"Now Peter sat outside in the courtyard, and the servant girl came to him, saying, "You also were with Jesus of Galilee." But he deny it before them all..." (Matthew 26:69-70)
This first denial comes immediately after Jesus is being beaten and mocked for claiming to be the Christ. Matthew notes that Peter followed Jesus at a distance as He was taken to the Sanhedrin. Luke notes that immediately after Peter's third denial the "Lord turned and looked at Peter" (Luke 22:61). Peter was obviously able to see everything that was happening to Jesus. I can imagine fear in Peter's soul as he witnesses Jesus being beaten and mocked by the religious giants of the day. Perhaps Peter's fear was for his own life for being a follower of Jesus, or perhaps he was intimidated by the "Established Elite" who "knew everything there was to know about scriptures"which resulted in doubt and ultimately denial. We live in a world that exalts higher education. Our youth go to school and are soon enrolled into institutions of higher learning where many the intellectual elite intimidate with their credentials. Presuming to know better their empty philosophies cause doubt in the minds of followers of Christ. I believe doubt is the first step in the direction of denial. It is important that we stand firm on Jesus who truly is the Christ, the fulfilled Messiah of the Old Testament, Who is the Way the Truth and the Life. We must stand firm upon the Holy Scriptures which have been miraculously preserved and realize the cunningness of the Enemy who stops at nothing using whatever he can to intimidate for the sake of doubt and denial. Be steadfast and immovable always abounding in the Lord's work. Above all stand firm upon the Lord Jesus Christ!
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