John 18:25–27

Followeth in these verses, the third branch of this part of the chapter, wherein Peters second and third denial of his Master are recorded. John doth in brief declare, that Peter, after his first denial, staying still in the crowd, and warming himself, (as is also formerly marked, v. 18.) was the second time assaulted and challenged as one of Christs disciples, and doth againe deny it: And that after a while, (as is marked, Luke 22.59.) he is the third time assaulted by one who had interest in the man whom Peter had hurt, and who had seen him in the garden with Christ. But he persists in his denial, till the cock crew the second time, which being accompanied with Christs looking on him, and his remembring what Christ had foretold, is a mean to draw him to repentance, as is marked by the rest. For clearing this purpose, Consider, 1. Whereas in his second assault, as is said in general, that they (to wit, who were present) said to him, &c. and yet two of the rest assert this assault to have been by a maid, Mark 14.69. Matth. 26.71. and another, that it was by a servant, Luke 22.58. This difficulty may be thus reconciled, that a maid and a servant assaulting him, and he seeming to neglect them, the whole company, or many of them, do charge him with it, which puts him on the snare of an open denial. 2. As for the third assault, the differences betwixt the Evangelists may be thus reconciled, That being challenged to be one of Christs followers, as being a Galilean, whose speech bewrayed him, Mat. 26.73. Mat. 14.70. Luke 22.59. this servant which saw him in the garden, (and belike, saw him also cut off his kinsmans eare) confirmeth the challenge: All which importunity, and possibly some intimation that it was known what he had done in the garden, precipitates him upon a third denial. 3. As for the manner of his denial, there is no great difficulty; for, it is the same thing in substance that he is said to deny by all of them, to wit, that he was Christs disciple, or with him. Only while the rest observe that he denied to have known Christ, or to understand of what they spake when they challenged him, it points out to what an absurdity his feare drave him, in that he professeth his ignorance of him, of whose fame and report almost none in the land were ignorant. And his swearing and cursing, recorded by them to have accompanied his denial, doth further point out what the violence of the tentation was, and what stuffe may lurk in the bosome of Saints, ready to break out when there is a tentation.

From v. 25. Learn, 1. The Lord takes strict and constant notice of mens deportment and walking upon snares, however they little heed it themselves; and the longer they do so, he is the more offended: Therefore it is yet again remarked, that all this while, Simon Peter yet stood and warmed himself in that place, among such company. 2. Such as do cast themselves in unwarrantable company, and continue among them, partaking of their accommodations, do not readily escape without a foule trial and slip, and that moe then one; for, Peter standing and warming himself, his carriage casts him upon the snare of a new denial. 3. Men are so much the nearer a fall, as they continue among snares and tentations, when the Lord is eminently calling them to their duty, and to mourn for their former failings; and so their carriage is nothing answerable to what their condition, or the Lords dispensations calls them aloud unto; for, this addeth to his guilt, and ripens him for a new assault and fall, that he stood and warmed himself, when he should have been mourning for his former denial. 4. As Satan is alwayes tempting beleevers, as he hath opportunity; so especially, when he hath gained any ground upon them, he is an eager pursuer of them by his fitted means and instruments, and their falling in any degree, is but a preludie to greater tentations; for, Satan having prevailed by the voice of a weak damosel, doth now the second time assault him, by a maid, a servant, and many together; They said therefore unto him, Art thou not also one of his disciples? 5. As Satan is ready to tempt and assault sliding disciples; so they being once entred in a course of defection, are ready to persist and go yet further wrong, especially when they are not sensible of their former failings; for, he again denied it, and said, I am not, and that with an oath, as is recorded by the rest. 6. It is the great sin of Christs disciples to deny their Master, or themselves to be his disciples and followers; for, this was Peters fault, He said, I am not one of his disciples. And albeit it was his eminent slip to renounce his Master by an avowed denial; yet others have need to look to it, who though they professe him, yet their practice doth refute their Profession, Tit. 1.14. 2 Tim. 3.5. And namely, when they practise not such duties as are required of disciples: such as, hearing and abiding in his Word, John 10.27. and 8.31. self-denial and bearing of his crosse, Mat. 16.24. mortification, Gal. 5.24. walking after his Spirit, Rom. 8.1. meeknesse, Matth. 11.29. mutual love, John 13.35, and several other duties recorded in Scripture.

From v. 26, 27. Learn, 1. As Satan is incessant in pursuing, so he knoweth how to fit tentations to every mans humour, that they may take; Therefore, Peter being all this while possessed with fear, he hounds out his kinsman, whose eare Peter cut off, (whereof, belike, he had some intimation) and one who saw him in the garden, that these considerations working yet more upon his fear, might drive him to a new and more grosse denial. 2. As it is Satans element to sin and draw others to multiply sin after sin; so Saints, especially, may expect that when they slip, they will be most, of any, incessantly pursued, to adde sin after sin. It being Satans delight to engage them especially in sin against God, and by the throng of tentations, to keep them from recovering their feet; Therefore doth he thus pursue Peter the third time. 3. It is the duty of the Lords people, when they are tempted, to consider what impediments the Lord layeth in the course of their sinning, that so they may be ashamed to go on; And it is their great sin, when they do otherwise; for, whatever was Satans aime in choosing this instrument to assault him the third time; yet the Lord thereby would shame him from his denial, by bringing in so clear evidences against him that he was a disciple, which he could not shift without much impudence, and without open wronging of his Master as not worthy to be owned, and that before them who certainly knew he had been one of his followers. All which did contribute to make his sin of denial the more odious. 4. Saints weaknesse is such, as being assaulted, they may fall again and again in the same sin; as here Peters threefold denial teacheth us, Peter then denied again. It is, indeed, more grievous, when men fall often again into the same sin, even after they have repented for their former falling into it, (though the Scripture declareth not that to be inconsistent with the state of grace in a person) but it may be more frequently incident to Saints, to relapse often while they are still kept going under the power of tentations, without getting liberty to draw their breath, or recollect themselves; which was Peters case here, and pleads for more pity. 5. A gap being once made in the conscience by sin, it will easily grow wider, and one sin will prove a needle to draw in the thread of another sin; as here Peters experience doth witnesse, who by one denial is drawn to another, and who from simple denial, proceeds to denial with an oath, and then with cursing, as the rest observe. 6. When Saints begin to slip, and do not make conscience of repentance for it, God may let their defection rise to a very great height, till they see cause to abhorre themselves indeed; for, so much also doth this experience teach. He, not heeding, nor being affected with his first denial, the Lord gives him up to mee denials, and that with swearing and cursing; that so his conscience may be alarm’d with the grossenesse of his way. And indeed, solid repentance in a backsliding way is seldome attained, till the defection come to some height of grossenesse. 7. Whatever be mens conceit of themselves, yet the event will clear that Christs verdict concerning mans frailty, is true, and that their presumption is a liar; for, here, immediately the cock crew, to witnesse, that before this time prefixed by Christ, Peter had denied him thrice, according to his prediction, John 13.38. 8. Albeit the Lord suffer his own to slip through tentation, that he may correct their proud conceit of themselves, and teach them to abide more in him; yet he will not utterly lose, but will recover them; for, the cock crew; to put Peter in minde of what past betwixt Christ and him: which being accompanied with other meanes, draws him to repentance, as is marked by the rest. 9. The same means which men have had, and yet have profited nothing by them, may yet be much useful when God commands a blessing; for, albeit Peter was alarm’d by the cocks crowing first, after his first fall, Mark 14.68. yet he never remembreth Christs words, but goeth on, and the same mean, with Christs look, is blessed. 10. The Lord is, oft-times, in mercy pleased to recover his people by very speedy repentance, after their trial for discovering of their weaknesse, is over; And particularly, such as through violence of tentations are driven upon sin, do readily sooner recover by repentance, then they who upon resolution, and with deliberation engage in a course of sin; for, Peter being under a violent tentation in this his sinning, immediately the cock crew, to give him warning to repent, which accordingly succeeds.