Don’t Make Promises That You Can’t Keep
“Peter answered and said unto Him, Though all men shall be offended because of Thee, yet will I never be offended. Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, That this night, before the cock crow; thou shalt deny Me thrice. Peter said unto Him, Though I should die with Thee, yet will I not deny Thee. Likewise also said all the disciples.” Matthew 26:33-35
A good rule of thumb is to never say never because it might turn into a challenge by Satan to make one eat his or her words or worse. That’s what happened to Peter, one of Jesus’ closest disciples. As Jesus and the disciples walked along the way to the Mount of Olives, it was now dark, and Jesus took this opportunity in the quiet of the evening to warn His disciples of a severe testing that they would face that very night. He said that they all would be offended because of Him. The Greek word used for “offended” is “skandalizo” which obviously means scandalize in English. The offense of the disciples would be much greater than just getting their feelings hurt. We hear about scandals quite often particularly in politics which is replete with the lies and deceptions of men and women who are seeking fame and fortune rather than serving their constituents. I suppose in one way Jesus’ arrest and crucifixion was a political scandal because the rulers of that day were the instigators who feared losing their power over the people.
Jesus knew that His disciples would not be able to withstand what was about to take place. He quoted from Zechariah 13:7, “smite the shepherd and the sheep will be scattered”. Sheep are dependent upon the shepherd, but when afraid, a sheep’s instinct is to flee from the danger. If something happens to the shepherd, the sheep scatter. Jesus warned His disciples that they would scatter when the going got tough. Up until this point, they had all remained faithful to Jesus except for Judas Iscariot who betrayed Him. They had been with Jesus in storms at sea and during confrontations with the religious leaders. He gave them a long list of hardships and heartaches that they would eventually face (Chapter 10), but they still hung in there. There were others who did leave when they became offended at Jesus by some of His statements to them. When that happened, Jesus turned to His disciples and asked if they, too, were going away. Peter answered, “Lord, to whom shall we go? Thou hast the words of eternal life” (John 6:66-68).
After foretelling of their flight, Jesus said to them, to give them something to hang on to, that even though they would be separated from Him for a short while, He would rise again and be in Galilee to meet with them again. They would forsake Him, but He would never forsake them. Unlike humans, if Jesus says that He will never do such and such, you can depend on it. Peter, the most outspoken and impetuous disciple spoke up. What was it that he heard Jesus say? Did Jesus say that He would rise again? Jesus had told His disciples three other times that He would be killed and would rise again on the third day, but that important piece of information must have just “went over their heads”. Peter wouldn’t accept what Jesus said about him being offended. Everyone else might be, but not Peter. He wasn’t exactly exhibiting the kind of humility that the publican prayed as he beat himself on the chest, “God be merciful to me a sinner” (Luke 18:10-14). On the other hand, he couldn’t stand the thought of Jesus leaving them, particularly in the way that Jesus had been foretelling so he did what many do, he denied that it would happen.
Jesus then gave Peter a warning. He said that Peter would deny Him three times that night before the rooster would crow. Everything else that Jesus had told them was true, but the disciples couldn’t accept this. No believer wants to believe that he or she could be capable of denying the Lord, the very One who saved them. However, believers deny Him all the time by refusing to obey Him or refusing to take a stand for Him. If the Lord tells us to do something and we refuse, is that not denying Him?
Peter would not believe Jesus. He stated adamantly that he would die with Jesus rather than deny Him. Peter was completely sincere, as were all the other disciples for they, too, agreed with Peter. They were all ready to die with Jesus, at least, that is what they intended. However, as good as our intentions are, we may not be willing follow through when faced with reality. When the soldiers came and arrested Jesus, their promises of standing by Jesus gave way to fear for their own lives, and they fled, just like Jesus said. We know that Peter denied Jesus three times just as Jesus said (Matthew 26:69), even cursing the third time, and then the rooster crowed. Peter was bitterly ashamed of himself. He had done just as he promised that he would never do. Jesus did forgive him, and Peter became one of the great preachers of the gospel, but he had to learn humility the hard way.