(72) When he thought thereon.--The Greek word is a somewhat peculiar one, and means literally "throwing at," or "on." The English version assumes that it means "casting his mind or thoughts," just as "to reflect" is "to bend the mind," and is probably right. The marginal readings give two conjectures. Yet another may be found in the idea that the word describes St. Peter's action "casting himself down, he wept," but there is not enough authority for any other interpretation to justify a change in the text.
Verse 72. - And when he thought thereon, he wept (καὶ ἐπὶβαλὼν ἔκλαιε, not ἔκλαυςε,). The word implies a long and continued weeping. This concludes the preliminary trial, the whole proceedings of which were illegal.
14:66-72 Peter's denying Christ began by keeping at a distance from him. Those that are shy of godliness, are far in the way to deny Christ. Those who think it dangerous to be in company with Christ's disciples, because thence they may be drawn in to suffer for him, will find it much more dangerous to be in company with his enemies, because there they may be drawn in to sin against him. When Christ was admired and flocked after, Peter readily owned him; but will own no relation to him now he is deserted and despised. Yet observe, Peter's repentance was very speedy. Let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall; and let him that has fallen think of these things, and of his own offences, and return to the Lord with weeping and supplication, seeking forgiveness, and to be raised up by the Holy Spirit.
And the second time the cock crew,.... Immediately, as soon as he had so said and swore, as the Vulgate Latin, Syriac, and Ethiopic versions read, and as it is read in one of Beza's copies; which was about three of the clock in the morning, and is what is properly called the cock crowing:
and Peter called to mind; upon hearing the cock crow a second time,
the word that Jesus said unto him, before the cock crow twice, thou shalt deny me thrice: as he now had done twice, to the maid or maids, and a third time to the servants that stood by the fire along with him:
and when he thought thereon; on the words of Christ, and on his sin in denying him, and on the aggravated circumstances of it. The Arabic version renders it, "he turned himself to weep"; he turned away from the company, he threw himself out of it, and got out of doors as fast as he could, and broke out into a violent fit of weeping. The Syriac, Persic, and Vulgate Latin versions, render it, "he began to weep"; this phrase is omitted in the Ethiopic version: some choose to render it, "he looked upon him", that is, on Christ: as Christ looked upon him; which produced true evangelical repentance in him, so Peter looked upon his dear Lord with concern, whom he so had shamefully denied; he looked upon him and mourned, he looked upon him with an eye of faith, and sorrowed for his sin after a godly sort: but the true sense of the word is, "he covered himself"; he cast his garment over his head, he veiled himself as mourners did, who covered their heads, and their faces, and even their lips. So Maimonides (o);
"from whence, says he, is uncovering the head, forbidden a mourner? For, lo! it is said to Ezekiel 24:17, "cover not thy lips" at all, for the rest of mourners are obliged to the covering of the head; the linen cloth, or veil, with which he covers his head, he covers with a part of it, a little over his mouth; as it is said, Leviticus 13:45, "He shall put a covering upon his upper lip": and Onkelos paraphrases it, , "as a mourner he shall cover himself".''
And so it is said of Haman (p),
"that he went to his house, and mourned for his daughter, , "and put a covering on his head as a mourner": for his daughter, and for his reproach.''
And this, it seems, was the custom of the Ishmaelites: hence that saying (q),
"all veiling (in mourning) which is not as the veiling of the Ishmaelites (who cover all the face), is no veiling?''
And thus Peter, through shame, and as a token of sorrow and mourning for his sin, threw his garment over him:
and he wept; as Matthew says, "bitterly": being fully convinced of his sin, and heartily sorry lot it; See Gill on Matthew 26:75.
(o) Hilch. Ebel, c. 5. sect. 19. (p) Targum in Esther vi. 12. Vid. Targum in Micah 3.7. (q) T. Bab. Moed. Katon, fol. 24. 1.
and Peter called to mind; upon hearing the cock crow a second time,
the word that Jesus said unto him, before the cock crow twice, thou shalt deny me thrice: as he now had done twice, to the maid or maids, and a third time to the servants that stood by the fire along with him:
and when he thought thereon; on the words of Christ, and on his sin in denying him, and on the aggravated circumstances of it. The Arabic version renders it, "he turned himself to weep"; he turned away from the company, he threw himself out of it, and got out of doors as fast as he could, and broke out into a violent fit of weeping. The Syriac, Persic, and Vulgate Latin versions, render it, "he began to weep"; this phrase is omitted in the Ethiopic version: some choose to render it, "he looked upon him", that is, on Christ: as Christ looked upon him; which produced true evangelical repentance in him, so Peter looked upon his dear Lord with concern, whom he so had shamefully denied; he looked upon him and mourned, he looked upon him with an eye of faith, and sorrowed for his sin after a godly sort: but the true sense of the word is, "he covered himself"; he cast his garment over his head, he veiled himself as mourners did, who covered their heads, and their faces, and even their lips. So Maimonides (o);
"from whence, says he, is uncovering the head, forbidden a mourner? For, lo! it is said to Ezekiel 24:17, "cover not thy lips" at all, for the rest of mourners are obliged to the covering of the head; the linen cloth, or veil, with which he covers his head, he covers with a part of it, a little over his mouth; as it is said, Leviticus 13:45, "He shall put a covering upon his upper lip": and Onkelos paraphrases it, , "as a mourner he shall cover himself".''
And so it is said of Haman (p),
"that he went to his house, and mourned for his daughter, , "and put a covering on his head as a mourner": for his daughter, and for his reproach.''
And this, it seems, was the custom of the Ishmaelites: hence that saying (q),
"all veiling (in mourning) which is not as the veiling of the Ishmaelites (who cover all the face), is no veiling?''
And thus Peter, through shame, and as a token of sorrow and mourning for his sin, threw his garment over him:
and he wept; as Matthew says, "bitterly": being fully convinced of his sin, and heartily sorry lot it; See Gill on Matthew 26:75.
(o) Hilch. Ebel, c. 5. sect. 19. (p) Targum in Esther vi. 12. Vid. Targum in Micah 3.7. (q) T. Bab. Moed. Katon, fol. 24. 1.