Coming Face to Face with Our Own Weakness (Matthew 26:69-75).

Class Outline:

Wednesday March 18, 2026

 

Main idea: Humanity is weak having been made to draw wisdom and strength from God alone.

 

Intro:

 

Matthew blends several themes together as he writes the parallel trials of Christ and Peter. He first sits Peter down in the courtyard and then takes us into the palace of the high priest for Jesus’ first trial.

 

This technique is now known as the Marcan sandwich and also parallel narration. God made the history of His Son into an art that would penetrate our hearts.

 

MAT 26:69-75

Now Peter was sitting outside in the courtyard, and a servant-girl came to him and said, "You too were with Jesus the Galilean." 70 But he denied it before them all, saying, "I do not know what you are talking about." 71 When he had gone out to the gateway, another servant-girl saw him and said to those who were there, "This man was with Jesus of Nazareth." 72 And again he denied it with an oath, "I do not know the man." 73 A little later the bystanders came up and said to Peter, "Surely you too are one of them; for even the way you talk gives you away." 74 Then he began to curse and swear, "I do not know the man!" And immediately a rooster crowed. 75 And Peter remembered the word which Jesus had said, "Before a rooster crows, you will deny Me three times." And he went out and wept bitterly.

 

Peter’s courtroom;

 

Peter finds himself in a courtyard that is now his own court of law. The prosecuting attorney is a young servant girl and the jury is full of temple servants.

 

While Jesus advanced to meet His enemies (26:46), Peter retreats by going “out to the gateway” of the courtyard.

 

MAT 26:71-73

When he had gone out to the gateway, another servant-girl saw him and said to those who were there, "This man was with Jesus of Nazareth." 72 And again he denied it with an oath, "I do not know the man." 

 

This girl gets more specific - Nazareth. It rings in the air of a Jerusalem palace as one might hear the word peasant in a mansion today. 

 

JOH 1:46

"Can any good thing come out of Nazareth?"

 

MAT 5:11

“Blessed are you when people insult you”

 

This time Peter denies it with an oath. In other words he said something like “I swear by heaven …” or something like it.

 

Peter falls into the trap of making an oath so that he can give weight to his lie. 

 

MAT 5:33-34

 "Again, you have heard that the ancients were told, 'YOU SHALL NOT MAKE FALSE VOWS, BUT SHALL FULFILL YOUR VOWS TO THE LORD.'  34 "But I say to you, make no oath at all, either by heaven, for it is the throne of God,

 

Matthew’s hope is that we remember the scene inside the palace when Jesus was put to an oath by Caiaphas, to which He could not be silent.

 

MAT 26:63-64

"I adjure You by the living God, that You tell us whether You are the Christ, the Son of God." 64 Jesus said to him, "You have said it yourself; nevertheless I tell you, hereafter you will see THE SON OF MAN SITTING AT THE RIGHT HAND OF POWER, and COMING ON THE CLOUDS OF HEAVEN." 

 

There is no safer place to be than in the will of God.

 

Safety is the glorification of God in the midst of opposition. 

 

MAT 26:73

 A little later

 

A little reprieve. God wants you to know how weak you are. He simply wants you to stop delaying your full communion to Him in submission as a bride to a groom. 

 

PSA 37:4

Delight [anag - to be delicate] yourself in the Lord;

And He will give you the desires of your heart.

 

PSA 45:10-11

Forget your people and your father's house; 

Then the King will desire your beauty.

Because He is your Lord, bow down to Him. 

 

The bride is to leave the home of her youth and go and live with her husband. As Jesus taught, no one who loves their family more than Him is worthy of Him.

The Almighty universe Creator has a longing for you. 

 

PSA 8:3-4

When I consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers,

The moon and the stars, which You have ordained; 

4 What is man that You take thought of him,

And the son of man that You care for him? 

 

PSA 8:5-6

 Yet You have made him a little lower than God,

And You crown him with glory and majesty! 

6 You make him to rule over the works of Your hands;

You have put all things under his feet, 

 

PSA 8:1-2

O Lord, our Lord,

How majestic is Your name in all the earth,

Who have displayed Your splendor above the heavens!

2 From the mouth of infants and nursing babes You have established strength

 

“Infants” refer to all humanity, not as we see infants but as God does, even mature adults.

 

MAT 11:25-26

At that time Jesus said, "I praise You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that You have hidden these things from the wise and intelligent and have revealed them to infants.  26 "Yes, Father, for this way was well-pleasing in Your sight.

 

Where are our love and longing for Him?

 

Peter’s reprieve is soon over. The night air grows colder as his third denial draws nigh. 

 

MAT 26:73

A little later the bystanders came up and said to Peter, "Surely you too are one of them; for even the way you talk gives you away."

 

That darn Galilean accent.

 

The will of the Father is the way of safety: not physically or materially safe, but safe for conscience, goodness, power, wisdom - safe for the true life that is spiritual as well as physical, safe for heaven’s glory.

 

Peter survives but his conscience dies for a while. He has not saved himself.

 

MAT 26:73

Then he began to curse and swear, "I do not know the man!" And immediately a rooster crowed.

 

This three fold repetition lays bare Peter’s weakness, leaving him entrenched in his betrayal, without excuse.

 

Why three when one would be enough? He and we have to know without doubt -we’re weak and only He is strong. One denial might be a misstep; three proves intention.

 

The rooster crows right on cue.

 

In Jesus’ trial they mocked His prophetic powers. 

 

MAT 26:68

"Prophesy to us, You Christ; who is the one who hit You?" 

 

And simultaneously, His prophecy of Peter’s denials, down to the detail of number and a cock crowing, proves He is the Prophet of Israel. 

 

Peter’s denials bring the rejection of Jesus to a climax.

 

The cock crowing is the Lord’s way of making sure Peter does not forget. It is unmistakable, Peter is a failure at self-confidence.

 

The unmistakable shrill sound that permeates the thin morning air which is Peter’s complete fall from his own pedestal.

 

How has God knocked you off yours? How is He currently shaking that false foundation?

 

It might seem that Jesus’ work as a disciple maker had failed, but this is still part of His process to free the disciples from the captivity of their self-confidence. 

 

Conclusion:

 

You must remember these simultaneous trials. The one Man who submitted to God’s will and trusted Him. The other man who trusted in himself.  

 

You are weak and God is going to show you that (insults, trials, thorns in your side). Stop delaying the inevitable - complete dependence on your Creator through Jesus Christ. Attach your life to His completely.

 

Self-confidence will bring no courage.

 

Our trials are going to come in unexpected ways, small and large.

 

Safety is the glorification of God in the midst of opposition. 

 

You cannot save yourself.

Let your Husband do it.

 

PSA 56:3-4

When I am afraid,

I will put my trust in You. 

In God, whose word I praise,

In God I have put my trust;

I shall not be afraid.

What can mere man do to me? 

 

The Lord completely forgives Peter.