Matthew 26:34

Syriac Peshitta (NT Only)

ܐܳܡܰܪ ܠܶܗ ܝܶܫܽܘܥ ܐܰܡܺܝܢ ܐܳܡܰܪ ܐ݈ܢܳܐ ܠܳܟ݂ ܕ݁ܰܒ݂ܗܳܢܳܐ ܠܺܠܝܳܐ ܩܕ݂ܳܡ ܕ݁ܢܶܩܪܶܐ ܬ݁ܰܪܢܳܓ݂ܠܳܐ ܬ݁ܠܳܬ݂ ܙܰܒ݂ܢܺܝܢ ܬ݁ܶܟ݂ܦ݁ܽܘܪ ܒ݁ܺܝ ܀

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

That: Mark 14:30, Mark 14:31, Luke 22:34, John 13:38

Reciprocal: Matthew 26:70 - General Matthew 26:75 - remembered Mark 14:72 - the second Luke 22:61 - Before John 18:27 - and Romans 3:7 - if the truth 1 Corinthians 10:12 - General 1 Corinthians 11:23 - the same

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Jesus said unto him, verily I say unto thee,.... Christ, the more strongly to asseverate what he was about to say, uses the word verily, or prefixes his "Amen" to it, as being a certain truth, and what Peter might assure himself of would certainly come to pass:

that this night before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice; which is, as if he should say, thou wilt not only be offended because of me, and flee from me, and be scattered with the rest, as will be the case of all of you; but thou wilt deny that thou knowest me, that thou belongest to me, or hast any concern with me; and this thou wilt do not only once, but again and again, even three times, one after another, and that this very night, before the cock has done crowing. In Mark it is said, "that this day, even in this night, before the cock crow twice, thou shalt deny me thrice",

Mark 14:30; which may be reconciled with the words of Matthew, and the other evangelists, by observing, that the word "twice" is not in Beza's ancient copy, which he gave to the university of Cambridge, nor is it in the Ethiopic version; which if allowed to be the true reading, the difficulty is removed at once; but whereas it is in other copies, no stress must be laid on this, nor is there any need of it: for whereas the cock crows twice in the night, once at midnight, and again near break of day; and which latter crowing being louder, and more welcome, and most taken notice of, is, by way of eminence, called the cock crowing; and is what Matthew here has respect to, and so designs the same as Mark does; and the sense of both is, that before the cock crow a second time, which is most properly the cock crowing, Peter should three times deny his master, as he did; see Mark 13:35, where cock crowing is distinguished from midnight, the first time the cock crows, and means the second time of crowing; and where Mark is to be understood in the same sense as Matthew, and both entirely agree. So cock crowing and midnight are distinguished by the Jews, who say b,

"that on all other days they remove the ashes from the altar, בקריאת הגבר, "at cock crowing", or near unto it, whether before or after; but on the day of atonement,

מהצות, "at midnight":''

and who also speak of the cocks crowing a first and second, and even a third time c.

"Says R. Shila, he that begins his journey before cock crowing, his blood be upon his head. R. Josiah says, he may not proceed עד שישוב, "until he repeats"; that is, until he crows twice: and there are, who say, until he trebles it, or crows a third time: of what do they speak? of a middling one, i.e. which neither crows too soon, nor too late.''

b Misn. Yoma, c. 1. sect. 8. c T. Bab. Yoma, fol. 21. 1.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Jesus foretells the fall of Peter - This is also recorded in Mark 14:27-31; Luke 22:31-34; John 13:34-38.

Matthew 26:31

Then saith Jesus unto them - The occasion of his saying this was Peter’s bold affirmation that he was ready to die with him, John 13:36

Jesus had told them that he was going away - that is, was about to die. Peter asked him whither he was going. Jesus replied that he could not follow him then, but should afterward. Peter, not satisfied with that, said that he was ready to lay down his life for him. Then Jesus distinctly informed them that all of them would forsake him that very night.

All ye shall be offended because of me - See the notes at Matthew 5:29. This language means, here, you will all stumble at my being taken, abused, and set at naught; you will be ashamed to own me as a teacher, and to acknowledge yourselves as my disciples; or, my being betrayed will prove a snare to you all, so that you will be guilty of the sin of forsaking me, and, by your conduct, of denying me.

For it is written ... - See Zechariah 13:7. This is affirmed here to have reference to the Saviour, and to be fulfilled in him.

I will smite - This is the language of God the Father. I will smite means either that I will give him up to be smitten (compare Exodus 4:21 with Exodus 8:15, etc.), or that I will do it myself. Both of these things were done. God gave him up to the Jews and Romans, to be smitten for the sins of the world Romans 8:32; and he himself left him to deep and awful sorrows - to bear “the burden of the world’s atonement” alone. See Mark 15:34.

The Shepherd - The Lord Jesus - the Shepherd of his people, John 10:11, John 10:14. Compare the notes at Isaiah 40:11.

The sheep - This means here particularly “the apostles.” It also refers sometimes to all the followers of Jesus, the friends of God, John 10:16; Psalms 100:3.

Shall be scattered abroad - This refers to their fleeing, and it was fulfilled in that. See Matthew 26:56.

Matthew 26:32

But after I am risen ... - This promise was given them to encourage and support them, and also to give them an indication where he might be found.

He did not deny that he would first appear to a part of them before he met them all together (compare Luke 24:13-31, Luke 24:34; 1 Corinthians 15:5), but that he would meet them all in Galilee. This was done. See Mark 16:7; Matthew 28:16.

Galilee - See the notes at Matthew 2:22.

Matthew 26:33

Peter answered ... Though all men ... - The word “men” is improperly inserted here by the translators. Peter meant only to affirm this of “the disciples.” This confidence of Peter was entirely characteristic. He was ardent, sincere, and really attached to his Master. Yet this declaration was made evidently:

1.From true love to Jesus;

2.From too much reliance upon his own strength;

3.From ignorance of himself, and of the trials which he was soon to pass through.

And it most impressively teaches us:

1.That no strength of attachment to Jesus can justify such confident promises of fidelity, made without dependence on him.

2.That all promises to adhere to him should be made relying on him for aid.

3.That we little know how feeble we are until we are tried.

4.That Christians may be left to great and disgraceful sins to show them their weakness.

Luke adds that Jesus said to Peter that Satan had desired to have him, that he might sift him as wheat - that is, that he might thoroughly test him. But Jesus says that he had prayed for him that his faith should not fail, and charged him when he was “converted” - that is, when he was “turned” from this sin - to strengthen his brethren; to wit, by teaching them to take warning by his example. See the notes at Luke 22:31-33.

Matthew 26:34

This night - This was in the “evening” when this was spoken, after the observance of the Passover, and, we may suppose, near nine o’clock p.m.

Before the cock crow - Mark and Luke add, before the cock crowed twice. The cock is accustomed to crow twice once at midnight, and once in the morning at break of day. The latter was commonly called cock-crowing. See Mark 13:35. This was the time familiarly known as “the cock-crowing,” and of this Matthew and John speak, without referring to the other. Mark and Luke speak of the “second” crowing, and mean the same time, so that there is no contradiction between them.

Deny me thrice - That is, as Luke adds, deny that “thou knowest” me. See Matthew 26:74.

Matthew 26:35

Will I not deny thee - Will not deny my connection with thee, or that I knew thee.

“All” the disciples said the same thing, and all fled at the approach of danger, “forsaking” their Master and Friend, and practically denying that they knew him, Matthew 26:56.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 34. Jesus said — Our Lord's answer to Peter is very emphatic and impressive. Verily - I speak a solemn weighty truth, thou wilt not only be stumbled, fall off, and forsake thy Master, but thou wilt even deny that thou hast, or ever had, any knowledge of or connection with me; and this thou wilt do, not by little and little, through a long process of time, till the apostasy, daily gathering strength, shall be complete; but thou wilt do it this very night, and that not once only, but thrice; and this thou wilt do also in the earlier part of the night, before even a cock shall crow. Was not this warning enough to him not to trust in his own strength, but to depend on God?