Mark 14:67-72
Mark 14:67 (KJB)
And when she saw Peter warming himself, she looked upon him, and said, And thou
also wast with Jesus of Nazareth.
Peter was still sitting outside in the inner court and a young girl had
approached him saying that he was also with Jesus of Nazareth. (John 18:17
KJV) Then saith the damsel that kept the door unto Peter, Art not thou also one
of this man's disciples? He saith, I am not. She recognized him and knew
who he was even though he denied it. She did not just give Peter a glance but
she looked at him intently and that is how she had recognized Peter as being
with Jesus.
Mark 14:68 (KJB)
But he denied, saying, I know not, neither understand I what thou sayest. And he
went out into the porch; and the cock crew.
Peter had denied any knowledge of knowing the Lord Jesus Christ. When he made
this denial, the rooster had crowed for the first time. Peter had now moved from
the sight of the maiden when the rooster had crowed and he apparently did not
hear it crow the first time.
Mark 14:69 (KJB)
And a maid saw him again, and began to say to them that stood by, This is one of
them.
Peter now knowing that he had been discovered as being with Jesus decides to
leave the inner court and head out on to the porch where he could hopefully
remain anonymous within the crowd. Then Peter was noticed by a second maid and
she too made the declaration that Peter was with Jesus. One maid saw Him as
being with Jesus of Galilee and the other noticed he was with Jesus of Nazareth.
They both must have seen Peter with Jesus in one of his stops as they ministered
all over Israel. Peter must have been of such stature that he was easily
remembered.
Mark 14:70 (KJB)
And he denied it again. And a little after, they that stood by said again to
Peter, Surely thou art one of them: for thou art a Galilaean, and thy speech
agreeth thereto.
Peter was then addressed the third time by some of those who were standing by.
This time they stated that his speech or the fact that he had some type of
dialog difference than those in Judaea. Peter was from the north, the Sea of
Galilee and they had a different dialect and was easily distinguishable. It
would be like hearing someone from Alabama speak and someone from Massachusetts
speak. The tone, inflection, and dialect would be easily distinguishable.
Peter’s speech had given him away and that was not something one could hide
easily.
Mark 14:71 (KJB)
But he began to curse and to swear, saying, I know not this man of whom ye
speak.
Then Peter’s third and final denial was the pinnacle of his repudiation of
Christ. He not only told the people that he did not know the man personally but
he started to curse. This cursing was not bad language but he was stating that
let everything bad happen to him which could possibly happen if he knew him.
Then on top of pronouncing curses upon himself, he also swore by an oath that he
did know Jesus.
Mark 14:72 (KJB)
And the second time the cock crew. And Peter called to mind the word that Jesus
said unto him, Before the cock crow twice, thou shalt deny me thrice. And when
he thought thereon, he wept.
Immediately after he made his third denial, then the rooster had crowed and the
prophesy that Christ told him came to pass. (Luke 22:61 KJV) And the Lord
turned, and looked upon Peter. And Peter remembered the word of the Lord, how he
had said unto him, Before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice.
Apparently Peter was still within sight of the Lord Jesus Christ because when
the rooster crowed, the Lord looked at Peter and Peter then remembered the words
that he would deny Jesus three times. (Mat 26:75 KJV) And Peter remembered
the word of Jesus, which said unto him, Before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me
thrice. And he went out, and wept bitterly. Then Peter had finally left the
palace and went out and wept bitterly. The word for “bitterly” in the Greek
carries with it the meaning of a great depth of sorrow. It was not just the
shedding of a few tears but deep sorrow.