What is the meaning of John 18:27? Peter denied it once more – John records that “Peter denied it once more,” marking the third and final time Peter disowned Jesus that night (see John 18:17, 25). • Only hours earlier Peter had vowed, “I will lay down my life for You” (John 13:37), a pledge echoed in Matthew 26:33 and Mark 14:29. • Jesus, however, had foretold, “Truly, truly, I tell you, before the rooster crows, you will deny Me three times” (John 13:38; compare Matthew 26:34; Mark 14:30; Luke 22:34). • With this third denial Peter reached the very limit Jesus had predicted. Luke 22:60 notes that he even declared, “Man, I do not know what you are talking about!”—a desperate attempt to distance himself from any association with the Lord. • The repetition underscores the pull of fear and self-preservation. First Corinthians 10:12 reminds believers, “So the one who thinks he is standing firm should be careful not to fall,” pointing to the danger of relying on self-confidence rather than grace. immediately a rooster crowed – “Immediately a rooster crowed,” sealing the fulfillment of Jesus’ precise prophecy. • Mark 14:72 adds that the rooster crowed “a second time,” clarifying the timing and confirming the exactness of Jesus’ words. • Luke 22:61 reveals a piercing moment: “The Lord turned and looked at Peter.” The sound of the rooster, coupled with Jesus’ gaze, awakened Peter to his failure, leading him outside to weep bitterly (Matthew 26:75). • This crow not only fulfilled prophecy but also served as a merciful alarm, prompting swift conviction and opening the door to restoration (John 21:15-17). • It reminds believers that God’s Word is utterly dependable—down to the detail of a bird’s cry—and that He graciously calls His children back when they stumble (Psalm 32:5; 1 John 1:9). summary John 18:27 reveals both the frailty of human resolve and the flawless reliability of Jesus’ prediction. Peter’s triple denial highlights the danger of trusting in self, while the rooster’s crow confirms Scripture’s precision and God’s redemptive purpose. Even our failures, when met with honest repentance, become occasions for the Lord to display His faithful, restoring grace. |
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