Expositor's Bible Commentary Commentary Mark 14:71

"But he began to curse, and to swear, I know not this man of whom ye speak." — Mark 14:71 (ASV)

Peter’s retreat to safety was short-lived. The servant girl saw him slip into the entryway and reiterated her contention—this time to the guards and others in the pay of the high priest. Peter’s second denial was not convincing. Then, not the servant girl, but the others, apparently having their suspicions aroused by her and detecting Peter’s Galilean accent (Jesus was known to have come from Galilee), accused him. Peter was now like a cornered animal. He called down curses on himself if he was lying and swore that he did not know Jesus at all. The first two times Peter had denied being identified with Jesus. The last time he denied Jesus himself.

The third denial was followed by the second crowing of the rooster and a look from Jesus . The first time the rooster crowed, Peter’s conscience was not awakened. This time he remembered what Jesus had said about his denial of him, and he burst into tears.

Through this story, Mark was warning the persecuted church in Rome for whom he was writing. If denial of Jesus Christ was possible for an apostle—and one of the leaders of the apostles at that—then they must be constantly on guard lest they too deny Jesus. The end of the story also provided assurance that if anyone did fail Jesus under the duress of persecution, there was always a way open for repentance, forgiveness, and restoration (cf. 16:7).