Matthew 26:34

‘Jesus said to him, “Truly I say to you, that this night, before the cock crows, you will deny me three times.” '

Jesus gently puts him right. Even before the night has passed Peter will certainly deny Him three times. ‘Before the cock crows.' The middle watch of the night was called cockcrow by the Romans. It was during that period from Matthew 12:30 onwards that the cocks would constantly crow. But Jesus probably has in mind the crowing that heralds the dawn. The Rabbis said, ‘When he hears the cock crowing he should say, Blessed is He Who has given to the cock understanding to distinguish between day and night'. And by that time Peter would three times have denied Him.

Peter's behaviour would in fact be a mixture of cowardice and great bravery. He would try to put up a fight against insuperable odds, and would undoubtedly have willingly died there and then. But he was forbidden, and perplexed and frustrated he did not know what to do. Then, increasingly unsure of himself and not knowing what to do, his nerve would break and he would flee and ‘be scattered' with the other disciples as unbelievingly they saw their Master allow Himself to be bound. Then he would partially recover his nerve and follow at a distance (in the company of someone who had no fear that he himself would not be accepted there), even entering the enemies' headquarters, in order to try to discover what would happen to Jesus. And once there he would not only lie about who he was, which would be understandable, but would vehemently deny any loyalty to Jesus. Indeed he would deny Him outright. And yet he would still remain in dangerous proximity to Jesus until the full realisation of his own failure came and he went away to be alone and ‘weep bitterly'. It was a strange mixture so typical of Peter.

For it was in fact all typical of Peter's character, brash, bold and impetuous, and yet prone to his nerve collapsing at crucial times, especially when caught on the hop. Both weaknesses had to be refined, and to his credit they soon were. How different were the brave men who faced the Sanhedrin in the early part of Acts. Having failed Him once they would not fail Him again.