“Let Not Your Heart Be Troubled”
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their self-confidence they denied the repeated statement of Him who
knew. They were unprepared for the test; when temptation should
overtake them, they would understand their own weakness.
When Peter said he would follow his Lord to prison and to death,
he meant it, every word of it; but he did not know himself. Hidden in
his heart were elements of evil that circumstances would fan into life.
Unless he was made conscious of his danger, these would prove his
eternal ruin. The Saviour saw in him a self-love and assurance that
would overbear even his love for Christ. Much of infirmity, of unmor-
tified sin, carelessness of spirit, unsanctified temper, heedlessness in
entering into temptation, had been revealed in his experience. Christ’s
solemn warning was a call to heart searching. Peter needed to distrust
himself, and to have a deeper faith in Christ. Had he in humility re-
ceived the warning, he would have appealed to the Shepherd of the
flock to keep His sheep. When on the Sea of Galilee he was about
to sink, he cried, “Lord, save me.”
Matthew 14:30
. Then the hand
of Christ was outstretched to grasp his hand. So now if he had cried
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to Jesus, Save me from myself, he would have been kept. But Peter
felt that he was distrusted, and he thought it cruel. He was already
offended, and he became more persistent in his self-confidence.
Jesus looks with compassion on His disciples. He cannot save them
from the trial, but He does not leave them comfortless. He assures
them that He is to break the fetters of the tomb, and that His love for
them will not fail. “After I am risen again,” He says, “I will go before
you into Galilee.”
Matthew 26:32
. Before the denial, they have the
assurance of forgiveness. After His death and resurrection, they knew
that they were forgiven, and were dear to the heart of Christ.
Jesus and the disciples were on the way to Gethsemane, at the foot
of Mount Olivet, a retired spot which He had often visited for medita-
tion and prayer. The Saviour had been explaining to His disciples His
mission to the world, and the spiritual relation to Him which they were
to sustain. Now He illustrates the lesson. The moon is shining bright,
and reveals to Him a flourishing grapevine. Drawing the attention of
the disciples to it, He employs it as a symbol.
“I am the true Vine,” He says. Instead of choosing the graceful
palm, the lofty cedar, or the strong oak, Jesus takes the vine with its
clinging tendrils to represent Himself. The palm tree, the cedar, and the
oak stand alone. They require no support. But the vine entwines about