And Peter remembered the words of Jesus, who said unto him,
Before the cock crows, you shall deny me three times.
And he went out, and wept bitterly.
All Commentaries on Matthew 26:75 Go To Matthew 26
Rabanus Maurus
AD 856
What means this, that a handmaid is the first to tax him, when men would bemore likely to recognise him, except that this sex might seem to sin somewhat in the Lord’s death, that they might be redeemed by His passion? “He denied before them all,” because he was afraid to reveal himself; that he said, “I know not,” shows that he was not yet willing to die for the Saviour.
In this denial of Peter we affirm that Christ is denied not only by him who denies that He is Christ, but who denies himself to be a Christian.
Observe, that he said the first time, “I know not what thou sayest;” the second time, “He denied with an oath;” the third time, “He began to curse and to swear that he knew not the man.” For to persevere in sinning increases sinfulness, and he who disregards light sins, falls into greater.
After the third denial comes the cock-crow; by which we may understand a Doctor of the Church who with chiding rouses the slumbering, saying, “Awake, yerighteous, and sin not.” by fixed periods, as Peter sinned at midnight and repented at cock-crow.
