Matthew 26: 69 Now Peter sat outside in the palace: and a damsel came unto him, saying, you also were with Jesus of Galilee. 70 But he denied before them all, saying, I know not what thou sayest. 71 And when he was gone out into the porch, another maid saw him, and said unto them that were there, this fellow was also with Jesus of Nazareth.
Again, Jesus asked for a public confession in front of the other disciples from Peter, because his swearing in the court, in front of everybody, had done serious damage to the cause of Christ as well as to the body of believers. In that instance he greatly embarrassed Jesus in the public square, hence the reason why Christ did not pull him aside privately, by himself, to confess.
Matthew 26:72 And again he denied with an oath, I do not know the man. 73 And after a while came unto him they that stood by and said to Peter, surely you also are one of them for thy speech betrays you. 74 Then began he to curse and to swear, saying, I know not the man. And immediately the cock crew. 75 And Peter remembered the word of Jesus, which said unto him, Before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice. And he went out, and wept bitterly.
In fact, Peter’s public denial of Christ had occurred three times, and therefore, Jesus asked for Peter to confess no less than three times, one confession for each incident that had brought dishonor to God. If a Christian has dishonored Jesus in a public square where the name of Christ was greatly disgraced on numerous occasions, the confession of sins must be made multiple times, before the church.
Matthew 18:17 And if he shall neglect to hear them, tell it unto the church: but if he neglect to hear the church, let him be unto thee as an heathen man and a publican.
May The Lord add His blessing to the study of His word. God bless!