14:66–72 As indicated earlier, Mark (and Matthew in his parallel account in 26:57–75) sandwiches together the account of Jesus’ hearing before the Jewish leaders and the story of Peter’s denial before a group of bystanders, to draw a sharper contrast between the courage and faithfulness of Jesus and the cowardice of Peter. In 14:54, Mark says that Peter followed Jesus and the arresting party to the high priest’s house and joined a crowd in the courtyard to wait and see what would happen to Jesus. The detail about the servant girl (vv. 66, 69) makes Peter’s cowardice seem all the greater. While Jesus stands firm before the highest religious authorities in ancient Judaism, Peter crumbles in the face of a mere serving girl (cf. Luke’s version, which mentions first a girl and then a man questi…