John the apostle wrote how about Jesus, “Annas had sent him bound unto Caiaphas the high priest”, and in chapter eighteen and verse twenty-five of his book John shared how, “Simon Peter stood and warmed himself” where we read:
And Simon Peter stood and warmed himself.
They said therefore unto him, Are not you also one of his disciples? He denied it, and said, I am not.
The verse reads, “And Simon Peter stood and warmed himself.” John began with the words, “and Simon Peter” which means “and Simon which means a little stone Peter which means a little rock or stone who was Jesus' disciple” “stood and warmed himself” or “was standing and kept himself warm by the fire made by the officers”. John shared how Jesus' disciple “Simon Peter” was keeping himself “warm” by the fire made by the “officers and servants” of the high priest.
The verse continues, “They said therefore unto him, Are not you also one of his disciples? He denied it, and said, I am not.” John added the words, “The said therefore unto him” or “the officers and servants who were with Simon Peter around the fire then, wherefore, consequently and on this account uttered, declared, proclaimed to and questioned Peter”, “Are not you also” which means “are you, Peter, not even so and indeed” “one of his disciples” or “a certain or particular one of his, Jesus, students, pupils and attendants”? “He denied it” which means “”, “and said” or “and uttered, declared and proclaimed”, “I am not” which means “I, Peter, am in no way Jesus' disciple”. John shared how the “servants and officers” accused “Simon Peter” of being one of Jesus' “students and attendants”, however he again “denied” that he was.
When we meditate upon John's words in this verse, we learn how “Simon Peter” was given a second opportunity to identify with Jesus, however, he did not do so. Jesus told “Peter” he would “deny” Him three times, and this again fulfilled what Jesus told him. Though Jesus knew “Peter” would “deny” Him, He was still arrested, tried, tortured and crucified for “Simon Peter's” sin. He did the same for the “sins” of everyone else in the world. God loves people, and even though they are sinners, He paid the price of death on the cross so that everyone may have a personal relationship with Him. Let all who consider “Simon Peter's” denial consider their own identification with Jesus and surrender their life to Him as their personal “Savior and Lord”.
Next time we see John shares how, “One of the servants of the high priest … said … Did not I see you in the garden with him?”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.
Until tomorrow…there is more…
Look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book "Random Mushrooms Volumes I and II" and the new novel "Elizabeth County" in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore. All references are from "Strongs Concordance".
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