Mark 14:67

Mar_14:67

Peter warming himself.

Peter at the fire

1. Peter had one reason for being there-to see what would be the issue of Christs apprehension, and to while away the time: but God had another end in view. Had Peter favoured the revealed will of God, he had not been there with no business but to sit down and warm himself. But by the secret will and providence of God, Peter must be here, not only to accomplish the word of Christ, but for another special purpose. For the good of the Church, he is made an eyewitness of all Christs sufferings in the house of the High Priest. Never did any evil befall any of Gods servants, but by Gods overruling power was turned to some good to themselves and others.

2. Peter was cold, and it was not unlawful to warm himself; but better he had been cold and comfortless alone in the darkness of the night, than to have sat within warming himself in such company.

Peter was now colder by the warm fire, than he was without in the cold air; his heart grew cold, and his faith and zeal.

1. Let us resolve that that is a cold and comfortless place (though the fire be never so great) where Christ is bound, where Christ cannot be professed, where Christ is scorned, and the disciples of Christ are set upon as Peter was here.

2. Let us labour, how cold soever the weather be without, to keep the heart warm in grace; it had been better for Peter to have sat cold without and warm within, than for outward warmth to freeze and starve inwardly. The season is generally cold-heat of zeal counted madness, godliness disguised, etc.; let us labour in this general coldness to keep our heat.

3. When thou sittest at a warm fire, beware of temptation. Peter, when he followed Christ, suffering cold and want, was strong and zealous; but now he comes to the warm fire, he is quite overthrown. The warm fire of prosperity and outward peace has overthrown many, who in their wants and trouble stood fast in grace. If thou hast not prosperity and wealth, console thyself with the thought that thou art free from the snare which has caused others to fall. And if thou art in affliction, be not too much cast down; for in this estate thou art more secure than in its opposite. Prosperity is not always a sign of Gods favour, but only when it provokes to humility and duty. Too much rankness hurts the corn, and too much fruit breaks the trees. (Dr. Thomas Taylor.)

Weak tempters can foil stout men

Peters tempter is a woman, a silly maid, a very weak party.

1. To show him his frailty. Peter thought no man could cast him down, when lo! a woman does.

2. To humble his pride. How easily God overthrows the pride of man! He need not come in His own person He need not bring a champion or man of war against him; a mere woman shall be tempter too strong for as presumptuous a professor as Peter. The Lord, who resists all sinners, is said often to resist the proud, i.e., after a special and severe manner, because they seek to draw Gods glory upon themselves. Pharaoh. Jezebel. Herod. Historians write of a city in France that was depopulated and wasted, and the inhabitants driven away, by frogs. It is reported also, that a town in Thessalonica was rooted up and overthrown by moles. And we read of Pope Adrian being choked with a fly. Thus the Lord plays, as it were, with His enemies, scorning to come Himself into the field against them, but sending the meanest of His creatures to east them down. Let this humble us under the mighty hand of God; presume of nothing in ourselves, be proud of nothing, lest we know by woeful experience that a thing of nothing is strong enough to overthrow us. If our pride shall resist God, Gods weakness shall resist us, and we shall know to our cost that the weakness of God is stronger than man. Never was pride of heart unrevenged with falls, sin, and shame. (Dr. Thomas Taylor.)

The Biblical Illustrator, edited by Joseph S. Exell (c. 1880s–1900s) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

14:67 The title Jesus of Nazareth might have been contemptuous, for Judeans held a low view of Galileans (John 1:46; 7:41, 52).

Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Mar 14:67 . ἰδοῦσα : Peter, sitting at the fire, catches her eye, and she sees at once that he is a stranger. Going closer to him, and looking sharply into his face in the dim fire-light ( ἐμβλέψασα ), she comes at once to her conclusion. καὶ σὺ , etc., thou also wert with the Nazarene that Jesus; spoken in a contemptuous manner, a faithful echo of the tone of her superiors. The girl had probably seen Peter in Christ’s company in the streets of Jerusalem, or in the temple during the last few days, and doubtless she had heard disparaging remarks about the Galilean prophet in the palace.

The Expositor's Greek Testament, edited by W. Robertson Nicoll (1897–1910) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

(67) Thou also wast with Jesus of Nazareth.—The order of the words varies in the MSS.; but the better ones give the words as spoken with an emphatic scorn, “And thou also wast with the Nazarene, Jesus.”

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

67. warming himself] This seems to have been shortly after his entrance, as related above. The maid who approached probably was the porteress who had admitted him.

she looked upon him] with fixed and earnest gaze, as the original word used by St Luke (Luk_22:56) implies.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

But he began to curse and to swear,.... To wish the most dreadful things upon himself, and to swear by the living God;

saying, I know not this man of whom ye speak: See Gill on Mat 26:74.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

And seeing (idoqsa) Peter warming himself, she looked upon him (embleqasa autw). She looked upon him, in the light of the fire, so as to see his features distinctly. This was one of the menial servants who attended to the outer door of the court, and perhaps had been the one to let in Peter; so that she could say with some confidence, Thou wast also with the Nazarene, even Jesus.

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

67. ἰδοῦσα … ἐμβλέψασα. Mk’s common combination of participles; see on Mar 1:15. Neither word is superfluous. She saw some one with whom she was not familiar; and, after she had looked at him steadily (Mar 8:25, Mar 10:21; Mar 10:27), she saw that he was the person whom a disciple of Jesus had asked her to admit (Jn). Probably Peter’s manner betrayed disquietude and sympathy with the Prisoner in the room overlooking the court.

Καὶ σύ. (Mt., Jn.) “Thou as well as the other whom I know.”

τοῦ Ναζαρηνοῦ. Mk only (Mar 1:24). The epithet is emphatic by position and is spoken with contempt; See on Joh 1:47. Mt. has “the Galilean,” Lk. and Jn neither.

Cambridge Greek Testament for Schools and Colleges (Cambridge University Press, 1896; 21 vols, various authors incl. Carr, Maclear, Plummer, Farrar, Lumby, Moule, M. R. James, Simcox) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

67. Καὶ σὺ μετὰ τοῦ Ναξαζηνοῦ ἦσθα τοῦ Ἰησοῦ—You too were with the Nazarene, Jesus. καὶ adds σὺ to the rest of the disciples, who have kept away from the place of danger. You too, who take your place so boldly here. The position of Ναζαρηνοῦ, and its separation from τοῦ Ἰησοῦ, makes it emphatic. The Nazarene concentrates in itself their notion of the absurdity of his claim.

ἦσθα τοῦ Ἰησοῦ, instead of Ἰησοῦ ἦσθα, Tisch. Treg. WH. RV. BCL. Also א D Δ Latt. Syrr. insert τοῦ before Ἰησοῦ.

International Critical Commentary — older volumes (1896–1929), various authors — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.