John 18:26

Yet one of the group said, "Didn't I see you in the garden with Him?" What a direct hit, and how deeply it must have cut! And who made it? Strangely enough, it was "his relative whose ear Peter cut off" (v. 26). His relative had seen the blow given, and now recognised the man who gave it. Here we have an eyewitness to Peter's mistaken zeal and murderous behaviour.

They said to Him, "Lord, shall we strike with the sword?" Without waiting for His reply, one of them struck the servant of the high priest. It was Peter who did it, and that was the very action that exposed him. … Possibly Peter thought he was very devoted, and that he was doing a fine thing. What we need is to get the word from the Lord.

The high priest continues his investigation; Peter repeats his sin. And no wonder. He had slept when he should have watched and prayed. He had walked into the place of temptation instead of heeding the Lord's warning. … Confessing Jesus among friends is very different from confessing Him before bloodthirsty enemies. Peter had to learn by painful experience what he was too unspiritual to grasp from the words of Christ. … Peter would not have failed like this before men if he had not first failed with his Master.

Like Peter, we have the flesh in us and the devil against us. And we have to learn what will not keep us from denying the Lord under the pressure of fear. No love for the Lord, however real. No knowledge of Scripture, however great. No good intentions, however honest. No experiences, however deep. No gift, however great. No divine life that we have. None of these will keep us — unless we are kept near to the Lord, and strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus.

What fear of man, bringing a snare! What blinding power of the enemy, to involve a saint in direct and daring falsehood! And this to shame the One who was his life and salvation! But what is the heart not capable of when the Lord is not before it? But God took care that this dread of man, which dishonoured Him, should cover the guilty disciple with self-reproach and contempt and utter humiliation. It happened when an eyewitness could brand him before everyone with his repeated lying denial of his Master.

But did the relative, so quick to incriminate Peter, as quickly tell of the healing touch of Jesus? Did he tell how the Master more than put the disciple's fault right, and did it swiftly, thoroughly and gently? This was the very Master whom Peter was now so heartlessly denying. We are not told.

God does not take pleasure in recording the sins of His saints. So we can be sure there is warning and instruction here that all saints in all ages badly need. Self-confidence is one of the commonest and most deep-seated tendencies of the flesh. If we do not judge it and refuse it, it always leads to disaster.