What does Mark 14:69 mean?

John explains that Peter initially stays outside Caiaphas' house while John goes in. John returns to the door and convinces the servant girl to let Peter in. Still, Peter doesn't follow John all the way to Jesus' trial. He stays in a lower courtyard with the soldiers and servants who are warming themselves by the fire. The servant girl who guards the door asks if he is with Jesus, and Peter gives his first denial (John 18:15–18; Mark 14:66–68).

A different servant girl (Matthew 26:71) now tells the soldiers and servants that Peter follows Jesus. It was bad enough when Peter had to defend himself against the servant girl who manned the door. This girl is speaking with armed men employed by those conspiring to kill Jesus. When they had gone to arrest Jesus, they apparently wanted to arrest His followers, as well, as evidenced by their attempt to grab the naked young man (Mark 14:51–52). John, who somehow knows the high priest (John 18:15), doesn't feel threatened, but John didn't cut off the ear of the high priest's servant (John 18:10). If the other men warming themselves by the fire look closely enough, they might realize who Peter is and what he did.

With Jesus, Peter is bold and impulsive. He even went so far as to "correct" Jesus in front of the other disciples (Mark 8:31–33). More recently, he promised that he would not deny Jesus, even if he must die with Him (Mark 14:29–31)). Under normal circumstances, Peter might go with John and watch the trial. But the fact that servant girls may reveal his own crime makes things very dangerous.

As we follow God, spread the gospel, and teach others about Jesus, we need to remember this. Perhaps our faith in God will never waiver. But if our character leads us to commit a sin we feel we need to hide, we lose a large part of our effectiveness and mar Jesus' reputation to others (Romans 2:24).