Now Peter sat without in the palace: and a damsel came unto him, saying, Thou also wast with Jesus of Galilee.
A woman's voice terrified Peter into denial, and that tells you everything about human strength apart from God. He thought himself a valiant soldier moments before, yet he crumbles at a shadow. If the fear of God had fortified his heart, no mere servant girl could shake him; but stripped of reverence for the Lord, he trembles at nothing.
AI summary
Peter did not deny Christ's divinity or His office; he denied knowing Him at all. A gross falsehood, since he had been with Jesus from the beginning, heard His discourses, seen His miracles, even been present where other disciples were not admitted. That a man so near to Christ, so recently bold with a sword, should crumble before a servant maid shows the pure servility of fear when God's fear is absent.
AI summary
Peter sat in the lower hall with the servants while Jesus was tried above, so when the damsel approached him there, he was already in compromising company. Probably she knew him from John's presence; his location and his companion had marked him as a disciple.
AI summary