Mark 14:70 But again he denied it. And after a little while the bystanders were again saying to Peter, “Surely you are one of them, for you are a Galilean too.”

How does Peter respond when the servant-girl began to say once more to the bystanders, “This is one of them!”?

“But again he denied it . . .” (Mark 14:70a).

·      ἠρνεῖτο (ērneito) ("denied”) 3S Imperfect Active Indicative of ἀρνέομαι , “to disclaim association with a person or event, deny, repudiate, disown (verbally or nonverbally) with, according to someone” (BDAG, 132).

·      In Peter’s first denial in Mark 14:68, the aorist middle tense is used, emphasizing a single statement of denial. The change in verb tense in Mark 14:70 to the imperfect tense may emphasize Peter’s repeated or continuous denial rather than a solitary statement.

After a little while, what do the bystanders again say to Peter?

“Surely you are one of them, for you are a Galilean too” (Mark 14:70b).

·      Γαλιλαῖος (Galilaios) (“Galilean”)

“Galilean, ὁ Γ. the Galilean, inhabitant of Galilee Mt 26:69; Ac 2:7; cp. J 7:52; recognizable by his dialect Mk 14:70; Lk 22:59.—Lk13:1f; 23:6; J 4:45; Ac 1:11" (BDAG, 187).

·      According to Matthew, how do the bystanders recognize that Peter is a Galilean?

“After a little while the bystanders came up and said to Peter, ‘Certainly you too are one of them, for your accent betrays you’” (Matt 26:73).

  Father, May the world recognize Jesus’ disciples by their love.

In Jesus’ Name, Amen.