"Then saith Jesus unto them, 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. (32) But after I am risen again, I will go before you into Galilee. (33) Peter answered and said unto him, Though all men shall be offended because of thee, yet will I never be offended. (34) Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, That this night, before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice. (35) Peter said unto him, Though I should die with thee, yet will I not deny thee. Likewise also said all the disciples."
We shall very easily conceive, how likely it was, for the whole body of disciples to be offended, or as the original word is, scandalized, at the humiliation of Christ if we all along keep in remembrance, that notwithstanding, all the miracles Christ had wrought, and the discourses he had delivered to them; not one of them before the descent of the Holy Ghost, had any apprehension of any kingdom of Jesus, but an earthly kingdom. Even after he arose from the dead, they still harped upon the subject, Lord! wilt thou at this time restore the kingdom of Israel? meaning the overthrowing the Roman power, under whom Israel was then in tribute. Acts 1:6. And though everyone of them (for Judas was now gone) as well as Peter, felt a confidence of attachment to Christ; yet certain it is, that When Christ was apprehended as he was soon after this by the Roman soldiers, all would have readily denied him, as Peter did, had the temptation been the same; neither but from Christ's intercession for them could they have stood in faith, for the moment they all forsook him and fled.