How Many Times Did The Cock Crow?

 

How Many Times Did The Cock Crow?

Brett A. Todd

Perhaps the most well-known contradiction in the Bible is found in the story of Peter’s denial of Jesus.  Did the cock crow one or two times?  This might seem quite an insignificant question, who cares if the cock crowed once, twice or a zillion times–the cock crowed.  For others, however, it is not insignificant, it is a very important question.  For them, there can be no contradictions in the Bible, it is the Word of God.  Our approach, again, from a historical perspective is: what can we know historically about the Bible?

All four Gospels contain this story of Peter’s denial and the Cock crowing, but as you will see, they don’t all agree.  Matthew, Luke, and John tell us that the cock crowed one time while the Gospel of Mark tells us it crowed two times.  The reason this is significant is that we know other Gospels used Mark as their main source for writing their own stories, this is especially true of Matthew and Luke.  We will talk more about John’s source later.  For now, note the four readings below:

At that moment the cock crowed. Then Peter remembered what Jesus had said: “Before the cock crows, you will deny me three times.” And he went out and wept bitterly (Matthew 26:74b-75). 

At that moment, while he was still speaking, the cock crowed. The Lord turned and looked at Peter. Then Peter remembered the word of the Lord, how he had said to him, “Before the cock crows today, you will deny me three times” (Luke 22:60b-61).

Again, Peter denied it, and at that moment the cock crowed (John 18:27)

At that moment the cock crowed for the second time. Then Peter remembered that Jesus had said to him, “Before the cock crows twice, you will deny me three times” (Mark 14:72).  (emphasis added)

If Matthew and Luke used Mark to write their own story, why didn’t they follow Mark and say the cock crowed two times rather than three?  To answer this question, we must first remember that these Gospels were using other sources than Mark as well to write their stories.  For example, both Matthew and Luke used “Q”. but they had other sources they were using as well.  Knowing this, I think the answer to this question is pretty straightforward: when Matthew and Luke were writing their stories of Peter’s denial, they were using a different source (oral traditions?) than Mark. It is possible that Matthew and Luke were using a similar source as John in telling their story of Peter’s denial.

In our next study, we will look at Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem by asking: Was Jesus riding one donkey or two?