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John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Matthew 26:69

Verse 69 Matthew 26:69.A maid came to him. Here we see that there is no necessity for a severe contest, or for many forces or implements of war, to overpower a man; for any man, who is not supported by the hand of God, will instantly fall by a slight gale or the rustling of a falling leaf. Peter undoubtedly was not less courageous than any of us, and he had already given no ordinary proof of his valor, though it was exercised in a rash and improper manner; and yet he does not wait until he is... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Matthew 26:70

Verse 70 70.But he denied before them all. This circumstance aggravates the criminality of Peter, that, in denying his Master, he did not even dread a multitude of witnesses. (236) And the Spirit intended expressly to state this, that even the presence of men may excite us to hold fast the confession of faith. For if we deny Christ before the weak, they are shaken by our example, and give way; and thus we destroy as many souls as we can; but if, in presence of those who wickedly despise God and... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Matthew 26:71

Verse 71 71.Another maid saw him. From the words of Mark we are rather led to conjecture that it was the same maid; at least he doesn’t state that it was a different maid from the former one. But there is no contradiction here; for it is probable that the statement which proceeded from one maid, flew from the lips of one to those of another, so that the first maid pointed him out to many persons and at several times, and others joined her in asserting that he was the person, and in spreading... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Matthew 26:72

Verse 72 72.And the second time he denied with an oath. It deserves attention, that Peter, after finding that he could not escape by a simple denial, doubles his crime by adding an oath; and a little after, when he is still more vehemently pressed, he proceeds even to cursing. Hence we infer that a sinner, after having once fallen, is always hurried on from bad to worse; so that those who begin with ordinary offenses afterwards rush headlong into the basest crimes, from which at first they... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Matthew 26:74

Verse 74 74.Then he began to curse and to swear. In this third denial, Peter’s unfaithfulness to his Master reached its utmost height. Not satisfied with swearing, he breaks out into cursing, by which he abandons his body and soul to destruction; for he prays that the curse of God may fall upon him, if he knows Christ. It is as much as if he had said, May I perish miserably, if I have any thing in common with the salvation of God! So much the more ought we to admire the goodness of Christ, who... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Matthew 26:75

Verse 75 75.And Peter remembered the word of Jesus. To the voice of the cock, Luke informs us, there was also added the look of Christ; for previously — as we learn from Mark — he had paid no attention to the cock when crowing. He must, therefore, have received the look from Christ, in order that he might come to himself. We all have experience of the same thing in ourselves; for which of us does not pass by with indifference and with deaf ears — I do not say the varied and numerous songs of... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Matthew 26:57-68

Jesus before Caiaphas, informally condemned to death. ( Mark 14:53-65 ; Luke 22:54 , Luke 22:63-65 ; John 18:24 .) read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Matthew 26:57-68

Christ before Caiaphas. The key to the examination of our Lord by Caiaphas is found in the fact that Caiaphas was the person who had declared it to be expedient that one man should die for the people. This, reduced from the high-sounding phraseology of an abstract maxim to its practical significance as a policy, meant that justice to individuals must not be too scrupulously cared for if the good of the state seems to require injustice; that at any cost of injustice to an individual the... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Matthew 26:57-68

The demoralized council. The tribunal before which Jesus was arraigned was composed of "all the chief priests," with the high priest at their head, and all the "elders and scribes." It was the Sanhedrin, by the Jews claimed to have originated in the time of Moses, and by learned critics acknowledged to have been at least as ancient as the time of Jonathan Maccabaeus. Once a venerable judicial assembly, it had now degenerated into a cabal. I. ITS COUNCILORS ARE MURDERERS . 1 .... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Matthew 26:57-75

The palace of Caiaphas. I. THE PRELIMINARY TRIAL . 1. The meeting of the Sanhedrin. St. John tells us that our Lord was led first before Annas, for a hasty informal examination. Perhaps it was thought that the astute Annas, with that snake-like cunning which was attributed to him, might elicit something which might tell against the Prisoner. But the craft of the old high priest and the brutality of his officers were alike unavailing; and the Lord was sent to Caiaphas. The... read more

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