Mark 14:54,66-72 - Peter Denies Jesus

From the introduction to this sermon:

“Peter, to me, is the most interesting of the twelve apostles, perhaps because we are given more insight into his character than we are of any of the others. Peter is among the first called in every gospel. He is often the mouthpiece for the rest. He is the first to speak up, the first to take action, the boldest, the sincerest, the most passionate. And when he falls he falls the hardest. And that’s what we are looking at here in this last pericope of Mark 14–the fall (though temporary) of Peter.

Mark has tied this story together with that of Jesus’s trial because they both happen at the same time and in relatively the same location. While Jesus is in an upper room facing his accusers, Peter is down in the courtyard warming his hands by the fire with Jesus’s enemies. The contrast could not be more clear, and no doubt Mark intended for us to see it. And not just us, but primarily his immediate audience of persecuted followers of the Way in Rome.

For good reason this has been called the trial of Peter. The parallels to what is going on upstairs is obvious. While Jesus is being interrogated, Peter faces interrogation. Both lives are in danger. Answering truthfully comes at a price. Jesus answers truthfully and boldly and accepts that price willingly. Peter lies, and denies, and tries his best to avoid the shame and the cost of knowing Jesus. While both are on “trial” in the sense of facing tough questions from antagonistic accusers, both are also facing this trial because of the loving providence of God. 

Jesus was sent to earth for this by the love of the Father. It is his own love which compels him forward. And it is the Spirit of love within him which strengthens him for what is ahead. And Jesus, though condemned by the Sanhedrin, will ultimately be vindicated by the Father. Meanwhile, Peter will avoid being found guilty in the courtyard, only to be overwhelmed by his guilt before God. It is only a word in the resurrection scene of chapter 16 which will give us hope of his restoration. 

So in this trial, Jesus anchors his trust upon the will of the Father and passes the test. Meanwhile Peter trusts to conniving and manipulation—to self—and fails.”

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