John 18:17

Then saith the damsel that kept the door unto Peter, Art not thou also one of this man's disciples? He saith, I am not.

EXPOSITORY (ENGLISH BIBLE)

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(17) On Peter’s denials, comp. Notes on Matthew 26:69-75, and see in this Gospel John 13:38.

Art not thou also one of this man’s disciples?—i.e., “Thou as well as thy friend, whom I know.” There is no charge brought against him. The words are apparently simply words of recognition, or as furnishing a reason for admitting him with his friend, but Peter is conscious that he had attempted to kill, and had succeeded in wounding, one of the high priest’s servants. He therefore dreads this recognition.

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

18:13-27 Simon Peter denied his Master. The particulars have been noticed in the remarks on the other Gospels. The beginning of sin is as the letting forth of water. The sin of lying is a fruitful sin; one lie needs another to support it, and that another. If a call to expose ourselves to danger be clear, we may hope God will enable us to honour him; if it be not, we may fear that God will leave us to shame ourselves. They said nothing concerning the miracles of Jesus, by which he had done so much good, and which proved his doctrine. Thus the enemies of Christ, whilst they quarrel with his truth, wilfully shut their eyes against it. He appeals to those who heard him. The doctrine of Christ may safely appeal to all that know it, and those who judge in truth bear witness to it. Our resentment of injuries must never be passionate. He reasoned with the man that did him the injury, and so may we.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

See the notes at Matthew 26:57-58.

Another disciple - Not improbably John. Some critics, however, have supposed that this disciple was one who dwelt at Jerusalem, and who, not being a Galilean, could enter the palace without suspicion. John, however, mentions the circumstance of his being known to them, to show why it was that he was not questioned as Peter was. It is not probable that any danger resulted from its being known that he was a follower of Jesus, or that any harm was meditated on them for this. The questions asked Peter were not asked by those in authority, and his apprehensions which led to his denial were groundless.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

17. Then saith the damsel that kept the door—"one of the maids of the high priest," says Mark (Mr 14:66). "When she saw Peter warming himself, she looked upon him and said" (Mr 14:67). Luke is more graphic (Lu 22:56)—She "beheld him as he sat by the fire (literally, 'the light'), and earnestly looked on him (fixed her gaze upon him), and said." "His demeanor and timidity, which must have vividly showed themselves, as it so generally happens, leading to the recognition of him" [Olshausen].

Art thou not also one of this man's disciples?—that is, thou as well as "that other disciple," whom she knew to be one, but did not challenge, perceiving that he was a privileged person.

He saith, I am not—"He denied before them all, saying, I know not what thou sayest" (Mt 26:70)—a common form of point blank denial; "I know [supply 'Him'] not, neither understand I what thou sayest" (Mr 14:68); "Woman, I know Him not" (Lu 22:57). This was THE FIRST DENIAL. "And he went out into the porch [thinking, perhaps, to steal away], and the cock crew," (Mr 14:68).

Matthew Poole's Commentary

This is Peter’s first denial of his Master; between which and his second denial (of which John saith nothing till he comes to John 18:26) the evangelist interposes many things not mentioned by the other evangelists.

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

Then saith the damsel that kept the door unto Peter,.... She being relieved, either by her father, if porter, or by a fellow servant, had the opportunity of coming into the hall, where Peter was, and was curious to observe him, who he should be, that that person of note should order him to be admitted, when an affair of so much privacy and importance was transacting; and either by Peter's language, or the trouble that appeared in his countenance, or fancying: she had seen him in the temple, or in some part of the city in company With Jesus, addresses him after this manner:

art not thou also one of this man's disciples? She speaks of Christ in the vulgar dialect of the Jews, calling him "this man"; not only esteeming him a mere man, but a worthless man; and knowing he had disciples, challenges him as one of them; when he, all in flight and surprise, not expecting such a question to be put to him, without any further thought, rashly and suddenly

he saith I am not: he never denied that Christ was God or the Son of God, or that he was come in the flesh, or that he was the Messiah and Saviour of sinners; but either that he did not know what the maid said, or the person she spoke of; or, as here, that he was one of his disciples; which was a very great untruth: and many are the aggravations of his fall; which came to pass as soon as ever he was entered almost; and that by the means of a maid, a servant maid, a very inferior one; and at first perhaps they were alone; and the question put to him might not be in a virulent way, nor proceed from malice, but commiseration of him; and yet he had not resolution enough to own himself a disciple of Jesus; which he might have done, and in all likelihood might have gone safe off directly: but he that had so much confidence as to say, though all men deny thee, yet will not I; and had so much courage, as, in the face of a band of soldiers, to draw his sword, and smite one of the high priest's servants, but a few hours before, has not spirit enough in him to own his master before a servant maid!

Geneva Study Bible

Then saith the damsel that kept the door unto Peter, Art not thou also one of this man's disciples? He saith, I am not.

EXEGETICAL (ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)

Expositor's Greek Testament

John 18:17. Naturally he concluded from John’s introducing him that Peter was also a disciple, and as a mere innocent and purposeless remark says: Μὴ καὶ σὺ … τούτου; “Are you also one of this man’s disciples?” He says, οὐκ εἰμί, “I am not”.

Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

17. Then saith the damsel] The damsel therefore (John 18:3) saith.

Art not thou also] Rather, Art thou also (as well as thy companion) or, surely thou art not: S. Peter’s denial is thus, as it were, put into his mouth. See on John 4:29 and comp. John 4:33, John 6:67, John 7:47, John 9:40. In all these passages the form of the question anticipates a negative answer.

one of this man’s disciples] Or, one of the disciples of this man. ‘This man’ and the turn of the sentence are contemptuous. Comp. John 9:16; John 9:24, John 11:47. S. John had hurried on to the room where Christ was being examined; as at the Cross (John 19:26) he kept close to his Master; and in neither case was molested. S. Peter, who ‘followed afar off’ (Luke 22:54) and that rather out of curiosity ‘to see the end’ (Matthew 26:58) than out of love, encountered temptation and fell.

Bengel's Gnomen

John 18:17. Καὶ σὺ,) thou also, as many others, and as thy companion.[382] If the maid had been ignorant of the fact that that other disciple was a disciple, there is no doubt but that she would have questioned him also. Therefore the maid had not asked the question for the sake of injuring him, but lest she herself should come into danger. [She had previously permitted the unnamed disciple to introduce Peter; then at last, fearing that she had admitted in a strange man at an unseasonable time, she went near the light, and having found Peter, who after a brief sitting or lying down (‘accubitum’) had presently after risen up again, she accosted him, thereby causing further questions to be put to him by the other servants also. Peter replied to the maid and the servants in the negative. This was the first denial. The same damsel made the beginning of that inquiry also, which impelled Peter to a second denial, after that he had been in the meantime occupied with warming himself in the palace, and had afterwards gone forth into the hall (‘atrium’). Some of the servants, as naturally happens, were sitting, some were standing; Peter did both by turns. His first denial was whilst sitting; the second, whilst standing. Whilst these things were being done, which are recorded, ch. John 18:19-23, he stood near the fire; for which reason John twice introduces mention of his standing: John 18:18; John 18:25.—Harm., p. 535.] Nor was Peter in greater peril than the other disciple.

[382] The ἄλλος μαθητής. An objection to ὁ ἄλλος—John being meant, as proposed in a former note—is Matthew 26:56, “All the disciples forsook Him, and fled.” John, however, may have returned, as Peter did. Nicodemus, if he be meant, would be likely to know Peter as a fellow-disciple.—E. and T.

John 18:17

Vincent's Word Studies

The damsel (ἡ παιδίσκη)

See on Acts 12:13.

Art thou (μὴ σὺ)

The question is put in a negative form, as if expecting a negative answer: thou art not, art thou?

Also

Showing that she recognized John as a disciple.