The fear of man is a snare (Proverbs 29:25). It can trap us in a life of making wrong choices, sinning against God and others, doing things we never thought we would. Fear of people’s opinions of us, fear of their disapproval, fear of their intense scrutiny, fear of their condemning judgments, all can ensnare us so that we become trapped and do things we will regret later.
Jesus’ disciple, Simon Peter, intimately knew this fear, and we can learn much as we consider Peter’s fearful failure, and Jesus’ loving look and restoration of Peter.
“Then seizing him [Jesus] they led him away and took him into the house of the high priest. Peter followed at a distance. 55 And when they had kindled a fire in the middle of the courtyard and sat down together, Peter sat down among them. 56 Then a servant girl, seeing him as he sat in the light and looking closely at him, said, “This man also was with him.” 57 But he denied it, saying, “Woman, I do not know him.” 58 And a little later someone else saw him and said, “You also are one of them.” But Peter said, “Man, I am not.” 59 And after an interval of about an hour still another insisted, saying, “Certainly this man also was with him, for he too is a Galilean.” 60 But Peter said, “Man, I do not know what you are talking about.” And immediately, while he was still speaking, the rooster crowed. 61 And the Lord turned and looked at Peter. And Peter remembered the saying of the Lord, how he had said to him, “Before the rooster crows today, you will deny me three times.” 62 And he went out and wept bitterly.” … “They said to each other, “Did not our hearts burn within us while he talked to us on the road, while he opened to us the Scriptures?” 33 And they rose that same hour and returned to Jerusalem. And they found the eleven and those who were with them gathered together, 34 “saying, “The Lord has risen indeed, and has appeared to Simon!” Luke 22:54-62; 24:32-34 [word in brackets added]
In the Gospels of the Bible, we can trace the journey of Jesus’ senior disciple, Simon Peter, from self-confidence and fear to humility and strength in the grace of God (Hebrews 13:9).
With the time of His crucifixion approaching, Jesus went to the garden of Gethsemane to pray. In anguish, Jesus asked Peter to pray too (Matthew 26:26-35; Mark 14:32-42; Luke 22:39-46; John 18:1-11). Peter tried, but numerous times, Jesus found Peter soundly asleep. Peter was unable to maintain watchfulness over His Lord nor himself. Jesus exhorted him:
“Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.” (Matthew 26:41)
Not long after this exchange, Judas Iscariot led chief priests, officers of the temple guard, and elders to the garden and betrayed Jesus into their hands (Luke 22:47-53). Jesus was arrested and taken to the house of Annas to be tried, while Peter followed "at a distance" (Luke 22:54).
In a few short hours, the foundation of Peter's life appeared to have fallen out from beneath him. He must have been in shock as he stumbled along the road after His Lord, confounded by the traitorous actions of Judas, his fellow disciple, and even more, by the submission of Jesus to be bound and led away by His captors.
Fear and the words of previous conversations with Jesus would have certainly swirled together in his confused mind. There was his faithful claim of "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God." (Matthew 16:16), along with his presumptuous boast of: "Lord, I am ready to go to prison with you, and even to die with you." (Luke 22:33). Before meeting in the garden, Jesus had even warned Peter that he would soon be sifted and tested by Satan (Luke 22:31) and that he would repeatedly deny Christ (Luke 22:34).
We surely have also experienced similar times of upheaval in our lives. Times where nothing in our circumstances seemed to make sense and our hearts were vulnerable to fearful temptations and poor decision-making. Anxious uncertainty about our situation can fuel explosions of fear in our minds. But we can learn both from Scripture and the life of Peter, that every detail of our lives, seemingly good or bad, is already known and held in the hands of our sovereign and loving God, each one working together for our good and God’s glory (Proverbs 16:19; Romans 8:28; Romans 11:32).
With his eyes fixed on the spectacle of Jesus’ apparent downfall, an unsteady Peter sat down and warmed his hands before a communal fire in the courtyard of Annas’ house, while Jesus was cruelly interrogated. As Peter sat listening to the words of unbelievers and accusers (Luke 22:55), his fear was inflamed by their unbelief and discontent (1 Corinthians 15:33).
Then comes intense scrutiny of Peter. The Bible says as they were “looking closely at him” (Luke 22:56), Peter was questioned by three people (Luke 22:56-60) about his relationship with Christ. In this fearful, self-protective snare, Peter was intimidated even by an inquiry from a young servant girl. Fear of man rose in Peter’s heart, overturning his reverential fear of God (Proverbs 29:25). He denied His Lord repeatedly and forgot that the Lord was to be His only hope of safety:
“The Lord of hosts - "regard Him as holy and honor His holy name [by regarding Him as your only hope of safety], and let Him be your fear and let Him be your dread [lest you offend Him by your fear of man and distrust of Him].” Isaiah 8:13 AMPC
Hiding in a refuge of fear, Peter said:
“I do not know him [Jesus].” (Luke 22:57) [word in brackets added], disowning Him as the Son of God and abandoning dependence on Jesus.
Abiding in Christ’s refuge, we are restored by God’s truth:
"This is how God showed his love to us: He sent his one and only Son into the world so that we could have life through him. 10 This is what real love is: It is not our love for God; it is God’s love for us. He sent his Son to die in our place to take away our sins.”1 John 4:9-10 NCV
Hiding in a refuge of fear, Peter said:
“I am not.” (Luke 22:59), denying his identity of being a disciple of Jesus and losing his way.
Abiding in Christ’s refuge, we are strengthened by God’s truth:
“I was put to death on the cross with Christ, and I do not live anymore—it is Christ who lives in me. I still live in my body, but I live by faith in the Son of God who loved me and gave himself to save me.” Galatians 2:20 NCV
Hiding in a refuge of fear, Peter said:
I do not know what you are talking about.” (Luke 22:60), distancing himself further from Jesus.
Abiding in Christ’s refuge, we are enlightened by God’s truth:
“Christ carried our sins in his body on the cross so we would stop living for sin and start living for what is right. And you are healed because of his wounds. 25 You were like sheep that wandered away, but now you have come back to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.” 1 Peter 2:24-25 NCV
But Jesus, even from His position of captivity and suffering, did not think only of Himself but looked directly at his beloved disciple.
A look from Jesus that did not disregard Peter’s sin but forgave, a look that grieved with him but loved, a look that understood his crippling fear:
“And the Lord turned and looked at Peter. And Peter remembered the saying of the Lord, how he had said to him, “Before the rooster crows today, you will deny me three times.” 62 And he went out and wept bitterly.” Luke 22:61-62
At one look from Jesus, Peter was cut to his heart and fell into weeping despair when he heard the rooster crow.
“He[Jesus] was despised and rejected by mankind,…Like one from whom people hide their faces he was despised, and we held him in low esteem… yet we considered him punished by God, stricken by him, and afflicted…. By oppression and judgment, he was taken away. Yet who of his generation protested?” (Isaiah 53:33,34,38) [word in brackets added].
Friend, Jesus sees you too. Look up now and behold the demonstration of His heart-breaking and heart-restoring love for you as He hangs on the cross in your place:
“See now that I myself am he! There is no god besides me. I put to death and I bring to life, I have wounded and I will heal, and no one can deliver out of my hand.” Deuteronomy 32:39 (NIV)
Jesus, who had “done nothing to deserve death” (Luke 23:15), was disowned and repudiated, being condemned to death by crucifixion. The body of the holy Son of God was strung up on a wooden pole and nailed through His hands and feet.
He was denied fresh water on the cross, He thirsted for us in love to give us eternal fountains of living water to quench our spiritual cravings: “but whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life.” (John 4:14).
He was denied His clothing and hung exposed so that we would receive His covering of righteousness (2 Corinthians 5:21).
He was denied food during His captivity and crucifixion, but Jesus willingly offered His broken body as a sacrifice to fill us with deep spiritual satisfaction: “Take, eat; this is my body.” (Matthew 26:26).
He was denied health through atrocious beatings and piercings from long thorns and large nails, but Jesus willingly presented His wounds for our healing (Isaiah 53:5).
He was denied a word of companionship but showed love to the crucified criminal beside Him with these words: "Truly I say to you, today you shall be with Me in Paradise." (Luke 23:43).
He was denied peace at Calvary so that all who believe could have “peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ” (Romans 5:1).
Jesus was denied the love of His precious Father and disowned by His heavenly family so the wrath of the Father for our sin would be spent on Him alone, and we would become God’s adopted sons and daughters (1 Thessalonians 1:10).
Jesus was denied every drop of His own life-giving blood, so that we may receive forgiveness and worship Him in thanksgiving: “for this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.” (Matthew 26:27-28).