Charles Ellicott Commentary Matthew 26:69

"Now Peter was sitting without in the court: and a maid came unto him, saying, Thou also wast with Jesus the Galilaean." — Matthew 26:69 (ASV)

Now Peter sat without in the palace — This is better translated as had sat down in the court. The word rendered “palace” here and in Matthew 26:58 is strictly the courtyard or quadrangle around which a house was built. It is helpful to bring together the order of the Apostle’s three repeated denials.

1. On his entry into the courtyard of the palace, in answer to the female slave who kept the door (John 18:17).
2. As he sat by the fire warming himself, in answer (a) to another damsel (Matthew 26:69); (b) to other bystanders (John 18:25; Luke 22:58), including (c) the kinsman of Malchus (John 18:26).
3. About an hour later (Luke 22:59), after he had left the fire as if to avoid the shower of questions and had gone out into the porch, or gateway leading out of the courtyard, in answer (a) to one of the damsels who had spoken before (Mark 14:69; Matthew 26:71), and again (b) to other bystanders (Luke 22:59; Matthew 26:73; Mark 14:70).

There were thus three distinct occasions, but as the hasty words of denial rose to his lips, it is quite probable that they were repeated more than once on each occasion and that several people heard them.

As far as we can analyze the impulse that led to the denial, it was probably shame no less than fear. The feeling that had shown itself in the cry, Be it far from thee, Lord, when he first heard of his Master’s coming passion (Matthew 16:22), came back to him. He shrank from the taunts and ridicule that were sure to fall on the followers of One whom they had acknowledged as the Christ, and whose career was ending in apparent failure. It was against that feeling of shame that our Lord had specially warned him on that occasion (Mark 8:38).

The element of fear, however, was also probably strong in Peter’s nature .