Mark 14:70

Mar 14:70 . Now, it is the bystanders who persecute Peter with the charge of being a disciple. ἀληθῶς : they are quite sure of it, for two reasons (1) the maid’s confidence not specified but implied in the καὶ γὰρ , which introduces an additional reason; (2) Γαλιλαῖος εἶ = you are (by your speech) a Galilean. The addition in some MSS., καὶ ἡ λαλία σ ., etc., explanatory of the term Galilean, would be quite in Mk.’s manner, but the best authorities omit it.

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

(70) And thy speech agreeth thereto.—Singularly enough, the words, which seem so natural, are wanting in many of the best MSS., and may, therefore, possibly have been an interpretative addition, possibly made by St. Mark himself, in what we may call a revised edition of his Gospel.

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

70. And he denied it again] This denial was probably addressed to those round the fire. But escape was hopeless. “Surely,” said one, “this fellow is one of them;” “Thou art a Galilæan,” said another, “and thy speech agreeth thereto.” These last words are omitted by Lachmann, Tischendorf, and Tregelles. “Thy speech bewrayeth thee” are the words used by St Matthew (Mat_26:73). The Galilean burr was rough and indistinct. Hence the Galileans were not allowed to read aloud in the Jewish synagogues.

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.

PETER’S DENIAL OF CHRIST, Mar_14:66-72.

70. A Galilean, and thy speech agreeth thereto — The broad Galilean brogue was the jest of the more refined speakers of Jerusalem. As many of the Hebrew words resemble each other, with but a slight difference, a Galilean would frequently by his provincial mispronunciation produce an unintended meaning. Many anecdotes are in the Rabbins of these double meanings, as amusing as occur in English of the wrong use or disuse of the initial H.

Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

A detected disciple.

This chapter is crowded with contrasts.

1. The unmeasured love of Mary of Bethany shines radiantly beside the unexampled treachery of Judas Iscariot.

2. Contrasts occur also in the experience of our Lord. He passes from the fellowship of the upper room to the solitude of Gethsemane; from the secrecy of prayer to the publicity of a mock-trial before his foes.

3. There are also great changes visible in the spiritual condition of certain disciples. Judas appears amongst the chosen disciples, listening to the Master"s words and eating at the same table with him; and a few hours after he is seen at the head of a band of ruffians, betraying his Lord with a traitorous kiss. Peter, in the garden, starts forth as a hero in defense of his Master; but in the palace of the high priest, with trembling heart, denies all knowledge of him. To this last scene our text points us. (Describe it.)

I THAT THERE ARE CIRCUMSTANCES IN WHICH THE CAUSE OF CHRIST"S AROUSES UNCOMPROMISING HOSTILITY. Peter was experiencing this in the palace of Caiaphas.

1. Paganism was instinctively hostile to Christ"s teaching. Far-seeing men amongst the Gentiles soon saw its drift. They spoke of the apostles, not inaptly, as men who would turn the world upside down. Christ"s doctrine of brotherhood would be the destroyer of slavery. His inculcation of purity and righteousness threatened licentious pleasures and tyrannous exactions. Men who could win high positions by force or fraud, and immoral people, who loved brutal or sensual amusements, would unite in antagonism to the Christian faith. Some would hate it the more intensely because their worldly interests were associated with the continuance of paganism. Many a Demetrius saw that his craft was in danger, and priests, with their crowds of attendants, would contend zealously for the idolatry which gave them their living. They would have granted Christ Jesus a niche in their Pantheon; but his followers claimed that he should reign supreme and alone.

2. The Jews, however, were the first instigators of opposition. Christianity threatened to destroy their national supremacy by inviting the Gentiles to all the privileges of the kingdom of God. They hated a Messiah who came not to deliver them from political bondage, but from their own prejudices and sins.

3. Heathenism in our own day, whether at home or abroad, is at enmity with Christ. The vicious, who live to gratify their passions, the worldly, who would make this life their all, as well as the idolaters in distant lands, hate the teachings of our Lord. Even in nominally Christian society there is sometimes seen an ill-suppressed dislike to earnest fidelity to Christ"s cause.

II THAT A DISCIPLE OF CHRIST, IN THESE CIRCUMSTANCES, MEETS WITH A TEST OF HIS MORAL COURAGE. We all appreciate the heroism of the apostles, who, with their lives in their hands, witnessed for their Lord before Jews and pagans, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer for his sake. Equal courage is occasionally exhibited lives which are unromantic and prosaic, which endure each day the bitterness of scorn and shame,

1. Sometimes a Christian shows heroism by speech. Profanity is thus rebuked, slander is silenced, impurity is indignantly reproved, and the cause of Christ defended against mockery. It is well when this can be done without any sign of a Pharisaic spirit or of a censorious temper; so that from the tone of the defense the godless are compelled to say, "These men have been with Jesus, and have learnt of him.

2. Silence may also be on occasion the display of courage. If one, by reason of youth or sex, cannot speak, witness may be borne by quitting the scene where Christ is dishonored. The responsibility for witness-bearing is the heavier in proportion to the weight of our influence. The effect of Peter"s denial was the greater because he was like a standard-bearer in the army of Christ. Even although his testimony might not have changed the opinion of one in the crowd around him, he was none the less bound to give it; and our Lord was grieved because he withheld it.

III THAT VERY TRIVIAL THINGS MAY SOMETIMES REVEAL ASSOCIATION WITH JESUS CHRIST. Peter had no expectation of being discovered. He was a stranger; the crowd was large, and the excitement great; it was dark, and attention seemed centred in Christ Jesus, to the exclusion of all beside. A question unexpectedly put necessitated an answer, and his rough Galilean brogue increased the suspicion to a certainty that he was a peasant who had come up with Jesus from Galilee, and was intimate enough with him to know of his secret and sudden arrest.

1. Even the nominal connection with Christ which we all have as Englishmen is betrayed by speech in foreign parts; and how often is the work of our missionaries hindered there by dishonest traders, or profligate sailors and soldiers, who are supposed to be "Christians," but who by word and act deny the Lord!

2. Others, who have been under direct Christian influences in their homes, are sometimes tempted, at school or in business, to keep that fact secret, as if it were something to be ashamed of. But when some small phrase or act unexpectedly betrays the truth, and one of those standing by says, "Surely thou art one of them,... thy speech agreeth thereto," then comes the crisis, the turning point, on which the whole future will hinge. Happy is it if then they are saved from Peter"s fail!

3. Occasionally those who are devout disciples wish, like Nicodemus, to remain secretly so. They wish to avoid all responsibility, and therefore make no profession of their love. Little do they suspect how many are discouraged by their failure to avow their loyalty to their Lord. Let all our influence everywhere be consecrated to him.

CONCLUSION. The hall of judgment is still standing. Christ Jesus is being examined and questioned now by men who resent his claims. Still we hear the cry, "Prophesy! who is it that smote thee? Tell us something new. Work some miracle now, that we may believe thee." And to it all Jesus answers nothing. His Church is keeping close beside him, as John did, and is glad to share his reproach. But many are like Peter; they have followed afar off, so that the world should not notice them. They would not be so near as they are, but that others have led them, as John led his brother apostle. Yet, after all their friends have done, they are still outside, in the courtyard, among the foes of their Lord. They hope that all will end well; they dare not help in the conflict, so they keep far enough away to retain their popularity, and yet to see the end. As the light of the fire revealed Peter, as his speech further betrayed him, so something has called attention to these, and companions begin to say, "Surely thou art one of them." What shall the answer be? Shall it be, "I know him not;" or shall it be, "Lord, thou knowest all things; thou knowest that I love thee"? A.R.

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

70. [3297][3298][3299][3300][3301] omit καὶ ἡ λαλιά σου ὁμοιάζει.

[3297] Codex Sinaiticus. 4th cent. Discovered by Tischendorf in 1859 at the Monastery of St Katharine on Mount Sinai. Now at St Petersburg. The whole Gospel, ending at Mar 16:8. Photographic facsimile, 1911.

[3298] Codex Vaticanus. 4th cent., but perhaps a little later than א. In the Vatican Library almost since its foundation by Pope Nicolas V., and one of its greatest treasures. The whole Gospel, ending at Mar 16:8. Photographic facsimile, 1889.

[3299] Codex Ephraemi. 5th cent. A palimpsest: the original writing has been partially rubbed out, and the works of Ephraem the Syrian have been written over it; but a great deal of the original writing has been recovered; of Mark we have Mar 1:17 to Mar 6:31, Mar 8:5 to Mar 12:29, Mar 13:19 to Mar 16:20. In the National Library at Paris.

[3300] Codex Bezae. 6th cent. Has a Latin translation (d) side by side with the Greek text, and the two do not quite always agree. Presented by Beza to the University Library of Cambridge in 1581. Remarkable for its frequent divergences from other texts. Contains Mark, except Mar 16:15-20, which has been added by a later hand. Photographic facsimile, 1899.

[3301] Codex Athous Laurae. 8th cent. Like N and Σ, it is written in silver letters on purple vellum. Contains Mar 9:5 to Mar 16:20, and, as in L, the shorter ending is inserted between Mar 16:8 and Mar 16:9. As in Δ, the text of Mark is specially good.

70. πάλιν ἠρνεῖτο. Mk alone changes from aor. to imperf.; “he kept on denying.” This almost implies that several persons had assailed him.

μετὰ μικρόν. Lk. says about an hour later.

οἱ παρεστῶτες ἔλεγον. The imperf. is accurate. Lk. assigns the third attack to ἄλλος τις, and Jn says that he was a kinsman of Malchus, and had seen Peter in the garden. All three Synoptists state that Peter was now recognized as a Galilean; little, however, is known about the Galilean dialect or pronunciation which betrayed him. Dalman, Words, p. 80; Schürer, Jewish People, II. i. p. 10.

καὶ γάρ. And what is more, introducing an additional reason for suspecting him. His dress may also have suggested Galilee.

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.

70.] μετὰ μικρόν = διαστάσης ὡσεὶ ὥρας μιᾶς, Luke.

καὶ γάρ, for, in addition to all that has been hitherto said …

Henry Alford, The Greek Testament (1849–1861) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

70. ἠρνεῖτο—denied. Mt. says μετὰ ὅρκου, with an oath. The answer of Peter varies also in the several accounts. μετὰ μικρὸν—L says διαστάσης ὡσεὶ ὥρας μιᾶς, about one hour having intervened. J. says that the person making this third charge was a kinsman of Malchus, whose ear Peter had cut off at the arrest, and that he asks if he did not see Peter with Jesus in the orchard. The Synoptists agree in their account of this charge, all of them inserting ἀληθῶς, Verily (L ἐπʼ ἀληθείας), and giving substantially the same reason, viz. that he was a Galilean. Mt. adds, ἡ λαλιά σου δηλόν σε ποιεῖ—thy speech makes thee known. The best texts omit these words in Mk.

Omit καὶ ἡ λαλιά σου ὁμοιάζει, and your speech is like, Tisch. Treg. WH. RV. א BCDL 1, 118, 209, mss. Lat. Vet. Egyptt.

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