Simon Peter's Denial of Jesus in the Gospels
Simon Peter, originally named Simon, a common Jewish name, was the son of Jona and a fisherman from Bethsaida [1]. He was brought to Jesus by his brother Andrew [1]. Peter is known for his denial of Jesus, an event recorded in all four Gospels. This denial occurred on the night of Jesus' arrest, after Jesus had predicted it [7, 9].
According to the Gospel accounts, Peter's denial unfolded in stages. While Jesus was being questioned by the high priest, Peter was in the courtyard, warming himself by a fire with the servants and officers [6, 8]. The first denial came when a servant girl, who kept the door, charged him with being one of Jesus' disciples. Peter denied it, saying, "I am not" [3, 6]. Luke's account states that Peter said, "Woman, I do not know Him" [4].
A short time later, Peter's second denial occurred. Another person saw him and declared that he was one of Jesus' followers. Peter again denied it [6]. John Gill notes that Peter denied a second time, even with an oath, stating he did not know the man [10]. To escape further questioning, Peter then moved to the entryway [12].
The third denial came after about an hour, when others present insisted that Peter was indeed a follower of Jesus, citing his Galilean accent as evidence [6]. Peter then began to curse and swear, emphatically stating, "I do not know this man of whom you speak!" [6]. Immediately after this third denial, a rooster crowed, reminding Peter of Jesus' prophecy that he would deny Him three times before the cock crowed twice [7, 9]. This sequence of events led Peter to weep bitterly [6].
Augustine of Hippo highlights that Jesus' prediction of Peter's failure was specific, with Mark's Gospel noting that Jesus said, "before the cock crow twice; thou shalt deny me thrice" [7]. Augustine also reflects on the nature of Peter's denial, suggesting that it was not only a denial of Christ by saying He was not Christ, but also a denial of being a Christian by one who truly was [11]. John Gill observes that Peter's presence among "wicked men" at the fire proved to be of "bad consequence to him," suggesting that such company should be avoided [8].
The event of Peter's denial is a significant moment in the Gospel narratives, demonstrating human frailty even among Jesus' closest disciples. Despite this failure, Peter later became a prominent apostle, identified as "Simon Peter, a slave and apostle of Jesus Christ" in 2 Peter 1:1 [2, 5].
Sources
- Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Peter — Originally called Simon (=Simeon, i.e., "hearing"), a very common Jewish name in the New Testament. He was the son of Jona (Matt. 16:17). His mother is nowhere named in Scripture. He had a younger brother called Andrew, who first brought him to Jesus (John 1:40-42). His native town was Bethsaida, on the western coast of the Sea of Galilee, to which also Philip belonged. Here he was brought up by the shores of the Sea of Galilee, and was trained to the occupation of a fisher. His father had probably died while he was still young, and he and his brother were br”
- II Peter “II Peter 1:1 (LITV) — Simon Peter, a slave and apostle of Jesus Christ, to those equally precious with us, having obtained faith in the righteousness of our God and our Savior, Jesus Christ:”
- John “Now Simon Peter was standing and warming himself. They said therefore to him, “You aren’t also one of his disciples, are you?” He denied it, and said, “I am not.” -- John 18:25”
- Luke “Luke 22:57 (BSB) — But Peter denied it. “Woman, I do not know Him,” he said.”
- 2 Peter “Simon Peter, a servant and apostle of Jesus Christ, to those who have obtained a like precious faith with us in the righteousness of our God and Savior, Jesus Christ: -- 2 Peter 1:1”
- John (Methodist/Wesleyan) “Adam Clarke on John 18:27: And - the cock crew - Peter denied our Lord three times: - Peter's First Denial. I. This took place, when he was without, or beneath, in the hall of Caiaphas's house. He was not in the higher part where Christ stood before the high priest; but without that division of the hall, and in the lower part with the servants and officers, at the fire kindled in the midst of the hall, Joh 18:16, Joh 18:18; and the girl who kept the door had entered into the hall, where she charged Peter. Peter's Second Denial. II. This was in a short time after the first, Luk 22:58. Having o”
- Schaff ANF/NPNF (Patristic) “NPNF1 Vol 6: Augustine — Homilies on the Gospels — GIVEN OF THE PREDICTIONS OF PETER'S DENI- (part 4): Peter's failure] was to be brought about, but has given it a more particular turn. For his version is this: "Verily I say unto thee, That this day, even in this night, before the cock crow twice; thou shalt deny me thrice."(2) Thus it appears that all of them tell us how the Lord foretold that Peter would deny Him before the cock crew, but that they do not all mention how often the cock was to crow, and that Mark is the only one who has presented a more explicit notice of this incident in the”
- John (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on John 18:25: And Simon Peter stood and warmed himself,.... This is repeated from Joh 18:18 to connect the history, and carry on the thread of the account of Peter's denial of Christ, which is interrupted by inserting the examination of Christ before the high priest, which was made at the same time. Peter stood among, and continued with the servants and officers of the high priest, warming himself by a fire they had made, it being a cold night; and this proved of bad consequence to him. The company and conversation of wicked men should be abstained from; no good is got thereby; cont”
- Mark (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Mark 14:29: 14:29-31 Peter’s protests and Jesus’ rebuke recall 8:32-33. Despite Peter’s protests, his denial took place within a few hours.”
- Matthew (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Matthew 26:71: And again he denied with an oath,.... He denied a second time, that he had ever been with Jesus, or was a disciple of his; and to put it out of all doubt, and an end to all dispute about it, and further charge of this kind, as he hoped, he annexed an oath to it: he swore by the God of truth; made a solemn appeal to the omniscient God, the searcher of hearts, that he was so far from being ever with Jesus of Nazareth, or a disciple of his, that, says he, I do not know the man: meaning not only that he had no personal knowledge of him, or acquaintance with him; but t”
- Schaff ANF/NPNF (Patristic) “NPNF1 Vol 7: Augustine — Homilies on John — CHAPTER XVIII. 13--27. (part 2): laid down for the Lord, when one is frightened at a maid-servant's voice, lest it should compel us to the sacrifice? But what wonder, if God foretold what was true, and man presumptuously imagined what was false? Assuredly in this denial of the Apostle Peter, which had now entered on its first stage, we ought to take notice that not only is Christ denied by one who says that He is not Christ, but by him also who, while really a Christian, himself denies that he is so. For the Lord said not to Peter, Thou shall deny th”
- Mark (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Mark 14:68: 14:68 Peter denied that he knew Jesus. To escape further questions, he left the courtyard and went to the entryway.”