John 18:25-27

‘Now Simon Peter was standing and warming himself. They said therefore to him, “Are you also one of his disciples?” He denied and said, “I am not.” One of the servants of the High Priest, who was a kinsman of the one whose ear Peter cut off, says, “Did I not see you in the garden with him?” Peter therefore denied again and immediately the cock crew.'

While Jesus was being dragged around bound, Peter, although apprehensive, was free and enjoying his freedom. But while the bound man showed Himself truly free by His replies, the free man showed himself a slave by his replies.

Twice again Peter denied that he was a disciple of Jesus and this was followed by cock crow as morning approached. The words of Jesus in John 13:38 had been fulfilled. John, who knew something of the High Priest's household, identifies the final questioner specifically. It is thus clear that John witnessed at least a part of Peter's humiliation.

‘I am not'. This is again the opposite of Jesus' firm statement, “I am” (John 18:5).

There is nothing that we can say about Peter's humiliation, except to say that it should be a warning to all about over-arrogance. How little Peter realised the weakness of his own human nature. How little we realise of ours. He who had been so brave, and had drawn his sword to fight, and had followed the arresting party at a distance, and had even entered the courtyard of the High Priest's house, discovered that when tired and shaken and put under great unexpected pressure, he was weaker than he had realised. He had stretched himself too far. It demonstrates the intensity of his feelings at that moment. But happily he recovered to give hope to all that one failure is not necessarily the end.

And what a contrast with Judas. Peter left and wept bitterly, and was restored. In contrast Judas' heart was set cold. He had deliberately set his mind against Jesus over a period of time, because it had never come home to him what Jesus had really come to do. And his tears, if there were tears, were tears of hopelessness, as he realised that what he had hoped for would never be, for his hopes were set in the wrong direction. There was much remorse but no repentance. It was different with Peter. He truly repented. The distinction is important.