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Luke 22

Now the feast of unleavened bread drew nigh, which is called the Passover.

And the chief priests and scribes sought how they might kill him; for they feared the people.

Then entered Satan into Judas surnamed Iscariot, being of the number of the twelve.

And he went his way, and communed with the chief priests and captains, how he might betray him unto them.

And they were glad, and covenanted to give him money.

And he promised, and sought opportunity to betray him unto them in the absence of the multitude.

Then came the day of unleavened bread, when the passover must be killed.

And he sent Peter and John, saying, Go and prepare us the passover, that we may eat.

And they said unto him, Where wilt thou that we prepare?

And he said unto them, Behold, when ye are entered into the city, there shall a man meet you, bearing a pitcher of water; follow him into the house where he entereth in.

And ye shall say unto the goodman of the house, The Master saith unto thee, Where is the guestchamber, where I shall eat the passover with my disciples?

And he shall shew you a large upper room furnished: there make ready.

And they went, and found as he had said unto them: and they made ready the passover.

And when the hour was come, he sat down, and the twelve apostles with him.

And he said unto them, With desire I have desired to eat this passover with you before I suffer:

For I say unto you, I will not any more eat thereof, until it be fulfilled in the kingdom of God.

And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and said, Take this, and divide it among yourselves:

For I say unto you, I will not drink of the fruit of the vine, until the kingdom of God shall come.

And he took bread, and gave thanks, and brake it, and gave unto them, saying, This is my body which is given for you: this do in remembrance of me.

Likewise also the cup after supper, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood, which is shed for you.

But, behold, the hand of him that betrayeth me is with me on the table.

And truly the Son of man goeth, as it was determined: but woe unto that man by whom he is betrayed!

And they began to inquire among themselves, which of them it was that should do this thing.

And there was also a strife among them, which of them should be accounted the greatest.

And he said unto them, The kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship over them; and they that exercise authority upon them are called benefactors.

But ye shall not be so: but he that is greatest among you, let him be as the younger; and he that is chief, as he that doth serve.

For whether is greater, he that sitteth at meat, or he that serveth? is not he that sitteth at meat? but I am among you as he that serveth.

Ye are they which have continued with me in my temptations.

And I appoint unto you a kingdom, as my Father hath appointed unto me;

That ye may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom, and sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel.

And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat:

But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren.

And he said unto him, Lord, I am ready to go with thee, both into prison, and to death.

And he said, I tell thee, Peter, the cock shall not crow this day, before that thou shalt thrice deny that thou knowest me.

And he said unto them, When I sent you without purse, and scrip, and shoes, lacked ye any thing? And they said, Nothing.

Then said he unto them, But now, he that hath a purse, let him take it, and likewise his scrip: and he that hath no sword, let him sell his garment, and buy one.

For I say unto you, that this that is written must yet be accomplished in me, And he was reckoned among the transgressors: for the things concerning me have an end.

And they said, Lord, behold, here are two swords. And he said unto them, It is enough.

And he came out, and went, as he was wont, to the mount of Olives; and his disciples also followed him.

And when he was at the place, he said unto them, Pray that ye enter not into temptation.

And he was withdrawn from them about a stone's cast, and kneeled down, and prayed,

Saying, Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done.

And there appeared an angel unto him from heaven, strengthening him.

And being in an agony he prayed more earnestly: and his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground.

And when he rose up from prayer, and was come to his disciples, he found them sleeping for sorrow,

And said unto them, Why sleep ye? rise and pray, lest ye enter into temptation.

And while he yet spake, behold a multitude, and he that was called Judas, one of the twelve, went before them, and drew near unto Jesus to kiss him.

But Jesus said unto him, Judas, betrayest thou the Son of man with a kiss?

When they which were about him saw what would follow, they said unto him, Lord, shall we smite with the sword?

And one of them smote the servant of the high priest, and cut off his right ear.

And Jesus answered and said, Suffer ye thus far. And he touched his ear, and healed him.

Then Jesus said unto the chief priests, and captains of the temple, and the elders, which were come to him, Be ye come out, as against a thief, with swords and staves?

When I was daily with you in the temple, ye stretched forth no hands against me: but this is your hour, and the power of darkness.

Then took they him, and led him, and brought him into the high priest's house. And Peter followed afar off.

And when they had kindled a fire in the midst of the hall, and were set down together, Peter sat down among them.

But a certain maid beheld him as he sat by the fire, and earnestly looked upon him, and said, This man was also with him.

And he denied him, saying, Woman, I know him not.

And after a little while another saw him, and said, Thou art also of them. And Peter said, Man, I am not.

And about the space of one hour after another confidently affirmed, saying, Of a truth this fellow also was with him: for he is a Galilaean.

And Peter said, Man, I know not what thou sayest. And immediately, while he yet spake, the cock crew.

And the Lord turned, and looked upon Peter. And Peter remembered the word of the Lord, how he had said unto him, Before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice.

And Peter went out, and wept bitterly.

And the men that held Jesus mocked him, and smote him.

And when they had blindfolded him, they struck him on the face, and asked him, saying, Prophesy, who is it that smote thee?

And many other things blasphemously spake they against him.

And as soon as it was day, the elders of the people and the chief priests and the scribes came together, and led him into their council, saying,

Art thou the Christ? tell us. And he said unto them, If I tell you, ye will not believe:

And if I also ask you, ye will not answer me, nor let me go.

Hereafter shall the Son of man sit on the right hand of the power of God.

Then said they all, Art thou then the Son of God? And he said unto them, Ye say that I am.

And they said, What need we any further witness? for we ourselves have heard of his own mouth.

What does Luke 22:61 mean?

Explanation

Luke 22:61 depicts a pivotal moment where Jesus, despite being in custody and facing interrogation, turns his attention to Peter following Peter's denial of him.

Leading up to this verse, Peter had been warned by Jesus during the Last Supper that he would deny knowing Jesus three times before the rooster crowed the following morning.

Despite Peter's fervent assertions that he would never do such a thing, the prophecy unfolds precisely as Jesus had predicted.

As the rooster crows, signifying Peter's third denial, Jesus turns and their eyes meet, causing Peter to remember Jesus' earlier words.

This moment is heavy with significance as it highlights Peter's human weakness and vulnerability, as well as Jesus' foreknowledge and the fulfillment of prophecy.

It also denotes a moment of personal revelation and remorse for Peter, and it serves as a sobering reminder of Jesus' impending passion.

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Historical Context

This moment captured in Luke 22:61 takes place during the events leading up to the crucifixion of Jesus.

The setting is first-century Jerusalem, shortly after Jesus' arrest on the night of the Passover feast.

During this time, the Jewish leaders had become increasingly hostile towards Jesus and his teachings, which they perceived as a threat to their religious authority and the stability of their relationship with the Roman rulers.

Peter's denial occurs in the courtyard of the high priest where Jesus was taken to be questioned before being handed over to the Roman authorities.

The act of denying Jesus was likely motivated by fear of association and the potential consequences that could come with being identified as a follower of Jesus.

Theological Insights

From a theological standpoint, this verse reveals several profound truths:

Human Frailty: It illustrates the weakness of human nature even among the most devoted followers of Christ.
Divine Foreknowledge: Jesus' precise prediction of Peter's denials indicates his divine insight and omniscience.
The Nature of Repentance: The way Jesus looks at Peter can be interpreted as an offer of grace and an invitation to repentance.
Fulfillment of Prophecy: This event is seen as part of the fulfillment of Old Testament prophecies concerning the Messiah and his sufferings.

Various denominations will focus on different aspects of these insights, such as the mercy given by Jesus despite Peter's failings or the role of prophecy in understanding Jesus' mission.

Practical Applications

The account of Peter's denial and the subsequent look from Jesus provides several practical applications for daily life:

Humility: Recognizing that all individuals have the capacity to fail morally, regardless of their confidence.
Forgiveness: Understanding the power of forgiveness that Jesus models by not condemning Peter.
Repentance: Encouraging believers to repent and turn back to their faith in times of failure.
Vigilance: Reinforcing the need for spiritual vigilance to avoid falling into temptation.

Cross-References

Matthew 26:34 - "Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, That this night, before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice."
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."
John 13:38 - "Jesus answered him, Wilt thou lay down thy life for my sake? Verily, verily, I say unto thee, The cock shall not crow, till thou hast denied me thrice."

Language Study

In the original Greek text, the word for "looked upon" is "emblepō," which conveys more than a mere glance; it implies a fixed, penetrating gaze that is filled with meaning.

The word for "remembered" is "mnaomai," evoking a powerful recollection, almost a re-experiencing of the earlier warning from Jesus.

"Cock" refers to the rooster, and in the cultural context, the rooster's crow marked the end of the night and the beginning of a new day.

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

The theme of denial and subsequent regret can be found in many cultural and religious stories.

For example, in Greek mythology, characters often experience a moment of "anagnorisis," or recognition, leading to a change in their understanding or behavior.

In other religious traditions, the idea of remembering a prophet's or deity's words after a transgression is common, highlighting the universal themes of human fallibility and the potential for redemption.

Scientific Perspectives

In terms of scientific perspectives, modern psychology has much to say about the phenomena of denial and memory, as depicted in this verse.

The pressure of a high-stress situation can lead people to act contrary to their professed beliefs or intentions.

The psychophysiology behind eye contact and memory recall is also a significant area of study which confirms the potential for a gaze to trigger intense emotional and cognitive responses.

Commentaries

Various biblical commentaries offer different interpretations of this verse:

Traditional commentaries often focus on the dramatic irony of Peter's confident assertion that he would never deny Jesus, only to do so shortly afterward, demonstrating the fulfilment of Jesus' prophecy.
Some commentators point out the mercy in Jesus' gaze, interpreting it as a look of forgiveness rather than condemnation.
Others emphasize the personal nature of the encounter between Jesus and Peter, suggesting that it was a moment meant for Peter's transformation and growth, setting the foundation for his future role in the early church.

Luke 22

Luke 22

What does Luke 22:61 mean?

Explanation

Top Rated Luke Books

Historical Context

Theological Insights

Practical Applications

Cross-References

Language Study

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

Scientific Perspectives

Commentaries

Want more context?

What does Luke 22:61 mean?

Explanation

Top Rated Luke Books

Historical Context

Theological Insights

Practical Applications

Cross-References

Language Study

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

Scientific Perspectives

Commentaries

Want more context?