And the second time the cock crowed. And Peter called to mind the word that Jesus said unto him,
Before the cock crows twice, you shall deny me three times.
And when he thought on this, he wept.
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Augustine of Hippo
AD 430
As holy David repented for his deadly crimes and still retained his kingship, so the blessed Peter earnestly repented, having denied the Lord, and shed such bitter tears, yet remained an apostle. Letter , To Boniface.
We must understand by this, that the Lord suffered these things till morning, in the house of the High Priest, whither He had first been brought. Matthew and Mark, on the other hand, first notice the injuries done to Christ, then the temptation of Peter. Concerning which it is said, “And as Peter was beneath in the palace, there cometh one of the maids of the High Priest.”.
: This maid is not the same, but another, as Matthew says. Indeed, we must also understand, that in this second denial he was addressed by two persons, that is, by the maid whom Matthew and Mark mention, and by another person, of whom Luke takes notice. It goes on: “And he denied it again.”
But what can be meant by his being first recognized by a woman, when men were more able to know him, if it be not that that sex might be seen to sin in the death of our Lord, and that sex be redeemed by His Passion? It goes on: “But he denied, saying, I know not, neither understand I what thou sayest.”.
The other Evangelists do not mention this crowing of the cock; they do not however deny the fact, as also some pass overmany other things in silence, which others relate. There follows: “And a maid saw him again, and began to say to them that stood by, This is one of them.”.
By this denial of Peter we learn, that not only he denied Christ, who says that He is not the Christ, but healso, who although he is a Christian, denies himself to be such. For the Lorddid not say to Peter, Thou shalt deny thyself to be my disciple, but, “Thoushalt deny me;” he therefore denied Christ, when he said that he was not Hisdisciple.There follows: “And a little after, they that stood by said again to Peter...
And he began to weep: Gr. ε̉πιβαλών Îκλαιε, i.e, literally, adding he was weeping; which you may translate, 1st, he began to weep; 2nd, he added to weep, i.e, "he began to weep very violently," says Theophylact. The Arabic Isaiah , and he betook himself to tears, not in the court before the Jews, that he might not betray himself to them, but when he was alone, having gone out of it as appears from S. Matthew 26:75. (Top)
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Mark writes these things, and through him Peter bears witness, for the whole of Mark is said to be a record of Peter’s teaching. Note how scrupulously the disciples refused to record those things that might have given the impression of their fame. Note how they handed down in writing numerous charges against themselves to unforgetting ages, and accusations of sins, which no one in later years would ever have known about unless hearing it from their own voice. By thus honestly reporting their own faults, it is reasonable to view them as relatively void of false speaking and egoism. This habit gives plain and clear proof of their truthloving disposition. As for such critics who imagine they invented and lied, and try to slander them as deceivers, should they not to be regarded as absurd? Aren’t they thereby being convicted as friends of envy and malice, and foes of truth itself? For have they not taken those who have exhibited in their own words good proof of their integrity, and their s...
And here we must ask ourselves, why did almighty God permit the one he had placed over the whole church to be frightened by the voice of a maidservant, and even to deny Christ himself? This we know was a great dispensation of the divine mercy, so that he who was to be the shepherd of the church might learn through his own fall to have compassion on others. God therefore first shows him to himself, and then places him over others: to learn through his own weakness how to bear mercifully with the weakness of others.
In this respect we most marvel at Mark, because not only did he refuse to hide Peter’s fault, but wrote the account of it in greater detail than the others. And it is for this very reason that he is called Peter’s disciple. The Gospel of St.
The Lord allowed this to happen to him by His providence, that is, lest he should be too much elated, and at the same time, that he might prove himself merciful to sinners, as knowing from himself the result of human weakness. There follows: “And he went out into the porch; and the cock crew.”.
Therefore Peter was seized with fear, and forgetting the word of the Lord, which said, “Whosoever shall confess Me before men, him will I confess before My Father,” he denied our Lord. Wherefore there follows: “But he began to curse and to swear, saying, I know not this man of whom ye speak.”
