“Even if everyone else abandons You, I will never abandon You.”

When Jesus was captured by the crowd armed with swords and clubs, fulfilling the prophecies of the prophets, His disciples, just as Jesus had quoted the prophecy from the Old Testament, deserted Him and fled (Matthew 26:31, 56, Korean Modern Bible; see also Zechariah 13:7).  However, the apostle Peter, who had said, "Even if everyone else abandons You, I will never abandon You" (Matthew 26:33, Korean Modern Bible), followed Jesus at a distance and entered the courtyard of the high priest Caiaphas' house to see what would happen (v. 58).  It seems that Peter initially fled but then returned and followed Jesus from a distance.  And he denied knowing Jesus three times (Luke 22:57, 58, 60).  Before he could finish his third denial, the rooster immediately crowed, and the Lord turned and looked at Peter.  At that moment, Peter remembered Jesus' words, "Before the rooster crows tonight, you will deny Me three times," and he went outside and wept bitterly (vv. 60-62).  Jesus said: "But whoever denies Me before men, I will also deny him before My Father who is in heaven" (Matthew 10:33, Korean Modern Bible).