Jesus took Peter's own words and handed them back to him as a question. The question pressed Peter to look again at the promise he had just made so easily. Gill says Christ spoke this as questioning Peter's strength, not his sincerity, and as one pitying him more than mocking him. Matthew Henry writes, "The most secure are commonly the least safe." Later that night, when the cock crew, Peter "remembered the word of the Lord" (Luke 22:61).

Jesus answered His own question at once: "Verily, verily, I say unto thee, The cock shall not crow, till thou hast denied me thrice" (John 13:38). John records no reply from Peter here; Jesus goes on to comfort all of them, "Let not your heart be troubled" (John 14:1). Matthew and Mark record that Peter protested even more strongly (Matthew 26:35; Mark 14:31). The word came true in the high priest's courtyard: Peter denied Him three times, "and immediately the cock crew" (John 18:17, 25-27).

Mark records Jesus' words as "before the cock crow twice" (Mark 14:30), and Luke says the denial would come "this day" (Luke 22:34). The three denials John records came when Peter was asked by the damsel at the door, by those warming themselves at the fire, and by a servant of the high priest (John 18:17, 25-27).

Gill sees in this rebuke of Peter's confidence a full proof of Christ's omniscience.

Jesus knew exactly how weak Peter would be, and He still kept him close. The next words in John are not a rebuke but comfort: "Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me" (John 14:1). Matthew Henry, in his concise notes, says Christ "knows us better than we know ourselves."

This question has an echo. After the resurrection, Jesus again asked Peter questions, three times: "lovest thou me?" (John 21:15-17). Then He told Peter how he would one day glorify God by his death and said, "Follow me" (John 21:18-19). The life Peter could not lay down that night, he would one day give to glorify God (John 21:19).