Jesus warns Peter

14:27-31

v27 Jesus said to his *disciples, You will all turn away from me, because it is in *scripture, I will strike the man who looks after the sheep. So then the sheep will scatter. v28 But after God has raised me up, I will go before you to Galilee. v29 Peter said to him, Even if they all turn away from you, I will not. v30 Jesus said to him, I tell you the truth. This same night, you will say three times that you do not know me. You will say it before the male chicken calls twice. v31 But Peter made a very strong protest. I will not say that, even if I must die with you. And all the *disciples said the same. Verse 27 The *Greek word that we have translated turn away here and in verse 29 is skandalizein. It meant something that was like a trap to catch an animal. It would be easy for Jesus *disciples to lose their *faith in him. It could happen as easily as an animal falls into a trap. He used words from Zechariah (13:7). Sheep soon scatter when there is nobody to look after them. Verse 28 Jesus would rise again after he died. He was confident about that. He said that he would go before them to Galilee. In that country, a man who looked after sheep always went ahead of his sheep. Mark does not record that Jesus appeared to his *disciples in Galilee. But Matthew tells us that Jesus met them there (Matthew 28:10, 16). Jesus might also mean that in Galilee he would gather his scattered sheep together. He would still think of the *disciples as his sheep, even after they had disappointed him. Verse 29 Peter felt confident that he would never leave Jesus. He did not realise that he would be in a situation of great danger. He believed that he was strong, like a rock. But he would be weak. It was easy to say that he would die with Jesus. But when the test came, he was afraid. Verse 30 The male chicken, or cock, is a bird that calls very early in the morning. But this cock might refer to the *Roman soldiers *trumpet. It sounded at the end of the third period while they were on guard during the night. That would be early morning, about 3 oclock. Before the night was over, Peter would have failed to *keep his promise. Verse 31 All the *disciples said the same as Peter. Perhaps Mark records Peters promise and failure in order to encourage Christians in Rome. He was writing when Peter was an important leader in the church. God and Christ had forgiven Peter and later, he *preached the *gospel with great courage. Other Christians might do wrong things. But they could know that God would forgive them too.