John Calvin Commentary Matthew 26:70

"But he denied before them all, saying, I know not what thou sayest." — Matthew 26:70 (ASV)

But he denied before them all. This circumstance aggravates Peter's criminality—that in denying his Master, he did not even dread a multitude of witnesses.²³⁶ And the Spirit expressly intended to state this: that even the presence of people may encourage us to hold fast to the confession of faith. For if we deny Christ before the weak, they are shaken by our example, and give way; and so we destroy as many souls as we can. But if, in the presence of those who wickedly despise God and oppose the Gospel, we withhold from Christ the testimony that is due to him, we expose his sacred name to everyone's ridicule. In short, just as a bold and open confession edifies all the godly²³⁷ and puts unbelievers to shame, so apostasy brings with it the public ruin of faith in the Church and the reproach of sound doctrine. Therefore, the more eminent a person is, the more careful they ought to be to be on guard; for their elevation makes it impossible for them to fall from it without doing greater harm.

I know not what thou sayest. The form of denial recorded here sufficiently shows that the wretched sophists—who endeavor to escape by ambiguous expressions, which they turn into a variety of meanings when called to give an account of their faith—gain nothing by their fraudulent dexterity. Peter does not absolutely deny the whole doctrine of the Gospel; he only denies that he knew the man; but, because in the person of Christ he indirectly buries the light of the promised redemption, he is charged with base and shameful treachery. Yet recently he had heard from the Lord's own mouth that the confession of faith is a sacrifice acceptable to God; and therefore a way of denying, which withholds from God his lawful worship, and from Christ the honor that is due to him, admits of no excuse. Let us therefore hold that as soon as we depart from a plain and candid profession of Christ, we deprive him of the testimony to which he has a lawful claim.

²³⁶ “Qu’il n’a point craint de renier son Maistre, mesmement en la presence d tant de tesmoins;” — “that he did not fear to deny his Master, even in the presence of so many witnesses.”;” — “that he did not fear to deny his Master, even in the presence of so many witnesses.”

²³⁷ “Tous enfans de Dieu;” — “all the children of God.”;” — “all the children of God.”