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Mark 14:53-65 | Palace of the High Priest
Mark 14:66-72 | Peter’s Denial
Verse 66 -
Peter stands inconspicuously by the fire in the palace when a servant girl approaches with the question that will lead to his denial.
Verse 67 -
The maid's statement, "thou also wast with Jesus of Nazareth," seems at first glance to require a response. But was it really the accusatory remark that tradition has painted it to be? Though Peter saw it as threatening, it's common for people under stress to interpret neutral comments as hostile.
John 18:15-17 reveals a more straightforward scenario. According to this account, another disciple had already entered the palace and specifically asked the doorkeeper to let Peter in. Her question, "Art not thou also one of this man's disciples?" (John 18:17), seems to be simply for identification rather than an accusation.
Peter's denial arose purely from fear. Instead of answering truthfully ("Yes, I am His disciple") or even neutrally ("I am here with the other disciple"), he denied knowing Jesus entirely—a claim that would have seemed dubious given the late-night impromptu court, which would hardly have drawn casual onlookers.
Verse 68 -
Peter gave his first denial—unprompted and driven purely by fear. Not only did he deny knowing Jesus, but he did so emphatically. He then left the palace, went to the porch, where the first rooster crowed.
Earlier in our notes on verse 53, we discussed the evening's timeline. These events must have occurred well before midnight—the time when Pilate would later present Jesus, saying "Behold, your king" (John 19:14). But how does this timing align with the rooster's crow?
In verse 30, Jesus made a significant statement: "That this day, even in this night, before the cock crow twice, thou shalt deny me thrice." His emphasis on "even in this night" is noteworthy. Though roosters typically crow at dawn, they also crow at other times. A disruption like soldiers arriving with lanterns and torches could easily trigger a rooster's crow. Therefore, we should interpret "even in this night" to mean the crow would happen at an unexpected hour, rather than assuming it refers to dawn.
Verses 69-70 -
This second time, the maid (possibly a different one) asks those standing nearby, "This is one of them" (v. 70). Yet again, Peter steps forward and denies it. Peter fails to realize that his excessive protests draw more attention. After his second denial, the bystanders grow suspicious—noting his Galilean accent—and declare, "Surely thou art one of them" (v. 70).
Verse 71 -
Peter began "to curse and to swear." This does not refer to modern-day profanity, but rather to his invoking God's judgment (curse) and calling upon God as a witness (swear). He was shrouding his denial in dramatic religious language to feign innocence.
Verse 72 -
Upon the third denial, immediately the second crow of the rooster occurred, and the words of Jesus (Mark 14:30) were fulfilled. What took place in the heat of the moment brought Peter to tears.
One wonders how necessary his denials were. Could it be that, like the other disciple, Peter was simply being brought inside and was in no personal danger? We do not know what happened to the other disciple, but we can assume he left unharmed—suggesting Peter would have too.
How often we envision the worst and act upon our fears! This sad account reminds us that honesty is the best policy.
Mark 15:1-15 | Jesus Before Pilate
Mark 15:1-5 | Jesus Answereth Nothing
Verse 1 -
What happens next takes place "straightway in the morning." We maintain that this occurs before the 6th hour—which can be either noon or midnight—as Pilate must present Jesus as "your king" by midnight (see discussion, Mark 14:54). While modern readers might associate "morning" with the early hours after dawn, the Middle English Dictionary indicates that the word refers to "the hours of night before dawn." [FN] Scripture itself, our definitive source, supports this interpretation. Mark 1:35 uses the same Greek word and defines it as "great while before day." This word appears again in Mark 16:2, which John 20:1 further clarifies as "when it was yet dark." Therefore, the most accurate understanding of this phrase is simply "still dark."
After questioning Jesus, the leadership held a private consultation and decided to send Him to Pilate for the final verdict.
FN] Middle English Dictionary, s.v. "morwe (n.)," accessed December 18, 2024, [https://quod.lib.umich.edu/m/middle-english-dictionary/dictionary/MED28669
Verse 2 -
Mark introduces Pilate here without explanation, while Luke 3:1 identifies him as "governor of Judea." Mark evidently assumes his readers are already familiar with this figure.
Pilate asked a straightforward question—a manner that likely reflects his governing style—"Art thou the King of the Jews?" While this phrase might suggest Pilate had some understanding of the coming Messiah, it could also be a simple civil inquiry: What is your claimed identity, and do you pose a threat to Rome?
Jesus answered promptly but indirectly, "Thou sayest it." The Greek contains an emphasized "thou," suggesting that Jesus is not giving full affirmation but rather saying, "you have accurately stated the charge against me."
Verse 3 -
Though Jesus answered Pilate's charge, He remained silent before the Jewish leadership, presumably because their accusations were too baseless to warrant a response.
Verses 4-5 -
Pilate expressed amazement at Jesus's silence. He was likely more accustomed to defendants like Peter, who would implicate themselves through excessive protests, rather than someone as composed as Jesus. Jesus's demeanor was so serene that "Pilate marveled."
