The Washington herald., 1914-11-14

nMtu NnLl ALL .
Oa) And they led Jesus away to the
high priest; and there come together with
him all the chief priests and the ELDERS
and the scribes.
JD And Peter had followed Him afsr
on. even within, into the court OF the
high priest; and he was sitting with the
officers. and warming himself In the light
Of the FIRE.
(e0 And as Peter was beneath In the
court, there cometh one Of the maids OF
the high priest.
Cs0 And seeing Peter warming him
self. she looked upon him. and saith.
Thou also vast with the Nazarene, even
Jesus
(s0 But he denied. saying. neither
know, nor understand what thou sayest'
and he went out into the porch; ana the
cock crew.
Cs0 And the maid saw him. and began
again to say to them that stood by This
Is one Of them.
CT0 but he again denied It. And after
little while again they that stood oy
said to Peter, OF a truth thou are one OF
them; for thou are a Galilean.
tCl, But he began to curse and 10
swear. know not this man OF whom ye
speak.
C79 And straightway the second time
the cock crew. And Peter called to mind
the word. how that Jesus said unto him.
Before the cock crow twice, thou shalt
deny Ne thrice. And when he thought
thereon. he wept.
The Narrative.
The story Of Peters failure Is a sad
one. The paragraphs selected from the
Gospel of Mark give US that story In
clear outline. II, as is most probable
this Gospel is largely Peters own, then
n. "A - L.. h. Falling
the story.
The first paragraph brings US to the
scene outside the upper room, and ap-
parently on the way to Gethsemane. II
this was SO, there was repeated In effect
what had already transpired during the
Paschai discourses, the full account OF
which we find in the Gospel according 70
John II Is quite sufficient. however. for
an understanding of this failure that we
take the facts as they are given In these
paragraphs After the Passover feast,
and after the singing Of the hymn. Jesus
again distinctly told His disciples OF the
things that lay before HlmsHe told them,
moreover. that they would all be Of
Tended. This statement was followed by
Peters denial as he said, Although all
shall be offended, yet will not l. To
that the Lord repliedIby telling him that
even that night, before the cock should
crow twice. he would deny Him thrice;
and again Peter denied his Lord. as he
said. '1 will not deny Thee" The de-
nial OF Peter subsequently in the judg-
ment hall was prefaced by this denial Of
the truth OF his Masters assertions on
the way thither.
The second paragraph tells US the story
of his following Jesus afar. and yet with
in the courts OF the high priests palace.
There We see him warming. himself by
the side of the fire around which the ser
wants and soldiers OF the powers against
Christ were gathered. This was, to say
the least, a place Of grave danger.
The last paragraph gives US the final
scenes. While still at the fire. a serving |
msH looking at Peter said, Thou also !
WI with the NaZarene, even Jesus" |
Peter Immediately denied this, declaring I
that he neither knew. nor understood |
what she said. Having done 80, he left
the place OF the fire. and passing into |
the porch, heard the first Growing Of the
cock. There again the maid saw him, |
and this time. not speaking TO him but
10 those who stood by, said. This is one
of them" Again he denied II. After a
little while those standing round with
him. again declared that he must be one
Of the followers of Jesus. because he
was a Galilean. Then he reached the
iepths. as he swore that he did not know
Jesus. and accompanied his oath with
curses Again he heard the growing of
he cock. Strangely enough, as It seems
10 US. Mark does not record the look OF
Iesus. but only the growing OF the cock.
issociating the weeping Of Peter with
he effect produced by the memory OF
what his Master had said to him. III
The TeaehiaE.
When dealing with the story of Judas
,etween that story and this OF Peter.
n the case OF Peter everything happened
n a comparatively short space OF time,
md with terrific rapidity. Indeed, the
lescent commenced in a high and eX-
Llted state of mind. Again, We find the
uller account in the Gospel according to
ohm. II was during the wonderful eX-
'eriences OF the upper room. In that
DOM the Lord had washed the disciples
Get, thus giving to them the supreme
xample Of that humility and service
which they were to practice toward each
ther. After that, the PaschRl supper
vas observed. Judas was excluded. and
fe proceeded to give His final instruc-
Ions to these men in view Of His COM
ng departure. II was in the midst OF
his teaching. while sorrow filled their
carts, that Peter. in some sense blum
eringly. but nevertheless boldly, had
sked Him where He was going, and had
eclared that he was willing to die with
Tim. We have said that this was a
lundering boldness, but there is no
onht that It was well meant He was
devoted to his Lord, felt
lmself able to stand by Him in any diff
Guilty; and so far as His will was con-
erned, was prepared to die. II was then
hat Jesus told him of the coming fail
re. and that failure became definite in
Is first stages when in boastfulness he
enied his Lords assertions. OF course
here IL another sense in which all this
ad been prepared for at Caesarea Phil
'pl When mystihed by what his Mas
er said concerning the Cross, he had
iade his protest against It. Now event
rowded upon event so quickly and close
: that the man was swept from point
} point. almost irresistibly.
This swiftness of descent Is in itself a
'arning. High and noble aspirations
'hich carry US beyond the limits of His
ermission are always grave perils to
he spiritual life. The stages In the down.
ard course OF Peter are clearly marked.
he first was failure of faith, that is. OF
in his Lord. and was manifest
! Immediately after the great confess
on when he called into question what
esus said about the necessity for the
ross. This was followed by a spirit OF
oastfulness and self-assurance which II
Ianifested itself over again, and notably II
the declarations that though all for
,ok Him, he would not. Then came his
Iiiure to watch with his Lord in the
Dur Of the darkness OF Gethsemane. Fol- III
wing this, there was the attempt to II
AXE up in jealous activity what he II
cked in heart sympathy, as he drew II
s sword In defense OF Jesus. Being re-