denied Him with an oath, for Matthew says: "Then he began to curse and to swear, saying, I know not the Man" (Matt. 26:74). Perhaps such timidity …

Thirdly, as to the compassion of the Lord in coming to his aid, it is added: And immediately, while he was still speaking, the cock crowed. And the Lord, turning, looked upon Peter. He sent beforehand the crowing of the cock by which Peter might …

And the Lord turned and looked at Peter. And Peter remembered the word of the Lord, how He had said: "Before the rooster crows, you will deny me three times." And Peter went out and wept bitterly. With the Lord looking upon him, Peter's heart …

For to look upon him is to have compassion, seeing that not only while penance is being practised, but that it may be practised, the mercy of God is necessary.

And the Lord turned,....

PETER'S fall, as we noticed in our reading, is four times recorded, at considerable length, but it is not once excused. There is not, in any one of the records, a single word said by way of palliation of his great guilt. John pictures Peter's sin in colors of an almost neutral tint, yet he does not lessen its gravity. Why, do you think, is this sad record thus given four times? Is it not in order that we should give it fourfold attention?

The verses we have now read, describe the fall of the apostle Peter. It is a passage which is deeply humbling to the pride of man, but singularly instructive to true Christians. The fall of Peter has been a beacon to the Church, and has probably preserved myriads of souls from destruction. It is a passage which supplies strong proof that the Bible is inspired, and that Christianity is from God.

The verses we have now read, describe the fall of the apostle Peter. It is a passage which is deeply humbling to the pride of man, but singularly instructive to true Christians. The fall of Peter has been a beacon to the Church, and has probably preserved myriads of souls from destruction. It is a passage which supplies strong proof that the Bible is inspired, and that Christianity is from God. If the Christian religion had been the invention of uninspired men — then its first historians would never have told us that one of the chief apostles denied his Master three times. The story of Peter's fall teaches us, firstly — how small and gradual are the steps by which men may go down into great sins. The various steps in Peter's fall, are clearly marked out by the Gospel-writers. They ought always to be observed in reading this part of the apostle's history. The first step was proud self-confidence . Though all denied Christ — yet he never would! He was ready to go with Him both to prison and to death! The second step was indolent neglect of prayer . When his Master told him to pray, lest he should enter into temptation — he gave way to drowsiness, and was found asleep. The third step was vacillating indecision . When the enemies of Christ came upon Him, Peter first fought, then ran away, then turned again, and finally "followed afar off." The fourth step was mingling with bad company . He went into the high priest's house and sat among the servants by the fire, trying to conceal his religion, and hearing and seeing all kinds of evil. The fifth and last step was the natural consequence of the preceding four. He was overwhelmed with fear when suddenly charged with being a disciple. The snare was round his neck. He could not escape. He plunged deeper into error than ever. He denied his blessed Master three times.

PETER had fallen terribly. He had denied his Master, denied Him repeatedly, denied Him with oaths, denied Him in His Presence, while His Master was being smitten and falsely charged. He denied Him, though he was an Apostle. Denied him, though he had declared that should all men forsake Him, yet he never would. It was a sad, sad sin. Remember what led up to it. It was, first, Peter's presumption and self-confidence. He reckoned that he could never stumble and for that very reason he speedily fell. A haughty spirit goes before a fall.

PETER had fallen terribly. He had denied his Master, denied Him repeatedly, denied Him with oaths, denied Him in His Presence, while His Master was being smitten and falsely charged. He denied Him, though he was an Apostle. Denied him, though he had declared that should all men forsake Him, yet he never would. It was a sad, sad sin. Remember what led up to it. It was, first, Peter's presumption and self-confidence. He reckoned that he could never stumble and for that very reason he speedily fell. A haughty spirit goes before a fall. Oh, that we might look to the roots of bitter flowers and destroy them! If presumption is flourishing in the soil of our hearts today we shall soon see the evil fruit which will come of it. Reliance upon our firmness of character, depth of experience, clearness of insight, or maturity in grace will, in the end, land us in disgraceful failure. We must either deny ourselves, or we shall deny our Lord. If we cleave to self-confidence, we shall not cleave to Him. Immediately, Peter's denial was owing to cowardice. The brave Peter in the presence of a maid was ashamed. He could not bear to be pointed out as a follower of the Galilean. He did not know what might follow upon it—but he saw his Lord without a friend and felt that it was a lost cause and he did not care to avow it. Only to think that Peter, under temporary discouragement, should play the coward! Yet cowardice treads upon the heels of boasting—he that thinks he can fight the world will be the first man to run away. His sin also arose from his want of watchfulness. His Master had said to him, "What, could you not watch with Me one hour?" And no doubt there was more meaning in the words than appeared on the surface. The Lord several times said to him, "Pray, that you enter not into temptation." The words were repeated with deep impressiveness, for they were greatly needed.

PETER'S fall, as we noticed in our reading, is four times recorded, at considerable length, but it is not once excused. There is not, in any one of the records, a single word said by way of palliation of his great guilt. John pictures Peter's sin in colors of an almost neutral tint, yet he does not lessen its gravity. Why, do you think, is this sad record thus given four times? Is it not in order that we should give it fourfold attention? It deserves this special mention, first, because it must have greatly increased the grief of the Lord Jesus Christ to know that while He was enduring untold indignities on His people's behalf, His most prominent disciple was denying Him with oaths and curses down at the lower end of the hall. Surely, this must have cut Him to the quick! I cannot imagine that any of the tortures that He endured from His enemies could have caused Him so much pain as this wicked denial by one of His closest friends. Let your pity and love to Jesus flow in deep and broad streams while you behold him that ate bread with Him thus lifting up his heel against Him and even declaring that He knows not the Man! Blessed Master, there is not one tint of all the colors of grief that is lacking in the picture of Your passion! It is not possible to depict sufferings more acute and intense than was Yours when You died, "the Just for the unjust," to bring us to God. But, next, I think that Peter's fall and restoration are thus fully recorded to set forth the greatness of our Redeemer's saving power in the immediate prospect of His cruel death upon the Cross.

The Lord turned, and looked upon Peter - See the note on Mat 26:75, where this delicate reproof is particularly noted.