When the Rock Crumbled
Read Mark 14:66-72
Immediately the rooster crowed the second time. Then Peter remembered the word Jesus had spoken to him: “Before the rooster crows twice you will disown me three times.” And he broke down and wept. –Mark 14:72
Peter doesn’t get enough credit for his bravery on the night of Jesus’ arrest. When the soldiers appeared in the Garden of Gethsemane, Peter drew his sword and cut off the ear of the high priest’s servant. He was ready to fight for Jesus.
When all the rest of the disciples scattered, Peter followed Jesus and snuck into the high priest’s courtyard, where he could watch what was happening. He was deep in “enemy territory,” warming his hands next to some of the guards that he’d seen in the Garden.
When the servant girl first asked him if he was with Jesus, Peter denied it. But he didn’t run. He withdrew to the entryway, but still there was something that kept him tethered to Jesus. He couldn’t abandon his master in his time of need.
But as he was pressed again and again about his connection to Jesus, Peter felt more and more vulnerable. By the third time the question was asked, Peter called down curses on himself and swore that he didn’t know “this man” that they were talking about.
The disciple who had once made the “Great Confession” ended up making the “Great Denial.” The one whom Jesus had named “Rock” crumbled. When he heard the cock crow a second time, Peter remembered Jesus’ words to him, and he wept.
This was not the first time that Peter had bet big on himself and failed. There was a previous moment in his life that paralleled this moment. The story can be found in Matthew’s Gospel. Both Matthew and Mark tell the story of Jesus walking on the water, but only in Matthew’s Gospel do we hear the extra detail of Peter wanting to come and meet him on the water. (Compare Mark 6:45-52 & Matthew 14:22-33).
Just as Peter was the only disciple brave enough to follow Jesus into the high priest’s courtyards, he was the only disciple who would even think of stepping out of the safety of their boat onto the stormy waters. And at least at first, Peter’s faith was rewarded with amazement—he was able to walk upon the waters! But then Peter noticed the size of the waves around him, he took his eyes off Jesus, and he began to sink. In desperation, he cried out for Jesus to save him.
In both stories, Peter began with courage. In both stories, Peter’s faith collapsed in the face of the threats that surrounded him. But here’s the grace: in both stories, Jesus was nearby. When Peter cried out for help in the Sea of Galilee, Jesus immediately reached out and pulled him out of the water. The response would take a little longer in this second instance—Jesus had his own journey to endure. But after his resurrection, Jesus again sought out Peter to lift him out of his drowning guilt (see John 21:1-19). In his moments of greatest failure, Peter discovered a grace that was more powerful and enduring than his own courage.
Has there ever been a moment when your courage failed? When you let yourself (or others) down in such a way that you could not forgive yourself? As painful as those moments are, it is in our failures that we learn how real God’s grace is. And we can rise from those moments—as Peter eventually did—learning to trust not only in our own strength, but in the constant care and presence of God.
When the memories of my failures threaten to pull me under, remind me that I am forgiven. Raise me up to new life, restore me to my true self, reorient me to the work You still have for me to do. Help me to learn from my mistakes, so that the next time the waves may threaten, I can keep my eyes on You. Amen.