God’s grace is greater than our failures.

Mark 14:66–72

vv. 66–68—The scene returns to Peter in the courtyard, warming himself by the fire (v. 54), and records Peter’s trial. Peter’s struggle runs concurrently with Jesus’s hearing.

—Peter is not challenged by a religious council but by a servant girl.

—Nazarene could be a derogatory term.

—Peter moves to the vestibule on the property to escape the fire’s light and the attention of accusing eyes. His move also affords him a hasty exit, should he need it.

vv. 69–71—The persistent servant girl alerts other bystanders to Peter’s presence.

—The servant girl continues to draw attention to Peter. He “again denied it” is better understood, “He insistently, persistently denied it.”

—The bystanders joined in and claimed Peter was “Galilean.” Galileans were known to be rabble-rousers, which made Peter a good fit with the rebel on trial.

—Peter invoked a curse. While the ESV, NLT, and others translate the passage “on himself,” the original text does not have an object for the curse. Very likely, Peter could be cursing Jesus, swearing an oath on heaven that he has no affiliation with Jesus. This cursing would be tragic irony, for Peter was the one to confess Jesus as the “Christ,” and now he swears on heaven he doesn’t know Jesus while also condemning Jesus to hell.

v. 72—Immediately on Peter’s third and final denial, the rooster crowed, sealing the accurate prediction of Jesus.

—Peter broke down and wept.