23六十九、七十节说，『彼得却在外面院子里坐著，有一个使女来到他跟前，说，你也是同那加利利人耶稣一起的。彼得在众人面前却不承认，说，我不知道你说的是甚么。』彼得甚至经不起一个弱小女子的问话。彼得的否认主是一种暴露。在我看来，这一个试验就足以暴露彼得了。但在神的主宰之下，环境不让彼得过去，直到他受试验到极点，使他领悟他绝对不可靠，并且应当不再相信自己。因此，七十一、七十二节说，另有一个使女到他那里，并且说，『这个人也是同那拿撒勒人耶稣一起的。彼得又不承认，起誓说，我不认得那个人。』最后，旁边站著的人说，『你也确是属他们的，因为你的口音把你露出来了。』（太二六73。）彼得遂『发咒起誓说，我不认得那个人。』(太二六74。）彼得第一次否认主，只是说话；第二次否认，是起誓著说；第三次否认，是发咒起誓的说。彼得第三次否认主，并听见鸡叫以后，就想起主的话，他就到外面去痛哭。（太二六75。）当主受到邪恶、不公的审判时，彼得否认祂。因著否认祂，彼得被暴露到极点。
23Verses 69 and 70 say, “Now Peter sat outside in the courtyard; and a maid came to him, saying, You also were with Jesus the Galilean. But he denied before all, saying, I do not know what you are saying!” Peter could not withstand even one fragile little female. Peter’s denial of the Lord was an exposure. It seems to me that this one test was sufficient to expose Peter. But under God’s sovereignty, the environment would not let Peter go until he was tested to the uttermost, that he might realize he was absolutely not trustworthy and should no longer have any confidence in himself. Thus, verses 71 and 72 say that another maid came to him and said, “This man was with Jesus the Nazarene. And again he denied with an oath, I do not know the man!” Finally, those standing by said, “Surely you also are one of them, for your speech also makes you known” (v. 73). Then Peter “began to curse and to swear, I do not know the man!” (v. 74). In his first denial, Peter said only the word; in his second denial, he replied with an oath; and in his third denial, he cursed and swore. After denying the Lord the third time and hearing the cock crow, Peter remembered the word of the Lord, and he went out and wept bitterly (v. 75). As the Lord was suffering an evil and unjust judgment, Peter denied Him. By denying Him, Peter was exposed to the uttermost.