ing the denial scenes, in 14.66-72. Peter, out of all the disciples, is the only one who follows Jesus to his trial. As Jesus foreseen earlier, Peter, while waiting nearby for news of his friend, denies any connection with his teacher three times in order to preserve his own life. This scene is also depicted in Matthew, with extremely similar but not exact words. Why has Mark included such a personal depiction of Peter now, at the end of the story? Although one can argue it teaches many important lessons about humanity, so did the other passages that Mark left out. This is no more important to the story of Jesus than the other two passages were. Yet, somehow it hits the heart harder; it is in this passage that a man denies his best friend for the sake of his own well being. Jesus' prophesy had come true, exposing the unintentional cruelty that lies within man's soul. Matthew as well creates this miserable image, and both end the chapter with a similar depiction, "And he {Peter} broke down and wept" (Mark 14.72). While shedding light on Peter, this story ties in strongly with Jesus, for one's friends and personal ties seem most important when you're facing your final hours. This story shows how alone Jesus is during this time, and the personal suffering he feels over his friend specifically, all to fulfill some eternal plan. Both authors appear to value this passage just as much as his sayings and his death.The authors of Mark and Matthew have different goals in their attempts to summarize Jesus' historic life. Matthew is a passionate, well-rounded depiction that includes many intrigues into all aspects of his existence. Mark, on the other hand, seems to center in on what Jesus is trying to teach the world through his sayings and actions, rather than waste words on the doings of his mortal followers. Peter's importance is determined by this difference of views, leaving two different pictures of him behind. In Matthew, his ...
