Today's reading concludes the theme of betrayal and apostasy among the apostles by telling us about Peter's denial. The image of Peter in this passage is key: at the very beginning of the narrative Peter is mentioned as following Jesus from a distance, secretly; it ends...
Today's reading concludes the theme of betrayal and apostasy among the apostles by telling us about Peter's denial (vv. 69-75). The image of Peter in this passage is key: at the very beginning of the narrative Peter is mentioned as following Jesus from a distance, secretly (v. 57); it ends with the mention of the rooster's crow, which signified the fulfillment of Jesus' prophecy (vv. 74-75). Here too Peter remains true to himself: he clearly remembers the promise he gave the Teacher to stay with Him to the end, and now he fulfills it as best he can. He, of course, cannot change anything, but he wants at least to see everything.
It is not hard to guess that all Peter's attention is fixed on Jesus; he has neither strength nor time for anything else, and the tense sleepless night, of course, could not pass without a trace. And it is at this moment that people notice him and point out that he too was with Jesus. But Peter expects nothing of the kind; he may have remembered his promises, but everything had turned out to be meaningless, the messianic war had ended before it had time to begin, and now, when everything was over, there was no longer any question of faithfulness. Perhaps that is why he denies so easily, casually, before he has even had time to understand properly what is happening.
Apparently, for Peter, as for the other apostles, Jesus was inseparable from their own ideas about Him, as well as from their ideas about the cause in which they intended to take such an active part. Now, when it turned out that there would be no "cause," there could no longer be any question of betrayal: at first glance, there turned out to be no one and nothing to betray. If everything is over, if there will be no Kingdom, what difference does it make whether Peter knew Jesus or not? One can remain faithful even to the memory of the dead, but what sense is there in admitting participation in a conspiracy that never happened?
But then the rooster crowed, and Peter seemed to awaken, shaking off the spiritual stupor that had seized him after his failed attempt to defend the Teacher in the Garden of Gethsemane. And it immediately became clear to him what had happened. Perhaps for the first time he understood that he loved the Teacher not only as the leader of his supporters and not even only as the Messiah, but also as a close friend whom, as it must have seemed to him, he was losing forever. And he understood that he had denied not a failed uprising, but this love. A love that can be found again only through repentance.
And Peter, having realized everything, truly repents; he leaves the courtyard, understanding that faithfulness to the Teacher must be kept in a completely different way than he had thought before (v. 75). And this contrition of heart saves him: very soon he will meet again the already risen Teacher, who will receive his repentance (John 21:15-18).
The unrepentant apostate becomes a traitor, like Judas; the repentant apostate remains a faithful disciple, like Peter.
26
26:47 Mar 14:43; Luk 22:47; Joh 18:2.
26:50 The heroic behaviour of the blessed Jesus, in the whole period of his sufferings, will be observed by every attentive eye, and felt by every pious heart: although the sacred historians, according to their usual but wonderful simplicity, make no encomiums upon it. With what composure does he go forth to meet the traitor! With what calmness receive that malignant kiss! With what dignity does he deliver himself into the hands of his enemies! Yet plainly showing his superiority over them, and even then leading as it were captivity captive!
26:51 And one of them striking the servant of the high priest - Probably the person that seized Jesus first; Cut off his ear - Aiming, it seems, to cleave his head, but that by a secretprovidence interposing, he declined the blow. Mar 14:47; Luk 22:49; Joh 18:10.
26:52 All they that take the sword - Without God's giving it them: without sufficient authority.
26:53 He will presently give me more than twelve legions of angels - The least of whom, it is probable, could overturn the earth anddestroy all the inhabitants of it.
26:55 Mar 14:48; Luk 22:52
26:57 They led him away to Caiaphas - From the house of Annas, the father - in - law of Caiaphas, to whom they had carried him first. Mar 14:53; Luk 22:54; Joh 18:12.
26:58 But Peter followed him afar off - Variously agitated by conflicting passions; love constrained him to follow his Master; fear made him follow afar off. And going in, sat with the servants - Unfit companions as the event showed.
26:60 Yet found they none - On whose evidence they could condemn him to die. At last came two false witnesses - Such they were, although part of what they said was true; because our Lord did not speak some of those words at all; nor any of them in this sense.
26:64 Hereafter shall ye see the Son of man - He speaks in the third person, modestly, and yet plainly; Sitting on the right hand of power - That is, the right hand of God: And coming upon the clouds of heaven - As he is represented by Daniel, Dan 7:13-14. Our Lord looked very unlike that person now!But nothing could be more awful, more majestic and becoming, than such an admonition in such circumstances!
26:65 Then the high priest rent his clothes - Though the high priest was forbidden to rend his clothes (that is, his upper garment) in some cases where others were allowed to do it, Lev 21:10; yet in case of blasphemy or any public calamity, it was thought allowable. Caiaphas hereby expressed, in the most artful manner, his horror at hearing such grievous blasphemy.
26:67 Then - After he had declared he was the Son of God, the sanhedrim doubtless ordered him to be carried out, while they were consulting what to do. And then it was that the soldiers who kept him began these insults upon him.