Those present who remembered the part that Peter had 63 acted at the trial of his Master, flattered themselves that he could now be intimidated by the threat of imprisonment and death. But the Peter who denied Christ in the hour of His greatest need was impulsive and self-confident, differing widely from the Peter who was brought before the Sanhedrin for examination. Since his fall he had been converted. He was no longer proud and boastful, but modest and self-distrustful. He was filled with the Holy Spirit, and by the help of this power he was resolved to remove the stain of his apostasy by honoring the name he had once disowned.

De af de tilstedeværende, som huskede den rolle, Peter havde spillet ved Mesterens domfældelse, smigrede sig med, at han nu ville lade sig skræmme ved truslen om fængsel og død. Men den Peter, som fornægtede Kristus i hans største nød, var impulsiv og selvtillidsfuld og vidt forskellig fra den Peter, som nu skulle forhøres af rådet. Han var siden sit fald blevet omvendt. Han var ikke mere stolt og pralende, men beskeden og uden tillid til sig selv. Han var fyldt af Helligånden, og ved hjælp af denne kraft var det hans beslutning at udslette sit frafalds skamplet ved at ære det navn, som han havde fornægtet.