How does Matthew 26:72 connect with Jesus' prediction in Matthew 26:34? Setting the Scene Matthew 26:34 — “Truly I tell you,” Jesus declared, “this very night, before the rooster crows, you will deny Me three times.” Matthew 26:72 — “Again he denied it with an oath: ‘I do not know the Man!’ ” Prophecy in Matthew 26:34: Precise, Time-Stamped, Unmistakable • Three denials, not two, not four • All occurring “this very night” • Completion before the first rooster crow Matthew 26:72: The Second Denial—Key Link in the Chain • “Again he denied it” marks progressive fulfillment • “With an oath” shows intensifying determination to distance himself • Fulfills the middle point of the three-denial sequence Christ predicted Step-by-Step Fulfillment 1. First denial (v.70): casual, to a servant girl 2. Second denial (v.72): emphatic, sworn oath 3. Third denial (v.74): cursing, immediately followed by the rooster’s crow Evidence of Jesus’ Omniscience and Scripture’s Reliability • Exact prediction met with exact fulfillment, underscoring Jesus’ divine foreknowledge (Isaiah 46:10; John 13:19) • Demonstrates the literal, historical accuracy of the Gospel record • Strengthens confidence that every Word of God proves true (Proverbs 30:5) Lessons Drawn from the Connection • Christ’s Word never falls to the ground—He is utterly trustworthy • Human resolve alone falters; reliance on the Lord is essential (1 Corinthians 10:12) • Even failure fits within God’s redemptive plan, as Peter’s restoration in John 21 reveals Takeaway Matthew 26:72 stands as the lived-out midpoint of the very prophecy Jesus uttered minutes earlier in Matthew 26:34, proving in real time that His foresight is flawless and His Word is steadfast. |
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