Peter Curses and Swears and the Cock Crows - Matthew 26:74

Matthew the apostle wrote how the high priest and the religious leaders said Jesus was “guilty of death”, and Matthew continued, “Peter sat without in the palace: and a damsel came unto him, saying, You also were with Jesus of Galilee. But he denied before them all, saying, I know not what you are saying. And when he was gone out into the porch, another maid saw him, and said unto them that were there, This fellow was also with Jesus of Nazareth. And again he denied with an oath, I do not know the man. And after a while came unto him they that stood by, and said to Peter, Surely you also are one of them; for your speech bewrays you”, and in chapter twenty-six and verse seventy-four of his book, Matthew wrote how Peter, “began … to curse and to swear … and immediately the cock crew” where we read:

Then began he to curse and to swear, saying, I know not the man. And immediately the cock crew.

The verse reads, “Then began he to curse and to swear, saying, I know not the man.” Matthew began words, “then began he” which means “at that time and moment Peter started, preceded and commenced” “to curse” or “to imprecate, anathematize and maledict” “and to swear” which means “and to affirm and promise with an oath”, “saying” or “uttering, declaring and proclaiming”, “I know not” or “Peter did not perceive, notice, discern or discover” “the man” which refers to “Jesus”. Matthew shared how Peter emphatically “imprecated and affirmed” he was not affiliated with Jesus.

The verse goes on to say, “And immediately” or “straightway or forthwith” “the cock crew” which means “the rooster sounded and cried aloud”. Matthew shared how the rooster “crowed” right after Peter had “denied” for the third time that he knew Jesus.

When we meditate upon Matthew's words in this verse, we see how Peter became indignant in his rebuttal to those who accused him of being with Jesus. This time he “cursed” and “swore” that he was not affiliated with Jesus, and because this was his third denial, as Jesus prophesied, the rooster crowed. Jesus continued to desire Peter to have a relationship with Him, and though Peter failed, Jesus loved Him. God loves all people, and His reason for sending Jesus was to “save” people from their “sins” and provide “everlasting life” to everyone who believes.

Next time Matthew shares how “Peter remembered the word of Jesus”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

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