The Emotion of Denial

This year as Easter approaches I am feeling many emotions; some might say struggling with emotion. As such, I think it is quite fitting and amazing that our business after-hours Bible Study was covering John 18 and just this week we focused on the denial of Christ by Peter. As we dug deep, we cross referenced over to Luke 22:54-62 and something stuck us. We saw something we had never seen before (revealed?). We were all struck by the emotion of the denial; both the emotion of Christ and Peter. In the passage you must look close. As we read in Luke;

54Then seizing him, they led him away and took him into the house of the high priest. Peter followed at a distance. 55But when they had kindled a fire in the middle of the courtyard and had sat down together, Peter sat down with them. 56A servant girl saw him seated there in the firelight. She looked closely at him and said, "This man was with him." 57But he denied it. "Woman, I don't know him," he said. 58A little later someone else saw him and said, "You also are one of them." "Man, I am not!" Peter replied. 59About an hour later another asserted, "Certainly this fellow was with him, for he is a Galilean." 60Peter replied, "Man, I don't know what you're talking about!" Just as he was speaking, the rooster crowed. 61The Lord turned and looked straight at Peter. Then Peter remembered the word the Lord had spoken to him: "Before the rooster crows today, you will disown me three times." 62And he went outside and wept bitterly.

Did you see it? It’s there in verses 61 and 62. After being seized and led to the high priest’s house for interrogation and persecution and after Peter denies Christ three times the Lord turned and looked straight at Peter. Can you feel the emotion of this event, can you imagine the hurt, the sorrow, the remorse, and yes the love.

In his commentary on this verse Hendriksen says; “when Peter heard the crowing of the rooster, and saw Jesus looking at him with eyes full of pain, yet also of pardon, his memory of Christ’s warning prediction was suddenly awakened.”
Then in verse 62 we see Peter’s emotion just explode as he moves outside and weeps bitterly. Hendriksen continues his explanation; “Peter goes out and weeps as only he can weep: bitterly, profusely, sorrowfully, his heart being filled with genuine regret for what he has done.”

I know this short blog can’t do this justice, but can you begin to feel the emotion of this denial. We can see that Peter weeps because he let Jesus down and by his denial he has added to the pain and suffering of Christ. But wait; don’t we all do the same thing? Don’t we deny in our thoughts, actions and deeds? Don’t we deny every time we slip and as such shouldn’t we all weep with sorrow and remorse.

But, there is good news as we see through Peter’s example; by grace we are forgiven, by grace we are saved! So, every time we deny, let’s remember that Christ; full of love and grace it looking straight at us! As we like Peter are suddenly awakened, may we weep, may we cry out for the amazing grace of our Lord and Savior; Jesus Christ!

Grace and Peace