Dave's Diary

Daily Reading: John 18:15-18

Having read the account of this moment so often, it’s easy to pass over the details. I suggest we ought to read it very slowly and carefully a few times to really get a sense of entering into the scene. Pay attention to any detail that you may have missed or not noticed before…

For me, today was the first time I realised that the text implies that Peter’s first denial happened in the moment he stepped through the doorway, with “the other disciples” (most likely John) right there within earshot. As v16-17 says:

The other disciple, who was known to the high priest, came back, spoke to the servant-girl on duty there and brought Peter in.

¹⁷ ‘You aren’t one of this man’s disciples too, are you?’ she asked Peter.

He replied, ‘I am not.’

In this moment, there is a clear contrast between John, who was neither afraid nor ashamed to be known by the servant girl as “one of this man’s disciples”, and Peter, who felt the need to protect his identity as a disciple with a lie. Although both had fled in the moment of Jesus’ arrest in the Garden of Gethsemane, now John’s love and faithfulness to Jesus overpowered his fear and emboldened him, while Peter’s fear still overpowered him and kept him from faithfulness.

Let’s not judge Peter too hastily, though, for most of us are more like him than we would want to admit. Instead let’s reflect on our own discipleship and ask ourselves, “Is there any fear in my heart strong enough to limit my loyalty or weaken my capacity to remain faithful to Jesus today?” And having reflected, let’s pray:

Lord Jesus, please forgive me for those moments when the fear of people, or of the consequences of being faithful to You, has overpowered me and caused me to be disloyal to You in some way. Please cleanse me of my sense of shame and embarassment before You, restore me to fellowship with You, and set me free for faithful discipleship and joyful obedience. Amen.