Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Matthew 26:33
Peter answered and said unto him, Though all [men] shall be offended because of thee, [yet] will I never be offended.
Mat 26:33-35
Though all men shall be offended because of Thee, yet will I never be offended.
Enthusiasm and its dangers
I. The confidence of inexperience, aided by lack of imagination. How often is this repeated before our eyes! Castles in the air are built by inexperienced virtue, to be demolished, alas! at the first touch of the realities of vice. The country lad who has been brought up in a Christian home, and is coming up to some great business house in London, makes vigorous protestations of what he will, and will not, do in a sphere of life, of the surroundings of which he can, as yet, form no true idea whatever; the emigrant, who is looking forward to spend his days in a young colony, where the whole apparatus of Christian and civilized life is as yet in its infancy, or is wanting altogether, makes plans of a situation, of which he cannot at all as yet, from the nature of the case, take the measure; the candidate for holy orders, who anticipates his responsibilities from afar, gathering them from books and from intercourse with clergymen, makes resolutions which he finds have to be revised by the light of altogether unforeseen experiences.
II. An insufficent sense of the power of new forms of temptation. A man living in a comparatively private position is exemplary. His little failures do but serve to set forth the sterling worth of his general character. He seems to be marked out for some promotion. All predict that he will be a great success, since he has shown on a small scale excellencies which will certainly distinguish him, and will adorn a larger sphere. He is promoted, and he turns out a hopeless failure. How extraordinary! cries out the world. Who could have anticipated this? exclaim his friends. And yet the explanation may be a very simple one. He may have been brought, by the change of circumstances, for the first time in his life, under the influence of a temptation hitherto unknown to him. He may have been tempted in his earlier years by appeals to avarice, illicit desires, or personal vanity; but never, as yet, has he felt the pressure of the fear of man. In that place of prominence he, for the first time, feels the fear of a mass of human opinion which he does not in his conscience and his heart respect, but which he fears only because it is a mass. And this fear is too much for him, too much for his sense of justice, too much for his consistency and his former self. Alas! that new temptation has found a weak place in his moral nature; it has sprung a leak in him; and the disappointment is as keen to-day as the expectations of yesterday were unduly sanguine.
III. St. Peters over-confidence would seek to have been due in part to his natural temperament, and to his reliance on it. A sanguine impetuosity was the basis of his character. In this instance, there was probably a mixture of these dispositions-genuine love of our Lord, stirred to vehemence by the recent defection of Judas, combined with eagerness, the product of temperament. The exact proportions of the combinations we know not; but, at any rate, nature had more to do with his language than grace. And while grace is trustworthy in times of trial, nature may be expected to give way. An instance of this confusion between grace and nature is to be found in the enthusiasm which led to the Crusades. No well-informed and fair-minded man can question the genuine love of our Lord Jesus Christ, which filled such men as Peter the Hermit, and still more that great teacher and writer, St. Bernard. They exerted, these men, some seven centuries ago, an influence upon the populations of Central Europe, to which the modern world affords absolutely no sort of parallel, and at their voice thousands of men, in all ranks of life, left their homes to rescue, if it might be, the sacred soil on which the Redeemer had lived and died, from the hands of the infidel. Who can doubt that of these not a few were animated by a love which is always noble-that of giving the best they had to give from their lives to the God who had made and redeemed them. But alas! who can doubt that many, perhaps a larger multitude, were really impelled by very different considerations which gathered round this central idea, and seemed to receive from it some sort of consecration, and that a love of adventure, a love of reputation, a desire to escape from the troublous times at home, the ambitious hope of acquiring influence or power which might be of use elsewhere than in Palestine, which might found or consolidate a dynasty, also entered into the sum of moral forces, which precipitated the crusading hosts on the coasts of Syria? And how many a crusader could analyse, with any approach to accuracy, the motives which swayed him in an enterprise where there was, indeed, so much of the smoke and dust of earth to obscure the love and light of heaven?
IV. The lessons to be leant from this event.
1. Estimate enthusiasm at its proper value. It is the glow of the soul; the lever by which men are raised above their average level and enterprise, and become capable of a goodness and benevolence which would otherwise be beyond them.
2. Measure well our religious language, especially the language of fervour and devotion. When religious language outruns practice or conviction, the general character is weakened. If Peter had said less as they left the supper-room, he might have done better afterwards in the hall of the palace of the high priest. (Canon Liddon.)
Fickleness of the human heart
In a vessel filled with muddy water, the thickness visibly subsides to the bottom, and leaves the water purer and clearer, until at last it seems perfectly limpid. The slightest motion, however, brings the sediment again to the top, and makes the water thick and turbid as before. Here we have an emblem of the human heart. The heart is full of the mud of sinful lusts and carnal desires, and the consequence is, that no pure water-that is, good and holy thoughts-can flow from it. It is, in truth, a miry pit and slough of sin, in which all sorts of ugly reptiles are bred and crawl. Many a one, however, is deceived by it, and never imagines his heart half so wicked as it really is, because at times its lusts are at rest, and sink, as it were, to the bottom. On such occasions his thoughts appear to be holy and devout, his desires pure and temperate, his words charitable and edifying, and his works useful and Christian. But this lasts only so long as he is not moved; I mean, so long as he is without opportunity or incitement to sin. Let that occur, and worldly lusts rise so thick that his whole thoughts, words, and works show no trace of anything but slime and impurity. This man is meek as long as he is not thwarted; but cross him, and he is like powder, ignited by the smallest spark, and blazing up with a loud report and destructive force. Another is temperate so long as he has no social companions; a third chaste, while the eyes of men are upon him. (Scriver.)
Dangers of impulsiveness
I. Prone to over-estimate self, and underrate others-though all men-yet not I.
II. Natural instability-frequent reactions-can do, but not wait.
III. Violence and rapidity of its changes.
IV. Readiness with which it takes its character from immediately surrounding circumstances. Learn:
1. Let the cool and prudent be gentle in judging of the more fiery.
2. Let the impulsive take warning from this example.
3. Let the man who repents some sin of haste, take encouragement and hope. (Analyst.)
I. No strength of attachment to Jesus can justify such confident promises of fidelity, made without dependence upon Him.
II. That all promises to adhere to Him should be made relying on Him for aid.
III. That we little know how feeble we are till we are tried.
IV. That Christians may be left to great and disgraceful sins to show them their weakness. (A. Barnes, D. D.)
Peters self-confidence
It is a common remark that in the absence of danger all men are heroes. Self-distrust does not enter into our calculations. Presuming upon the strength and permanence of present emotion, we hurl defiance at danger, and challenge circumstances to shake our magnanimity. Peter was not alone in this boast, but his conduct was marked by a more signal exhibition, both of self-confidence and of frailty, than that of his fellow-disciples. Fully, however, to estimate his fall-
I. Look at some of the concomitant circumstances by which his offence was aggravated.
1. He was one of the three disciples whom Jesus honoured with a peculiar intimacy.
2. He appears to have had an earlier and a stronger conviction of our Saviours Messiahship than his brother disciples (Mat 16:13-17).
3. The particular crisis at which his offence was committed. Almost immediately after another of the twelve had betrayed Him, and when, humanly speaking, his Master stood most in need of his support.
II. These facts serve to illustrate the extent of his self-deception, and to impress more forcibly this most important lesson, that No reasonable dependence is to be placed on our mere untried feelings and resolutions; but that the only satisfactory evidence we can possess of the genuineness and stability of our religious principles, is that which our conduct affords. When Peter protested his fidelity, his constancy had not been put to the test. His character rendered him in an especial degree liable to this species of self-deception, still, his case may be selected as a striking illustration of the fallaciousness of mere untried feelings and resolutions, as a satisfactory evidence of religious character, and of the folly and danger of trusting to them as any security for future conduct. Few things are more common. Let us not mistake passion for principle (Joh 14:21; 1Jn 5:3). (J. H. Smith.)
Protesting too much
When the subtle and ambitious John, of Gischala, pursuing his own dark course, as it is traced in the History of the Jews, joined outwardly the party of Arianus, and was active beyond others in council and camp, he yet kept up a secret correspondence with the Zealots, to whom be betrayed all the movements of the assailants. To conceal this secret he redoubled his assiduities, and became so extravagant in his protestations of fidelity to Arianus and his party, that he completely overacted his part, and incurred suspicion. His intended dupes began gradually to look with a jealous eye on their too obsequious, most obedient, and most devoted servant. (F. Jacox.)
Hawthorne
remarks that Italian asseverations of any questionable fact, though uttered with rare earnestness of manner, never vouch for themselves as coming from any depth, like roots drawn out of the substance of the soul, with some of the soil clinging to them. Their energy expends itself in exclamation. The vaulting ambition of their hyperboles overleaps itself, and falls on the other side.
Truth not in need of an oath
Reality cares not to be tricked out with too taking an outside; and deceit, when she intends to cozen, studies disguise. Least of all should we be taken with swearing asseverations. Truth needs not the varnish of an oath to make her plainness credited. (Owen Feltharn.)
Lie following lie
Lie engenders lie. Once committed, the liar has to go on in his course of lying. It is the penalty of his transgression, or one of the penalties. To the habitual liar, bronzed and hardened in the custom, till custom becomes second nature, the penalty may seem no very terrible price to pay. To him, on the other hand, who, without deliberate intent, and against his innermost will, is overtaken with such a fault, the generative power of a first lie to beget others, the necessity of supporting the first by a second and a third, is a retribution keenly to be felt, while penitently owned to be most just. (F. Jacox.)
Fuente: Biblical Illustrator Edited by Joseph S. Exell
Verse 33. Peter – said unto him, Though all men shall be offended – yet will I never] The presumptuous person imagines he can do every thing, and can do nothing: thinks he can excel all, and excels in nothing: promises every thing, and performs nothing. The humble man acts a quite contrary part. There is nothing we know so little of as ourselves – nothing we see less of than our own weakness and poverty. The strength of pride is only for a moment. Peter, though vainly confident, was certainly sincere – he had never been put to a sore trial, and did not know his own strength. Had this resolution of his been formed in the strength of God, he would have been enabled to maintain it against earth and hell. This most awful denial of Christ, and his abandoning him in the time of trial, was sufficient to have disqualified him for ever from being, in any sense, head of the Church, had such a supremacy been ever designed him. Such a supremacy was never given him by Christ; but the fable of it is in the Church of Rome, and the mock Peter, not Peter the apostle, is there and there only to be found.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
Peter answered and said unto him,…. Who was always a forward man, free to speak his mind, and was often the mouth of the rest; observing what Christ had affirmed concerning all of them, that that very night, in a very short space of time, they would be offended because of him; and knowing the strong love he had for Christ, and being persuaded it could never be his case, thus addresses him;
though all men shall be offended because of thee, yet will I never be offended: his sense is, that though all the men in the world, friends, and foes, though even all the rest of the disciples, who were his most intimate friends, most closely attached to him, and who dearly loved him, and sincerely believed in him, should be so stumbled at what should befall him, as to flee from him, and be tempted to relinquish his cause, and interest; yet nothing should ever cause him, in the least, to stumble and fall, to desert him, or hesitate about him, or cause him to take the least umbrage and offence at what might come upon him; and this he was positive of would be the case, not only that night, but ever after. No doubt he said this in the sincerity of his heart, and out of his great fervour of affection for Christ; but what he failed in, was trusting to his own strength, being self-confident; and in entertaining greater opinion of himself, and his steady attachment to Christ, than of the rest of the disciples; and in contradicting what Christ had so strongly affirmed of them all, without any exception, and so of himself, and had confirmed by so glaring a prophecy concerning this matter.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
I will never be offended ( ). “Made to stumble,” not “offended.” Volitive future passive indicative. Peter ignored the prophecy of the resurrection of Jesus and the promised meeting in Galilee (32). The quotation from Zec 13:7 made no impression on him. He was intent on showing that he was superior to “all” the rest. Judas had turned traitor and all were weak, Peter in particular, little as he knew it. So Jesus has to make it plainer by pointing out “this night” as the time (34).
Before the cock crows ( ). No article in the Greek, “before a cock crow.” Mark (Mr 14:30) says that Peter will deny Jesus thrice before the cock crows twice. When one cock crows in the morning, others generally follow. The three denials lasted over an hour. Some scholars hold that chickens were not allowed in Jerusalem by the Jews, but the Romans would have them.
Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament
33. Peter answering. Though Peter uses no hypocrisy, but speaks with sincere affection, yet as a false confidence in his virtue carries him away into foolish boasting, he is justly reproved by Christ, and shortly afterwards is severely punished for his rashness. Thus the event showed, that Peter promised more for himself than he was able to accomplish, because he had not been sufficiently careful to examine himself. Hence too we see more clearly, how stupid is the intoxication of human presumption, that, when he is again reminded of his weakness by the Son of God, and that with the solemnity of an oath, he is so far from yielding, or even from making any abatement of his foolish confidence, that he goes on to show those lofty pretensions with more fierceness than ever.
But it is asked, Had not Peter a right to hope what he promises for himself? and was he not even bound, relying on the promise of Christ, to make this promise for himself? I answer, When Christ formerly promised to his disciples the spirit of unshaken fortitude, he referred to a new state of things which followed the resurrection; and, therefore, as they were not yet endued with heavenly power, Peter, forming confident expectations from himself, goes beyond the limits of faith. He erred in two respects. First, by anticipating the time he made a rash engagement, and did not rely on the promise of the Lord. Secondly, shutting his eyes on his own weakness, and under the influence of thoughtlessness rather than of courage, he undertook more than the case, warranted.
This claims our attention, that every man, remembering his own weakness, may earnestly resort to the assistance of the Holy Spirit; and next, that no man may venture to take more upon himself than what the Lord promises. Believers ought, indeed, to be prepared for the contest in such a manner that, entertaining no doubt or uncertainty about the result and the victory, they may resist fear; for trembling and excessive anxiety are marks of distrust. But, on the other hand, they ought to guard against that stupidity which shakes off all anxiety, and fills their minds with pride, and extinguishes the desire to pray. This middle course between two faulty extremes (199) is very beautifully expressed by Paul, when he enjoins us to
work out our salvation with fear and trembling, because it is God that worketh in us to will and perform, (Phi 2:12.)
For, on the one hand, having humbled us, he entreats us to seek supplies elsewhere; and, on the other hand, lest anxiety should induce sloth, he exhorts us to strenuous exertions. And, therefore, whenever any temptation is presented to us, let us first remember our weakness, that, being entirely thrown down, we may learn to seek elsewhere what we need; and, next, let us remember the grace which is promised, that it may free us from doubt. For those who, forgetting their weakness, and not calling on God, feel assured that they are strong, act entirely like drunken soldiers, who throw themselves rashly into the field, but, as soon as the effects of strong drink are worn off, think of nothing else than flight.
It is wonderful that the other disciples, after Peter had been reproved, still break out into the same rashness; and hence it is evident how little they knew themselves. We are taught by this example, that we ought to attempt nothing, except so far as God stretches out his hand; for nothing is more fading or transitory than inconsiderate zeal. The disciples perceive that nothing is more base or unreasonable than to forsake their Master; and, therefore, they justly detest so infamous an action: but, having no reliance on the promise, and neglecting prayer, they advance with inconsiderate haste to boast of a constancy which they did not possess.
(199) “ Entre ces deux extremitez vicieuses.”
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(33) Though all men shall be offended.St. Matthew and St. Mark place the boast of Peter, and the prediction of his denial, after the disciples had left the guest-chamber; St. Luke (Luk. 22:23) and St. John (Joh. 13:37) agree in placing it before. It is barely possible that both may have been repeated, but the more probable hypothesis is, that we have here an example of the natural dislocation of the exact order of events that followed one upon another in rapid sequence, and at a time when mens minds were heavy with confused sorrow.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
33. Peter answered Peter is here, as often elsewhere, an impulsive, self-appointed spokesman. All men He will stand with Christ against the world. This was the heroism of a brave man vowing fidelity to his chief. Had our Saviour really been a warrior, and allowed this high blood full play, Peter could have been as good as his word. See note on Mat 26:74.
Be offended See note on Matt 26:31.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
34. Verily I say unto thee Our Lord is forced by Peter’s boasts, nay, gain-sayings, to bring out the clear, precise, sorrowful truth.
Before the cock crow Mark and Luke say, “before the cock crow twice.” This Matthew omits, because it was the second cock-crowing that was usually and technically called “the cock-crowing.” Our Lord doubtless referred to the usual morning cock-crowing, since the midnight one is seldom heard, or in conversation taken into account. No difficulty can arise from the fact that the Jews kept no gallinaceous or barn fowls. The Romans may have done so, and the crow of the cock may have been heard from the Pretorium.
“In the crowing of a cock,” says Buckhardt, “there are two remarkable things: One, that an animal so small should cry with so loud a voice; the other, that it sings at stated hours, and at such times as other birds are silent in sleep.” He is created nature’s living time-keeper, He is God’s appointed watchman and crier in the midnight and at daylight, knowing and telling the hours by a wonderful instinct. That he is so inspired by a divine faculty, the Arabians expressed by their fancy that there was a white cock before the throne of God, whose voice gives the signal for all cocks on earth to crow. It was such a crier at whose voice the conscience of Peter was to be made to awake. But there was no power in the voice of the bird to express a divine meaning, had it not been interpreted beforehand by our Lord. So the voice of nature speaks with a divine wisdom, when we take God’s word to interpret its language.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
‘But Peter answered and said to him, “If all shall be offended in (caused to stumble by) you, I will never be offended.” ’
Peter was clearly upset at the suggestion that he would allow himself to be unfaithful. He protests that even if all the others prove to be so, he will not. He is not the stumbling kind. Nothing will move him from His Lord’s side. And he no doubt meant it and believed it. Like the others he had no conception of what it was really going to be like, and of the weakness of his own faith in the face of Satanic opposition and the unusual methods of God. What was to happen would leave them all totally baffled, and in the end distraught. They would be battling with the unknown in order that through their initial failure they might learn in the end to overcome it.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
Peter Protests That He Will Certainly Remain Faithful. He will Not Be One Who Is Scattered (26:33-35).
This is the final part of the Matthaean sandwich which began at Mat 26:20 (betrayal, Lord’s Supper, denial), bringing home that God’s wonderful provision in salvation has come to a world steeped in denial. And yet these three verses also form a sandwich in themselves, in that we have Peter says, Jesus says, Peter says, emphasising Peter’s failure. Mention of ‘the others’ is almost an afterthought. The failure of Peter mirrors the whole, for by the time that this was written Peter was the acknowledged ‘first among equals’, and probably to large parts of the church representative of them all.
Analysis.
a
b Jesus said to him, “Truly I say to you, that this night, before the cock crow, you will deny me three times” (Mat 26:34).
a Peter says to him, “Even if I must die with you, yet will I not deny you”. Likewise also said all the disciples (Mat 26:35).
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
Mat 26:33-35. Peter answered, &c. St. Peter, no doubt, was sincere in this protestation which he made; nevertheless he was greatly to blame for not payinga due attention to his Master’s repeated predictions concerning his fall, (see Luk 22:34 and Joh 13:38.) for the preference which he gave himself above his brethren, and for depending upon his own strength, instead of begging assistance of him from whom all human sufficiency is derived. The 34th verse is expressed differently by St. Mark, who represents our Lord as saying, before the cock crow twice, &c. and from Mar 13:35 of that Gospel it appears, that one of the four watches of the night was named the cock-crowing: now as this ended with the second crowing, before the cock crow, is equivalent to before the cock crow twice, both signifying, “before the expiration of the watch called the cock-crowing;”at three in the morning, when the cock commonly crows the second time. Or we may suppose that this expression in the three historians is elliptical; and that the twice is understood, and must be supplied. We have examples of this kind of ellipsis in other parts of Scripture.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
33 Peter answered and said unto him, Though all men shall be offended because of thee, yet will I never be offended.
Ver. 33. Though all men shouht be offended ] Peter spake as he meant, but his heart deceived him, as did likewise David’s,Psa 39:1-3Psa 39:1-3 , and Orpah’s, Rth 1:10 , and those Israelites in the wilderness, that were turned aside “like deceitful bows,” Psa 78:57 . They levelled both eyes and arrows (that is, both purposes and promises) to the mark of amendment, and thought verily to hit; but their deceitful hearts, as naughty bows, carried their arrows a clean contrary way. So did Peter’s here, so will the best of ours, if we watch them not.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
33. ] Nothing can bear a greater impress of exactitude than this reply. Peter had been before warned (see note on Luk 22:31-34 ); and still remaining in the same spirit of self-confident attachment, now that he is included among the , not specially addressed, breaks out into this asseveration, which carries completely with it the testimony that it was not the first . Men do not bring themselves out so strongly ( , : and not only so, but, , as opposed to ) unless their fidelity has been previously attainted.
Fuente: Henry Alford’s Greek Testament
Mat 26:33 . , if, or although, all shall be offended; the future implies great probability of the case sussposed; Peter is willing to concede the likelihood of the assertion in reference to all the rest. , I, never , vehemently spoken and truly, so far as he knows himself ; sincere in feeling, but weaker than he is aware of.
Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson
Peter = But Peter.
Though. Greek. Even if. Same condition implied as in verses: Mat 26:24, Mat 26:39, Mat 26:42.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
33.] Nothing can bear a greater impress of exactitude than this reply. Peter had been before warned (see note on Luk 22:31-34); and still remaining in the same spirit of self-confident attachment, now that he is included among the , not specially addressed,-breaks out into this asseveration, which carries completely with it the testimony that it was not the first. Men do not bring themselves out so strongly ( , : and not only so, but, , as opposed to ) unless their fidelity has been previously attainted.
Fuente: The Greek Testament
Mat 26:33.[1142] , …, Even though all, etc.) He might rather have said-Even though no one else should deny Thee, yet I will do so.-, never) Not merely, not this night.
[1142] The word is pronounced by the margin of both Ed. spurious; but the Germ. Vers, answers to the Gnomon.-E. B.
ABCDabc omit , reading only . Vulg., however, has etsi: and Orig. 4, 412c; 437a, Hil. 742d read .-ED.
Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament
Though: Mar 14:29, Luk 22:33, Joh 13:36-38, Joh 21:15
yet: Psa 17:5, Psa 119:116, Psa 119:117, Pro 16:18, Pro 16:19, Pro 20:6, Pro 28:25, Pro 28:26, Jer 17:9, Rom 12:10, Phi 2:3, 1Pe 5:5, 1Pe 5:6
Reciprocal: 1Ki 20:11 – Let not him 2Ki 8:13 – he should do Mat 13:21 – is Mat 14:28 – bid Luk 9:55 – Ye know Joh 13:8 – Thou shalt Joh 18:17 – I am not Rom 11:18 – Boast not 1Co 10:12 – General Phi 1:10 – without
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
OVER-CONFIDENCE
Peter answered and said unto Him, Though all men shall be offended because of Thee, yet will I never be offended.
Mat 26:33
No other apostle makes us feel so much at home with him as St. Peter. He is one of the three or four of whom we know most. We know his sad history as related in this chapter. What was the secret of it all?
I. The confidence of inexperience.St. Peters over-confidence was first of all the confidence of inexperience, aided by lack of imagination. It is repeated again and again under our eyes at the present day. Castles in the air are built by inexperienced virtue to be demolished, alas, at the first touch of the realities of vice.
II. Reliance upon natural temperament.And once more St. Peters over-confidence would seem to have been due in part to his natural temperament and to his reliance on it. Impetuosity was the basis of his character; it had stood him in good stead; it had, no doubt, been strengthened by exercise during his earlier years as a fisherman of the Galilean lake. Gods grace does not destroy the natural character; it purifies, it raises, it sanctifies character.
III. A warning note to ourselves.What this episode really teaches us is to measure well, if possible, our religious language, especially the language of fervour and devotion. When religious language outruns practice or conviction, the general character is weakened; it is weakened by any insincerity; it is especially weakened by insincerity addressed to the All-true. Let us be sparing of free professions of our own.
Canon Liddon.
Illustration
The country lad who has been brought up in a Christian home, and is coming up to some great business house in London, makes vigorous protestations of what he will and will not do in a sphere of life of the surroundings of which he can as yet form no true idea whatever. The emigrant who is looking forward to spend his days in a young colony where the whole apparatus of Christian and civilised life is yet in its infancy or is altogether wanting, makes plans, leaving the nature of a situation of which he cannot at all as yet from the nature of the case take the measure, altogether out of account. The candidate for holy orders who anticipates his responsibilities from afar, gathering them from books, gathering them from occasional intercourse with clergymen, makes resolutions which he finds have to be revised by the light of altogether unforeseen experiences. St. Peter never knew what it was to be the only human being loyal to Christ, until he sat in that outer court of the high priests palace, and the terrible isolation was too much for him.
Fuente: Church Pulpit Commentary
6:33
Peter was a man of an impulsive temperament and inclined to make rash statements and to perform rash acts, such as that recorded in Joh 18:10. The emphatic statement recorded here, therefore, is not surprising or should not be.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
Mat 26:33. But Peter answered. Instead of laying hold of the comforting part of the promise, Peter reverts to the first part.
If all… I will never be offended. The utterance of affection, yet of self-confidence and arrogance, since all refers to the other disciples. Hence he was allowed to fall lower than the rest. This reply differs from that given by Luke and John. Its tone points to a previous declaration respecting his want of fidelity.
Fuente: A Popular Commentary on the New Testament
See here what strong purposes and settled resolutions both Peter and all the apostles had, to keep close to Christ; but how did their self-confidence fail them!
Learn thence, That self-confidence is a sin, too, too incident to the holiest and best of men. Though all men forsake thee, yet will not I. Good man, he resolved honestly; but too, too much in his own strength. Little, little did he think what a feather he should be in the wind of temptation, if once God left him to the power and prevalence of his own fears.
Observe farther, That the rest of the apostles had the like confidence of their own strength with St. Peter. Likewise also said they all.
Note thence, That the holiest of men know not their own strength till it comes to the trial. Little did these good men imagine what a cowardly spirit they had in them, till temptation put it to the proof.
Fuente: Expository Notes with Practical Observations on the New Testament
Mat 26:33-35. Peter answered and said According to Luk 22:31, our Lord had warned Peter before they left the house, of a violent assault which would be made upon him by Satan; and on Peters declaring his readiness to go with Christ to prison and death, Christ had warned him that he would be overcome by the temptation, and would fall. Peter, therefore, now recollecting what Christ had said to him before, and being grieved afresh to find his Master still entertaining such thoughts of him, the vehemence of his temper hurried him to boast a second time of his courageous and close attachment to Jesus. He answered, Though all men shall be offended, &c. In this protestation, Peter, no doubt, was sincere. Nevertheless, he was greatly to blame for not paying a due attention to his Masters repeated predictions of his fall; for the preference which he gave himself above his brethren; and for leaning to his own strength, instead of begging assistance of him from whom all human sufficiency is derived. Wherefore, to make him sensible of the pride of his heart, his self- confidence, and carnal security, which Jesus knew would produce unwatchfulness and neglect of prayer, he thought fit to forewarn him of his danger again, and in stronger terms, saying, Verily, this night, before the cock crow Or rather, before the cock-crowing, that is, before three in the morning, the usual time of cock-crowing; although one cock was heard to crow once after Peters first denial of his Lord. Peter However, not convinced of his weakness, or that any temptation could make him guilty of such base conduct, said with still greater confidence and vehemence; Though I should die with thee, yet will I not deny thee And, doubtless, so he thought. Likewise said all the disciples They all joined Peter in professing their fixed resolution of suffering death, rather than they would deny their Master; yet the event was exactly as Jesus had foretold, and foreknew it certainly would be; nevertheless such was his tenderness, that he would not aggravate their sin by making any reply. From this circumstance we learn how ignorant men frequently are of themselves, and that to be pious and virtuous, it is not sufficient to form the strongest resolutions.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Peter was ready to suffer martyrdom with Jesus, but he was unprepared for Jesus’ voluntary self-sacrifice. Despite Peter’s claim Jesus explained that his defection was just hours away. The crowing of cocks signals the morning. Peter refused to accept the possibility that he would deny Jesus. The language he used, the rare subjunctive of the Greek verb dei ("I must"), may imply that he really did not think Jesus was going to die. [Note: Ibid., p. 542.]