When Jesus had ended His prayer, He saith unto the disciples, "All ye shall be offended because of me this night: for it is written, I will smite the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock shall be scattered abroad. But after I am risen again, I will go before you into Galilee." By being "offended," Jesus meant that they would be afraid to own Him as their Master, and would forsake Him: but to show them that He would not punish their weakness by casting them off for ever, He told them where they might see Him again, after He should have risen from the dead. Notwithstanding the warnings already received, Peter was still full of self-confidence, and "answered and said unto him, Though all men shall be offended because of thee, yet will I never be offended." Why should Peter have thought himself more likely than others to do right? Why should any of us think so? Whenever we do thus depend upon ourselves to do right, we are almost sure to fall into sin, for the Devil takes advantage of our pride and self-conceit, to tempt us; and then God frequently leaves us to ourselves, that from our fall we may learn by painful experience our exceeding weakness and sinfulness. Jesus now showed Peter, that though he thought himself so safe, he would do worse than his fellow disciples; for "he saith unto him, Verily I say unto thee, That this day, even in this night, before the cock crow twice, thou shalt deny me thrice. And Jesus said unto him, Verily, I say unto thee, That this night, before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice. Peter spake the more vehemently, and said unto him, Though I should die with thee, yet will I not deny thee in any wise. Likewise also said all the disciples." Poor Peter little knew himself! No doubt he and all the disciples felt what they now said: but if men would bear in mind their weakness and proneness to sin, they would never feel _sure_ of not doing wrong; but would watch and pray, so that the Devil may get no advantage over them. "When Jesus had spoken these words, he went forth with his disciples" from the place on the Mount of Olives, where they were, "unto a place called Gethsemane, over the brook Cedron, where was a garden, into the which he entered, and his disciples. And Judas also knew the place, for Jesus oft-times resorted thither with his disciples." Having entered into this garden with the eleven disciples, Jesus saith unto eight of them, "Sit ye here while I go and pray yonder. And he taketh with him Peter, and James and John, the two sons of Zebedee, and when he was at the place" to which he had intended to go, "he began to be sorrowful, and sore amazed, and to be very heavy."