God’s Loving Restoration

Commentary

Knowing their hearts, Jesus tried to prepare His disciples for what was coming. He told them how they were going to react to His arrest and crucifixion, as it was already foretold. Rather than take heed of this prophetic information and humble themselves, their hearts were proud in their own ability. This is especially noted in Peter, who was the boldest about it. He claimed that he could love Jesus with a love that is not humanly possible, thinking that his declarations would glorify God.

When life is going well and you’re in a place of comfort, you might be tempted to become overconfident and proud in your walk with Christ, focusing too much on what you’re going to do for Jesus, rather than what He is doing in you. It’s unwise as a believer to start making declarations about how you’d do such and such for the Lord, because when the day grows difficult, that’s when the real test of courage and faith comes. We’re not capable of loving like God by our own will and ability, as Peter would soon learn.

Commentary

Peter’s First Test

Peter was so confident that he would die with Jesus if he had to. When they came to arrest Jesus, Peter took out his sword and cut off the ear of the high priest’s servant. That only embarrassed Peter further, as Jesus rebuked him for not understanding what must take place, which Jesus had just explained to the disciples previously.

Peter followed Jesus as they took Him away, but when the situation became even more serious, as Jesus was taken to Annas, the fear then grew in Peter’s heart. The disciple known to the high priest (likely John) talked to the doorkeeper to allow Peter in. This should’ve been an easier test; the girl (doorkeeper) asked, though in a negative way, what she likely already knew the answer to (Matthew 26:69), and Peter denied Jesus for the first of three times.

You and I are no different; we each have a breaking point. In your own ability, your flesh will have you seeking self-safety and comfort long before you could ever truly bring glory to God. We can see this, as Peter's own weakness is on display in these verses.

Commentary

Peter’s Second Test

Warming himself by the fire, within visual distance of Jesus, Peter had no problem denying Jesus for a second time. That fear of repercussions for his faithfulness to Christ not only pushed Peter to deny Jesus in the courtyard, but had now taken root in his heart, making it easier each time. Obviously, Peter was curious about what was going to happen to Jesus, but he certainly wanted no trouble for himself — a far cry from the man who earlier declared that he would die with Jesus. Peter now just wanted to blend in with the crowd and not draw any attention to himself. The more you become willing to hide your faith, the easier it will become to just blend in and dim your witness.

Commentary

Peter’s Final Test

Now Peter encounters an eyewitness and a relative of the servant whose ear Peter had cut off. Here we have a witness at the time and place of Jesus’ arrest, where all 11 true disciples were with the Lord. But since the fear had grown to overwhelm Peter’s courage in that hour of great difficulty, Peter not only denied Jesus for the third time, but Matthew tells us that Peter even cursed and swore an oath. He wasn’t fooling any of them, but only himself.

As the rooster crowed for the second time, Peter knew that he did exactly what the Lord said he would do and he started to weep bitterly. In his own pride, Peter declared in a time of comfort and overconfidence in himself, that he would die with Jesus, but when the trial came, Peter lost all courage in the face of real fear. That’s when God’s Word struck his heart like a bullet.

Commentary

Jesus Publicly Restores Peter

Peter took a hard fall. But unlike Judas, Peter wasn’t apostate; instead, he became repentant when he realized his transgression. This was no surprise to Jesus, as He knew all along that Peter would fall, be humbled, and that He would restore him once more. Peter had truly given his heart to Jesus, and that’s what matters most. You give God your heart first, then He does the work in you.

Repentance never comes without a heart that is first for Christ. As Peter denied the Lord three times, Jesus gave Peter the chance to publicly acknowledge his genuine love for Jesus three times. Of course, Jesus already knew that Peter loved him, but He wanted Peter to publicly announce it, since Peter now understood that his love for Jesus is given to him by God, through faith, and not of his own will or ability. At that moment, Peter was restored to be where God wanted him to be; Peter could now become what Jesus has intended him to be.

The good works that Peter would go on to do and the death that he would endure would truly glorify God because it was done by the power of the Lord working in Peter, not from Peter’s own self-declared abilities.