Mark 14:27-31: a reflection

27Jesus said to them, “All of you will be made to stumble because of me tonight, for it is written, ‘I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered.’ 28However, after I am raised up, I will go before you into Galilee.” 29But Peter said to him, “Although all will be offended, yet I will not.” 30Jesus said to him, “Most certainly I tell you that you today, even this night, before the rooster crows twice, you will deny me three times.” 31But he spoke all the more, “If I must die with you, I will not deny you.” They all said the same thing.

On the night before his death, Jesus tells his disciples they will all fall away, and warns Peter specifically that he will deny him three times before the rooster crows twice. But Peter, sure of his own faithfulness, protests: Although all will be offended, yet I will not. And even more emphatically: If I must die with you, I will not deny you. Peter was confident of his own strength, certain he would never fail; yet that very night he would deny Jesus three times. His overconfidence in his own faithfulness, his presumption that he could not fail, set him up for the fall; he trusted his own strength, and it was not enough.

Notice Peter's overconfident presumption about his own faithfulness. He was sure of himself, certain that whatever the others did, he would never deny Jesus; he trusted his own strength and resolve. But Jesus knew better, and warned him; and that night, Peter's confidence proved empty. His presumption that he could not fail was precisely what left him unguarded when the test came. He trusted in his own strength rather than in a humble awareness of his weakness, and his strength failed. The overconfidence about his own faithfulness did not make him strong; it made him presumptuous and unguarded, and he fell.

That is worth taking to heart, for we too can be overconfident about our own faithfulness, presuming a strength we do not have. We can be sure of ourselves, certain that we would never fail, never deny Christ, never give way where others do, trusting our own strength and resolve, as Peter did; but such overconfidence leaves us unguarded, presuming a strength we do not have. Humility about our own weakness, not confidence in our own strength, keeps us watchful. Do not be overconfident about your own faithfulness, presuming you could never fail; be humble about your weakness, watchful and dependent on God, as Peter's presumption preceded his fall. Be humble about your own weakness rather than overconfident in your strength, watchful and dependent on God, as Peter presumed he would never deny Christ yet fell that very night; for overconfidence about our own faithfulness leaves us unguarded, and it is humility about our weakness and dependence on God, not trust in our own strength, that keeps us from falling.

Lord Jesus, on the night before your death, you tell your disciples they will all fall away, and warn Peter specifically that he will deny you three times before the rooster crows twice. But Peter, sure of his own faithfulness, protests: although all will be offended, yet I will not. And even more emphatically: if I must die with you, I will not deny you. Peter was confident of his own strength, certain he would never fail; yet that very night he would deny you three times. His overconfidence set him up for the fall. Show me Peter's overconfident presumption about his own faithfulness. He was sure of himself, certain that whatever the others did, he would never deny you; he trusted his own strength and resolve. But you knew better, and warned him; and that night, Peter's confidence proved empty. His presumption that he could not fail was precisely what left him unguarded when the test came. He trusted in his own strength rather than in a humble awareness of his weakness, and his strength failed. Take that to my heart, for I too can be overconfident about my own faithfulness, presuming a strength I do not have. I can be sure of myself, certain that I would never fail, never deny you, never give way where others do, trusting my own strength, as Peter did; but such overconfidence leaves me unguarded. Humility about my weakness, not confidence in my strength, keeps me watchful. Keep me from being overconfident about my own faithfulness, presuming I could never fail; help me be humble about my weakness, Lord, watchful and dependent on you, as Peter's presumption preceded his fall.