Christ before Caiaphas. The Denial of Peter. Luke 22, 54-71.
The fall of Peter: V. 54. Then took they Him, and led Him, and brought Him into the high priest's house. And Peter followed afar off. V. 55. And when they had kindled a fire in the midst of the hall, and were set down together, Peter sat down among them. V. 56. But a certain maid beheld him as he sat by the fire, and earnestly looked upon him, and said, This man was also with Him. V. 57. And he denied Him, saying, Woman, I know Him not.
There was little rest, and no sleep, in the palace of. the high priest that night. The departure of the band had caused great excitement throughout the household, and its victorious return caused all the servants to be worked up to the highest pitch. For the time being, all the adherents of the prisoner were in like condemnation. The servants had surrounded Jesus and thus taken Him captive, and then marched Him to the house of the high priest. Peter's impulsive nature came to the front here: he must see what was going to happen. The servants had kindled a good fire in the midst of the court of the palace, one which supplied light as well as heat. Peter, having gained admission into the arched doorway, joined the servants about the fire, for the chill of the spring night was in the air. Here a maid saw him, as he was sitting toward the light. Fixing her eyes upon him very firmly to be sure she was making no mistake, she accused him of being a follower of Jesus. She made her accusation in the form of a statement to the other servants: Also this man was with Him. And Peter, taken by surprise, uttered the words before he really had time to consider them: I don't know Him, woman.