54 and Peter afar off did follow him, to the inside of the hall of the chief priest, and he was sitting with the officers, and warming himself near the fire. 55 And the chief priests and all the sanhedrim were seeking against Jesus testimony—to put him to death, and they were not finding, 56 for many were bearing false testimony against him, and their testimonies were not alike. 57 And certain having risen up, were bearing false testimony against him, saying— 58 'We heard him saying—I will throw down this sanctuary made with hands, and by three days, another made without hands I will build;' 59 and neither so was their testimony alike. 60 And the chief priest, having risen up in the midst, questioned Jesus, saying, 'Thou dost not answer anything! what do these testify against thee?' 61 and he was keeping silent, and did not answer anything. Again the chief priest was questioning him, and saith to him, 'Art thou the Christ—the Son of the Blessed?' 62 and Jesus said, 'I am; and ye shall see the Son of Man sitting on the right hand of the power, and coming with the clouds, of the heaven.' 63 And the chief priest, having rent his garments, saith, 'What need have we yet of witnesses? 64 Ye heard the evil speaking, what appeareth to you?' and they all condemned him to be worthy of death, 65 and certain began to spit on him, and to cover his face, and to buffet him, and to say to him, 'Prophesy;' and the officers were striking him with their palms.
66 And Peter being in the hall beneath, there doth come one of the maids of the chief priest, 67 and having seen Peter warming himself, having looked on him, she said, 'And thou wast with Jesus of Nazareth!' 68 and he denied, saying, 'I have not known 'him', neither do I understand what thou sayest;' and he went forth without to the porch, and a cock crew. 69 And the maid having seen him again, began to say to those standing near—'This is of them;' 70 and he was again denying. And after a little again, those standing near said to Peter, 'Truly thou art of them, for thou also art a Galilean, and thy speech is alike;' 71 and he began to anathematize, and to swear—'I have not known this man of whom ye speak;' 72 and a second time a cock crew, and Peter remembered the saying that Jesus said to him—'Before a cock crow twice, thou mayest deny me thrice;' and having thought thereon—he was weeping.
Matthew Henry's Commentary on Mark 14:54-72
Commentary on Mark 14:53-65
(Read Mark 14:53-65)
We have here Christ's condemnation before the great council of the Jews. Peter followed; but the high priest's fire-side was no proper place, nor his servants proper company, for Peter: it was an entrance into temptation. Great diligence was used to procure false witnesses against Jesus, yet their testimony was not equal to the charge of a capital crime, by the utmost stretch of their law. He was asked, Art thou the Son of the Blessed? that is, the Son of God. For the proof of his being the Son of God, he refers to his second coming. In these outrages we have proofs of man's enmity to God, and of God's free and unspeakable love to man.
Commentary on Mark 14:66-72
(Read Mark 14:66-72)
Peter's denying Christ began by keeping at a distance from him. Those that are shy of godliness, are far in the way to deny Christ. Those who think it dangerous to be in company with Christ's disciples, because thence they may be drawn in to suffer for him, will find it much more dangerous to be in company with his enemies, because there they may be drawn in to sin against him. When Christ was admired and flocked after, Peter readily owned him; but will own no relation to him now he is deserted and despised. Yet observe, Peter's repentance was very speedy. Let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall; and let him that has fallen think of these things, and of his own offences, and return to the Lord with weeping and supplication, seeking forgiveness, and to be raised up by the Holy Spirit.