As he was going out to the gate, another woman saw him and said to those standing there, «This man also was with Jesus the Nazarene».
With this episode the second stage of Peter’s denial begins. The first time he tried to avoid confession by silence, but now they already recognize him openly. The woman’s words, “This one also was with Jesus the Nazarene,” emphasize his closeness to Jesus. Now Peter is standing not before one person, but before a crowd; his faith collides with social pressure. This episode also reminds us that true faithfulness is tested not in times of peace, but in the moment of danger.