Matthew vs Mark vs Luke vs John: Peter’s three denials
Video: “13 More Bible Contradictions” by Holy Koolaid
The texts in question are Matthew 26:69-75, Mark 14:66-72, Luke 22:54-62, and John 18:15-18, 25-27
Mr. Koolaid said,
“Shortly after His triumphal entry into Jerusalem, Jesus is arrested and His disciples flee for their lives, but one disciple, Peter, follows behind at a distance. In each Gospel, Jesus predicted that Peter would disown Him three times. In Mark, Jesus is accused of being one of Jesus’ disciples by a slave girl, then by the same slave girl, then by a crowd of people. In Matthew it’s a slave girl and then a different slave girl, then a crowd of people. In Luke it’s a slave girl and then a man, and then another man. In John it’s a unspecified [sic] girl at the door, several anonymous people, and then one of the high priests servants. I mean, I guess Peter could have just denied Jesus a half a dozen times, except that Jesus specifically specified that it would happen three times.”
Here is how it lays out according to each denial, chronologically in each of the four Gospels:
Matthew 26:69-75:
1) a servant girl: “a servant-girl came to him”
2) another servant-girl: “another servant-girl saw him and said to those who were there”
3) bystanders: “A little later the bystanders came up and said to Peter,”
Mark 14:66-72:
1) one of the servant girls: “one of the servant-girls of the high priest came”
2) the servant girl: “The servant-girl saw him, and began once more to say to the bystanders,”
3) bystanders: “And after a little while the bystanders were again saying to Peter,”
Luke 22:54-62:
1) a servant girl: “a servant-girl, seeing him as he sat in the firelight and looking intently at him, said,”
2) another [man*]: “A little later, another saw him and said,”
3) a man: “After about an hour had passed, another man began to insist, saying,”
* since the Greek word is masculine it probably refers to a man
John 18:15-18, 25-27:
1) the slave girl: “Then the slave-girl who kept the door said to Peter,”
2) they: “So they said to him,”
3) slave: “One of the slaves of the high priest, being a relative of the one whose ear Peter cut off, said,”
Below, I put the scriptures together into a single composite narrative:
First denial:
Luke 22:54 Having arrested Him, they led Him away and brought Him to the house of the high priest; but Peter was following at a distance Matt. 26:58 as far as the courtyard of the high priest John 18:15-16 and so was another disciple. Now that disciple was known to the high priest, and entered with Jesus into the court of the high priest but Peter was standing at the door outside. So the other disciple, who was known to the high priest, went out and spoke to the doorkeeper, and brought Peter in. Luke 22:55 After they had kindled a fire in the middle of the courtyard and had sat down together, Peter was sitting among them Mark 14:54 with the officers and warming himself at the fire, John 18:18 for it was cold and they were warming themselves; and Peter was also with them.
Mark 14:66 As Peter was below in the courtyard, one of the servant-girls of the high priest John 18:17 who kept the door Mark 14:66-67 came, and seeing Peter warming himself Luke 22:56 as he sat in the firelight and looking intently at him said, “This man was with Him too. Mark 14:67 You also were with Jesus the Nazarene. John 18:17 You are not also one of this man’s disciples, are you?” Matthew 26:70 But he denied it before them all, saying, Luke 22:57 “Woman, I do not know Him. Mark 14:68 I neither know nor understand what you are talking about.” And he went out onto the porch.
Second denial:
Luke 22:58 A little later, Matthew 26:71 when he had gone out to the gateway, Mark 14:69 the servant-girl saw him, and began once more to say to the bystanders, “This is one of them!” Luke 22:58 Another saw him and said, “You are one of them too!” Matthew 26:71-72 Another servant-girl saw him and said to those who were there, “This man was with Jesus of Nazareth.” John 18:25 So they said to him, “You are not also one of His disciples, are you?” He denied it, and said, “I am not.”
Third denial
Matthew 26:73 A little later, Luke 22:59 after about an hour had passed, Matthew 26:73 the bystanders came up and said to Peter, “surely you too are one of them Mark 14:70 for you are a Galilean too, Matthew 26:73 for even the way you talk gives you away.” Luke 22:59 Another man began to insist, saying, “Certainly this man also was with Him, for he is a Galilean too.” John 18:26-27 One of the slaves of the high priest, being a relative of the one whose ear Peter cut off, said, “Did I not see you in the garden with Him?” Peter then denied it again, and Mark 14:71-72 he began to curse and swear, “I do not know this man you are talking about!” Immediately a rooster crowed a second time. Luke 22:61 The Lord turned and looked at Peter. Mark 14:72 And Peter remembered how Jesus had made the remark to him, “Before a rooster crows twice, you will deny Me three times.” And he began to weep. Luke 22:62 And he went out and wept bitterly.
I guess Mr. Koolaid was just too lazy to do the work in consideration of how the four Gospels line up harmoniously, so I had to do it for him. Like I’ve said a few times before, many atheists are just too lazy to do the work.