Peter, a man from humble beginnings, rose to be one of the foremost leaders of the early Church. Chosen as one of the twelve apostles by Jesus Himself, Peter bore witness to the transformational power of the Messiah. This ignited a profound change within him.
Though an ordinary, uneducated individual, Peter’s unwavering belief in Jesus propelled him to become an influential figure in history. His story resonates with countless individuals who see themselves in his sincerity and occasional fallibility. Today, Peter’s name reverberates throughout the world, his impact spanning across generations
But who was Peter?
Come! We Have Found the Messiah
After Jesus launched His earthly ministry, John the Baptist recognized Jesus as the Messiah and urged his disciples to follow Jesus. Subsequently, two of John’s disciples did begin to follow Jesus. One of them was John.
We are told:
“The two disciples heard him speak (John the Baptist), and they followed Jesus. Then Jesus turned, and seeing them following, said to them ‘What do you seek?” They said to Him, ‘Rabbi’ (Which is to say, when translated, Teacher), where are You staying. He said to them, ‘Come and see.’ They came and saw where he was staying, and remained with Him that day (now it was about the tenth hour.)”
John 1: 37, 39
Now who was the second disciple mentioned here? Well, we are then told that the second person was none other than Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother.
After encountering the Messiah and spending the night with Him, Andrew would forever become a disciple of Jesus. We can only imagine that night and how the Word must have burned in their hearts, and they knew they had encountered the Messiah.
“One of the two heard John speak, and followed Him, was Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother. He first found his own brother Simon, and said to him, ‘We have found the Messiah’ (which is translated, the Christ). And he brought him to Jesus. Now when Jesus looked at him, He said, ‘You are Simon the son of Jonah. ‘You shall be called Cephas (which is translated, A Stone).”
John 1: 40-42
Andrew played a key role helping prepare and open Peter’s heart to receive Jesus as the Messiah. At that time, we know that there was a lot of anticipation for the Messiah to arrive. When John the Baptist began preaching passionately, he got the nation excited and suggested that the Messiah’s arrival was imminent.
In the Gospel of Luke, we find additional information about how Peter meet Jesus. In chapter five, we find that Jesus was preaching by the Sea of Galilee (also known as the Lake of Gennesaret). Jesus sees two boats by the shore that had returned from an unsuccessful night of fishing. Little did they know that their night of frustration and failure was setting them up for a divine appointment.
Jesus wanted to preach to a large crowd, so he got into a boat to make it easier for the people to hear him. After preaching for a while, Jesus told Peter to take the boat to deeper waters and then to lower their fishing nets.
“But Simon answered and said to Him, Master, we have toiled all night and caught nothing; nevertheless at Your Word I will let down the net.’ And when they had done this, they caught a great number of fish, and their net was breaking. So they signaled to their partners in the other boat to come and help them. And they came and filled the boats, so that they began to sink. When Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus’s knees, saying, ‘Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord.”
Luke 5: 5-8
The Word declares that if we draw near to Him, He will draw near to us. Clearly, the Master was longing to reach Peter, and all He needed was an opportunity. Peter, who had been told all about Jesus by his brother Andrew, now finds Jesus in his boat.
We know there are no accidents with Jesus, just divine opportunities and divine appointments.
We can only imagine Peter listening to Jesus, recalling what Andrew had said, and then Jesus works this incredible miracle. Peter had listened to Jesus preach, and then, as Jesus commanded, he went out into the deep waters.
We know that Peter had just finished a long night, and all his efforts failed, and I am sure they were frustrated and tired. Now, all Peter could do was wrap the nets, which was a lot of work and further confirmed that their night had been a waste of time. So, when Jesus told him to cast out his nets, we see that he did as Jesus said. Peter will never forget what happened next. They began hauling in the net, and the fish seemed to keep increasing, filling the boats until they were about to sink.
Seeing all the fish, Peter immediately comes under conviction and is broken. He then falls, not at Jesus’ feet but, because of the vast amount of fish, at His knees.
When we hear His voice and, like Peter, obey and press into the deeper waters, we, too, will never be the same.
Looking at Peter in the deeper waters, he is broken and wrecked by the Master. The image is similar to that of Isaiah when he saw the Lord high and lifted up as He was seated on His throne in Isaiah chapter six, and he was undone.
From this moment, Peter could never go back to the old life. This day, everything changed, and Peter, like so many, could point to a place and a time where the old man died and the new was born. Immediately, the Lord changed his name from Simon to Peter, meaning “A Stone.”
Peter, like so many of us, was selected from the foolish, the weak, the ignorant, and the overlooked.
Marriage at Cana
“His Mother said to the servants, ‘Whatever He says to you, do it.”
John 2: 5
Now, Jesus has just chosen and called His twelve disciples, and the first thing He did was to attend this wedding feast, where His mother was present. It would appear that it was either a family or a friend’s wedding. Unfortunately, they run out of wine, and His mother’s response is to tell them to do as Jesus commands them. We must remember that Jesus had not worked any miracle up until that point. So, it was strange, to say the least.
Doubtless, Mary knew Jesus carried authority. So, while Jesus had not worked a miracle before this event, He knew how to walk by faith, and they had clearly witnessed that He had a fully effective prayer life. His family avouched and knew that when Jesus prayed, He always had His prayers answered.
Now, His disciples, who had just started following Him, further duscovered His power and authority that day. As the servants obeyed Him, His disciples watched as He did the impossible and converted the water to wine.
Being Made
Jesus had promised that if Peter followed Him, He would make him a fisher of men. These men had just been enrolled into the greatest mentoring class where, as they drew close to Him, He was making them.
It is important to note that you can walk close to Jesus and receive nothing, just like Judas. But the other eleven, as they received Jesus, were able to receive from Jesus and be made by Him. In the case of the eleven, the Master’s words found fertile soil to grow and bear much fruit.
After the wedding feast, we see in Mark chapter one that Jesus went into the local synagogue in Capernaum and began to teach. This would be the beginning of the disciples’ discipling. Immediately, as they listened, they, like the crowd, knew that the way He taught was unlike the religious elites of the time. We are told:
“And they were astonished at His teaching, for He taught as one having authority, and not as the scribes.”
Mark 1: 22
Jesus taught, preached and operated in authority.
We see how the scribes and Pharisees claimed to have authority but only operated on opinion and political agendas. Their authority was, at best, natural or earthly, but they clearly had no spiritual authority. Jesus, on the other hand, carried such spiritual authority that an unclean spirit possessing a man caused the man to cry out.
“But Jesus rebuked him, saying, ‘Be quiet, and come him!’ And when the unclean spirit had convulsed him and cried out with a loud voice, he came out of him.”
Mark 1: 25, 26
You can only imagine what was going on in Peter and the other disciples’ heads as they beheld what had just happened. Not surprisingly, we are told that Jesus’ fame quickly spread throughout the Galilee region.
“Now as soon as they had come out of the synagogue, they entered the house of Simon and Andrew, with James and John. But Simon’s wife’s mother lay sick with a fever left her. And she served them.”
Mark 1: 29, 31
Now we know that Peter lived in Capernaum, which was located on the coast of the Sea of Galilee. We also know that Peter was married. In addition, in Peter’s first letter, he refers to a son called Mark, who may or may not have been his biological son. It is possible he was referring to John Mark, who wrote the Gospel and whose mother’s house Peter came to after being freed by an angel while in prison.
When Jesus called Peter he was perhaps in his twenties or early thirties at the time. We are told his name was Simon, and he was the son of Jonah (that is “bar Jonah”). Regarding the name Simon, Adam Hamilton wrote:
In the Aramaic spoken in Galilee in the first century, he would likely have been called Shimon. Shimon is related to the Hebrew word shema, which means “to hear” or “to listen.”1 The Children of Israel were to walk with a hearing heart so that they heard what the Lord was saying to them.
The name Simon had been popularized by the festival of Hannukah, which celebrated a victory the Maccabees had in 164 BC. We see Jesus celebrate this feast in the Gospel of John (John 10: 22-39) where it is referred to as the Feast of Dedication.
Next, we are told he is the son of Jonah. His father, Jonah, was perhaps named after the prophet Jonah, who was sent to Nineveh. Little could Peter or his father, Jonah, have imagined how the Lord would send him, and, like Jonah, he would be a history maker.
At the time of Peter, there was a term called “ha’aretz,” which meant people of the land. These were poor, uneducated, and typically the lower class who were often not careful in their observance of the Law. The fishermen of the Galilee were mostly classed as among the ha’aretz. We later see in the Book of Acts the religious leaders looking down on Peter as uneducated (Acts 4: 13), suggesting he was indeed a member of this group of people.
When Peter was called, we see that he was a fisherman. Now, it is important to understand that fish was a major part of the local people’s diets as it was cheaper than lamb or beef and more readily available.
Walking on the Water
Not long after Jesus started His earthly ministry, John the Baptist was arrested, and in Matthew chapter fourteen, we are told Herold has John beheaded.
Jesus, upon hearing the news, decided to take His disciples and go off to a deserted place to be alone. However, the crowd soon discovered where He was, and they followed Him. Jesus, we are told, then preached to them and, moved by compassion for them, worked a mighty miracle, feeding the five thousand using just five loaves and two fish.
After feeding the people, Jesus had His disciples get in the boat and go ahead of Him. Jesus then went up the mountain to be alone and pray. Later in the evening, the disciples were out in the deep waters of the lake when Jesus, having finished His prayer time, came walking on the water to them.
“But the boat was now in the middle of the sea, tossed by the waves, for the wind was contrary. Now in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went to them, walking on the sea. And when the disciples saw Him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, ‘It is a ghost!’ And they cried out of fear. But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, ‘Be of good cheer! It is I; do not be afraid.’ And Peter answered Him and said, ‘Lord, if it You, command me to come to You on the water.’ So He said, ‘Come.’ And when Peter had come down out of the boat, he walked on the water to go to Jesus. But when he saw that the wind was boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink he cried out, saying, ‘Lord, save me!’ And immediately Jesus stretched out His hand and caught him, and said to him, ‘O you of little faith, why did you doubt?’ And when they got into the boat the wind ceased. Then those who were in the boat came and worshipped Him, saying, ‘Truly You are the Son of God.”
Matthew 14: 24- 33
As we read this, it is also worth looking at Psalm 107. There is a powerful series of parallels between Psalm 107 and what we witnessed here and in John chapter six, especially if we read the Aramaic. In the Aramaic version of Psalm 107, it reads:
Concerning the sailors of Jonah the son of Amittai, he prophesied and said, ‘The sailors went down to the sea in ships, doing work on the great waters; they saw the works of the Lord and his wonders in the deep. Then He spoke though His Word, and raised a stormwind and a hurricane, so that its waves were lifted up. They went up towards heaven, they went down to the depths of the abyss; their souls melted away in trouble. They trembled and tottered like a drunkard; and all their wisdom was swallowed up. Then they prayed before the Lord when they were in anguish, and He brought them out of their distress. He made the hurricane into silence, and their waves became silent. They were glad because they were silent; and He brought them to their desired haven. Let them give thanks before the Lord for His goodness, and tell of His wonderful deeds to the sons of men.”
Psalm 107: 23-31 Targum
In John’s Gospel, he seeks to connect the dots from Jesus preincarnate in the Old Testament, appearing as the Word or the Son, for example, and that He was the same Jesus walking on the earth with them. Aramaic was a language related to Hebrew, and the Aramaic Targums were translations of the Old Testament, which also included commentary to help explain what was being said. The Aramaic was the Bible read by the disciples, so Peter would have known the Aramaic translation of Psalm 107 and understood that Jesus was fulfilling this very Psalm in front of them.
In looking at John’s chapter six, we start to see Peter’s character and heart. Some people just want to be in the background, but not Peter, who lived out loud. As we can see, Peter carried his emotions on his sleeve and was all too often quick to speak, which sometimes was good, but other times, well, it would create problems.
Upon seeing Jesus walking on the water, typical Peter feels compelled to ask Jesus to command him to come to Him. Now we are told there was a storm brewing, and we know Peter, a fisherman, would have been familiar with the dangers of being on the water during such a storm.
However, Peter initially focused on Jesus, and he forgot the storm and everything else. He only saw the Master. But as he was walking on the water, he got distracted and saw the storm, and he suddenly became fearful. He cried to Jesus, and Jesus put out His hand and saved him.
When they got into the boat, they all began worshipping Jesus, and immediately, the storm ceased. In John’s Gospel, we are also told that immediately, the boat was at its destination (John 6: 21, just as we read in Psalm 107 according to the Targum.
If we go back to Matthew’s account, Jesus calmed the disciples’ fears by saying, ‘Be of good cheer! It is I; do not be afraid’ (Matthew 14: 27). The Greek for “it is I” is “ego eimi,” which literally means “I Am.” This is the term John used frequently, connecting Jesus to the Lord God when He called Himself, “I Am Who I Am” (Exodus 3: 14).
Eat My Flesh
The next day, the people are amazed to see Jesus on the other side of Tiberius and wonder how He got there.
Jesus explains that they were seeking Him because He gave them food and that they needed to receive the spiritual food He had for them. So, Jesus preached a powerful message, but it began to offend the crowd, especially as He declared to them who He was.
Despite the offense caused by His message, Jesus remained steadfast in His mission. He understood that not everyone would accept Him, but He continued to boldly speak the truth and offer the spiritual food that would satisfy their deepest longings. Jesus’ commitment to His message, despite the crowd’s reaction, showcases His unwavering obedience to the Father’s purpose.
“I AM the bread which came down from Heaven.’ And they said, ‘Is not this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How is then that He says, ‘I have come down from Heaven?’ Jesus said to them, ‘Do not murmur among yourselves. No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up at the last day. It is written in the prophets, ‘And they shall all be taught by God. Therefore everyone who has heard and learned from the Father comes to Me.”
John 6: 41-45
Very quickly, the people become more and more offended at Jesus, and Jesus becomes more and more offensive. He then preaches perhaps His most offensive message, telling them to eat His flesh and drink His blood. Jesus is referencing Exodus chapter sixteen, where the Children of Israel were commanded to eat the Manna or the Bread of Heaven, but they kept refusing to listen just as they were refusing to hear and receive what Jesus was saying. Jesus is talking to them about spiritual food, but they can’t stop thinking naturally.
During Jesus’ preaching, the people’s offense towards him intensified, and He became increasingly provocative in His message. At one point, He delivered what could be considered His most controversial statement, urging His followers to eat His flesh and drink His blood. This declaration is a reference to Exodus chapter sixteen, where the Children of Israel were commanded to partake of the Manna that came from Heaven daily. Just as the Israelites failed to grasp the spiritual significance of the Manna, the people in Jesus’ audience also struggled to understand his deeper message about spiritual sustenance. Their reliance on earthly thinking hindered them from embracing the spiritual truth behind Jesus’ words.
As a result, many of His disciples left Jesus so Jesus said:
“Does this offend you? What then if you should see the Son of Man ascend where He was before? It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life. But there are some of you who do not believe.”
John 6: 61-64
This is believed to be the point when Judas turns on Jesus as well (John 6: 66). As Jesus watches the masses leave Him, He asks His disciples:
“Do you also want to go away?” But Simon Peter answered Him, Lord, to whom hall we go? You have the words of eternal life. Also we have come to believe and know that You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”
John 6: 67-69
Peter, once again, is the one to answer, and he does so with a powerful statement regarding Jesus. In the Aramaic translation, we see the Lord often referred to often as the Son, so Peter’s calling Him the Son was a statement that he recognized that the One who interacted with the Children of Israel in the Old Testament was the One known preaching to them or the Son of God.
“Kiss the Son, lest He be angry, and you perish in the way, when His wrath is kindled but a little. Blessed are those who put their trust in Him.”
Psalm 2: 12
After the Holy Spirit is poured out, Peter, like Jesus, refuses to be a people-pleaser or to play religious politics. Peter understands the true consequences of sin and so like Jesus, keeps calling for people to repent. But during this season, Peter is watching, learning, and being made by the Master.
Who Do You Say That I Am?
‘When Jesus came into the region of Caesarea Philippi, He asked His disciples, saying ‘Who do men say that I, the Son of Man, am? So they said, ‘Some say John the Baptist, some Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.’ He said to them, ‘But who do you say that I am?’ Simon Peter answered and said, ‘You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”
Matthew 16: 13-16
They arrived at Caesarea Philippi, a city known for worshipping pagan gods that was mostly non-Jewish. The city was situated approximately 25 miles north of the Galilee, near one of the main springs that fed the Jordan River. In a cave with a large rock and flowing water, the Greek god Pan was worshipped. It was widely believed that this location was the entrance to the underworld.
Here, Jesus asks a critical question that we all must answer: ‘Who do you say that I am? ‘
Once again, Peter speaks up and answers the Master’s question. He first declared that Jesus was the Messiah, translated as the Christ. In other words, Peter was declaring that Jesus was the Promised One that the Jews were eagerly waiting for – the One anointed by God to deliver His people.
Up until now, Jesus had not officially declared Himself as the promised Messiah.
Peter then once again called Him the Son. We see this term “Son” used in reference to the Lord in the Old Testament.
“I will declare the decree: The Lord has said to Me, ‘You are My Son, today I have begotten You.”
Psalm 2: 7
Jesus then responded to Peter:
“Blessed are you, Simon Bar Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father who is in Heaven. And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this Rock I will build My Church, and the gates of Hades will not prevail against it. And I will give you the keys of the kingdom of Heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in Heaven, and whatever you lose on earth will be loosed in Heaven.”
Matthew 16: 17-19
These verses are some of the most powerful and yet misunderstood. It’s important to note that the disciples were Jews and, therefore, familiar with Jewish terms and phrases. Throughout the Old Testament, they referred to the Lord as “My Rock.” Peter recognized that Jesus was not only the Promised One but also the “Rock “of their salvation.
“No one is holy like the Lord, for there is none besides You, nor is there any Rock like our God.”
1 Samuel 2: 2
“The title of ‘The Rock’ belonged to the Messiah.”
“The God of Israel said, The Rock of Israel spoke to me: He who rules over men must be just, ruling in the fear of God.”
2 Samuel 23: 3
In fact, there are numerous verses in the Old Testament referring to Him as the Rock.
Now we must look carefully at what Jesus said to Peter in calling Peter a rock, as there are many words for rock. So, looking at what was spoken here, we see that the Lord calls Simon a stone but declares He will build His Church upon the Rock to which Peter the “stone” was part.
We know that Paul explained that the foundation of the Church is Christ and not a man. Jesus is the Chief Cornerstone.
“For no other foundation cane anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Christ Jesus.”
1 Corinthians 3: 11
Peter later explained that Jesus was the Chief Cornerstone in one of his sermons and in his first letter. He explained that this Cornerstone was the One who had been rejected by the Jewish leaders and then added that we, as believers, are living stones. In Greek, the word Christ used for “Rock” was petra, which is a larger rock than Peter, or petros, which is a rock that is part of the bigger rock.
Meyer explained: The Greek phrasing of our Lord’s reply leaves no doubt as to His meaning. Two Greek words are here. Petros, Simon’s new name, signifying in Greek, as Cephas did in Syriac, a stone, or bit of rock, broken or hewn from its parent bed; and Petra, the Rock-bed itself. Our Lord carefully makes the distinction.2
Jesus explained that Peter’s revelation of who He was didn’t come from flesh or blood, but by the Father. In other words, Peter didn’t discern this by himself, but rather, the Father had inspired that revelation in him by the Holy Spirit. The Father opened Peter’s eyes and revealed to Peter who Jesus was. As a believer, we only come because the Father draws us and reveals to us as well who Jesus is, and this is the Rock of revelation that the Church is built upon- that is the revelation of Who Jesus is as the Lord God and the Rock of our Salvation.
What Jesus said next is precious and, again, powerful. It is important for the Church to remember that no matter how hard the enemy tries to defeat it, the gates or powers of Hell will not prevail against her. Jesus further adds that He has given authority to His Church to accomplish His purpose. The Greek better reads, “Whatever you bind on earth will have been bound in Heaven, and whatever you lose on earth will have been loosed in Heaven.”
The Church, while on this earth, is meant to make known the will and purpose of Heaven on the earth.
Get Behind Me, Satan
As we continue in Matthew chapter sixteen, we see that not long after this powerful revelation, wonderful Peter shares another revelation, but this time, it is from Satan and not Heaven.
After Jesus asked who He was to, He revealed to them that He had to go to Jerusalem, suffer, die, and rise again on the third day.
“Then Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him, saying, ‘Far be it from You, Lord; this shall not happen to You!’ But He turned and said to Peter, ‘Get behind Me, Satan! You are an offense to Me, for you are not mindful of the things of God, but the things of men.”
Matthew 16: 22-23
Peter was sincere, but in this case, he was sincerely wrong. I can only imagine that, in this case, Peter had wished he had kept his mouth shut. One can’t imagine receiving a stronger rebuke, but Peter humbly received it, and the Lord made him a powerful leader.
The Transfiguration
Jesus took His inner circle of Peter, James, and John six days later, and we are told they went up a high mountain to pray. Here, Jesus prays, and suddenly, He is transfigured. The word transfigured is the same word that is used in:
“But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed (transfigured) into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord.”
2 Corinthians 3: 18 (Emphasis Added)
It is hard to imagine what they saw that day when Jesus was so wonderfully transformed that even His clothes were changed. We are told that:
“And he was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and His clothes became as white as the light. And behold, Moses and Elijah appeared to them, talking with Him. Then Peter answered and said to Jesus, ‘Lord, it is good for us to be here; if You wish, let us make here three tabernacles: one for You, one for Moses, and one for Elijah. While he was still speaking, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them, and suddenly a voice came out of the cloud, saying, ‘This is My Beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. Hear Him.”
Matthew 17: 2-5
Yes, once again, Peter spoke up. Luke’s Gospel provides additional information:
‘And behold, two men talked with Him, who were Moses and Elijah, who appeared in glory and spoke of His decease which He was about to accomplish at Jerusalem. But Peter and those with him were heavy sleep; and when they were fully awake, they saw His glory and the two men who stood with Him.”
Luke 9: 30-32
We discover Peter and the team were in a deep sleep and awakened by what was happening. The glory filling Jesus and radiating from Him is so great and bright that He is like the sun. Then the Father speaks in a thundering voice. The disciples now awaken and find Jesus talking to Moses and Elijah regarding the Cross. However, what they heard at this point didn’t make sense to them until after the resurrection, when their eyes were opened.
Jesus then instructed His inner circle, who came with Him, not to tell anyone about what happened until after His resurrection.
For Me and You
When they returned to Capernaum, those who collected the Temple tax approached Peter and asked him, “Does Your Teacher not pay the temple tax?” (Matthew 17: 24).
“And when he had come into the house, Jesus anticipated him, saying, ‘What do you think, Simon? From whom do the kings of the earth take customs or taxes, from their sons or from strangers?’ Peter said to Him, ‘From strangers?’ Jesus said to him, ‘Then the sons are free.’ Nevertheless, lest we offend them, go to the sea, cast in a hook, and take the fish that comes up first. And when you have opened its mouth, you will find a piece of money; take that and give it to them for Me and you.”
Matthew 17: 25-27
This was a voluntary tax to be distinguished from Roman taxes. However, religious leaders like Jesus were exempt—or at least Jesus should have been exempt. At this point, the religious elites are strongly opposed to Jesus, and His exemption appears to have been removed.
Not only did Jesus pay His taxes but also for the disciples, “For Me and you.’
The Making of Leaders
By now the disciples have walked with Jesus around three years. They have watched Him twenty-four seven. They have seen the Man, that is they have seen Jesus not just when He was preaching, but behind the scenes. In other words, they saw His heart, His character and what made Him. This is information that the crowds may have missed or never seen. But the disciples did.
Yet after walking with the Servant Jesus for some time, the disciples ask Jesus who is the greatest in the Kingdom. So, Jesus begins sharing Parables with them. Jesus has to teach these future leaders about the upside-down Kingdom ways. During the discussion, Peter then comes to Jesus:
Then Peter came to Him and said, ‘Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Up to seven times?’ Jesus said to him, ‘I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven. “
Matthew 18: 1, 2
To answer Peter, Jesus shared a parable of a king who sought to settle his accounts. The king had a man who owed his ten thousand talents and had him brought before him. The man, we are told, couldn’t pay, so the king demanded all that he owned, including his wife and children. But the man begs for mercy and promises to pay. In response, the king has mercy on him and forgives him for all his debt. This was an incredible display of underserved mercy.
It is important to understand that the Pharisees taught you were to forgive up to three times, and they would cite Amos 1, where God forgave Israel three times.
So, in seeking to come across as even more merciful, Peter says not three but seven times. Jesus’ response was 490 times. However, Jesus’ answer sought to explain the depth of His mercy was beyond human understanding and was not limited to a specific number. In Ephesians 4: 32, Paul explains that we are to forgive even as Christ has forgiven us.
A Question of Reward
Jesus told His disciples that it was harder for a rich man to enter the kingdom than for a camel to go through the eye of a needle. His disciples must have wondered how anyone could enter the kingdom. But He then said that with God, all things are possible. Once again, Peter speaks up and asks a question. The disciples had given everything up to follow Jesus, and I am sure they wondered at times what was in it for them.
“Then Peter answered and said to Him, ‘See, we have left all and followed You. Therefore what shall we have?
The Master then responded:
So Jesus said to them, ‘Assuredly I say to you, that in the regeneration, when the Son of Man sits on the throne of His glory, you who have followed Me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or lands, for My Name’s sake, shall receive a hundredfold, and inherit eternal life. But many who are first will be last, and the last will be first.”
Matthew 19: 27- 30
Prepare the Place
Jesus came to Jerusalem during the last week before His crucifixion. This was a holy week during which the people prepared for and celebrated the Feast of Unleavened Bread and Passover.
Little did Peter and John know that things would dramatically change during this meal. This would be a Passover unlike any other. This was the night the Lord had been pointing to since their first Passover when He would not redeem them from Egypt but from sin.
As we have seen, John and Peter were in Christ’s inner circle and appeared to be close. Here, Jesus has tasked them with preparing the Passover meal. These men had spent over three years with Jesus, and they started to know how He worked. So, when the Master told them to prepare the place, they knew to ask Him, where. Jesus miraculously has a plan with the right person and the right place.
Feet Washing
After they finished the meal, Jesus put aside His garments, took a towel, and girded Himself before beginning to wash the feet of the disciples. In those days, they didn’t wear socks, and their feet became dirty. But surprise, surprise, Peter was the one who spoke up.
“Then he came to Simon Peter. And Peter said to Him, ‘Lord, are You washing my feet?’ Jesus answered and said to him, ‘What I am doing you do not understand now, but you will know after this.’ Peter said to Him, ‘You shall never wash my feet!’ Jesus answered him, ‘If I do not wash you, you have no part with Me.’ Simon Peter said to Him, ‘Lord not my feet only, but also my hands and my head!’ Jesus said to him, ‘He who is bathed needs only to wash his feet, but is completely clean; and you are clean, but not all of you.’”
John 13: 6- 10
Once again Peter is sincere but sincerely wrong.
Someone Will Betray Me
After Jesus finished washing the feet of all His disciples, He took the bread and wine and initiated what we call today, the communion service. Jesus then said:
“Most assuredly, I say to you, one of you will betray Me.”
John 13: 21
The disciples are shocked by what Jesus just said, and they begin asking who it might be that will betray Jesus. We are told that Judas had been stealing the money, but even with that, none of the disciples suspected that it was Judas.
“Now there was leaning on Jesus bosom one of His disciples, whom Jesus loved. Simon Peter therefore motioned to him to ask who it was of whom He spoke. Then leaning back on Jesus breast, he said to Him, ‘Lord, who is it?’ Jesus answered, ‘It is he to whom I shall give a piece of bread when I have dipped it.’ And having dipped the bread, He gave it to Judas Iscariot, the son of Simon.”
John 13: 23-26
Even with this, the disciples didn’t fully understand what had happened and exactly what the Master meant by betraying Him.
“For some thought, because Judas had the money bag, that Jesus said to him, ‘Buy things we need for the feast,’ or that he should give something to the poor.”
John 13: 29
Peter’s Denial Predicted
After finishing communion, Jesus gives them a new commandment: love one another. But this was a different love, a love they would soon discover and understand through what Jesus did on the Cross. His love, as seen on the Cross, was to be manifested through their lives, and this would be the proof that they were His disciples.
“Simon Peter said to Him, ‘Lord, where are You going?’ Jesus answered him, ‘Where I am going you cannot follow Me now but you shall follow Me afterward.’ Peter said to Him, ‘Lord why can I not follow You now? I will lay down my life for Your sale.”
John 13: 36-37
Well, yes, once again Peter spoke up. We see in Matthew’s Gospel:
“Peter answered and said to Him, ‘Even if all are made to stumble because of You, I will never be made to stumble.”
Matthew 26: 33
In Luke’s Gospel, we are told:
“And the Lord said to 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.’ But he said to Him, ‘Lord, I am ready to go with You, both to prison and to death.’ Then He said, I tell you, Peter, the rooster shall not crow this day before you will deny three times that you know Me.”
Luke 22: 31-34
The Lord then downloads powerful and critical information to His disciples (John 14-17) before He and His disciples head off to the Mount of Olives and Gethsemane.
The Garden of Gethsemane
Jesus and His disciples then came to the Brook of Kidron to a place called the Garden of Gethsemane. The name Gethsemane is of Aramaic origin, and it means “an oil press.” If we want the anointing to manifest powerfully in our lives, we must come to the oil press like Jesus.
Here, Jesus takes His inner circle and takes them to where He goes to pray. He then tells Peter, John, and James:
“My soul is exceedingly sorrowful, even to death. Stay here and watch with Me.”
Matthew 26: 38
Jesus then went a little further and prayed. Here, Jesus prays for an hour before He returns to find the disciples sleeping. Luke explained that they were asleep for sorrow. The disciples had recognized something was happening and saw the sorrow in Jesus and, out of fear, ran from the problem by sleeping. Jesus warns them:
“What! Could you not watch with Me for one hour? Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.”
Matthew 26: 40, 41
We know that Jesus is in deep and intense prayer such that drops of blood appear on His forehead. It is hard to imagine all He went through in the Garden, but He could not face the Cross until He had gone through all this in the Garden.
Jesus returned twice and found the disciples sleeping. Each time, He awakens them and instructs them to pray. The third time, He told them to wake up and explained that it was time. What Peter didn’t know was that this would become perhaps the longest night of his life. When he needed to stay awake and pray, he slept, and now when he needed strength to overcome, he didn’t have it.
Betrayed
After awakening His disciples, Jesus warns them that a betrayer is at hand. Within minutes, Judas and a large group of soldiers arrive to arrest Jesus. Judas, upon seeing Jesus, gives the sign that Jesus is the one to arrest by kissing Him.
“And suddenly, one of those who were with Jesus stretched out his hand and drew his sword, struck the servant of the high priest, and cut off his ear.” But Jesus said to him, ‘Put your sword in its place, for all who take the sword will perish by the sword. Or do you not think that I cannot now pray to My Father, and He will provide Me with more than twelve legions of angles? How then could the Scripture be fulfilled, that it must happen thus?”
Matthew 26: 51- 54
Now, which disciple was it that cut the person’s ear off? In his Gospel, John tells us it was none other than Peter!
Peter’s problem was he was emotional, and while he could hear the Lord at times, he would be led by his flesh at other times. From a natural perspective, it would be a natural response to seek to defend Jesus and attack. We think of all those who revolted against Roman rule. But Jesus understood that the enemy was not Rome but Satan. In John’s Gospel, we are told:
“So Jesus said to Peter, ‘Put your sword unto the sheath. Shall I not drink the cup which My Father has given me?”
John 18: 11
In watching Peter, we learn that the flesh must be killed by waiting in the Secret Place of His Presence.
Jesus is then taken to the High Priest.
“And Simon Peter followed Jesus, and so did another disciple. Now that disciple was known to the high priest, and went with Jesus into the courtyard of the high priest.”
John 18: 15
The other disciple was John. The Greek word for “well known” is “gnostos,” which means a well-known acquaintance. John, therefore, is able to gain access to the high priest, while Peter is not able.
“But Peter stood at the door outside. Then the other disciple who was known to the high priest, went out and spoke to her who kept the door, and brought Peter in. Then the servant girl who kept the door said to Peter, ‘You are not also one this Man’s disciples, are you?’ He said, ‘I am not.’ Now the servants and re officers who had made a fire of coals stood there, for it was cold, and they warmed themselves. And Peter stood with them and warned himself…You are not also one of His disciples, are you?’ He denied it and said, ‘I am not.’ One of the servants of the high priests, a relative of him whose ear Peter cut off, said, ‘Did I not see you in the Garden with Him?’ Peter then denied again; and immediately a rooster crowed.”
John 18: 16-18, 25-26
Just as the Master foretold, Peter began to deny Jesus, and before the rooster crows three times, he denied him thrice.
Now, Jesus would then stand trial before He is ultimately crucified. At the Cross, we are told that John and Jesus’ mother were close to the Cross because Jesus could speak to them, and they heard Him. The nature of dying by crucifixion would make it difficult to speak out loudly. But regarding the rest, including Peter, we are told:
‘But all His acquaintances, and the women, who followed Him from Galilee, stood at a distance watching these things.”
Matthew 23: 49
The Resurrection
On the third day after the burial of Jesus, the women went to anoint Jesus’ body early in the morning. However, they find the tomb empty, and we are told:
“And entering the tomb, they saw a young man clothed in a long white robe sitting on the right side; and they were alarmed. But he said to them, ‘Do not be alarmed. You seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He is risen! He is not here. See the place where they laid Him. But go, tell His disciples- and Peter- that He is going before you into Galilee; there you will see Him, as He said to you.”
Mark 16: 5- 7
It is worth pointing out that Mark, in his Gospel, shares that the angel said, “And Peter.” Clearly, Peter felt disqualified and a failure, but not before the Lord.
“Then she ran and came to Simon Peter and to the other disciples, whom Jesus loved, and said to them, ‘They have taken away the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid Him. Peter therefore went out, and the other disciple outran Peter and came to the tomb first. And he, stooping down and looking in, saw the linen cloths lying there; yet he did not go in. Then Simon Peter came, following him, and went into the tomb; and he saw the linen cloths lying there, and the handkerchief that had been around His head, not lying with the linen cloths, but folded together in a place by itself.”
John 20: 2-7
Though John is first at the tomb, he doesn’t enter, perhaps because he is a priest, but Peter does. Unfortunately, at this point, the disciples still don’t understand what Jesus said and how He would rise from the dead on the third day.
Then we are told that later that same day, when they had gathered together behind closed doors, Jesus appeared to them.
Do You Love Me
John tells us that Jesus appeared to them again when Thomas was present and again one morning. On the day they decided to go fishing, and it was none other than Peter that came up with the suggestion to go fishing. We read:
“Simon Peter, Thomas called the Twin, Nathanael of Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two others of His disciples were together. Simon Peter said to them, ‘I am going fishing.’ They said to him, ‘We are going with you also.’ They went out and immediately they got into the boat, and that night they caught nothing. But when morning had now come, Jesus stood on the shore; yet the disciples did not know that it was Jesus. Then Jesus said to them, ‘Children, have you any food?’ They answered Him, ‘no.’ And He said to them, ‘Cast the net on the right side of the boat, and you will find some. So they cast, and now they were not able to draw it in because of the multitude of fish. Therefore that disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, ‘It is the Lord!’ Now when Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he put on his garment (for he had removed it), and plunged into the sea….”
John 21: 2-7
Unfortunately, we see the disciples a little bit lost, as they don’t know their purpose now that Jesus’ earthly ministry is over. Peter thinks about going back to fishing, but despite all their efforts, they are not successful. They are in that place where no door seems open, and they simply don’t know what to do.
We are told the disciples are far from the shore and so fail to recognize Jesus calling them from the shore. However, when they pull in the great haul of fish, Peter knows it is Jesus and jumps in the water to get to Him.
Jesus then prepares breakfast for them. Jesus is the Risen Lord, yet He still serves. He then goes after Peter, who I am sure was seeking to hide in the crowd.
“Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me more than these?’ He said to Him, ‘Yes, Lord; You know that I love You.”
John 21: 15
Several things must be pointed out regarding what Jesus said and Peter’s answers. First, Jesus calls him Simon and not Peter. Jesus met him right where he was at, and He sought to lift him and restore him fully back. First, He asks Peter if he loves Him more than the rest. Now remember that Peter had said that even if all stumbled over Him, he would not, yet he did.
Peter’s sense of failure must have been crippling to him.
Next, the Greek word for love used by Jesus is “agapao,” while Peter responds using “phileo.” If we go back to the betrayal of Jesus by Judas, when Judas kissed Jesus to betray Him, the Greek word used for kiss is “phileo.”
The word phileo means a natural or earthly love or friendship. You could say Peter was responding, “I love you as a dear friend.” But even in his words, there was the sting of what Judas had done and the sense that Peter was also failing the Master. The word Jesus used meant the divine love that John defined in 1 John 3: 16, that this love is revealed in Christ laying down His life for us and that we ought to do the same. Peter could not claim such love and had to state that he loved Jesus simply as a friend.
Jesus then told Peter to tend or, as it translates, be a teacher to His young lambs. Jesus gives Peter a purpose and call.
“He said to him again a second time, ‘Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me? He said to Him, ‘Yes, Lord; You know I love You.’ He said to him, ‘Tend My sheep.”
John 21: 16
Here again, Jesus uses “agape” for love” while Peter again uses “phileo.” However, Jesus didn’t say “more than the rest.” Jesus has dropped to Peter’s level, but He then tells Peter to minister and pastor His mature sheep.
“He said to him the third time, ‘Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me?’ Peter was grieved because He said to him the third time, ‘Do you love Me?’ And he said to Him, ‘Lord, You know all things; You know that I love You.’ Jesus said to him, ‘Feed My sheep.”
John 21: 17
In this exchange, Jesus uses the word “phileo” for love, which upsets Peter. Peter feels exposed and vulnerable, but Jesus then tells him to teach His mature sheep.
As Peter denied Jesus three times, Jesus ministers to him three times. Then Jesus declared:
“Most assuredly, I say to you, when you were younger, you girded yourself and walked where you wished; but when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and another will gird you and carry you where you do not wish.’ This He spoke, signifying by what death he would glorify God. And when He had spoke this, He said to him, ‘Follow Me.”
John 21: 18, 19
Then Jesus tells Peter he will not die young but will indeed die a death that will glorify Him as an older man. He finishes by calling Peter once again to follow Him. Peter had felt disqualified and unworthy, but Jesus was fully restoring him and giving him hope and a future.
The Days Before Pentecost
Before Christ’s ascension into Heaven, He promised them the Holy Spirit would be poured out. They are told to wait until this happens and then:
“But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”
Acts 1: 8
The disciples then watched as Jesus ascended into Heaven. This must have been an incredible sight, and just think that one day, He will return in the same way. They knew it was the end of a season and were on the verge of a new one.
In preparation for the new season, Peter steps up and determines they must replace Judas, who betrayed Jesus and then hung himself:
“Men and brethren, this Scripture had to be fulfilled, which the Holy Spirit spoke before by the mouth of David concerning Judas, who became a guide to those who arrested Jesus; for he was numbered with us and obtained a part in this ministry…”
Acts 1: 16-, 17
The choice for Judas’ replacement is either Barabas or Matthias. So, they pray and cast lots, and the lots fall for Matthias. So Mattias replaces Judas.
The Day of Pentecost
The day of the Feast of Pentecost finally came, and as promised, the Holy Spirit is poured out and the Church is born. Those gathered are all filled with the Holy Spirit and begin speaking in tongues.
Now, because it is the Feast of Pentecost, many Jews are in Jerusalem for the Feast and have become aware of what has just happened. Many would have heard of Jesus and about the events of recent days. I am sure there was much discussion about Jesus as the men came to celebrate the Feast.
Some believe that the outpouring occurred in the Upper Room, but it is very possible that it was in the courtyard of the Temple. We are told that the day of Pentecost had fully come or that it was early morning. That meant it would have been the hour of prayer; therefore, they would have gathered in the courtyard. Further, there is a promise in Ezekiel that they would have been expecting, which would have been in the Temple.
Many Jews hear and see what is happening with the Church which may further support that the outpouring occurred at the Temple. When they hear the Church speaking in their various languages, they are amazed, and some mock them that they are drunk.
“But Peter, standing up with the eleven, raised his voice and said to them, ‘Men of Judea and all who dwell in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and heed my words…”
Acts 2: 14
Peter then preaches his first sermon and the first sermon ever preached by the Church and tells them that what Joel had prophesized was being fulfilled. He finishes with:
“Repent, and let every one of your be baptized in the Name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sin; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promises is to you and to your children, and to all who are afar off, as many as the Lord our God will call.”
Acts 2: 38, 39
Peter then continued preaching, and three thousand were added to the Church that day.
A Lame Man is Healed
We are then told that John and Peter were heading to the Temple to pray as they did so daily. This day as they pass by a lame man begging for alms, Peter hears him and says to him:
“Look at us.’ So he gave them his attention, expecting to receive something from them. Then Peter said, ‘Silver and gold I do not have, but what I do have I give to you; in the Name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk. And he took him by the right hand and lifted him up, and immediately his feet and ankle bones received strength. So he, leaped up, stood and walked and entered the Temple with them- walking, leaping, and praising God.’
Acts 3: 4b-8
As the crowd watches, they, too, are amazed. The healed man clings to Peter, and as Peter sees the crowd, he begins to preach his second message. Well, the priests and Sadducees hear what is being said and arrest Peter and John.
“However, many of those who heard the Word believed; and the number of the men came to be about five thousand.”
Acts 4: 4
Peter and John are then brought before the high priest and tried. The religious elite demand to know by what authority they did what they did. Peter steps up to the plate and preaches a message to them.
“Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, ‘Rulers of the people and elders of Israel: If we this day are judged for a good deed done to a helpless man, by what means he has been made well, let it be known to you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the Name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead, by Him this man stands here before you whole. This is the stone which was rejected by your builders, which has become the chief cornerstone. Now is there salvation in any other name, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.”
Acts 4: 8-12
We can see the powerful impact of the Holy Spirit on Peter, who preaches boldly regarding Jesus. Peter didn’t preach a politically correct message, and he didn’t say, ‘Can’t we just all get along?’ but pointed to the critical need for salvation in Jesus.
Looking at the religious elites and filled with a Holy Ghost boldness, Peter makes it clear to them that they crucified Jesus, but God raised Him from the dead. You can only imagine how offended they were as they heard.
We are told that:
“Now when they saw the boldness of peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated and untrained men, they marveled. And they realized that they had been with Jesus.”
Acts 4: 13
The disciples are then commanded not to preach in Jesus’ Name. It is important to understand that the religious elite were pointing to what happened to Jesus and that this would be their fate if they continued, but the disciples point to Jesus as a warning to them.
The Church Gathers and Prays
We then see the Church gather not to grumble or complain in fear but rather to make a stand before Heaven.
“Now Lord, look on their threats, and grant to Your servants that with all boldness they may speak the Word, by stretching out Your hand to heal, and that signs and wonders may be done through the Name of Your Servant Jesus.”
Acts 4: 29, 30
We are told after they prayed, there was an earthquake. The Church knew their prayer had been heard and the Lord would not just protect them but enable them to stay on the offensive, preaching the Gospel.
Don’t Lie to the Holy Spirit
In Chapter Five of Acts, we see how the Church is growing, and many sell their possessions and bring them to the Church. We then are introduced to a couple, Ananias and his wife, Sapphira. They sell some processions, and Ananias claims that he has brought the full proceedings to the Church.
The issue was not that he didn’t bring the full amount, but that he claimed he did. Peter calls him out and then tells him that he has lied to God and Ananias dropped down dead. A little while later, his wife comes, and Peter asks her the same question. She lies too and drops down dead as well.
“Yet none of the rest dared join them, but the people esteemed them highly. And believers were increasingly added to the Lord, multitudes of both men and women, so that they brought the sick out into the streets and laid them on beds and couches, that at least the shadow of Peter passing by might fall on some of them. Also a multitude gathered from the surrounding cities to Jerusalem bringing sick people and those who were tormented by unclean spirits, and they were all healed.”
Acts 5: 13- 16
A great fear came on the church, and as a result, we see the Lord work mighty miracles.
Apostles on Trial Again
Several of the apostles are arrested and put in prison, but during the night an angel comes and sets them free and says to them:
“Go, stand in the temple and speak to the people all the words of this life.”
Acts 5: 20
Instead of hiding in fear, they had a divine command to go and boldly preach even though it appeared they had just been defeated. The Church is not called to run from, but to run to preaching His Gospel while He confirms it with signs and wonders.
Seeing the apostles back preaching, the high priest arrested them once again and asked them to explain why they were preaching in the Name that they were forbidden to preach in. Do you want to guess which apostle spoke up and answered them? Yes, once again, it was Peter. Peter explained:
“We ought to obey God rather than men.”
Acts 5: 29
Once again, Peter holds no punches to his message, and he says:
“Him God has exalted to His right hand to be Prince and Savior, to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins. And we are His witnesses to these things, and so also is the Holy Spirit whom God has given to those who obey Him.”
Acts 5: 31, 32
One of the leaders of the Pharisees called Gamaliel then calls for moderation in the Pharisee’s response to the Church. He warned them:
“But if it is of God you cannot overthrow it- lest you even be found to fight against God.”
Acts 5: 39
They then had the apostles beaten, but they rejoiced to be counted worthy of suffering for the Name.
Stephen
As the Church continued to grow, a division arose between the Hellenists and Hebrew Jews. We see that the apostles are now being stretched thin. So, the apostles tell them to select men to serve:
“Therefore, brethren, seek out from among you seven men of god reputation, full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business, but we will give ourselves continually to prayer and to the ministry of the Word.”
Acts 6: 3, 4
Among these seven men are Stephen and Philip. Stephen would soon become the first martyr of the Church. After Stephen’s death, Philip went to Samaria and began preaching. Here, a great revival occurred, and many believed in Jesus. When word got back to the apostles in Jerusalem, they sent Peter and John.
“Who when they had come down, prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit. For as yet He had fallen upon none of them. They had only been baptized in the Name of the Lord Jesus. Then, they laid hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit.”
Acts 8: 15-17
After the Holy Spirit comes upon the people, Simon the sorcerer sees it and asks Peter:
“Give me this power also, that anyone on whom I lay hands may receive the Holy Spirit.’ But Peter said to him, ‘Your money perish with you, because you thought that the gift of God could be purchased with money! You have neither part nor portion in this matter, for your heart is not right in the sight of God. Repent therefore of this your wickedness, and pray God if perhaps the thought of your heart may be forgiven.”
Acts 8: 19-22
After Peter and John finished preaching, they returned to Jerusalem.
The Raising of Dorcas
In the city of Joppa, Dorcas had become seriously ill, and she died. They send Peter to the room where Dorcas’s body lay. In the room were many widows who were weeping, and when Peter removed them, they knelt and prayed and then commanded, “Tabitha, arise.” Peter simply repeated what he saw the Master do, and it worked.
“And she opened her eyes and when she saw Peter she set up.”
Acts 9:40
As a result, many heard of this miracle and believed. Peter then remained in Joppa at the house of Simon the Tanner.
The Conversion of Cornelius’ Household
Just north of Joppa was Caesarea where a Roman centurion called Cornelius and his family lived. Cornelius loved the Lord and the Jewish people, and he would give alms. One night he has a vision in which an angel comes to him and explains:
“Your prayers and your alms have come up for a memorial before God. Now send men to Joppa, and send for Simon whose surname is Peter. He is lodging with Simon, a tanner, whose house is by the sea. He will tell you what you must do.”
Acts 10: 4, 5
So Cornelius then sent men as he was instructed to find Peter. The Lord was about to open a new door through which the Church would begin reaching out to the Gentiles. Meanwhile, Peter went up on the housetop to pray, and he fell into a trance…
“And saw Heaven opened and an object like a great sheet bound at the four corners, descending to him and let down to the earth. In it all were all kinds of four-footed animals of the earth, wild beasts, creeping things and birds of the air. And a voice came to him, ‘Rise, Peter; kill and eat.’ But Peter said, ‘Not so, Lord! For I have never eaten anything common or unclean.’ And a voice spoke to him again the second time, ‘What God has cleansed you must not call common.’ This was done three times. And the object was taken up to Heaven again.”
Acts 10: 11-16
As Peter was pondering this, the men arrived, and Peter heard the Spirit-
“Behold, three men are seeking you. Arise therefore, go down and go with them, doubting nothing; for I have sent them.”
Acts 10: 19, 20
Peter then went to Cornelius’ house, where Peter preached the Gospel to them and explained:
“How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, who went about doing and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him.”
Act 10” 38
As Peter preached, the Holy Spirit fell upon all who heard the Word. Peter is astonished-
“For they heard them speak with tongues and magnify God. Then Peter answered, ‘Can anyone forbid water, that these should not be baptized who have received the Holy Spirit just as we have?’ And he commanded them to be baptized in the Name of the Lord. Then they asked him to stay a few days.”
Acts 10: 46-48
Peter’s Report and Imprisonment
Peter then returned to Jerusalem and reported all that had happened, including his vision and how the Gentiles were saved and filled with the Holy Spirit.
Not long after this, the enemy launched a counter-attack, and King Herod began to persecute the Church, and he had James, John’s brother, put to death by the sword. Then he had Peter arrested. Meanwhile, the church began to pray; then the night before Peter was to be killed, he was found sleeping between two guards. We must remember that Peter had a promise from the Master to live to an old age. So, Peter knows he has not finished the race yet.
As the Church prayed, an angel appeared in prison and awoke Peter. The angel set Peter free and led him out of the jail. Peter then made his way to John Mark’s mother’s house, where the Church had gathered and prayed. They are shocked to see Peter knocking at the door.
Shortly afterward, Herod dies a violent and terrible death.
The Council of Jerusalem
During this time, Paul and Barnabas just finished their first missionary journey, during which many Gentiles were converted. When they finished, a dispute arose on whether or not the Gentiles needed to be circumcised. So, Barnabas and Paul came to Jerusalem to present their case to the leaders there. At the council, Peter shared what had happened among the Gentiles and how they received the Holy Spirit simply by faith in God and not by circumcision.
The council concluded that the Gentiles were not required to be circumcised but must follow the moral Law.
Peter Goes to Antioch
We don’t know when this event occurred, but it was after the council of Jerusalem. We are told that Peter visited the church in Antioch, Syria. Paul explained:
“Now when Peter had come to Antioch, I withstood him to his face, because he was to be blamed; for before certain men came from James, he would eat with the Gentiles; but when they came he withdrew and separated himself, fearing those who were of the circumcision. And the rest of the Jews also played the hypocrite with him, so that even Barnabas was carried away with their hypocrisy. But when I saw that they were not straightforward about the truth of the Gospel, I said to Peter before them all, ‘If you, being a Jew, live in the manner of Gentiles and not as the jews, why do you compel Gentiles to live as Jews? We who are Jews by nature, and not sinners of the Gentiles, knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the Law but by faith in Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, that we might be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the Law; for by the works of teh Law no flesh shall be justified.”
Galatians 2: 11- 16
Peters Letters
If you read Peter’s first letter, he states at the end:
‘She who is in Babylon, elect together with you, greets you; and does my Mary my son.”
1 Peter 5: 13
Some claim that when he used the word “Babylon, Peter was speaking of Rome, which he may have been doing so, But the Jews had been in captivity in Babylon, so it is possible that at some point, Peter did go to Babylon
Peter in Rome
As stated, most people believe that “Babylon” was code for Rome. We do have an indication in ‘Against Heresies” by Irenaeus that Peter was in Rome. He wrote:
“… while Peter and Paul were preaching at Rome, and laying the foundations of the Church. After their departure, Mark, the disciple and interpreter of Peter, did also hand down to us in writing what had been preached by Peter. Luke also, the companion of Paul, recorded in a book the Gospel preached by him. Afterwards, John, the disciple of the Lord, who also had leaned upon His breast, did himself publish a Gospel during his residence at Ephesus in Asia.3
However, even as GotQuestions 4 explains, this comes from an unreliable translation from the fourth century. Bible Archaeology also adds that we find no initial evidence of Peter in Rome. 5 Some quote the Acts of Peter, but the Acts of Peter were not even considered for the New Testament as they failed to meet all three criteria of the early church for consideration.
In addition, they found issues with some of the teaching in this letter, especially regarding those who go to hell.
Clement of Rome indicates that Peter was martyred but does not state that it was in Rome.
“Peter, through unrighteous envy, endured not one or two, but numerous labours and when he had at length suffered martyrdom,”6
However, some researchers claim that Clement didn’t explicitly say Peter died as a martyr. 7
Further, when we look at Peter, we see that he was not the head of the Church in Jerusalem, but James. Paul explained that he was called as the apostle to the Gentiles, while Peter was an apostle to the Circumcision.
“For He who worked effectively in Peter for the apostleship to the circumcised also worked effectively in me towards the Gentiles.:”
Galatians 2: 8
Peter was an incredible man who achieved great things for the Lord. Many believers can relate to him because of his sincerity of heart and his many blunders. Peter’s life wonderfully demonstrates the power of God to change a person radically.
Peter, originally an ordinary fisherman, was transformed by the divine call and touch of the Master. In doing so, he forever altered the course of history and embarked on a journey that would take him to the far reaches of the nations. Becoming a powerful voice for the Master, his message has resonated throughout the ages, continuing to bless and impact every generation. Though Peter’s earthly journey ended between 64 and 68 AD when he was promoted to Heaven, his words and teachings still possess the power to touch and transform lives to this day.
References
- Hamilton, Adam. Simon Peter: Flawed but Faithful Disciple (pp. 19-20). Abingdon Press. Kindle Edition.
- Meyer, F. B.. Peter: Fisherman, Disciple, Apostle (p. 33). CrossReach Publications. Kindle Edition.
- Irenaeus. Against Heresies (p. 205). Veritatis Splendor Publications. Kindle Edition.
- https://www.gotquestions.org/was-Peter-ever-in-Rome.html
- https://www.vision.org/was-peter-ever-rome-952
- of Hippo, St. Augustine; Chrysostom, St. John; of Rome, St. Clement; Pamphili, Eusebius; of Milan, St. Ambrose. The Complete Early Church Fathers Collection: With linked footnotes . Kindle Edition.
