Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Mark 14:30
And Jesus saith unto him, Verily I say unto thee, That this day, [even] in this night, before the cock crow twice, thou shalt deny me thrice.
30. in this night ] Before the dawn of the morrow should streak the eastern sky, and in the darkness the cock should twice have crowed, he who had declared he would never be offended, would thrice deny that he had ever known his Lord. St Mark, as usual, records two points which enhance the force of the warning and the guilt of Peter, viz. ( a) that the cock should crow twice, and ( b) that after such warning he repeated his protestation with greater vehemence.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Mar 14:30
Thou shall deny Me thrice.
Danger of self-ignorance
The Dougal, an old line of battle ship, which has been lying in Portsmouth Harbour since her return from a cruise on the China station, in 1871, has been recently docked for the purpose of alterations, so as to fit her for taking the place of the Vernon, torpedo and depot ship. During an examination of her interior, one of the workmen came across a live shell in a disused corner of the ship. The projectile must have lain where it was found for over fourteen years. This was a startling discovery; but had no examination of the interior been required, the missile would not even now have been found. How forcibly the story illustrates the need we have for careful and frequent search into our own hearts! Possibly the projectile had been placed in the disused corner of the ship by an enemy; or, on the other hand, it may have been concealed ready to hurl at the foe. Anyhow, it was a dangerous thing to have stowed away, for at any moment it might have exploded, and destroyed the vessel. Self-examination is ever beneficial, and often leads to the startling discovery of some most dangerous evil that lay long concealed in the disused corners of the heart. That we may be fitted to take our right place in Gods service, and go forth to our work with His approval, let a thorough examination be made, and let all evil be removed. (Robert Spurgeon.)
Good resolutions soon forgotten
Note how suddenly even a good man is turned from good resolutions, if but a little left to himself, or if he remit but a little of his own watchfulness. In a few hours this confident disciple, who scorned to think of denying his Master, denies and forswears Him too.
1. We stand by grace, which, if not every moment renewed, we must needs fall; as in the case of a man supported by a crutch-remove the crutch, and he falls down; or set a staff upright, withdraw the hand, and you need not push it down, it goes of itself.
2. The suddenness of the temptation, which comes like lightning, and our proneness to be kindled with it.
3. The freedom of the Spirit, who comes and goes at His own pleasure.
(1) This should keep us humble, no matter how holy a state we get into. The gun may at any time suddenly disappear under a cloud.
(2) Let us watch our graces well, and forecast temptation.
(3) Let us depend on the Spirit of God to perfect and accomplish His own good motions, and leave us not to ourselves, who can quickly quench them.
4. No wonder if the righteousness of hypocrites be as the morning dew (Hos 6:4). (Dr. Thomas Taylor.)
Fuente: Biblical Illustrator Edited by Joseph S. Exell
Verse 30. That THOU] is added by ABEGHKLMS-V, eighty-eight others, Syriac, Arabic, Persic, Coptic, AEthiopic, Armenian, Slavonic, Vulgate, Saxon, Theophylact, and Euthymsus. It adds much to the energy of the passage, every word of which is deeply emphatical. Verily, I say unto thee, that THOU, THIS DAY, in THIS VERY NIGHT, before the cock shall crow TWICE, THOU wilt deny ME.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
And Jesus saith unto him, verily I say unto thee,…. As confident as thou art of standing by me, and abiding with me;
that this day, which was then begun; for the Jews reckoned their days from evening, as in Ge 1:5;
even in this night; this night to be observed, this night of the passover, before it is past:
before the cock crow twice; for there was a first and second cock crowing, the one at midnight, and the other near break of day, and which last is properly the cock crowing: the word “twice” is left out in the Ethiopic version:
thou shalt deny me thrice; as he did; [See comments on Mt 26:34].
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
Twice (). This detail only in Mark. One crowing is always the signal for more. The Fayum papyrus agrees with Mark in having . The cock-crowing marks the third watch of the night (Mr 13:35).
Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament
Cock crow. See on Mt 26:34. Mark alone adds twice. Deny [] . The compound verb signifies utterly deny.
Fuente: Vincent’s Word Studies in the New Testament
1) “And Jesus saith unto him,” (kai legei auto ho lesous) “And Jesus said directly to him,” to Peter, knowing what was in man, Act 15:8; 1Jn 3:20.
2) “Verily I say unto thee,” (amen lego soi) “Truly I tell you,” before it occurs; I tell you confidentially, personally, and directly, that you may recall it later, Mat 26:34; Mat 26:75; Joh 13:38.
3) “That this day, even in this night “ (hoti ou semeron taute te nukti) “That you today, in this night,” before midnight. Our Lord was specific, because He was Lord, was omniscient, and was right, and knew all things, Psa 44:21; Psa 94:11; Mat 6:8; Rom 8:27-28.
4) “Before the cock crow twice,” (prin e dis alektora phonesai) “Before the (a) cock even crows twice,” before the rooster crows two times, two specific times.
5) “Thou shalt deny me thrice.” (tris me aparnese) “Three times you will deny me,” three specific times, again, and again, and again. Were these specific, definitive prophecies of Jesus fulfilled “that night?” Joh 18:27. They were! As specifically verified by inspiration, as follows: First, Joh 18:17; Second, Joh 18:25; Third, Joh 18:27. And first, Mat 26:70; second, Mat 26:72; and third, Mat 26:74-75.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
(30) Before the cock crow twice.The word twice is omitted in many MSS. It agrees, however, with the emphatic mention of the cock crowing a second time in Mar. 14:72, and with the form of the prediction in the same verse, and may fairly be regarded as the true reading, the omission in some MSS. being accidental.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
Mar 14:30. Before the cock crow twice,thou shalt Thou wilt. See the note on Mat 26:33; Mat 26:75. Dr. Owen, in his Observations on the four Gospels, p. 56 has observed further, that as the Jews, in the enumeration of the times of the night, took notice only of one cock-crowing, which comprehended the third watch, (see on chap. Mar 13:35.) so St. Matthew, to give them a clear information that Peter would deny his Master thrice before three in the morning, needed only to say, that he would do it before the cock crew; but the Romans, for whom, and the other Gentiles, St. Mark wrote his Gospel, reckoning by a double crowing of the cock,the first of which was about midnight, and the second at three,stood in need of a more particular designation; and therefore St. Mark, to denote the same hour to them, was obliged to say, before the cock crew twice. Juvenal uses exactly the same phrase to specify the same hour. Sat. 9: ver. 107.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
30. ] Notice the climax: , but not only this , the part of it now present: nor only so, but , before a cock crow twice, i.e. long before the night is over.
Fuente: Henry Alford’s Greek Testament
Mar 14:30 . To this over-confident of the disciple, the Master returns a very pointed and peremptory reply: I tell thee that thou ( emphatic) to-day ( ), on this night (more precise indication of time), before the cock crow twice (still more precise indication of time), shall deny me, not once, but again and again and again ( ).
Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson
That this day. The conj, hoti makes “this day” part of what He said. See note on Luk 23:43, and Mar 14:25 above. We have the same construction in Luk 4:2 t; Mar 19:9, but not in Mat 21:28; Luk 22:34; Luk 23:43.
the cock = a cock. See App-160.
twice. A Divine supplement, only here. See App-160.
shalt = wilt.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
30.] Notice the climax: , but not only this- , the part of it now present: nor only so, but , before a cock crow twice, i.e. long before the night is over.
Fuente: The Greek Testament
Mar 14:30. , thou) In antithesis to yet will not I, Mar 14:29.- , before that twice) A very striking circumstance, that Peter would not collect [recover] himself at the first cock-crowing. [Comp. note on Mat 26:34.]
Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament
this day: Gen 1:5, Gen 1:8, Gen 1:13, Gen 1:19, Gen 1:23
before: Mar 14:66-72, Mat 26:69-75, Luk 22:54-62, Joh 18:17, Joh 18:25-27, 1Co 10:12
Reciprocal: Mat 5:18 – verily Mat 10:33 – deny me Mat 26:34 – That Mat 26:74 – And Mar 14:68 – and the Mar 14:72 – the second Luk 22:34 – the cock Joh 13:38 – The cock Joh 18:10 – General Joh 18:27 – and
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
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Jesus was specific and predicted Peter’s third denial would be before the second cock crowing.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
Mar 14:30. That thou, emphatic, even thou.
The detailed form of this saying, together with Marks relation to Peter, suggests that this is the exact form in which it was uttered. Peter afterwards (Mar 14:72), and doubtless always called to mind this saying.
Today. During the twenty-four hours, beginning at sundown.
This night. The prediction becomes more specific.
Before the cock crow twice. Before the usual time of the second cock-crowing, about three oclock in the morning. This was usually called cock-crowing (Mar 13:35).