59 Peter's Denial Jesus sent to Pilate

Peter was from Galilee and his accent was Galilean. His voice was unmistakable in Jerusalem. One of the High Priest’s servant girls in the inner court yard saw Peter warming himself and in the light of the fire recognized him and then approached him and said, “thou also wast with Jesus of Nazareth.” Peter who had a brash self confidence at the last supper telling Jesus that he would never deny Jesus (Mark 14:29-30) now wilts under pressure of a slave girl’s question. The girl was actually guarding the gate to the inner courtyard (John 18:16) when she saw Peter. She saw him enter the yard after Jesus was taken to the upper room of the High Priest’s palace. Peter’s first denial came right after she confronted him. Peter immediately tried to protect himself and said,” I know not, neither understand I what thou sayest.” He was right in the palace courtyard with the soldiers and other servants. In other words he denied knowing Jesus and said he did not even understand what the girl asked. He was essentially saying that he had so little knowledge of this Jesus person that he did not know even who or what she was asking. Peter was placed in a real situation and acted in response to a challenging question from someone that was not a close friend. He wilted and went out into the porch.