Denial

Lectionary readings

36 Simon Peter said to Him, "Lord, where are You going?" Jesus answered, "Where I go, you cannot follow Me now; but you shall follow later."
37 Peter said to Him, "Lord, why can I not follow You right now? I will lay down my life for You."
38 Jesus answered, "Will you lay down your life for Me? Truly, truly, I say to you, a cock shall not crow, until you deny Me three times.

I was always taught that the apostles did not understand and did not accept that Jesus was going to die.  And to some extent I still think that is true: it seems they did not grasp fully what Jesus was saying to them, and of course when He was raised this seems to have been completely unexpected to them, as if they quit listening the minute He said "betrayed into the hands of sinful men and killed," because this was impossible and unthinkable, and then they never got to "

But then there are moments like this when Peter does seem to get it.  He would go lay down his life for Jesus, he would even be willing to die with Him.

Of course, he wasn't really willing.  Not really.  Not yet.