Welcome and thank you for taking a bible break to test your knowledge of God's word.
This week's question:

When Paul was permitted to speak to King Agrippa, he proceeded to give his defense of his charges of being a "real pest and a fellow who stirs up dissension among all the Jews throughout the world and a ringleader among the sect of the Nazarenes." (Acts 24:1-6). He then continues to tell the king how he at one time persecuted the saints and then on the way to Damascus he became obedient "to the heavenly vision." (Acts 26:19). Festus charges that he was out of his mind and that his great learning had made him mad, but King Agrippa said, "In a short time you will persuade me to become a Christian." (Acts 26:24-32), but the king set him on his way to Rome because of his appeal to Caesar. These two men heard the truth from Paul, but they both denied Jesus in different manners. Festus did not seem to believe any of Paul's words and though he was out of his mind while King Agrippa was somewhat touched by the teaching, but not enough to take the steps of becoming a disciple of Christ.

We can deny Jesus in many ways as we've just seen two who heard the word and yet denied Him (see also Acts 17:22-33). But can we become His disciples and yet deny Him? That brings us to our question, "Who denies Jesus three times?". To begin our search for our answer we see Jesus in the garden of Gethsemane, betrayed by Judas and taken into custody to the courtyard of Annas, the father-in-law of Caiaphas the high priest. The high priest knew John, and he was allowed to enter into the courtyard and John also spoke to the doorkeeper to allow Peter to also enter in (John 18:3-16),

Mark 14:66-72 As Peter was below in the courtyard, one of the servant-girls of the high priest came, and seeing Peter warming himself, she looked at him and said, "You were also with Jesus the Nazarene' But he denied it, saying, 'I neither know nor understand what you are talking about.' And he went out onto the porch and a rooster crowed. The servant-girl saw him, and began once more to say to the bystanders, "This is one of them!" But again he denied it. And after a little while the bystanders were again saying to Peter, "Surely you are one of them, for you are a Galilean too." But he began to curse and swear, "I do not know this man you are talking about!" Immediately a rooster crowed a second time. And Peter remembered how Jesus had made the remark to him,"Before a rooster crows twice, you will deny Me three times." and he began to weep.

So there we have the answer to our question, as it is a disciple of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, Simon Peter, who denies Him three times.

Both Judas and Peter felt remorse for their sins they committed. But it is what we do about them that makes the difference. Although Judas throws back the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders (Matthew 27:1-9)

He goes out and hangs himself (Matthew 27:5 & Acts 1:16-20). Peter, on the other hand, repents of his sin of denial and later preaches the first gospel sermon as an apostle of Our Lord where about three-thousand souls were added to the church (Acts 2:14-47).

Let us recognize the authority of God's word by not denying it, but holding fast the word for life!