The Meaning of Matthew 26:72 Explained

Matthew 26:72

KJV: And again he denied with an oath, I do not know the man.

YLT: and again did he deny with an oath -- 'I have not known the man.'

Darby: And again he denied with an oath: I do not know the man.

ASV: And again he denied with an oath, I know not the man.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And  again  he denied  with  an oath,  I do  not  know  the man. 

What does Matthew 26:72 Mean?

Context Summary

Matthew 26:67-75 - "ashamed Of Jesus!"
What a shameful travesty of justice! When men yield themselves to violence like this, their passion condemns them as perpetrating the devil's work. But in the whirlwind of abuse and horror, the one thing that hurt our Lord was the defection of Peter, Luke 22:61.
It was love that led him to dare to follow to the court. John contrived to get him in, John 18:16. But he stood too near the fire amid that motley group, who were discussing their night adventure. He had been too self-confident, John 13:36; he had not watched unto prayer, Matthew 26:40. The more he cursed and swore, the more he betrayed his Galilean brogue. Ah, the agony that ensued! Did he rush off to Gethsemane, and throw himself on the bent grass, where the form of the Master had so recently lain prostrate? Did his tears mingle with the sweat of blood? But Jesus loved him still, and was preparing a propitiation that would cleanse his sin, as He had already secured that his faith should not fail, Luke 22:32. [source]

Chapter Summary: Matthew 26

1  Jesus foretells his own death
3  The rulers conspire against him
6  The woman anoints his feet
14  Judas bargains to betray him
17  Jesus eats the Passover;
26  institutes his holy supper;
30  foretells the desertion of his disciples, and Peter's denial;
36  prays in the garden;
47  and being betrayed by a kiss,
57  is carried to Caiaphas,
69  and denied by Peter

Greek Commentary for Matthew 26:72

With an oath [μετα ορκου]
This time Peter added an oath, probably a former habit so common to the Jews at that time, and denied acquaintance with Jesus. He even refers to Jesus as “the man” (τον αντρωπον — ton anthrōpon), an expression that could convey contempt, “the fellow.” [source]
The man []
As if he did not know Jesus' name. [source]

What do the individual words in Matthew 26:72 mean?

And again he denied with an oath - Not I know the man
Καὶ πάλιν ἠρνήσατο μετὰ ὅρκου ὅτι Οὐκ οἶδα τὸν ἄνθρωπον

πάλιν  again 
Parse: Adverb
Root: πάλιν  
Sense: anew, again.
ἠρνήσατο  he  denied 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Indicative Middle, 3rd Person Singular
Root: ἀρνέομαι  
Sense: to deny.
ὅρκου  an  oath 
Parse: Noun, Genitive Masculine Singular
Root: ὅρκος  
Sense: that which has been pledged or promised with an oath.
ὅτι  - 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: ὅτι  
Sense: that, because, since.
οἶδα  I  know 
Parse: Verb, Perfect Indicative Active, 1st Person Singular
Root: οἶδα  
Sense: to see.
ἄνθρωπον  man 
Parse: Noun, Accusative Masculine Singular
Root: ἄνθρωπος  
Sense: a human being, whether male or female.