Matthew 26:67-75: a reflection

67Then they spat in his face and beat him with their fists, and some slapped him, 68saying, “Prophesy to us, you Christ! Who hit you?” 69Now Peter was sitting outside in the court, and a maid came to him, saying, “You were also with Jesus, the Galilean!” 70But he denied it before them all, saying, “I don’t know what you are talking about.” 71When he had gone out onto the porch, someone else saw him and said to those who were there, “This man also was with Jesus of Nazareth.” 72Again he denied it with an oath, “I don’t know the man.” 73After a little while those who stood by came and said to Peter, “Surely you are also one of them, for your speech makes you known.” 74Then he began to curse and to swear, “I don’t know the man!” Immediately the rooster crowed. 75Peter remembered the word which Jesus had said to him, “Before the rooster crows, you will deny me three times.” Then he went out and wept bitterly.

The same night that Jesus is mocked and struck by his captors, Peter, who had sworn he would never fall away, denies his Lord. Confronted three times, by a servant girl, by a bystander, by others who recognize his Galilean accent, Peter denies knowing Jesus, the third time with curses and oaths: I do not know the man. And immediately the rooster crows, and Peter remembers Jesus' words foretelling this very denial. He goes out, and weeps bitterly. The bold disciple has failed, and the failure breaks his heart.

Notice both Peter's failure and his tears. Peter, who loved Jesus and had promised loyalty even to death, failed badly, denying his Lord three times under pressure. But notice too his response when he realized what he had done: he wept bitterly. His failure did not harden him or make him give up; it broke his heart. And those bitter tears, of genuine grief and repentance, marked a heart that would be restored, not one that had finally fallen away.

That is an encouragement to any who have failed. Even a devoted disciple like Peter can fail badly, denying his Lord under pressure. Failure is real, and it should grieve us. But Peter's bitter tears were the mark of a heart still soft, grieving its sin, and such a heart is on the way to restoration. Peter's story does not end in his denial; the risen Jesus would restore him. If you have failed, even badly, do not let it harden you or make you give up. Weep, as Peter wept, in genuine grief and repentance, and know that such tears mark a heart on the way to restoration. The Lord who restored the weeping Peter can restore you; failure need not be the end.

Lord, Peter, who had sworn undying loyalty, denied you three times that night, and when he realized what he had done, he went out and wept bitterly; yet you would restore him. When I have failed, even badly, meet me in that hope. Failure is real, and it should grieve me. But help me, like Peter, to respond with genuine tears of grief and repentance, not with a hardened heart or with giving up. Peter's bitter tears marked a heart still soft, on the way to restoration, and you restored him. When I have denied or failed you, keep me from letting it harden me. Help me weep as Peter wept, and to know that such tears mark a heart you can restore. Thank you that failure need not be the end, and that the Lord who restored the weeping Peter can restore me.