Matthew 26:33

Peter answered and said unto him, Though all men shall be offended because of thee, yet will I never be offended.

EXPOSITORY (ENGLISH BIBLE)

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(33) Though all men shall be offended.—St. Matthew and St. Mark place the boast of Peter, and the prediction of his denial, after the disciples had left the guest-chamber; St. Luke (Luke 22:23) and St. John (John 13:37) agree in placing it before. It is barely possible that both may have been repeated, but the more probable hypothesis is, that we have here an example of the natural dislocation of the exact order of events that followed one upon another in rapid sequence, and at a time when men’s minds were heavy with confused sorrow.

Benson Commentary

Matthew 26:33-35. Peter answered and said — According to Luke 22:31, our Lord had warned Peter before they left the house, of a violent assault which would be made upon him by Satan; and on Peter’s declaring his readiness to go with Christ to prison and death, Christ had warned him that he would be overcome by the temptation, and would fall. Peter, therefore, now recollecting what Christ had said to him before, and being grieved afresh to find his Master still entertaining such thoughts of him, the vehemence of his temper hurried him to boast a second time of his courageous and close attachment to Jesus. He answered, Though all men shall be offended, &c. — In this protestation, Peter, no doubt, was sincere. Nevertheless, he was greatly to blame for not paying a due attention to his Master’s repeated predictions of his fall; for the preference which he gave himself above his brethren; and for leaning to his own strength, instead of begging assistance of him from whom all human sufficiency is derived. Wherefore, to make him sensible of the pride of his heart, his self- confidence, and carnal security, which Jesus knew would produce unwatchfulness and neglect of prayer, he thought fit to forewarn him of his danger again, and in stronger terms, saying, Verily, this night, before the cock crow — Or rather, before the cock-crowing, that is, before three in the morning, the usual time of cock-crowing; although one cock was heard to crow once after Peter’s first denial of his Lord. Peter — However, not convinced of his weakness, or that any temptation could make him guilty of such base conduct, said — with still greater confidence and vehemence; Though I should die with thee, yet will I not deny thee — And, doubtless, so he thought. Likewise said all the disciples — They all joined Peter in professing their fixed resolution of suffering death, rather than they would deny their Master; yet the event was exactly as Jesus had foretold, and foreknew it certainly would be; nevertheless such was his tenderness, that he would not aggravate their sin by making any reply. From this circumstance we learn how ignorant men frequently are of themselves, and that to be pious and virtuous, it is not sufficient to form the strongest resolutions.

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

26:31-35 Improper self-confidence, like that of Peter, is the first step to a fall. There is a proneness in all of us to be over-confident. But those fall soonest and foulest, who are the most confident in themselves. Those are least safe, who think themselves most secure. Satan is active to lead such astray; they are most off their guard: God leaves them to themselves, to humble them.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

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.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

Mt 26:31-35. The Desertion of Jesus by His Disciples, and the Denial of Peter Foretold. ( = Mr 14:27-31; Lu 22:31-38; Joh 13:36-38).

For the exposition, see on [1363]Lu 22:31-38.

Matthew Poole's Commentary

See Poole on "Matthew 26:35".

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

Peter answered and said unto him,.... Who was always a forward man, free to speak his mind, and was often the mouth of the rest; observing what Christ had affirmed concerning all of them, that that very night, in a very short space of time, they would be offended because of him; and knowing the strong love he had for Christ, and being persuaded it could never be his case, thus addresses him,

though all men shall be offended because of thee, yet will I never be offended: his sense is, that though all the men in the world, friends, and foes, though even all the rest of the disciples, who were his most intimate friends, most closely attached to him, and who dearly loved him, and sincerely believed in him, should be so stumbled at what should befall him, as to flee from him, and be tempted to relinquish his cause, and interest; yet nothing should ever cause him, in the least, to stumble and fall, to desert him, or hesitate about him, or cause him to take the least umbrage and offence at what might come upon him; and this he was positive of would be the case, not only that night, but ever after. No doubt he said this in the sincerity of his heart, and out of his great fervour of affection for Christ; but what he failed in, was trusting to his own strength, being self-confident; and in entertaining greater opinion of himself, and his steady attachment to Christ, than of the rest of the disciples; and in contradicting what Christ had so strongly affirmed of them all, without any exception, and so of himself, and had confirmed by so glaring a prophecy concerning this matter.

Geneva Study Bible

Peter answered and said unto him, Though all men shall be offended because of thee, yet will I never be offended.

EXEGETICAL (ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)

Expositor's Greek Testament

Matthew 26:33. εἰ πάντες σκανδαλισθήσονται, if, or although, all shall be offended; the future implies great probability of the case sussposed; Peter is willing to concede the likelihood of the assertion in reference to all the rest.—ἐγὼ οὐδέποτε, I, never, vehemently spoken and truly, so far as he knows himself; sincere in feeling, but weaker than he is aware of.

Bengel's Gnomen

Matthew 26:33.[1142] ΕἸ ΚΑῚ ΠΆΝΤΕς, Κ.Τ.Λ., Even though all, etc.) He might rather have said—“Even though no one else should deny Thee, yet I will do so.”—οὐδέποτε, never) Not merely, not this night.

[1142] The word καὶ is pronounced by the margin of both Ed. spurious; but the Germ. Vers, answers to the Gnomon.—E. B.

ABCDabc omit καὶ, reading only εἰ. Vulg., however, has “etsi:” and Orig. 4, 412c; 437a, Hil. 742d read εἰ καὶ.—ED.

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 33. - Peter answered and said unto him. This self-confident answer seems to have been made after he had received the warning recorded by St. Luke (Luke 22:31), "Simon, Simon, behold, Satan asked to have you, that he might sift you as wheat; but I made supplication for thee, that thy faith fail not." He cannot believe that he, the rock man, can be guilty of such defection. Though all [men] shall be offended because of (ἐν, ver. 31) thee. The addition of "men" in the Authorized Version alters the intended meaning. Peter contrasts himself with his fellow disciples. Though they all should fall away, he, at any rate, would remain steadfast. He could not endure to be included in the "all ye" of Jesus' warning (ver. 31); and as for failing "this night," he will never at any time (οὐδέποτε) be offended in Christ. Commenting on his offence, St. Chrysostom says, "The matters of blame were two: both that he gainsaid Christ, and that he set himself before others; or, rather, a third, too, namely, that he attributed all to himself." Matthew 26:33