Putting Simon Peter in His Place (Part 2 of 3)

What Simon Peter Got Right

Although occasioned by his impulsiveness, taking initiative often led to positive results that benefitted him and others. When Jesus warned against the dangerous influence of the Pharisees and likened them to an uprooted plant and blind leaders of the blind, it was Simon Peter who spoke up and asked for clarification (Matt. 15:13-15). Jesus then explained the spiritual defilement of sinful hearts as opposed to the inconsequential neglect of man-made rituals, directing his response to “you [all]” (vv. 16-20).¹

After Jesus gave instructions about how to handle interpersonal conflict and church discipline, Simon Peter approached him and asked, “how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Up to seven times?” (Matt. 18:21). The Lord’s reply “to him” was an impactful lesson about forgiveness but for the benefit of all who were present and listening: “you [all]” (v. 35).

Jesus’s teachings included familiar analogies and illustrations, and it was Simon Peter who asked, “Lord, do you speak this parable to us, or also to all?” (Luke 12:41). This led to Jesus speaking to “you [all]” (vv. 44, 51) about obedience and faithfulness, contrasting the wise and faithful with the foolish and disobedient (vv. 42-53).

When many followers of Jesus turned away from him, he said to the twelve, “Do you also want to go away?” Simon Peter answered for the group, saying, “Lord, to whom will we go? You have the words of everlasting life. And we have believed and have known that you are the holy one of God” (John 6:68-69).² In response, Jesus spoke not only to Peter but to “them” (v. 70).

While Jesus warned his disciples about the dangers of material wealth hindering sacrificial service in God’s kingdom, Simon Peter spoke up and said, “See, we have left all and followed you …” (Matt. 19:27). Even though the impetuous fisherman had not given up his family, boat, house, and personal possessions,³ his statement led Jesus to express “to them” the assurance that any sacrifices made for his name’s sake pale in comparison to the manifold blessings received (vv. 28-30).

After the Lord had cursed a barren fig tree and it was withered the next day, Simon Peter was the one who remembered and called attention to it. In response, Jesus said to them, “You [all] have [the] faith of God,” with further instructions and encouragement directed to “you [all]” (Mark 11:22-24).

During their final meal together, when Jesus revealed that one of them would betray him, it was Simon Peter who motioned to John to make further inquiries (John 13:21-26). That same evening Simon Peter asked where Jesus was going, prompting the reassuring promise of Christ’s eventual return after leaving to prepare a place for his disciples in the Father’s spacious heavenly home (John 13:36–14:4).

Even when Simon Peter resisted Jesus, taking him aside to rebuke him, Jesus’s counter-rebuke was in the presence of the others so they could learn from the exchange (Mark 8:32-33). Moreover, the initiative and frequent inquiries of Simon Peter benefitted not only the listeners near him, but we still profit today as we read and learn from these documented accounts.

How He Responded to Correction

From the Lord

Simon Peter’s instinctive and sometimes arrogant confidence was frequently tested and challenged. On many occasions Jesus had to correct and rebuke him but also commended him, encouraged him, instructed him, set an example for him, and prayed for him. Instead of always reacting with stubborn pride and defiance, Peter was generally receptive—learning, growing, being transformed—ultimately developing a humble confidence.*

In the end, Simon Peter came to realize that Christ’s example, both in giving and receiving criticism, is worthy of emulating (1 Pet. 2:21-25). And through his own example and teaching, Peter demonstrates how we ought to interrelate with one another and the world in which we live. “Finally, you all be single-minded, sympathetic, having mutual affection, compassionate, humble, not repaying evil for evil or insult for insult, rather blessing; for to this you were called that you should inherit a blessing” (1 Pet. 3:8-9).

From a Brother in Christ

As Simon Peter was learning and growing and serving, he was still far from perfect. Even after Jesus’s commission to make disciples of “all nations” (Matt. 28:18-20), it took three visionary communications from the Lord, a direct message from the Holy Spirit, and an indirect message from God’s angel to convince Peter he was supposed to share the gospel with non-Jews (Acts 10:9-28). But even then, whether it was a lapse in memory or simply buckling under pressure, he later acted as if he still didn’t get it, resulting in his Christian brother and fellow-apostle publicly chastising him for his hypocrisy and bad influence (Gal. 2:11-14). How did he react to Paul’s stern admonition? He dutifully resumed his faithful service among Jews and Gentiles and would later write: “and consider the forbearance of our Lord salvation; just as also our beloved brother Paul, according to the wisdom given him, wrote to you” (2 Pet. 3:15).

From Enemies of Christ

Although repeatedly reprimanded for his mistakes, there were occasions when Simon Peter was challenged and degraded for doing what was right. Having healed a crippled man “in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth” and preaching the gospel to a large gathering of Jews, Simon Peter and John were arrested and brought to trial before the same Jewish authorities who had condemned Jesus to death a few weeks earlier. Simon Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, shamelessly said to them, “in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead, by him this man stands before you [physically] sound …. and there is salvation in no one else, for no other name under heaven has been given among men in which we must be saved” (Acts 4:10-12). When commanded to refrain from speaking or teaching anymore in the name of Jesus, Peter and John responded, “for we cannot but speak what we have seen and heard” (Acts 4:18-20). On another occasion, standing before the same murderous adjudicators, “Peter answering, and the apostles, said, ‘It is necessary to obey God rather than men’” (Acts 5:29).

Extent of His Ministry

Despite his Galilean provenance (Mark 14:70; John 1:44), and perhaps due to the proverbial maxim, “no prophet is welcome in his own homeland” (Luke 4:24), Simon Peter was known “to lead about [περιάγειν] a believing wife” (1 Cor. 9:5), implying itineracy. The biblical record traces his apostolic ministry in and from Jerusalem (Acts 1:4–8:14), through Samaria (Acts 8:14-25), back to Jerusalem (Acts 9:26-28; Gal. 1:18), Judea and Samaria (Acts 9:32–10:48), Jerusalem again (Acts 11:2-18; 12:3-17; 15:4-29), Antioch of Syria (Gal. 2:11-14), and finally Rome, where he suffered martyrdom (1 Pet. 5:13; 2 Pet. 1:14-15)⁴ after roughly three and a half decades of faithful service.

--Kevin L. Moore

Endnotes:

     ¹ Unless noted otherwise, scripture quotations are the author’s own translation, with added words in [square brackets] and emphasis in italics.

     ² The Byzantine Majority Text reads ὁ Χριστὸς ὁ υἱὸς τοῦ θεοῦ τοῦ ζῶντος (“the Christ, the Son of the living God”).

     ³ See K. L. Moore, “Leaving All to Follow Jesus,” Moore Perspective (16 Dec. 2012), <Link>.

     ⁴ Peter sends greetings from “she who is in Babylon, chosen together with [you] …” (1 Pet. 5:13a), commonly understood as a metaphoric allusion to the Christian community in Rome (BDAG 162; Irenaeus, Adv. Haer. 3.1.1; cf. 2 Tim. 4:11; 1 Pet. 5:13b). See also K. L. Moore, “Distinctive Features of 1 Peter,” Moore Perspective (4 July 2018), <Link>. On the authorship of the Petrine letters, see “Authorship of 1 Peter,” Moore Perspective (19 June 2018), <Link>; and “Authorship of 2 Peter,” Moore Perspective (25 June 2018), <Link >.

*As I was developing these thoughts, Mark Blackwelder preached a sermon making similar observations.

Related Posts: Putting Simon Peter in His Place: Part 1

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Putting Simon Peter in His Place (Part 1 of 3)

While multitudes followed Jesus during his earthly ministry, one disciple stands out in the biblical record above most others. Simon was an uneducated fisherman from Galilee, whose name in the Greek NT (Σίμων) is the Grecized form of the Hebrew שִׁמעוֹן (Simeon), meaning “he has heard” (Gen. 29:33).¹ The name stems from the verb שָׁמַע (to “hear”), and at least in Simon’s case, it is suggestive of one needing to listen. Jesus gave Simon the nickname Πέτρος (Peter), the Greek equivalent of the Aramaic כֵּיפָא or Grecized Κηφᾶς (Cephas), meaning “rock” or “stone” (Mark 3:16; John 1:42)—indicative of one expected to be stable, solid, and firm.

Within the pages of the New Testament, especially the first five books, Simon Peter occupies significantly more space than most other Christ followers.

‣ He was counted among the Lord’s twelve closest disciples (Matt. 10:1-2; Mark 3:14-16; Luke 6:13-14).

‣  He, along with Andrew, James, and John, were the first to be called by Jesus, and on certain occasions Jesus was only with them (Mark 1:16-20, 29-31; 13:3-4).

‣  He, along with James and John, were repeatedly given unique opportunities unavailable to anyone else (Mark 5:37; 9:2; 14:32-35).

‣  Simon Peter is always named first when paired with John (Luke 22:8; Acts 3:1–4:23; 8:14)² and whenever the apostles are listed together by name (Matt. 10:2-4; Mark 3:16-19; Luke 6:14-16; Acts 1:13).

‣  On numerous occasions he is the main focus of the Lord’s attention and/or the biblical narrative (Matt. 14:28-31; 15:15; 16:16-23; 17:4, 24-27; 18:21; 19:27; 26:33-35, 40, 69-75; et al.).³

‣  At times the inspired record simply reads, “Simon and those with him …” (Mark 1:36), or “Peter and those with him …” (Luke 9:32).⁴

‣  In all four Gospels, the less-conspicuous Andrew is simply known as Simon Peter’s brother (Matt. 4:18; 10:2; Mark 1:16; Luke 6:14; John 1:40; 6:8).

‣  Having been promised “the keys of the kingdom of heaven” (Matt. 16:19), Simon Peter was the chief spokesman when the gospel was first preached to the Jews (Acts 2:14-40; Gal. 2:7b-8a) and the first to share the gospel with Gentiles (Acts 10:1–11:18; 15:7-14).

‣  Simon Peter contributed two inspired documents to the NT (1 Pet. 1:1a; 2 Pet 1:1a).

Why Simon Peter?

Simon Peter is consistently portrayed in the Gospels as erratic and impulsive, short tempered, quick to speak and react, slow to listen and understand. When he did not know what to do or say, his impulsive nature would not allow him to just sit back, be quiet, and observe. He regularly misread situations, misunderstood the Lord’s purpose, and required frequent chastisement and correction. Yet despite all of his shortcomings and mistakes (or perhaps because of them!), he received unparalleled attention from the Lord and from New Testament authors.

Repeatedly Singled Out

In the earliest days of the Lord’s ministry, Jesus got into Simon’s boat, asked him to go out a short distance, then said to Simon, “You [singular] launch out into the deep …” where loads of fish were caught by Simon and his partners (Luke 5:3-7). Irrespective of “all the ones with him,” including James and John, Luke reports that “Jesus said to Simon, ‘You [singular] stop fearing, from now on you [singular] will be catching men’” (Luke 5:8-10).⁵

While all the disciples struggled at times with their faith, and even though Simon Peter is the only one of them who actually walked on water, he is the one the Lord admonishes for having “little faith” (Matt. 14:31). This observation could have been repeated many times over.

Near the end of the Lord’s public ministry, he again focused his attention on this one disciple, saying, “Simon, Simon, behold Satan pleaded to sift you [all] as wheat, but I have prayed for you [singular], that your [singular] faith might not fail, and when you [singular/emphatic!] have returned, you [singular] strengthen your brothers” (Luke 22:31-32).

Shortly thereafter in Gethsemane, Jesus approached Simon Peter, James, and John, finding all three of them sleeping, “and he says to Peter, ‘Simon, are you [singular] sleeping? Were you [singular] not able to watch one hour?’” (Mark 14:37).⁶

Three days later, from the empty tomb, an angel said to the women, “But go, and say to his disciples and to Peter, that [Jesus] is going before you [all] into Galilee; there you [all] will see him, as he said to you [all]” (Mark 16:7). The eleven were to be reminded and informed, but especially Peter.

The heart of the gospel message, preached from the earliest days of the Christian movement, is that “‘Christ died for our sins,’ according to the scriptures, and ‘he was buried,’ and ‘having been raised the third day,’ according to the scriptures, and ‘he was seen by Cephas, then the twelve …’” (1 Cor. 15:3b-5; cf. Luke 24:34).⁷

On the third occasion of the Lord’s post-resurrection appearances, Simon Peter, having disavowed Christ three times, is singled out yet again and is asked three pointed questions with the threefold exhortation: “You be feeding my lambs,” “You be shepherding my sheep,” and “You be feeding my sheep” (John 21:14-17). Then after revealing how Peter would eventually die, Jesus says to him, “You follow me” (v. 19), and after another brief exchange, Jesus again says to him, “You [emphatic!] follow me” (v. 22).

Awkward Moments and Miserable Failures

On the mountain where Jesus was transfigured in the presence of Moses and Elijah, Simon Peter did not know how to respond, so he arbitrarily offered to construct a makeshift hut for each of them (Mark 9:5-6). His well-intentioned suggestion, with no apparent logical or meaningful purpose, was immediately overshadowed by a cloud and the voice of God.

On multiple occasions he had the audacity to resist, disagree with, challenge, and even reprimand Jesus (Matt. 16:22; Mark 8:32; 14:29-31; Luke 5:4-5a; John 13:6-8). Because of his fallible human perspective, oblivious to the loftier ways of God, he proved to be “a stumbling block” to Jesus and an agent of Satan’s work, obstructing (albeit inadvertently) God’s predetermined plan (Matt. 16:23; Mark 8:33).

When he said to Jesus, “I will lay down my life for [ὑπέρ - ‘in behalf of’] you” (John 13:37), despite his good intentions and noble words, how would his sacrificial death have made any significant contribution to the divine scheme of redemption? When he said to Jesus, “Lord, I am ready to go with [μετά] you both to prison and to death” (Luke 22:33), he obviously didn’t get it. While the Lord had other plans for Simon Peter, it was the perfect Lamb of God who had to suffer and die, and the only one who could remedy the sin problem. Nevertheless, when it was time for the necessary and inevitable to be accomplished, Simon Peter would make a foolish attempt to prevent it (John 18:10).

Perhaps most notoriously, reported in all four Gospels, Simon Peter is remembered for his bold promise to the Lord, “I will never be made to stumble …. I will not deny you” (Matt. 26:33, 35; Mark 14:29, 31; Luke 22:33; John 13:37), followed by his infamous triple denial (Matt. 26:34, 69-75; Mark 14:30, 66-72; Luke 22:34, 54-62; John 13:38; 18:15-27).

James, the Lord’s brother, who knew Simon Peter well (Acts 12:17; 15:6-14; Gal. 2:9), may have had him in mind when he wrote: “Know this, my beloved brethren. But let every man be swift to listen, slow to speak, slow to anger. For man’s anger does not produce God’s righteousness” (Jas. 1:19-20).

In the next post we will consider what Simon Peter got right.

--Kevin L. Moore

Endnotes:

     ¹ Unless noted otherwise, scripture quotations are the author’s own translation, with emphasis added in italics.

     ² See also Mark 6:7; 14:13; John 13:23-24; 21:20-22.

     ³ See also Mark 8:29-33; 9:5-6; 10:28; 11:21; 14:29-31, 37, 54-72; 16:7; Luke 5:3-10; 8:45; 9:20, 33; 12:41; 18:28; 22:31-34, 54-62; 24:12, 34; John 1:40-42; 6:68-69; 13:6-10, 24, 36-38; 18:10-27; 21:2-22; Acts 1:15; 2:14, 38; 3:6, 12; 4:8-12; 5:3-9, 15; 9:32–11:18; 12:3-19; 15:7-14; 1 Cor. 1:12; 3:22; 9:5; 15:5; Gal. 1:18–2:14.

     ⁴ See also Matt. 26:37; Luke 5:8-9; 8:45[text.variant]; John 20:3; 21:2-3; Acts 2:14, 37; 5:29.

     ⁵ Although spoken directly to Simon Peter, this was inclusive of and for the benefit of the others as well (Matt. 4:19; Mark 1:17).

     ⁶ Again, also for the benefit of the others (Matt. 26:40-41; Luke 22:46).

     ⁷ Paul’s repeated use of the conjunction ὅτι with the words that follow (1 Cor. 15:3b-5) is functionally equivalent to quotation marks, identifying this section as what some would call a “creedal formula,” i.e., the fundamental core of the Christian message commonly believed and reiterated in the early church. See BDAG 732; H. E. Dana and J. R. Mantey, A Manual Grammar of the Greek NT (NY: Macmillan, 1927): 252; G. D. Fee, The First Epistle to the Corinthians, NICNT (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1987): 718.

Related Posts: Putting Peter in His Place: Part 2, Simon, Simon Peter, The 12 Apostles (Part 2): Simon Peter, Christ's Inner Circle 

 

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Simon, Simon …. Peter

Assembled with his immediate disciples the evening prior to his crucifixion, Jesus turned to one of them and said: “Simon, Simon, behold Satan pleaded to sift you [all] as wheat, but I have prayed for you, that your faith might not fail, and when you have returned, you strengthen your brothers” (Luke 22:31-32).¹ This is the only occasion in the biblical record where the name “Simon, Simon” is doubled. After a brief exchange the Lord then addressed the same disciple as “Peter” (v. 34). Why the difference? Other than the play on words in Matthew 16:18, this is the only occasion in the biblical record where Jesus directly addressed Simon as Peter.²

A Closer Look

Names in antiquity, particularly in a Jewish context, had special meaning. The name translated Simon is the Greek form of the Hebrew Simeon, meaning “he has heard” (Genesis 29:33). The idea of “listening” is inherent in the term. The name translated Peter is the Greek version of the Aramaic Cephas, the nickname Jesus gave to Simon when they first met (Mark 3:16; John 1:42). It means “stone” and projects the imagery of firmness and stability.

The Gospels repeatedly depict Simon as erratic, slow to hear and quick to misunderstand. Whenever the Lord addressed him by his given name, it doubled as a subtle reminder of his pressing need to pay attention. In our current text, the repeating of the name would be comparable to saying, “listen, listen,” getting Simon’s undivided attention and emphasizing the importance of what is about to be said.

Simon’s faith was soon to be tested. “But I have prayed for you, that your faith might not fail,” Jesus reassured him, followed by the exhortation, “and when you [emphatic!] have returned, you strengthen your brothers” (v. 32). Simon’s immediate reaction, rather than appreciative, humble, and compliant, is instead rash, oblivious, and obstinate. That’s when Jesus called him “Peter” (v. 34), an implicit reminder of the rock-solid faith he is expected to have (and will have), even though he is not quite there.

What’s the Point?

As Christ followers we too have been given a new name (2 Timothy 2:19), serving as a constant reminder of who we are and whose we are and a motivation to live up to the Lord’s expectations. And like Simon, our faith is established and strengthened only by “hearing, and hearing” (receptive listening and responsive heeding) the divine word (Romans 10:17).

Remember the Lord’s promise in an earlier exchange with our impulsive brother: “Blessed are you, Simon [you have ‘heard’ what the Father has revealed] …. you are Peter [a ‘stone’], and upon this rock [‘the Christ, the Son of the living God’] I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overpower it” (Matthew 16:16-18).

Conclusion

Simon, after many ups and downs, was sifted by Satan and returned as a solid man of faith. May we too, as Peter later informs his readers, be “living stones” (1 Peter 2:4-5), listening, obeying, and standing firm on the foundational Rock of our salvation.

--Kevin L. Moore

Endnotes:

     ¹ Unless otherwise noted, scripture quotations are the author’s own translation, emphasis added in italics.

     ² See K. L. Moore, “Jesus Called Him ‘Peter’ Only Twice,” Moore Perspective (29 Sept. 2012), <Link>.

Related Posts: The Tough Love of Jesus, The 12 Apostles (Part 2): Simon Peter, Putting Simon Peter in His Place: Part 1, Part 2

 

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