Thou Shalt Deny Me Thrice (Mark 14:30)

2022-09-28

But Peter said unto him, Although all shall be offended, yet will not I. And Jesus saith unto him, Verily I say unto thee, That this day, even in this night, before the cock crow twice, thou shalt deny me thrice. (Mark 14:29-30)

The other gospels only mention a single rooster crow, not mentioning a second. The point is that Peter denied Him, and the sound of the rooster was to remind Peter of his denial. It may be that Peter denied Christ three times, the rooster crowed, and then Peter denied Him another three times, and that the rooster crowed again. Here are the scenarios in which Peter denied Christ:

Matthew

  1. Maid #1 (Matthew 26:29)
  2. Maid #2 (Matthew 26:71)
  3. One who recognized Peter as a Galilean (Matthew 26:73)

Mark

  1. Maid #1, of the maids of the High Priest (Mark 14:66-67)
  2. Maid #2 (Mark 14:69)
  3. One who recognized Peter as a Galilean (Mark 14:70)

Luke

  1. Maid #1 (Luke 22:56)
  2. One whom Peter refers to as “Man” (Luke 22:58)
  3. One who recognized Peter as a Galilean (Luke 22:59)

John

  1. Maid #1, who kept the door (John 18:17)
  2. “They” (John 18:25)
  3. Malchus’ relative (John 18:26)

We can see the people who questioned Peter’s affiliation with Jesus are the same in Matthew and Mark. In Luke, the third person is different, as he refers to the other as “Man.” In John, the initial maid is likely the same, but the other two groups are different. There is a group of people in the second denial, and the third one is entirely different, being someone who recognized Peter in Gethsemane.

Peter denied Christ at least on six occasions before more than six people. In retrospect, we recognize times where we had opportunity to tell others about Jesus Christ, the purpose for our existence. Remember the lesson of the crowing rooster.