Lesson

#18
Excursus: Peters Denial

Excursus, Peter's Denial

Lesson #17 oered an excursus on Judas, a problema7c character in

Scripture, viewed by some as a sinister villain; by others as a pe@y thief who
betrays the Son of God for 30 pieces of silver; and by yet others as the most
loyal disciple who believes he is helping Jesus, one who is perhaps even
following Jesus instruc7ons.
A disciple from the start, Judas was with Jesus for his en7re 3-year public
ministry: Judas witnessed Jesus teaching, preaching and healing; Judas was
present at Peters confession of faith; and Judas rmly believed that Jesus
was the Messiah.
So why does Judas betray Jesus?
In Lesson #17 we explored the character of Judas, hearing tes7mony from all
four evangelists: Ma@hew, Mark, Luke and John, and drawing a few
conclusions about this enigma7c character.

Excursus, Peter's Denial

At Caesarea Philippi Peter said to Jesus with great certainty,

you are the Messiah of God (9: 20); across the three years
of Jesus public ministry, Peter emerged as leader of the
disciples; and aVer the Last Supper Peter pledged with
convic7on: Lord, I am prepared to go to prison and to die
with you (22: 33).
And yet, Peter denies the Lord, not once, but three 7mes.
Lesson #18 oers another excursus in which we explore
Peters possible mo7ves and ac7ons, placing Peters denial
in the context of his 3-year rela7onship with Jesus and the
other Apostles.
Excursus, Peter's Denial

To understand St. Peters denial of

Jesus, we need to step back and learn
how Peter met Jesus; how their
rela7onship developed; Peters
posi7on among the Twelve; and the
the immediate context of the denial
itselfas well as Peters psychological
and spiritual condi7on aEer his
denial.

Excursus, Peter's Denial

That makes sense. St. Peters denial

of Jesus in the courtyard of the high
priest had enormous consequences
for him, but I can see how we have
to understand what led up to it, and
what triggered it, if were to
Not me. understand it.

Ive always felt

REALLY bad for
Peter!

Excursus, Peter's Denial

The story begins on the

Jewish feast of Pentecost,
A.D. 28 or 29, when Jesus
meets Peter for the rst
7me.
John 1: 19 2: 12 opens our story.

Excursus, Peter's Denial

Paolo Veronese. The Wedding at Cana (oil on oak), 1562.

Louvre Museum, Paris.
Excursus, Peter's Denial

So, Jesus was introduced to

Peter by Peters brother,
Andrew, who was in Jerusalem
for Pentecost with Peter,
James and John, his partners
in a commercial shing
Not
me. on the Sea of Galilee.
business
And it sounds like
they had a pre@y
good 7me
together, too!

Excursus, Peter's Denial

Thats right.
And whats more, James and John, who live
in Bethsaida, are Jesus cousins: Zebedee is
their father, and their mother is Salome,
Marys hJ ajdelfh, sister or sister-in-law (John
19: 25).

Jesus spends quite a bit of 7me with Peter,

Andrew, James and John, as well as with their
families. When Jesus relocates to
Capernaum to begin his public ministry, he
moves in with Peter and his family and lives
with them.

Look closely at Luke 4: 38-44.

Excursus, Peter's Denial

Healing Peters Mother-in-Law (fresco), c. 1495.

Church of Agios Mammas, Louvaras, Cypress.
Excursus, Peter's Denial

10

So, when Jesus nally calls Peter

to be a full-7me disciple, Jesus
and Peter already know each
other quite well: theyve been
close for over a year, and Jesus
lives at Peters home.
Now read Luke 5: 1-11 to gain a
deeper understanding of Jesus calling
his rst disciples.

Excursus, Peter's Denial

11

Duccio. Calling of Saints Peter and Andrew (tempera on wood), c. 1308-1311.

Na7onal Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Excursus, Peter's Denial

12

AVer traveling with Jesus for 2 years

or more as he teaches, preaches and
heals throughout Galilee, Jesus and
Peter grow even closer.
Toward the end of his public ministry,
when Jesus takes his disciples north
to Caesarea Philippi, Peter clearly
emerges as the groups leader.
Read Ma@hew 16: 13-20.

Excursus, Peter's Denial

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Rembrandt. St. Peter as Pope (oil on panel), c. 1610-1612.

Prado Museum, Madrid.
Excursus, Peter's Denial

14

At the Last Supper Jesus tells

Peter that he will deny him, not
once, but three 7mes.
Read Ma@hew 26: 31-35.

Excursus, Peter's Denial

15

Bartholomew
James son of Alphaeus
Andrew

Judas
Peter
John

Jesus

Thomas
James
Philip

Ma@hew
Jude
Simon the Zealot

Giovanni Pietro Rizzoli, The Last Supper, aEer Leonardo da Vinci (oil on
canvas), c. 1520. The Royal Academy of Arts, London.

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When Jesus and the disciples end the

Passover meal and leave for the
Garden of Gethsemane, Peter is true
to his vow. When the temple guards
arrive, led by Judas, and they arrest
Jesus: courageously, Peter draws his
sword and wades into the guards,
looking to take o a head!
He is prepared to die.
Read Ma@hew 26: 36-56.

Excursus, Peter's Denial

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Gerard Douet. Taking Christ with the Malchus Episode (oil on canvas), c. 1620.
Museum of Fine Arts, Boston.
Excursus, Peter's Denial

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But once they take Jesus to the

high priests home and Peter is
locked in the courtyard with the
guards, his courage waivers . . .
and then it collapses altogether.
Read Ma@hew 26: 69-75.

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Caravaggio. The Denial of St. Peter (oil on canvas), c. 1610.

Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York.

Excursus, Peter's Denial

20

That scene breaks

my heart!
Not me.

Mine, too.

Excursus, Peter's Denial

21

Peters heart is broken, too. He is

never the same. When Jesus appears
to his disciples in the locked upper
room, Peter is therebut he says
nothing.
When Jesus appears again in the
upper room with Thomas is present,
Peter is therebut again, he says
nothing.
Although we will see Peter on
mul7ple occasions in the post-
resurrec7on scenes, he will never
u@er a single word.
Excursus, Peter's Denial

He is devastated. And Jesus knows i22 t.

We commonly assume that aVer Jesus

resurrec7on he appeared rst to Mary
Magdalene, and then to Cleopas and his
friend on the road to Emmaus, and nally to
his disciples in the upper room.
But, no! St. Paul tells us in 1 Corinthians 15:
3-5 (and it is armed in Luke 24: 33-34)
For I handed on to you as of rst importance
what I also received: that Christ died for our
sins in accordance with the scriptures; that he
was buried; that he was raised on the third
day in accordance with the scriptures; that he
appeared to Cephas, then to the Twelve.
AEer that, he appeared to more than ve
hundred brothers at once, most of whom are
sUll living . . ..
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I wonder what
Jesus said to
Not me. Peter?
I bet he
forgave him.

Excursus, Peter's Denial

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But Jesus forgiving Peter was

never the problem; the problem
was Peter forgiving Peter.
And that doesnt happen
un7l John 21.

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[
Raphael. Christs Charge to Peter (color on paper on canvas), 1515.
Victoria and Albert Museum, London.
[Pope Leo X commissioned this tapestry from Raphael; it is in the VaUcan Museums.
This is the paper design for the tapestry in the Victoria and Albert Museum.]

Excursus, Peter's Denial

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1.

Jesus: Do you love me more than these?

aJgapa me

Peter: You know you are my friend.

2.

3.

oida filw: se

Jesus: Do you love me?

aJgapa me
Peter: You know are my friend.


oida filw: se
Jesus: Are you my friend?


filw: se
Peter: You know that you are my friend.

ginwvskei
filw: se

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Peters denial of Jesus proved essen7al for his

development as the leader of the 1st-
genera7on Church, demonstra7ng his
vulnerability and brokenness, teaching him
empathy, compassion and the ability to
forgive both others and himself.
Listen to Peter in his own words:
The end of all things is at hand. Therefore,
be serious and sober for prayers. Above all,
let your love for one another be intense,
because love covers a mulUtude of sins.




(1 Peter 4: 7-8)
And Peter uses ajgavph for the word love.

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1. Why does Jesus nickname Cephas Peter?

2. At the wedding at Cana, Jesus changes water
into wine, his rst miracle. Why does he
make so much of it?
3. Of the 204 towns and villages in Galilee, why
does Jesus choose Capernaum as his
headquarters?
4. What caused Peter to deny Jesus in the
courtyard of the high priest?
5. What does Jesus accomplish in his talk with
Peter in John 21?

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Copyright 2015 by William C. Creasy

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