Mark 14:72 And the second time the cock crew. And Peter called to mind the word that Jesus said to him, Before the cock crow twice… That the cock crew again was an ordinary and natural thing, but at this time ordained for a special end. 1. To put Peter in mind of his promise. 2. To bear witness to the words of Christ, which Peter will not, till now, believe to be true. 3. To reprove Peter of His sin. 4. To accuse Peter to his own conscience. He needs the voice of a cock to help him out of his sin! He is admonished by this voice, that the silly cock kept his watch, according to the word of his Creator; but Peter has not kept his watch with his Lord, but fearfully fallen in his station. I. THE TIME OF PETER'S REPENTANCE. "Then." The fittest time for repentance is immediately after the sin, without delay. 1. Consider the exhortation in Hebrews 3:7. Hast thou a lease of thy life till tomorrow, that thou refusest to repent today? 2. Sin gets strength by continuance. 3. Nature teaches in other things to take the fittest season; to sow in seed time, to make hay while the sun shines, to take wind and tide which wait for no man. Let grace teach thee to know thy season, thy day of visitation. 4. Late repentance is seldom true repentance. II. THE MEANS OF PETER'S REPENTANCE. 1. External. (1) The crowing of the cock. (2) The looking back of Christ. 2. Internal. (1) Remembering the Lord's words. (2) Weighing the Lord's words. (Dr. Thomas Taylor.) Parallel Verses KJV: And the second time the cock crew. And Peter called to mind the word that Jesus said unto him, Before the cock crow twice, thou shalt deny me thrice. And when he thought thereon, he wept. |
    |