Matthew 26:69-75is about Peter denied Jesus.
Peter denied Jesus three times as follows.
Matthew 26:71-72
26:71 And when he had gone out to the gateway, another girl saw him and said to those who were there, "This fellow also was with Jesus of Nazareth."
26:72 But again he denied with an oath, "I do not know the Man!"
Luke 1:26-27,31
1:26 Now in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth,
1:27 to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin’s name was Mary.
1:31 "And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bring forth a Son, and shall call His name JESUS.
Nazareth is the place of Jesus’ being flesh at the first time in the womb of Mary.
Luke 2:51-52
2:51 Then He went down with them and came to Nazareth, and was subject to them, but His mother kept all these things in her heart.
2:52 And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men.
Nazareth is also the place where Jesus grew physically.
In shorts, Nazareth is the place where Jesus began to become flesh until he was mature.
John 1:1,14
1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
1:14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.
Jesus is Logos, namely teaching Word.
Thus, Nazareth means the teaching Word that becomes flesh up to the full maturity or perfection.
Peter denied Jesus of Nazareth means he denied the true teaching Word or he rejected it. It equals to having bad heart.
Our attitude to the teaching depends on our heart.
There are four kinds of heart written in Luke 8:4-15 that can be divided into two groups as follows.
God blesses you.
Peter denied Jesus three times as follows.
- Verse 69-70: Peter denied Jesus of Galilee.
- Verse 71-72: Peter denied Jesus of Nazareth.
- Verse 73-75: Peter denied Jesus with swearing and cursing.
Matthew 26:71-72
26:71 And when he had gone out to the gateway, another girl saw him and said to those who were there, "This fellow also was with Jesus of Nazareth."
26:72 But again he denied with an oath, "I do not know the Man!"
Luke 1:26-27,31
1:26 Now in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth,
1:27 to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin’s name was Mary.
1:31 "And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bring forth a Son, and shall call His name JESUS.
Nazareth is the place of Jesus’ being flesh at the first time in the womb of Mary.
Luke 2:51-52
2:51 Then He went down with them and came to Nazareth, and was subject to them, but His mother kept all these things in her heart.
2:52 And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men.
Nazareth is also the place where Jesus grew physically.
In shorts, Nazareth is the place where Jesus began to become flesh until he was mature.
John 1:1,14
1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
1:14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.
Jesus is Logos, namely teaching Word.
Thus, Nazareth means the teaching Word that becomes flesh up to the full maturity or perfection.
Peter denied Jesus of Nazareth means he denied the true teaching Word or he rejected it. It equals to having bad heart.
Our attitude to the teaching depends on our heart.
There are four kinds of heart written in Luke 8:4-15 that can be divided into two groups as follows.
- Three kinds of heart that are not good = denial or rejection to the teaching Word as follows.
- The heart as the wayside.
Luke 8:5,12
8:5 "A sower went out to sow his seed. And as he sowed, some fell by the wayside; and it was trampled down, and the birds of the air devoured it.
8:12 "Those by the wayside are the ones who hear; then the devil comes and takes away the word out of their hearts, lest they should believe and be saved.
It refers to one who is conquered by evil and unclean spirit or Satan.
The meaning of the heart as the wayside is as follows.- One who is not shepherded or one who likes to hear strange voice that is not in line with the true teaching Word.
Tabernacle is in oneness. If there had been a different part in it, it would have fallen. - Disturbed heart and mind, there is no concentration hearing the Word of God.
- One who receives the Word using his logic.
- One who is not shepherded or one who likes to hear strange voice that is not in line with the true teaching Word.
- The heart as a rock.
Luke 8:6,13
8:6 "Some fell on rock; and as soon as it sprang up, it withered away because it lacked moisture.
8:13 "But the ones on the rock are those who, when they hear, receive the word with joy; and these have no root, who believe for a while and in time of temptation fall away.
It refers to one who receives the Word with emotion as follows.- He receives the Word with joy if it is in line with the flesh lust without pointing to the sins.
- He begins to murmur or get angry when the Word is not in line with his flesh desire, even when the Word points to his sins.
Meaning the Word does not become faith and there is no root in heart, so one cannot endure facing the things as follows.- Temptations. He becomes doubtful, hopeless, and disappointed until he seeks the way outside the Word. It equals to departing the faith.
- False teachings. One doubts about the true teaching until he leaves it.
- He receives the Word with joy if it is in line with the flesh lust without pointing to the sins.
- The heart as thorns.
Luke 8:7,14
8:7 "And some fell among thorns, and the thorns sprang up with it and choked it.
8:14 "Now the ones that fell among thorns are those who, when they have heard, go out and are choked with cares, riches, and pleasures of life, and bring no fruit to maturity.
It is one who receives the Word with anxiety, meaning he understands and believes in the Word but he cannot practice it. In such condition, there is no fruit. The seed grows but there is no result, there is no fruit of eternal life even one perishes forever.
- The heart as the wayside.
- One kind of the heart that is good.
There is only one kind of heart that is good or it is only 25%.
There were only three disciples whom Jesus invited to go up to the mountain, it is also 25%.
It is good if there is a quarter parts (25%) or people who are righteous in shepherding or marriage. Therefore, we have to be solemn to fight for our own life.
Luke 8:8,15
8:8 "But others fell on good ground, sprang up, and yielded a crop a hundredfold." When He had said these things He cried, "He who has ears to hear, let him hear!"
8:15 "But the ones that fell on the good ground are those who, having heard the word with a noble and good heart, keep it and bear fruit with patience.
The good heart means we can hear the Word solemnly, understand, believe in it and practice it. As a result, we can bear one hundred fold fruits or the fruit of perseverance as follows.- Perseverance in doing three main services in shepherding.
- Golden Candlestick -->perseverance in fellowship (the first Church in Acts 2:41-42) -->perseverance in doing General Service, perseverance in doing ministry until the end.
- Table of Showbread -->perseverance in the doctrine and breaking of bread -->perseverance in doing Bible Study Service with Holy Communion or perseverance in the teaching Word.
- Golden Altar of Incense -->perseverance in prayer -->perseverance in doing Prayer Service added with fasting and long night prayer.
10:35 Therefore do not cast away your confidence, which has great reward.
10:36 For you have need of endurance, so that after you have done the will of God, you may receive the promise:
We have many needs in these last days, but all of them have been provided in our perseverance or endurance in shepherding. - Golden Candlestick -->perseverance in fellowship (the first Church in Acts 2:41-42) -->perseverance in doing General Service, perseverance in doing ministry until the end.
- Perseverance to wait for the second coming of Jesus, we have to be strong and of good courage.
Psalm 27:14
27:14 Wait on the LORD; Be of good courage, And He shall strengthen your heart; Wait, I say, on the LORD!
Being strong and of good courage means as follows.- Not sinning.
- Holding fast to the true teaching Word, not denying the true teaching Word.
- Not being hopeless facing temptation, not being disappointed, not seeking our own way but we keep believing and entrusting our life fully to God.
- We experience victory power of God from all temptations, crises, persecution, and torments in the world.
John 16:33
16:33 "These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world." - The Lord makes all things good, beautiful, and successful.
1 Chronicles 19:13
19:13 "Be of good courage, and let us be strong for our people and for the cities of our God. And may the LORD do what is good in His sight." - Power to change our life until we are perfect and blameless to be ready to welcome Jesus’ second coming on glorious clouds.
1 Thessalonians 3:13
3:13 so that He may establish your hearts blameless in holiness before our God and Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all His saints.
- Not sinning.
- Perseverance in doing three main services in shepherding.
God blesses you.