And when she saw Peter warming himself, she looked upon him, and said, And thou also wast with Jesus of Nazareth.
It was very dark early morning in the palace and courtyard of Caiaphas, the officiating high priest, after Jesus had been hurried through dark and narrow streets by an armed band carrying torches and lanterns amid insult and mockery, while inside He was coarsely accused by persecutors, sneeringly questioned by the priest, and reviled by the whole assembly in a mockery of an examination. While Peter stood warming himself among the crowd, the servant girl who kept the door looked upon him and recognized him as a follower because she had seen him come in with John. She questioned him and said to him and to those nearby that he had been with Jesus of Nazareth, beginning the confrontation that tested his loyalty during Jesus' trial.
Peter denied knowing Jesus and denied his connection with Him, and this was his first denial with the cock crowing immediately afterward. The denial continued to three denials, the last time with cursing and swearing. While Jesus was being mocked and questioned, hearing His beloved disciple deny Him pierced His heart with a keener pang and more deeply than all the accusation, questioning, mockery, insult, and reviling His enemies could inflict.
Jesus' sorrowful, reproving look reminded Peter of Jesus' warning and of his own boast and confident promise of loyalty. The look melted Peter's heart, and he wept bitterly, repented, was converted, and was prepared to strengthen his brethren and fellow disciples. Peter had tried to hide his identity and blend in with those hostile to Jesus, placing himself among people he should have avoided and thereby inviting temptation and inviting the enemy to tempt him. Though he would have fought bravely for Jesus, he became a coward when scorn was pointed at him and was left exposed and led to do and say what he would otherwise never have done.
Disguising faith from fear and dread of suffering, reproach, and ridicule is a denial of the Lord just as Peter's denial was, so that any present-day disciple who does so denies the Lord as virtually as Peter did. Keeping company with those one should avoid invites temptation, believers who do so may be drawn into words and actions they would otherwise reject, and those who tempt them may then despise them for yielding.
It was very dark early morning in the palace and courtyard of Caiaphas, the officiating high priest, after Jesus had been hurried through dark and narrow streets by an armed band carrying torches and lanterns amid insult and mockery, while inside He was coarsely accused by persecutors, sneeringly questioned by the priest, and reviled by the whole assembly in a mockery of an examination. While Peter stood warming himself among the crowd, the servant girl who kept the door looked upon him and recognized him as a follower because she had seen him come in with John. She questioned him and said to him and to those nearby that he had been with Jesus of Nazareth, beginning the confrontation that tested his loyalty during Jesus' trial.
Peter denied knowing Jesus and denied his connection with Him, and this was his first denial with the cock crowing immediately afterward. The denial continued to three denials, the last time with cursing and swearing. While Jesus was being mocked and questioned, hearing His beloved disciple deny Him pierced His heart with a keener pang and more deeply than all the accusation, questioning, mockery, insult, and reviling His enemies could inflict.
Jesus' sorrowful, reproving look reminded Peter of Jesus' warning and of his own boast and confident promise of loyalty. The look melted Peter's heart, and he wept bitterly, repented, was converted, and was prepared to strengthen his brethren and fellow disciples. Peter had tried to hide his identity and blend in with those hostile to Jesus, placing himself among people he should have avoided and thereby inviting temptation and inviting the enemy to tempt him. Though he would have fought bravely for Jesus, he became a coward when scorn was pointed at him and was left exposed and led to do and say what he would otherwise never have done.
Disguising faith from fear and dread of suffering, reproach, and ridicule is a denial of the Lord just as Peter's denial was, so that any present-day disciple who does so denies the Lord as virtually as Peter did. Keeping company with those one should avoid invites temptation, believers who do so may be drawn into words and actions they would otherwise reject, and those who tempt them may then despise them for yielding.