Holy Hormones Bible Study: Teaching — If your book isn’t a buzz, it’s not the Bible.
SCURRILOUS RUMOURS AGAINST APOSTLE PETER
Are they true?
Peter the craven coward?
If you have not heard a description of the Apostle along those lines you have not been paying attention. It is part of the DNA of the church but is it true? Could it be that appearances are deceiving?
This long-established teaching in most, but not all, churches is based on Matthew 16:21–23 where Peter disputes with Yeshua about the Latter’s prophecy about going to Jerusalem, being killed and rising again; the “Get behind Me, Satan!” episode.
As the event drew closer Jesus explained some more but Peter still knew better, as is written in Matthew 26:31–35 || Then Jesus said to them, “All of you will be made to stumble because of Me this night, for it is written:
‘I will strike the Shepherd, And the sheep of the flock will be scattered.’
But after I have been raised, I will go before you to Galilee.”
Peter answered and said to Him, “Even if all are made to stumble because of You, I will never be made to stumble.”
Jesus said to him, “Assuredly, I say to you that this night, before the rooster crows, you will deny Me three times.” Peter said to Him, “Even if I have to die with You, I will not deny You!”
And so said all the disciples.
Read that last line again.
AND SO SAID ALL THE DISCIPLES.
Christ’s warning to Peter
In the meantime, Messiah had continued to explain more by means of Prophecy, as is written in Luke 22:31–32 || And the Lord said, “Simon, Simon! Indeed, Satan has asked for you, that he may sift you as wheat. But I have prayed for you, that your faith should not fail; and when you have returned to Me, strengthen your brethren.”
That seems simple enough. The Lord is speaking to Simon about Simon.
But that’s the English translation. What about the Greek?
(Note: This next analysis looks complicated and, compared to what the English conveys, it is. However, it is the idea that was put to parchment at that time. There are those who are of the opinion that study of the original languages is a waste of time because English is enough. That may well be. You decide for yourself if the effort is worth it.)
A closer look at what is written in Luke 22:31–32 || And the Lord said, “Simon, Simon! Indeed, Satan has asked for you (G5209), that he may sift you (not in Greek text) as wheat.
The Greek grammar tells us that Jesus is speaking to other Disciples, or to Peter about all of the Disciples. Satan is after all of Jesus’s Disciples — one way or another.
So, let’s have a look at what is actually written in Luke 22:32 || But I have prayed for you (G4675), that your (G4675) faith should not fail (G1587 — ekleipō); and when (G4218 — pote) you (G4771) have returned (G1994 — epistrephō) to Me, strengthen (G4741 — stērizō) your (G4675) brethren.”
PARSING CRITICAL GREEK WORDS
Personal pronouns
G5209 — hymas, You = 2nd person plural
Jesus is speaking directly to other disciples, as well as Peter, or to Peter about all of the disciples.
G4675 — sou, You = 2nd person singular
G4771 — sy, You = 2nd person singular
Jesus is speaking directly to Peter about Peter.
Fail; G1587 — ekleipō = the root word of the English, “eclipse.” In an eclipse the light is still there but hidden for only a short period.
Mood: Subjunctive. It was not a command. It may, or may not, happen. Peter could decide for himself, and history has spoken. But the Greek shows his faith would fail only for a limited time.
When; G4218 — pote = at some time
Returned; G1994 — epistrephō, verb, Aorist tense = completed action.
Strengthen; G4741 — stērizō, verb, imperative mood + aorist tense = flavour of a command given by the regimental Sergeant Major on parade = “Snap to it!” Jesus told Peter what he must do when the latter gets back. There was no doubt he would return.
Bringing it all together, it is Jesus telling Peter that Satan is after all of His (Jesus’s) followers. But He (Jesus) has prayed that Peter’s faith would not be eclipsed, even for a limited time, but that will be up to Peter (it is not a command). However, Peter would return (indicating that Jesus knew he would fail) and he was emphatically commanded to strengthen other Disciples. It is not unreasonable to deduce that the Lord knew that Peter was stronger than the others, though that is not certain.
The Saviour was Prophesying that Peter is the one chosen to be the vanguard of the way of The Way after the beachhead has been established. This becomes evident in the Book of the Acts of the Apostles which, when you think about it, could be titled, the Book of the Acts of Peter then Paul.
I don’t know if Peter got the hint, but I suspect not. It was after this that Jesus Prophesied that he would deny Christ.
Peter the craven coward?
There are two main supporting roles on that Passover day — Peter and Judas Iscariot. I’d be surprised if you haven’t read the Scriptures to see that each one failed the Lord in a different way.
Judas failed by intention. Events showed that he knew what he was going to do early on.
Peter failed through human weakness. He may have been huffing-and-puffing but Matthew 26:75 and Luke 22:62 imply that he utterly believed what he said but refused the first three jumps at the fence and was devastated.
I’ve heard it preached a number of times that for the rest of his life, whenever Peter heard a cock crow, the pain of the memory would pierce his heart. But I’m not sure of that when I read what is written in Hebrews 10:22. But that is a story in the queue.
Peter’s lack of valour was not the problem.
Reading the four Gospels it appears to me it was his lack of self-control. He was a loose cannon.
Since Genesis 3:15–16, the focus of the Prophecy of the Scarlet Thread has been the Messiah. The Shepherd, not the sheep.
Peter’s enthusiasm had to be quenched.
It is written in John 18:12 that a troop (G4686 — speira) of armed men came to arrest Jesus. It is not clear how many men (estimates range between 10 and 1000) and I’m not entering any arguments. Enough to say it was not just a few — and they were armed. Peter showed he was up to taking them all on and chopped the ear of one of them off (is it necessary to give the reference for this event?). Jesus sorted things out and told Peter to behave, which he did. But his blood was obviously boiling.
Rome had scheduled three men to die that day. Apparently, any three because the incident with Jesus was passing trade off the street. Pilate was not expecting him. Jesus, Himself, had forced the issue the night before during the Last Supper.
Peter could easily had been one of the three in addition to the Christ. However, that would have burst the bubble of the Prophecies. (Check those Prophecies out for yourself in the Old Testament.) THAT COULD NOT HAPPEN!!! It is written in Amos 3:7 || Surely the Lord God does nothing, Unless He reveals His secret to His servants the prophets. And in Jeremiah 1:12 || Then the Lord said to me, “You have seen well, for I am watching over my word to perform it.” And in Isaiah 55:11 || So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth; It shall not return to Me empty (without fruit), But it shall accomplish what I please, And it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it.
There are 353 Messianic Prophecies at this link.
What about the other Disciples?
Compare,
Matthew 26:35 || Peter said to Him (Jesus), “Even if I have to die with You, I will not deny You!” And so said all the disciples.
TO,
Matthew 26:56(b) || Then all the disciples forsook Him (Jesus) and fled.
Can someone please explain why the church picks on only Peter?
So?
Was Peter a Craven Coward? There is much more evidence but, if this doesn’t convince you that he wasn’t, I don’t know what will. But it is up to you to decide.
Conclusion
There is so much L-O-R-E and so little L-A-W in my part of town.
I’m open to correction but, from the evidence presented: -
- Peter was prepared to die that day. ALL the disciples said they would, but they weren’t included in the Prophecies which were exclusively directed at the Christ. By the way, they ran away, too. Though it is true that there is no record that anyone else denied Him, running away is tantamount to a denial.
- The Prophecy in Zechariah 13 and repeated in Mark 14:27 said ALL the sheep would scatter. Logically that means NONE would remain. (Admittedly, we know that John returned but that was after the heat had died down.)
- Peter was actually an annoyance who had to be managed so that he didn’t extinguish the Prophecies — which could not happen, as explained above.
Please get off Peter’s back.
Satan is still after Jesus’s Disciples.
The forgoing evidence has not been presented to convince any reader but to allow a personal decision to be made. There is much more to know about this subject. Perhaps you’ll pay another visit, sometime. If you have seen something you like, I encourage plagiarism. So, always check everything I say first, then please re-cycle, re-brand, re-structure, re-issue, re-label, or re-gurgitate in any manner you please. No need to acknowledge me because the Holy Spirit Who holds the Intellectual Rights.
All Glory to the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.
(We all have a plank in our eye. It’s bigger than we think.)
