Luke 22:62 - Printer Friendly

ESV: And he went out and wept bitterly.

NIV: And he went outside and wept bitterly.

NASB: And he went out and wept bitterly.

CSB: And he went outside and wept bitterly.

NLT: And Peter left the courtyard, weeping bitterly.

KJV: And Peter went out, and wept bitterly.

NKJV: So Peter went out and wept bitterly.

Jesus had warned Peter that Satan had asked to tempt the disciples to abandon Jesus. God agreed. But Jesus prayed that Peter would return and encourage the future church leaders, to build their faith again. Peter refused to believe he would ever deny Jesus. Jesus responded that before the rooster crowed, Peter would deny him three times (Luke 22:31–34).

Jesus' prophesy has come true. The disciples have scattered (Matthew 26:56). Peter has followed the mob that took Jesus all the way into the courtyard of the high priest (John 18:15–16). But in fear for his life, Peter has denied that he knows Jesus three times. The third time, Jesus looks at him, and Peter remembers (Luke 22:54–61).

Peter is heartbroken and isn't thinking about the second part of Jesus' prophecy. Jesus will rise again. He will restore Peter (John 21:15–17). After Jesus' ascension, Peter will build up Jesus' followers. First, he'll lead them into finding a replacement for Judas (Acts 1:12–26). Then, filled with the Holy Spirit, he will preach to thousands at Pentecost (Acts 2). When the Sanhedrin tells him to stop teaching about Jesus' resurrection, he'll ignore them (Acts 4:18–22). When they beat him, he'll rejoice (Acts 5:27–42). Even when he missteps (Galatians 2:11–14), he rights himself and leads the church to a better understanding of the gospel (Acts 15).

This day, he weeps bitterly. For three days, he will hide in fear (John 20:19). But that is not the end of Peter's story.

Luke 22:54–62 begins the account of Jesus' trials before the religious leaders. These continue through the end of the chapter (Luke 22:71). Peter tried to physically defend Jesus (Luke 22:49–50). Now, he stands next to a relative of the man he maimed (John 18:26). Matthew 26:58, 69–75, Mark 14:54, 66–72, and John 18:15–18, 25–27 heighten the tension by going back and forth between the religious authorities' attempts to destroy Jesus by getting Him to admit He is the Messiah and Peter's attempts to save himself by denying he follows Jesus.

Luke 22 is a long chapter which records events leading to Jesus' political trials and crucifixion. He has successfully taught crowds at the temple and proved His authority over the religious leaders (Luke 19:47—20). Meanwhile the leaders have spent the week planning to arrest Jesus and have Him killed (Luke 19:47–48). This chapter records the Last Supper, the arrest on the Mount of Olives, and the trials before the Jewish religious leaders. Matthew 26, Mark 14, and John 18 cover much of the same information.

Luke 23 continues Jesus' trials before Pilate and Herod Antipas. He is then led to the cross where He forgives His murderers and saves a thief before He dies. In Luke 24, Jesus rises from the dead, meets two disciples while they travel, and explains to them how the Old Testament prophesied the death of the Messiah. In the final scene of the gospel, Jesus is reunited with His disciples, blesses them, and ascends into heaven.

Luke was a traveling companion of Paul (Acts 16:10) and a physician (Colossians 4:14). Unlike Matthew, Mark, and John, Luke writes his gospel as an historian, rather than as a first-hand eyewitness. His extensive writings also include the book of Acts (Acts 1:1–3). These are deliberately organized, carefully researched accounts of those events. The gospel of Luke focuses on the earthly ministry of Jesus Christ. Luke's Gentile perspective presents Christ as a Savior for all people, offering both forgiveness and direction to those who follow Him.