Back to Peter

Mark 14:53-72

Denying Christ

Persecution in the year 2028

The year is 2028. About nine years ago that National Islamic Party produced its first viable candidate for President. Two years ago, their candidate was sworn in. Six months ago, a law was passed making Christianity religio illicita. Two weeks ago Poolesville Baptist Church was leveled to make room for a mosque and you now stand guilty of being a Christian.

The judge sits before you with a gavel and a frown. “How do you plead?” he asks.

The question is simple. You understand perfectly. Being a Christian means imminent death. It could be immediate, it could be distant. You think back to 30 years earlier when no one thought anything like this could ever be possible. You remember mere weeks ago watching the steeple topple and the cross hit the asphalt. You remember just a few short months ago huddled in the basement in the dark singing praises to Jesus with a few close friends. Now the moment has come.

Will you deny Christ? Everyone else is. Christianity is not only illegal, its also ridiculously unfashionable. Has been for decades.

Cursing Christ means your immediate freedom. Claiming him means you will die.

And no one even cares which one you choose.

I think back to Blandina who was half roasted on a grill and then thrown between wild bulls in front of her children (172) [read Blandina page]

I think back to the man who had molten lead poured down his throat.

I think back to Antipas who was roasted alive in a copper steer

To Matthew who was skinned alive

Ignatius who was devoured by wild animals

Cordoba whose arms and legs were cut off before they burned him

These are just a few who stood strong in the face of persecution.

What would you do?

If you ask me that question, I know my answer now.

“Even if all fall away, I will not. Even if I have to die with you, I will never disown you.”

The same answer that Peter gave in the safety of the walk to Gethsemane.

But Gethsemane is over.

The master has been betrayed and stands before the Sanhedrin. Which brings us to our story today.

Will you look at this passage with me in Mark 14:53-72?

53 They took Jesus to the high priest, and all the chief priests, elders and teachers of the law came together.

54 Peter followed him at a distance, right into the courtyard of the high priest. There he sat with the guards and warmed himself at the fire.

55 The chief priests and the whole Sanhedrin were looking for evidence against Jesus so that they could put him to death, but they did not find any.

56 Many testified falsely against him, but their statements did not agree.

57 Then some stood up and gave this false testimony against him:

58 "We heard him say, 'I will destroy this man-made temple and in three days will build another, not made by man.'"

59 Yet even then their testimony did not agree.

60 Then the high priest stood up before them and asked Jesus, "Are you not going to answer? What is this testimony that these men are bringing against you?"

61 But Jesus remained silent and gave no answer. Again the high priest asked him, "Are you the Christ, the Son of the Blessed One?"

62 "I am," said Jesus. "And you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Mighty One and coming on the clouds of heaven."

63 The high priest tore his clothes. "Why do we need any more witnesses?" he asked.

64 "You have heard the blasphemy. What do you think?" They all condemned him as worthy of death.

65 Then some began to spit at him; they blindfolded him, struck him with their fists, and said, "Prophesy!" And the guards took him and beat him.

66 While Peter was below in the courtyard, one of the servant girls of the high priest came by.

67 When she saw Peter warming himself, she looked closely at him. "You also were with that Nazarene, Jesus," she said.

68 But he denied it. "I don't know or understand what you're talking about," he said, and went out into the entryway

69 When the servant girl saw him there, she said again to those standing around, "This fellow is one of them."

70 Again he denied it. After a little while, those standing near said to Peter, "Surely you are one of them, for you are a Galilean."

71 He began to call down curses on himself, and he swore to them, "I don't know this man you're talking about."

72 Immediately the rooster crowed the second time. Then Peter remembered the word Jesus had spoken to him: "Before the rooster crows twice you will disown me three times." And he broke down and wept.

Pray

This is one complete story made up of two simultaneous events.

Verse 54 says,

54 Peter followed him at a distance, right into the courtyard of the high priest. There he sat with the guards and warmed himself at the fire.

Where is Peter?

Note how this introduction pictures Peter. He follows at a distance. Not quite so brave as he seemed before. And yet, he does follow. Not only does he follow, he puts himself in the light. Near the fire, phos. This word just means light or anything that emanates light. Its not the normal word for fire which is pur.

So Peter is following from a distance but allowing himself to be seen. I wonder if Peter is torn between his duty. Either way, Mark seems to portray Peter as struggling with what is happening and what his duty is.

In fact, this is the main message this morning from this text. The story is obviously about Peter, but the message is for Mark’s readers who tomorrow will stand before their accusers with threats to their very lives and the lives of their children. Tomorrow they may be in an arena when the lions are unleashed.

What’s the theme?

The theme of this story is bearing witness under persecution.

Jesus witness is contrasted to that of Peter. We heard last week that Jesus stood strong. Silent for a time and then saying, (in the KJV just to change it up a little bit):

I am: and ye shall see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven.

Jesus is resolute. Steeled. He will go to the cross.

Peter? Will he stand strong? Will he be able to withstand persecution and not give in? Will he show future generations what a true disciple looks like?

That’s Mark’s message—this is who Jesus is (The Son of man coming in power) and this is what a disciple of Jesus looks like.

What’s the word that is used so often here?

The theme of this story is witness…testimony—the actual Greek word is marturion—martyr. It has played a minor role before

· The leper shows himself to the priest as a testimony that he is healed (1:44)

· The disciples are to shake the dust off their feet as a testimony against those who don’t receive them (6:11)

· "You must be on your guard. You will be handed over to the local councils and flogged in the synagogues. On account of me you will stand before governors and kings as witnesses to them.

But now in this passage within nine verses this word appears seven times.

· Vs 55: The council was seeking testimony against Jesus, but found none

· Vs 56: Many bore false witness or testimony against him, but their testimony or witness did not agree.

· Vs 57: And some stood up and bore false witness against him saying

· Vs 59: Yet even about this testimony they did not agree.

· Vs 60: The High priest said What is it that these men testify against you.

· Vs 63: After Jesus claimed to be God, the high priest in vs 63 says “What further testimony or witness do you need?”

Jesus has made his stance. What will Peter do?

His trial is similar to that of Jesus.

He is warming himself by the fire in the courtyard not far from where Jesus is. In fact, another gospel says that they are able to see each other.

Jesus is taking the best attacks from prepared witnesses and the highest religious leaders in the land. They are intent on putting him to death.

It’s a servant girl

Peter has quite an attack against him too. A servant of the high priest who is attacking Jesus. Not just a servant, a girl servant. Could Mark make this any more degrading for Peter? He couldn’t have just said that someone noticed Peter? No he has to be specific and tell us it was a lowly female servant.

Anyway, she notices he was with the Nazarene. A negative, derogatory remark.

Peter has placed himself in the light and she sees him. Not just once Mark tells us, but she sees him in verse 67, then she looked closely in verse 68 and then she sees him again in vs 69. She sees who he really is. She understands what being a disciple is about. This is the guy. He is one of them. He was with Jesus.

Even after he denies it and moves away, she continues to see him.

He can’t figure out who he is. Is he a warrior cutting off ears, is he an abandoner, running into the night. Will he die with his Lord? Will he follow, but only at a distance? This has been a theme throughout the book—will the disciples see? Will they open their eyes? Will they finally understand their responsibility?

She sees him.

Here is his chance to be a testimony to Christ.

And . . . he fails.

68 But he denied it. "I don't know or understand what you're talking about," he said, and went out into the entryway

I don’t know or understand. This is just two words both of which mean “to know.” But one (oida) is perhaps more theoretical knowledge. The other (epistamai, from where we get the word epistomology) is practical knowledge. He has denied Jesus in theory and practice.

She spots him again

70 Again he denied it.

An extended denial

This denial is in the imperfect tense. I know most of you don’t care, but what this tells me is that it may be a continuous denial. An extended denial. Not a simple quick one like before. In fact the text says “after a little while” and it says, “surely you are a Galilean.” Apparently his extended denial made evident his Galilean accent and dialect.

After a little while, those standing near said to Peter, "Surely you are one of them, for you are a Galilean."

Here is your chance Peter. Stand tall. Side with your Lord. But . . .

71 He began to call down curses on himself, and he swore to them, "I don't know this man you're talking about."

Cursing Christ

He is using Gods name to swear an oath. Calling curses on himself if he is lying. He won’t even say the name of Jesus.

I don’t know THIS MAN you are talking about.

This oath or curse would be well understood by Mark’s readers who are being asked to swear that they don’t know Jesus either.

We read that the younger Pliny reported to Emperor Trajan saying that he interrogated suspected Christians by asking them three times “Are you a Christian?” Each time he threatened them with punishment. And they had to swear that they were not, cursing Jesus. This is something, Pliny insists, that those who are really Christians cannot be made to do (Epistles 10.96.3, 10.96.5)

Justin Martyr tells us that the Jewish rebel leader Bar Kochba (132-135) gave Christians the choice between death and cursing Christ.(1 Apol 31:6) Cursing Christ therefore was proof that one was not a Christian.

Do you see what Mark is doing here? He is setting Jesus and Peter against each other literarily. Both are standing trial. Jesus will stand. Peter will fall to a little girl. Both are seemingly blasphemous. Only one actually is.

Peter will go it alone. He is brave. He is loyal.

“Even though all will turn from you, I will not. I will stand strong to the end.”

Peter, Peter, Peter. Cease the bravado. I know your spirit is willing, the problem is your flesh is weak.

Relying on our own strength

Peter relied on his own strength and fell father than the other disciples.

Paul says, So if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don’t fall. (I Cor 10:12)

Congregation of Christ, don’t tell me you are strong. I know you aren’t.

You cannot stand on your own.

God didn’t pick you because you were strong.

But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us (2 Cor. 4:7)

Hudson Taylor says, “God chose me because I was weak enough. He trains somebody to be quiet enough, and little enough, and then uses him. (Kent Hughes, 184)

Vance Havner: “The Lord had the strength and I had the weakness, so we teamed up! It was an unbeatable combination.”

But I am jumping too quickly into the application.

Look at the last verse:

Jesus had said that if anyone is ashamed of me and my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will be ashamed of him when he comes in his father’s glory with the holy angels (8:38).

Peter was ashamed of his association and now is being reminded by a rooster—a base form of life (like Jonah’s worm or Balaam’s donkey).

Yes that’s all I had to add. I just think its cool when animals without the ability to vocalize their praise, remind we who are made in the image of God of our responsibility.

Application:

The theme of this chapter is a summary of the entire book. Jesus is the Christ, the Son of Man, the Son of God. Because of that, what must we do? Who must we be? What kind of disciples does God expect?