Jesus was before the Sanhedrin—the Jewish religious leaders—and they wanted to get rid of Him. Forget evidence. When you hate someone and you’re jealous of him, you don’t need evidence. You’ll make it up out of thin air. These men were jealous of Jesus, case closed. So “they all condemned Him as worthy of death” (Mark 14:64, NIV).

At that point “some began to spit at him; they blindfolded him, struck him with their fists, and said, ‘Prophesy!’ And the guards took him and beat him” (Mark 14:65, NIV).

Now Peter had followed Jesus at a distance after His arrest, “right into the courtyard of the high priest” (Mark 14:54, NIV). He sat there by the fire, waiting to see what would happen to Jesus.

“One of the servant girls of the high priest came by. When she saw Peter warming himself, she looked closely at him. ‘You also were with that Nazarene, Jesus,’ she said. But he denied it. ‘I don’t know or understand what you’re talking about,’ he said, and went out into the entryway” (Mark 14:66–68, NIV). He had to keep moving, because he was getting a little nervous.

“When the servant girl saw him there, she said again to those standing around, ‘This fellow is one of them.’ Again he denied it. After a little while, those standing near said to Peter, ‘Surely you are one of them, for you are a Galilean’” (Mark 14:69–70, NIV). The Galileans, when they spoke Aramaic, had an accent, and that gave Peter away. It’s like how we know someone is a Southerner when they say, “Hey y’all!”

But Peter “began to call down curses, and he swore to them, ‘I don’t know this man you’re talking about.’ Immediately the rooster crowed the second time. Then Peter remembered the word Jesus had spoken to him: ‘Before the rooster crows twice you will disown me three times.’ And he broke down and wept” (Mark 14:71–72, NIV).

Now another Gospel says that when the rooster crowed, Jesus “looked straight at Peter” (Luke 22:61, NIV). Peter had boasted earlier, “I’ll always be with You, Lord. These other guys, they’re shaky, but I’m a rock with You, Christ.” But now he had failed Jesus, just as the Lord had said he would. And Jesus turned and looked at him.

How do you think Jesus looked at him?

Have you ever heard the saying, “If looks could kill”? A barber I went to years ago told me how he had cut off a car on the highway once, not knowing whose it was. “Listen, Jimmy,” the barber told me. “The guy had his driver come up right next to my car, and he just looked at me.” That’s when the barber realized it was a famous gangster. “Listen,” he told me. “I almost died on the spot because I realized it was Joey Gallo. Joey Gallo gave me the look of death.”

Do you think Jesus gave Peter the look of death? I mean, everything He had said to Peter had come true: Peter had let Him down, fled, and denied the Lord. Or maybe Jesus’ look was more along the lines of disbelief, like, “If these are my friends, who needs enemies?”

It was neither.

Jesus gave Peter a look of such compassion—like He gives us when we fail—that it made Peter go out and weep.

It’s Jesus’ love that breaks us. Am I right, brothers and sisters? It’s not harshness, or Jesus yelling judgment at us. That doesn’t break us. It’s Jesus’ compassion, His mercy, His patience.

How patient has Jesus been with you? Don’t rush off after reading this devotion—stop and think about it. That’s what overwhelms me. That’s what makes me weep when I’m worshiping God. My mother cried too when she worshiped. I don’t cry because I’m sad; it’s the thought of my unworthiness and Jesus’ goodness that undoes me.

The Lord looks at us with love and compassion. Hallelujah. Thank You, Jesus.

Prayer

Jesus, we love You so much. We are unworthy of Your love and compassion. Thank You for forgiving us. Help us to turn from our failure and bitterness and instead embrace grace.

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