Mar 14:66-72 | KingComments | STEP | While the Lord is mocked and despised, something happens in the court that affects Him more deeply than all the defamation of the Council. Peter is in a place where he should not be and in a company where he does not belong. This puts him in a position where satan can tempt him and where he cannot stand in the evil day. The evil day is the day when satan is especially aimed at the believer and a believer can only stand if he is wearing the whole armor of God ( ). Satan has abundant servants in that environment. The servant he uses first is one of the high priest’s maidservant girls. She sees Peter warming himself. She observes him and recognizes him as someone who was also with that Jesus. She calls Him “the Nazarene”. In her voice, the contempt that befits the pronunciation of this name could be heard. The word of a servant-girl was enough to lead Peter to deny his Lord. So powerless is he who has expressly said to give his life for Him ( ) to be able to face death. Peter denies that there is any relationship between him and the Lord. He is not aware of anything. He does not understand what she is saying. He keeps himself even more ignorant than all the enemies. He denies belonging to the Lord as the Despised One. By his denial Peter adds an even harder blow to the Lord than the blows that had already hit Him. Peter’s denial is mentioned by all four evangelists because the lesson that we should distrust ourselves is so important. The sinner must be broken, but so must the believer! The fall of Peter takes place in stages: 1. First he boasts in his own strength ( ); 2. then he is sleeping when he should have been keeping watch and praying ( ); 3. then he draws the sword when he should have bowed ( ); 4. he follows the Lord at a distance ( ); 5. he sits with the enemies to warm himself by their fire ( ); 6. finally there is a triple denial ( ). After his first denial the rooster crows, but it does not bring Peter to his senses. He continues on his way. His fall must become complete because the Lord cannot teach him the lesson of self-denial in any other way. As the enemies of the Lord discuss events with each other, the servant-girl makes others aware of Peter. Peter’s statement that he does not belong to the Lord did not convince her. She now speaks of him being one of them, that he belongs to the company of disciples which followed the Lord. Peter denies it again. He does not belong to Him nor does he belong to His followers. He denies any relationship. Then others say that he does belong, because, according to them he is also a Galilean. That is what they hear in his dialect. Peter now feels so cornered that he speaks of his Savior in the strongest terms as “this man”, and swears that he does not know Him. What a contrast with his earlier confession: You are the Christ ( ). Then the rooster crows a second time. This awakens the conscience of Peter. He remembers the word the Lord said. This brings him to repentance and tears begin to flow. The work of repentance and conversion began through the remark or the word that the Lord had said to him. The Word of God is always the means by which a man comes to confession and repentance and by which he is cleansed ( ).

‏ Mark 14:66-72

Denial by Peter

While the Lord is mocked and despised, something happens in the court that affects Him more deeply than all the defamation of the Council. Peter is in a place where he should not be and in a company where he does not belong. This puts him in a position where satan can tempt him and where he cannot stand in the evil day. The evil day is the day when satan is especially aimed at the believer and a believer can only stand if he is wearing the whole armor of God (Eph 6:13). Satan has abundant servants in that environment. The servant he uses first is one of the high priest’s maidservant girls.

She sees Peter warming himself. She observes him and recognizes him as someone who was also with that Jesus. She calls Him “the Nazarene”. In her voice, the contempt that befits the pronunciation of this name could be heard. The word of a servant-girl was enough to lead Peter to deny his Lord. So powerless is he who has expressly said to give his life for Him (Mk 14:31) to be able to face death.

Peter denies that there is any relationship between him and the Lord. He is not aware of anything. He does not understand what she is saying. He keeps himself even more ignorant than all the enemies. He denies belonging to the Lord as the Despised One. By his denial Peter adds an even harder blow to the Lord than the blows that had already hit Him.

Peter’s denial is mentioned by all four evangelists because the lesson that we should distrust ourselves is so important. The sinner must be broken, but so must the believer! The fall of Peter takes place in stages:

1. First he boasts in his own strength (Mk 14:31);

2. then he is sleeping when he should have been keeping watch and praying (Mk 14:37);

3. then he draws the sword when he should have bowed (Mk 14:47);

4. he follows the Lord at a distance (Mk 14:54);

5. he sits with the enemies to warm himself by their fire (Mk 14:54);

6. finally there is a triple denial (Mk 14:68 ; 70 ; 71).

After his first denial the rooster crows, but it does not bring Peter to his senses. He continues on his way. His fall must become complete because the Lord cannot teach him the lesson of self-denial in any other way.

As the enemies of the Lord discuss events with each other, the servant-girl makes others aware of Peter. Peter’s statement that he does not belong to the Lord did not convince her. She now speaks of him being one of them, that he belongs to the company of disciples which followed the Lord. Peter denies it again. He does not belong to Him nor does he belong to His followers. He denies any relationship.

Then others say that he does belong, because, according to them he is also a Galilean. That is what they hear in his dialect. Peter now feels so cornered that he speaks of his Savior in the strongest terms as “this man”, and swears that he does not know Him. What a contrast with his earlier confession: You are the Christ (Mk 8:29).

Then the rooster crows a second time. This awakens the conscience of Peter. He remembers the word the Lord said. This brings him to repentance and tears begin to flow. The work of repentance and conversion began through the remark or the word that the Lord had said to him. The Word of God is always the means by which a man comes to confession and repentance and by which he is cleansed (Eph 5:26).