The Apostle Peter

During the last week or so, approaching Resurrection Sunday, for some reason I've been thinking about the Apostle Peter.  I don't know why.

We first meet Peter in Matthew 4:18-20, where he and his brother Andrew were called by Jesus to follow Him.  They immediately left their nets and followed him.  He is then named as one of the original 12 apostles in Matthew 10:2.  Jesus calls him the Rock on which Jesus will build his church, after Peter correctly identifies Jesus as the Christ.



Peter's time with Jesus is, from my understanding, very up and down.  In Matthew 14:29-31 Peter walked on water at Jesus's command, but began to sink when he got frightened and forgot to trust in Jesus.  He felt unworthy to allow Jesus to wash his feet at the Last Supper, presumably because he missed the point of why Jesus was washing his feet, then once he'd grasped the concept, asked Him to wash his head and hands also - he just wanted more of the Christ!

Peter is also the apostle who bravely challenged the servants of the priests who came to arrest Jesus.  He was reprimanded by Christ for cutting off the servants ear, and the ear is healed by Jesus.  My interpretation of this event is that Jesus, with the foreknowledge He had because He was God, knew that His arrest was part of the divine plan.  Peter, being human and not possessing this foreknowledge, acted impetuously to protect the Rabbi he loved!

Peter's bravery leaves him following the arrest of Jesus, where to save his own skin he denies Christ three times.  After the third denial, a cock crowed, as Jesus had previously told him.

After the crucifixion of Christ, when the women approach the Apostles and tell them of Jesus's empty tomb, Peter runs there to see it for himself.  I imagine this act to be one of hope on the part of Peter - hope to see his Messiah again.

Following on Jesus's accession to Heaven, the book of Acts describes how Peter stood up and instigated replacing Judas with another, according to prophecies in Psalm 69:25 and Psalm 109:8.  Then when the Holy Spirit came upon the disciples at Pentecost, Peter delivered a powerful, lengthy sermon to the gathered masses exalting the risen Christ!  (Acts 2:14-47).

Peter then went on to become an important part of the growing Church.

So Peter's journey is full of ups and downs.  He throws himself without question into following Christ, and quickly grasps who this Man is.  His faith wavers when tested.  He felt unworthy of Jesus's attention, then gets hungry for more of it.  He over-zealously defends his Messiah, then denies him.  He then goes on to passionately preach about Him.

So Peter doesn't sound like the steady rock that Jesus described him as.  But he went on to do great things for God.  Jesus knew that this at-first unstable man would accomplish much in God's name.

I like Peter.  It's easy to read the gospel accounts and wonder why was he so unstable.  However, I think that wavering between such strong faith and absolute fear is something many people, at least if they are honest with themselves, can relate to.  I know that there are times when I feel I could shout my love for God from the rooftops.  I know there are also times when I, and I am ashamed to admit this, feel a little embarrassed by following Christ.  Sometimes in the same day.  However, I take comfort in the fact that God used Peter powerfully to save others, and I live by the faith that, if it is God's will, He will be able to use me in a similar way.

:)