The Denials of Peter.
This
Is Appendix 160 From The Companion Bible.
There
are several facts that have to be noticed before we can
arrive
at a clear understanding of all the denials recorded of Peter by
the
four evangelists :-
I. We
have to note that the fact that Peter would deny His Lord
was
foretold in three distinct prophecies uttered on three
separate
occasions, and differing both as to the occasion and
as
to particulars.
1. The
first was in the upper chamber, recorded in John
13:38. It was absolute as to the fact, general as to the
day, but particular as to the number of
denials : "a
cock
shall by no means crow [from this time forth]
until
thou has denied Me thrice"
(see Appendix 156).
2. The
second was in the upper chamber, recorded by
Luke
22:34. It
was after the "strife", and immediately
before
leaving the room. It was absolute as to the
fact, but particular as to the day and the
number of
denials
: "a cock shall not crow this day, before thou
wilt
thrice deny knowest Me" (see Appendix 156).
3. The
third was after the Lord had left the city and
immediately
before entering the garden of
Gethsemane.
It is recorded in Mark 14:30, and was
particular
in every detail : "Verily I say unto thee that
(hoti) thou (added by all the texts) this day, in this
night,
before a cock crow twice, thrice thou wilt deny
Me".
Compare the fulfilment, and see Appendix 156.
This
last prophecy furnishes the key to the whole
problem.
For, note :-
(a) that a cock was to crow twice, and
(b) that Peter would deny thrice ;
that
is to say, before each of the two cockcrowings
Peter
would thrice deny His Lord. This is confirmed
by
the repetition in the fulfilment (Mark 14:72).
Thus,
there would be six denials in all; three before
each
cockcrowing".
Note
that the word "cock" has no Article in any of
the
four records : in each case it is not "the", but "a
cockcrowing".
II. Consonant with these data, we have the remarkable fact that
Matthew,
Luke, and John each record three denials, and one
concluding
cockcrowing. Mark also records three denials,
but
mentions the two cockcrowings.
Consequently,
in the four Gospels there are no less than
twelve
denials mentioned. And the questions are, which of
these
are duplicates, and which are the resulting six required
by
the Lord's third prophecy in Mark 14:30 ?
III. If we note accurately the marks of time in each Gospel, the
place, and the persons
addressing Peter, every condition
required
by each of the Greek words employed is fully and
perfectly
satisfied, without a shadow or suggestion of
"discrepancy".
i. The
First Series of Three.
1. The
First Denial, John 18:17. Place : the door
(thura) without. Time
: entering. The
questioner : the porteress (Greek thuroros).
2. The
Second Denial, Matthew 26:70 (Mark
14:68). Place : the
hall (aule). Time : sitting.
Questioner : a certain maid. Luke 22:56 - 58
combines
the same place and time, with the
same
maid, and another (heteros, masculine).
3. The
Third Denial, Matthew 26:71. Place : the
gateway,
or porch (pulon). Time : an interval
of
an hour. John 18:25, 26 combines
the same
place
and time, with another maid and
bystanders,
one of them being a relative of
Malchus.
A COCK CREW.
(Mark
14:68. John
18:27.)
ii. The Second Series of Three.
1. The
First Denial, Mark 14:69. Place :
"beneath
in the hall". Time : shortly after.
Questioner : the maid again.
2. The
Second Denial, Matthew 26:73 (Mark
14:70). Place : the
gate (pulon). Time : shortly
after.
Questioner : the bystanders.
3. The
Third Denial (Luke 22:59, 60). Place : the
midst
of the hall (aule, verse 55). Time : "an
hour
after" (verse 59). Questioner : a certain
one
(masculine).
A COCK CREW.
(Matthew
26:74. Mark
14:72. Luke
22:61.)
IV. We thus have a combined record in which there remains no
difficulty,
while each word retains its own true grammatical
sense.
Appendix