One of the question Jewish children were to ask is, “What are these stones?” referring to a pile of rocks by the water.

When Jesus was in the temple it is likely that rather than asking about a pile of rocks, he was asking about Jacob’s pillow, Laban’s table, those stones in the priest’s ephod, the tools of Bezaleel, the stones thrown at the disciples of Molech, the whole stones of the altar, and hundreds of others.

They were likely amazed as he tied one rock to the next in a consistent theme. By the time he spoke to Peter he had conceptually brought all the rocks together and identified himself as them all.

So he said, “Upon THIS rock” and then proceeded to show Peter where the scriptures said he must die. He likely showed him all the broken rocks in scripture. Peter knew that he was the Son of God, but couldn’t understand how the Son of God could die, until he saw him on the cross.

His denial was threefold. Jesus of Galilee healed the flesh, Jesus of Nazareth healed the spirit (cast out demons), and in his final denial he repudiates that he is with the Word incarnate by swearing and cursing. He denied the Jewish trinitarian Torah.