Mark 14:68, commentary and pictures

Mark 14:68 records Peter's first denial in the high priest's courtyard, where the doorkeeper exposed him by the firelight and he pretended not to understand and declared he did not know Jesus before slipping out to the porch as the cock crew. It happened in the early dark morning while Jesus was enduring insult and mockery in a preliminary examination, and hearing his zealous disciple disown him cut Jesus more deeply than all his enemies could. Peter yielded not for lack of battlefield courage, for he would have fought openly for his Master, but because fear for his life and dread of scorn overcame his loyalty, and by trying to appear unconcerned and hide his discipleship he placed himself on the enemy's ground as an easy prey. That same denial is repeated whenever a disciple today disguises faith to escape suffering or ridicule, for such concealment denies the Lord as really as Peter's words in the judgment hall. His first denial led on to a threefold denial, until meeting Jesus' sorrowful gaze brought him to remember his boast, weep bitterly in repentance, and be converted to strengthen his brethren.

Setting and First Denial

Mark 14:68 belongs to Mark's record of Jesus being hurried bound past midnight over the brook Kedron to the palace of Annas and then to Caiaphas for preliminary examination before the formal trial before the Sanhedrim. It is part of the account of events before Annas and the court of Caiaphas. The denial took place after Jesus had been taken to the palace of the officiating high priest in the early dark morning. There He was enduring a mockery of an examination with coarse accusation, sneering questioning, insult, mockery and reviling from His persecutors and the whole assembly.

In the high priest's courtyard by the fire, light flashing on his face exposed Peter, who had entered with John and hoped not to be recognized as a disciple. The woman who kept the door had noticed he entered with John and conjectured he was a follower, and she tauntingly asked if he was also one of this man's disciples. When she persisted and told those around that he was with Jesus, Peter was startled and confused. When questioned he pretended not to understand what was said and tried to appear unconcerned in order to conceal that he was a disciple. He angrily answered that he did not know Jesus, then went out into the porch, and the cock crew immediately.

This was the first of three denials. In it one of the most zealous disciples so soon proved ashamed of his Master and cowardly, dishonoring and deserting the Saviour in His humiliation. Hearing His beloved disciple deny Him pierced Jesus' heart deeply while He endured mockery and examination. It inflicted a keener pang than anything His enemies and the whole assembly could inflict.

Cause and Present Warning

Peter pretended not to understand what was said and assumed an air of indifference in order to appear unconcerned among Jesus' persecutors and to keep his true character as a disciple from being known. That effort to hide his loyalty put him among the persecutors, placed him on the enemy's ground, and left him an easy prey vulnerable to temptation. He denied because fear for his safety and his life overcame his loyalty, after fear and scorn had tested that loyalty.

The denial did not come from lack of battlefield courage, for he would have proved bold and courageous and would not have shrunk if called to fight openly or to engage in active warfare for his Master. It came from cowardice when the finger of scorn was pointed at him, showing that ridicule drives even those who would not hesitate in warfare for the Lord to deny their faith. By mingling with rough company that was reviling Jesus and associating with those who should be avoided, he placed himself in the way of temptation and invited the enemy to tempt him. That course led him to say and do what under other circumstances he would never do.

Disguising one's faith to escape ridicule or suffering is a denial of the Lord as really as Peter's denial in the judgment hall, even when it is not made in active opposition to Him. The same denial happens in the present day when a disciple disguises faith through dread of suffering or reproach. The verse also exposes those who boast of freedom of thought and action and laugh at the scruples of the conscientious who fear to do wrong. When they persuade the righteous to yield their faith they then despise them, acting as Satan's agents to tempt them to ruin.

This first denial began a threefold denial repeated with cursing and swearing. Meeting Jesus' sorrowful, reproving gaze brought Peter to remember Jesus' warning and his own boast of loyalty and faithfulness, and melted him to bitter weeping and repentance. His repentance led to his conversion and prepared him to strengthen his fellow disciples.