Today's "Moment with Mark" (114)
19 March, 2013
One of the servant girls who worked for the high priest noticed Peter warming himself at the fire. She looked at him closely and then said, "You were one of those with Jesus, the Nazarene. Peter denied it." (Mark 14:66-68 NLT)
Now we find Peter daring to slip past the security at the courtyard gate. He has chosen to risk discovery in order to monitor the unfolding of these events. Was he looking for another opportunity to 'rescue' Jesus? Was he gathering intelligence so that he might find and mobilize the others? Of course, we have no way of knowing. What we can reasonably assume from the facts in evidence is that he was in a very precarious situation, risking his life for whatever reasons.
I think Peter was so busy watching the soldiers that he didn't see the servant girl staring at him. She is mentioned as serving in the house of the High Priest. Incidentally, the guy who lost his ear due to Peter's poor aim in the Garden was also a servant of the High Priest. I don't suppose there is any link there....or is there??
So how come Peter was so ready to take on the arresting mob and yet he folded in the presence of a female servant? I think Peter was challenged from a totally unexpected source and, unprepared for something from "left field", he did what he vowed he would never do, he denied his Lord. And no one was more surprised than Peter.
"A totally unexpected source". There's a lesson here for us. Sometimes we try to anticipate just where the next enemy will confront us.....and so we should. But let's also be alert for the unconventional attack. Sometimes that attack may come through a friend and we are found wanting in the defence department.
The Apostle Paul has some sound advice for us in this regard. ".....so that Satan will not outsmart us. For we are very familiar with his evil schemes." (2 Cor 2:11 NLT). Of course, there are occasions when we are outsmarted because we are NOT familiar with his evil schemes. "Know your enemy" is also good advice.