Ep. 130: Simon’s betrayal

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MATTHEW 26:73-75, MARK 14:70-72, LUKE 22:59-62, JOHN 18:26,27

About one hour had passed since Peter’s second denial had been interrupted by the arrival of the Sanhedrists. The chattering of Peter betrayed him. This one also was with Jesus the Nazarene; truly. He was of them - for he was also a Galilean! So spoke the bystanders; while, according to John, a fellow servant and kinsman of that Malchus, whose ear Peter, in his zeal, had cut off in Gethsemane, asserted that he actually recognised him. To one and all these declarations, Peter returned only a stronger denial, accompanying it this time with oaths to God. The echo of his words had scarcely died out when loud and shrill the second cock-crowing was heard.

Edersheim bares Peter’s heart to the world:

‘He now remembered the words of warning prediction which the Lord had spoken. He looked up; and as he looked. He saw, how up there, just at that moment; the Lord turned round and looked upon him - yes, in all that assembly, upon Peter! his eyes spoke his Words, they searched down to the innermost depths of Peter’s heart and broke them open. Forth they burst, the waters of conviction, of true shame, of heart-sorrow, of the agonies of self-condemnation and, bitterly weeping. He rushed from under those suns that had melted the ice of death and burnt into his heart - out from that cursed place of betrayal by Israel, by its High Priest - and even by the representative Disciple. Out he rushed into the night.’

This is an extract from the book, Jesus : Life and Times, available for £12 here (Finalist for Academic Book of the year at 2023 CRT awards)