Peter Denies Jesus - Mark 14:68

Mark wrote, “as Peter was beneath in the palace, there came one of the maids of the high priest. And when she saw Peter warming himself, she looked upon him, and said, And you also were with Jesus of Nazareth”, and in chapter fourteen and verse sixty-eight of his book, Mark shared how the “maid”, “saw Peter warming himself, she looked upon him, and said, And you also were with Jesus of Nazareth” where we read:

But he denied, saying, I know not, neither understand I what you say.

And he went out into the porch; and the cock crew.

The verse reads, “But he denied, saying, I know not, neither understand I what you say”. Mark began with the words, “But he denied” which means “however, nonetheless, notwithstanding, moreover and Peter abnegated, abjured, did not accept, rejected and refused the maid's”, “saying” or “uttering, declaring and proclaiming”, “I know not” which means “I, Peter, do not have knowledge of, understand, perceive or am aware”, “neither understand I” or “nor and not in any way do I, Peter, comprehend or have in mind” “what you say” which means “that which the maid uttered, declared and proclaimed”. Mark shared how Peter “denied” what the “young female servant” of the high priest was “saying” about Him.

The verse goes on to say, “And he went out into the porch; and the cock crew.” Mark continued with the words, “and he went out” which means “and Peter left and departed” “into the porch” or “to the vestibule and forecourt of the palace”; “and the cock crew” which means “and the rooster cried aloud by crowing”. Mark shared how the “rooster” crowed as soon as Peter departed to the “forecourt” of the palace.

When we consider Mark's words in this verse, we see the “first” of Peter's denials that he was associated with Jesus. Jesus told Peter he would “deny” Him “three times before the crow crew twice”, and now Peter is fulfilling what Jesus said. Peter stood up to a servant and cut his ear off in the Garden of Gethsemane, but a “little maid” caused him to “deny” knowing Christ. God knew Peter, and He knows us. The scriptures says, “Wherefore let him that thinks he stands take heed lest he fall” (See 1 Corinthians 10:12), and as Peter who thought himself to be something he was not, so may we be subject to be less than what we think we are. Yet, these are the ones Jesus came to save, and even when a person “denies” knowing Jesus, when they repent, He is still willing to save them for all eternity.

Next time Mark shares how Peter, “a maid saw him again, and began to say … this is one of them”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

Look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book "Random Mushrooms Volumes I and II" and the new novel "Elizabeth County" in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore. All references are from "Strongs Concordance".