Topical Encyclopedia
The term "cock," referring to a rooster, appears in several significant passages within the Bible, most notably in the New Testament. The cock is primarily associated with the events surrounding the denial of Jesus by the Apostle Peter, a pivotal moment in the Passion narrative.
Biblical References:1.
Peter's Denial: The most prominent mention of a cock in the Bible is in the context of Peter's denial of Jesus. Jesus foretold that Peter would deny Him three times before the cock crowed. This prophecy is recorded in all four Gospels:
·
Matthew 26:34: "Truly I tell you," Jesus declared, "this very night, before the rooster crows, you will deny Me three times."
·
Mark 14:30: "Truly I tell you," Jesus replied, "this very night, before the rooster crows twice, you will deny Me three times."
·
Luke 22:34: But Jesus replied, "I tell you, Peter, the rooster will not crow today until you have denied three times that you know Me."
·
John 13:38: Jesus answered, "Will you really lay down your life for Me? Truly, truly, I tell you, before the rooster crows, you will deny Me three times."
The fulfillment of this prophecy is a poignant moment, highlighting human frailty and the fulfillment of Jesus' words. After Peter's third denial, the cock crowed, and Peter remembered Jesus' prediction, leading him to weep bitterly (
Matthew 26:75,
Mark 14:72,
Luke 22:61-62,
John 18:27).
2.
Symbolism and Interpretation: The crowing of the cock has been interpreted as a symbol of awakening and repentance. It serves as a reminder of human weakness and the need for vigilance in faith. The cock's crowing marks the transition from night to day, symbolizing the light of Christ dispelling the darkness of sin and denial.
3.
Cultural Context: In the cultural context of the Bible, the crowing of a rooster was a familiar sound, often associated with the early morning hours. It was a natural time marker for the people of the ancient Near East. The mention of the cock crowing would have been understood by contemporary audiences as a specific time reference, likely around the third watch of the night, which was approximately 3:00 AM to 6:00 AM.
4.
Theological Implications: The account of Peter's denial and the cock crowing underscores the themes of prophecy, repentance, and restoration. Despite Peter's failure, he is later restored by Jesus and becomes a foundational leader in the early Church. This narrative illustrates the grace and forgiveness available through Christ, even after moments of weakness and failure.
In summary, the cock serves as a significant symbol within the Gospel narratives, representing both the fulfillment of Jesus' prophecy and the call to repentance and vigilance in the Christian life.
Smith's Bible Dictionary
Cock(Matthew 26:34;Mark 13:35;14:30) etc. The domestic cock and hen were early known to the ancient Greeks and Romans, and as no mention is made in the Old Testament of these birds, and no figures of them occur on the Egyptian monuments, they probably came into Judea with the Romans, who, as is well known, prized these birds both as articles of food and for cock-fighting.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary
1. (
n.) The male of birds, particularly of gallinaceous or domestic fowls.
2. (n.) A vane in the shape of a cock; a weathercock.
3. (n.) A chief man; a leader or master.
4. (n.) The crow of a cock, esp. the first crow in the morning; cockcrow.
5. (n.) A faucet or valve.
6. (n.) The style of gnomon of a dial.
7. (n.) The indicator of a balance.
8. (n.) The bridge piece which affords a bearing for the pivot of a balance in a clock or watch.
9. (v. t.) To set erect; to turn up.
10. (v. t.) To shape, as a hat, by turning up the brim.
11. (v. t.) To set on one side in a pert or jaunty manner.
12. (v. t.) To turn (the eye) obliquely and partially close its lid, as an expression of derision or insinuation.
13. (v. i.) To strut; to swagger; to look big, pert, or menacing.
14. (n.) The act of cocking; also, the turn so given; as, a cock of the eyes; to give a hat a saucy cock.
15. (n.) The notch of an arrow or crossbow.
16. (n.) The hammer in the lock of a firearm.
17. (v. t.) To draw the hammer of (a firearm) fully back and set it for firing.
18. (v. i.) To draw back the hammer of a firearm, and set it for firing.
19. (n.) A small conical pile of hay.
20. (v. t.) To put into cocks or heaps, as hay.
21. (n.) A small boat.
22. (n.) A corruption or disguise of the word God, used in oaths.
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia
COCKkok (alektor; Latin gallus): There is no reference in the Old Testament to domesticated poultry, which was probably first introduced into Judea after the Roman conquest. SeeCHICKEN. The cock is several times mentioned in the New Testament and always with reference to its habit of crowing in eastern countries with such regularity as to be almost clocklike. The first full salute comes almost to the minute at half-past eleven, the second at half-past one, and the third at dawn. So uniformly do the cocks keep time and proclaim these three periods of night that we find cock-crowing mentioned as a regular division of time: "Watch therefore: for ye know not when the lord of the house cometh, whether at even, or at midnight, or at cockcrowing, or in the morning" (Mark 13:35). Jesus had these same periods of night in mind when he warned Peter that he would betray Him.Matthew 26:34Luke 22:34John 13:38, give almost identical wording of the warning. But in all his writing Mark was more explicit, more given to exact detail. Remembering the divisions of night as the cocks kept them, his record reads: "And Jesus saith unto him, Verily I say into thee, that thou today, even this night, before the cock crow twice, shalt deny me thrice" (Mark 14:30). SeeCHICKEN. It is hardly necessary to add that the cocks crow at irregular intervals as well as at the times indicated, according to the time of the year and the phase of the moon (being more liable to crow during the night if the moon is at the full), or if a storm threatens, or there is any disturbance in their neighborhood.
Gene Stratton-Porter
Greek
220. alektor -- a rooster... a rooster. Part of Speech: Noun, Masculine Transliteration: alektor Phonetic Spelling:
(al-ek'-tore) Short Definition: a
cock, rooster Definition: a
cock...cock.
...5455. phoneo -- to call out
... Transliteration: phoneo Phonetic Spelling: (fo-neh'-o) Short Definition: I crow,
shout, summon Definition: I give forth a sound, hence: (a) of acock: I crow...
219. alektorophonia -- the crowing of a rooster
... cockcrowing. From alektor and phone;cock-crow, ie The third night-watch -- cockcrowing.
see GREEK alektor. see GREEK phone. (alektorophonias) -- 1 Occurrence....
Library
Hymn atCock-Crow
... I. HYMN ATCOCK-CROW. Awake! the shining day is born! The heraldcock proclaims
the morn: And Christ, the soul's Awakener, cries, Bidding us back to life arise....
Wesley and theCock-Fighter
... Chapter 5. Wesley Refused Sacraments at Epworth; Cornwall and the Scilly Isles;
Natural Amphitheater at Gwennap; Wesley in Danger Wesley and theCock-fighter....
Notes
... 2 The allusions to thecock in this and the following poem (ii.37-55) were doubtless
inspired by the lines of Ambrose in his morning hymn beginning Aeterne...
Of the Proof of their Freedom from any Discrepancies in the...
... Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Thecock shall not crow, until thou deniest me
thrice." [1245] John, from whose Gospel I have taken the passage introduced...
The Fall of Peter
... Jesus. But he denied, saying, I neither know, nor understand what thou
sayest: and he went out into the porch; and thecock crew....
John Chapter xiii. 36-38.
... Hear what thou art: "Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Thecock shall not crow, till
thou hast denied me thrice." See, that is how thou wilt speedily become...
Peter Thrice Denies the Lord.
... He denied, and said, I am not. ^b and he went out into the porch; and thecock
crew.... And immediately, while he yet spake, thecock crew....
On the Animals
... Thecock is the Lord, so I think, or a saint: in Solomon: and thecock is glad as
it walks among the hens. And in Job: who gave thecock knowledge?...
Peter's Denial. Ch. 22:54-62
... And immediately, while he yet spake, thecock crew.61 And the Lord turned,
and looked upon Peter. And Peter remembered the word...
Meditations for the Morning.
... 3. If thou hearest thecock crow, remember Peter, to imitate him (Luke 22:61, 62;)
and call to mind thatcock-crowing sound of the last trumpet, which shall...
Thesaurus
Cock (12 Occurrences)... 2. (n.) A vane in the shape of a
cock; a weathercock. 3. (n.) A chief
man; a leader or master. 4. (n.) The crow of a
cock, esp.
...Cock-crowing (3 Occurrences)
Cock-crowing. Cockcrowing,Cock-crowing. Cocker .... But the ancient division,
known as the first and secondcock-crowing, was still retained....
Cock's (7 Occurrences)
... Multi-Version ConcordanceCock's (7 Occurrences). Matthew 26:34 Jesus said
to him, Truly I say to you that this night, before the...
Cock-crow (1 Occurrence)
Cock-crow. Cockcrow,Cock-crow. Cockcrowing . Multi-Version
ConcordanceCock-crow (1 Occurrence). Mark 13:35 Be wakeful...
Cockcrowing (1 Occurrence)
... But the ancient division, known as the first and secondcock-crowing, was
still retained.... Mark mentions (14:30) the twocock-crowings....
Thrice (17 Occurrences)
... Thrice (17 Occurrences). Matthew 26:34 Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee,
That this night, before thecock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice....
Disown (18 Occurrences)
... Matthew 26:34 "In solemn truth I tell you," replied Jesus, "that this very night,
before thecock crows, you will three times disown me." (WEY NIV)....
Crew (7 Occurrences)
... And immediately thecock crew. (KJV ASV DBY).... And he went out into the porch; and
thecock crew. (KJV ASV DBY YLT). Mark 14:72 And the second time thecock crew....
Wilt (324 Occurrences)
... (KJV ASV DBY WBS YLT). Matthew 26:34 Jesus said to him, Verily I say to thee, that
this night, before thecock shall crow, thou wilt deny me thrice. (WBS YLT)....
Cockatrice (3 Occurrences)
... Easton's Bible Dictionary The mediaeval name (a corruption of "crocodile") of
a fabulous serpent supposed to be produced from acock's egg....
Resources
What does the rooster represent in Christianity? | GotQuestions.orgWhat is the significance of the rooster crowing in regards to Peter denying Jesus three times? | GotQuestions.orgCock: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.comBible Concordance •
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