51 And behold , one of those who were with Jesus reached and drew out his sword , and struck the slave of the high priest and cut off his ear . 52 Then Jesus said to him, "Put your sword back into its place ; for all those who take up the sword shall perish by the sword . 53 "Or do you think that I cannot e appeal to My Father , and He will at once put at My disposal more than twelve legions of angels ? 54 "How then will the Scriptures be fulfilled , which say that it must happen this way ?" 55 At that time Jesus said to the crowds , "Have you come out with swords and clubs to arrest Me as you would against a robber ? Every day I used to sit in the temple teaching and you did not seize Me. 56 "But all this has taken place to fulfill the Scriptures of the prophets ." Then all the disciples left Him and fled .
57 Those who had seized Jesus led Him away to Caiaphas , the high priest , where the scribes and the elders were gathered together . 58 But Peter was following Him at a distance as far as the courtyard of the high priest , and entered in, and sat down with the officers to see the outcome . 59 Now the chief priests and the whole Council kept trying to obtain false testimony against Jesus , so that they might put Him to death . 60 They did not find any, even though many false witnesses came forward . But later on two came forward , 61 and said , "This man stated , ' I am able to destroy the temple of God and to rebuild it in three days .' " 62 The high priest stood up and said to Him, "Do You not answer ? What is it that these men are testifying against You?" 63 But Jesus kept silent . And the high priest said to Him, "I adjure You by the living God , that You tell us whether You are the Christ , the Son of God ." 64 Jesus said to him, " You have said it yourself; nevertheless I tell you, hereafter e you will see THE SON OF MAN SITTING AT THE RIGHT HAND OF POWER , and COMING ON THE CLOUDS OF HEAVEN ." 65 Then the high priest tore his robes and said , "He has blasphemed ! What further need do we have of witnesses ? Behold , you have now heard the blasphemy ; 66 what do you think ?" They answered , " He deserves death !" 67 Then they spat in His face and beat Him with their fists ; and others slapped Him, 68 and said , " Prophesy to us, You Christ ; who is the one who hit You?"
69 Now Peter was sitting outside in the courtyard , and a servant-girl came to him and said , "You too were with Jesus the Galilean ." 70 But he denied it before them all , saying , "I do not know what you are talking about." 71 When he had gone out to the gateway , another servant-girl saw him and said to those who were there , "This man was with Jesus of Nazareth ." 72 And again he denied it with an oath , "I do not know the man ." 73 A little later the bystanders came up and said to Peter , "Surely you too are one of them; for even the way you talk gives you away e ." 74 Then he began to curse and swear , "I do not know the man !" And immediately a rooster crowed . 75 And Peter remembered the word which Jesus had said , " Before a rooster crows , you will deny Me three times ." And he went out and wept bitterly .
Matthew Henry's Commentary on Matthew 26:51-75
Commentary on Matthew 26:47-56
(Read Matthew 26:47-56)
No enemies are so much to be abhorred as those professed disciples that betray Christ with a kiss. God has no need of our services, much less of our sins, to bring about his purposes. Though Christ was crucified through weakness, it was voluntary weakness; he submitted to death. If he had not been willing to suffer, they could not conquer him. It was a great sin for those who had left all to follow Jesus; now to leave him for they knew not what. What folly, for fear of death to flee from Him, whom they knew and acknowledged to be the Fountain of life!
Commentary on Matthew 26:57-68
(Read Matthew 26:57-68)
Jesus was hurried into Jerusalem. It looks ill, and bodes worse, when those who are willing to be Christ's disciples, are not willing to be known to be so. Here began Peter's denying him: for to follow Christ afar off, is to begin to go back from him. It is more our concern to prepare for the end, whatever it may be, than curiously to ask what the end will be. The event is God's, but the duty is ours. Now the Scriptures were fulfilled, which said, False witnesses are risen up against me. Christ was accused, that we might not be condemned; and if at any time we suffer thus, let us remember we cannot expect to fare better than our Master. When Christ was made sin for us, he was silent, and left it to his blood to speak. Hitherto Jesus had seldom professed expressly to be the Christ, the Son of God; the tenor of his doctrine spoke it, and his miracles proved it; but now he would not omit to make an open confession of it. It would have looked like declining his sufferings. He thus confessed, as an example and encouragement to his followers, to confess him before men, whatever hazard they ran. Disdain, cruel mocking, and abhorrence, are the sure portion of the disciple as they were of the Master, from such as would buffet and deride the Lord of glory. These things were exactly foretold in the fiftieth chapter of Isaiah. Let us confess Christ's name, and bear the reproach, and he will confess us before his Father's throne.
Commentary on Matthew 26:69-75
(Read Matthew 26:69-75)
Peter's sin is truly related, for the Scriptures deal faithfully. Bad company leads to sin: those who needlessly thrust themselves into it, may expect to be tempted and insnared, as Peter. They scarcely can come out of such company without guilt or grief, or both. It is a great fault to be shy of Christ; and to dissemble our knowledge of him, when we are called to own him, is, in effect, to deny him. Peter's sin was aggravated; but he fell into the sin by surprise, not as Judas, with design. But conscience should be to us as the crowing of the cock, to put us in mind of the sins we had forgotten. Peter was thus left to fall, to abate his self-confidence, and render him more modest, humble, compassionate, and useful to others. The event has taught believers many things ever since, and if infidels, Pharisees, and hypocrites stumble at it or abuse it, it is at their peril. Little do we know how we should act in very difficult situations, if we were left to ourselves. Let him, therefore, that thinketh he standeth, take heed lest he fall; let us all distrust our own hearts, and rely wholly on the Lord. Peter wept bitterly. Sorrow for sin must not be slight, but great and deep. Peter, who wept so bitterly for denying Christ, never denied him again, but confessed him often in the face of danger. True repentance for any sin will be shown by the contrary grace and duty; that is a sign of our sorrowing not only bitterly, but sincerely.