Disciples of Jesus – Peter

1. Disciples of Jesus – Peter – 8th January 2016
SimonPeter answered,“Youare the Messiah,the Son ofthe livingGod.” (Matthew16:16).
SimonPeter,sonof Jonas,wasa fishermanwholivedinBethsaidaandCapernaum. Aswe canlearn
afterthe deathof Jesus,Peterdidevangelisticandmissionaryworkamongthe Jews,goingasfaras
Babylon.He was a memberof the InnerCircle andauthoredthe twoNew Testamentepistleswhichbear
hisname.Traditionsayshe was crucified,headdownward,inRome. Ineveryapostoliclist,the name
Peterismentionedfirst.However,Peterhadothernames.Atthe time of Christ,the commonlanguage
was Greekandthe familylanguage wasHebrew.SohisGreekname wasSimon(Mark 1:16; John 1:40,
41). SimonPeter’sHebrewname wasCephas (1Corinthians1:12; 3:22; 9:5 and Galatians2:9). The
Greekmeaningof Simonisrock.The Arabicmeaningof Cephasisalsorock.
By trade,Peterwasa fisherman.He wasa marriedman as we can learnfrom 1 Corinthians9:5, “Don’t
we have the rightto take a believingwifealongwith us, asdo the other apostlesandthe Lord’s
brothers andCephas? His home wasCapernaum.Jesusprobablymade HisheadquarterstherewhenHe
visitedCapernaum.PeterwasalsoaGalileanaswas typical of manyof the otherdisciples.Josephus
describedthe Galileansthisway,"Theywere everfondof innovationandbynature disposedtochange
and delightedinsedition.Theywereeverreadytofollow the leaderandto beginaninsurrection.They
were quickintemperandgiventoquarrelingandtheywere verychivalrousmen."The Talmudsaysthis
of the Galileans,"Theyweremore anxiousforhonorthanforgain,quick-tempered,impulsive,
emotional,easilyarousedbyanappeal toadventure,loyal tothe end."Whenwe readthiswe can
observe thatSimonPeter’sattitudeandactionswere quite similartothatdescription.
Peterwasa typical Galilean.Amongthe twelve,Peterwasthe leader.He standsoutasa spokesman
for all the twelve Apostles. It is he who asked the meaning of the difficult saying in Matthew
15:13-15, “He replied, “Every plantthat my heavenly Father hasnot plantedwill be pulledupby the
roots. 14
Leave them; they are blindguides.[d]
Ifthe blindleadthe blind,bothwill fall intoa pit.”15
Peter
said,“Explaintheparable to us.” From the gospelswe canalso learnthat it is he who asked how
often he must forgive as we can read from Matthew 18:21, “Then Peter came to Jesusand asked,
“Lord,how many timesshall I forgive my brother or sister who sinsagainstme? Up to seven times?”
It is he who was calleda stumblingblock byJesus aswe learnfrom Matthew 16:22-23, “Peter took him
asideand beganto rebuke him.“Never, Lord!” he said.“Thisshall never happento you!” Jesus turned
and saidto Peter, “Get behindme, Satan!You are a stumblingblockto me; you do not have inmind
the concerns of God,but merely humanconcerns.” It is he who first confessed Jesus and declared
Himas the Sonof the LivingGodas we can learnfrom Matthew 16:16, “SimonPeter answered, “You
are the Messiah,the Son of the livingGod.” It is he who was at the Mount of Transfiguration. It is
he who saw Jairus' daughter raised to life. Yet, it is he who denied Christ before a maiden. He
was an Apostle and a missionary who lay down his life for his Lord. It is true, Peter had many
faults, but he had always the saving grace of the loving heart. No matter how many times he
had fallen and failed, he always recovered his courage and integrity.
Peterwasmartyredon a cross. Peterrequestedthathe mightbe crucifiedhead downwardforhe was
not worthyto die ashisLord haddied.Hisapostolicsymbol isacross upside downwithcrossedkeys.
Peterthe apostle isone of the most prominentcharactersin the Gospels,aroughand tumble man

2. whose emotionsoftengothimintotrouble,andyethe wasclearlyone of the favoritesof JesusChrist,
wholovedhimforhisbig heart. WithhisbrotherAndrew,SimonPeterwasafollowerof Johnthe
Baptist.WhenAndrewintroducedSimontoJesusof Nazareth,JesusrenamedSimonCephas,anAramaic
wordmeaning"rock."The Greekword forrock, "petros,"became thisapostle'snew name,Peter.He is
the onlyPetermentionedinthe NewTestament.Hisaggressivenessmade Peteranatural spokesman
for the twelve.Often,however,he spoke before he thought,andhiswordsledtoembarrassment. We
can learnJesusincludedPeterinhisinnercircle whenhe tookPeter, James,andJohndisciples whom
Jesuschose towitnessthe transfiguration (Matthew17:1-9).
From the Gospel we can learnthat same three,Peter, James,andJohnsaw Jesus'agonyinthe Garden
of Gethsemane (Mark14:33-42).Most of us rememberPeterfordenyingChristthree timesduringthe
nightof Jesus'trial.Followinghis resurrection,Jesustookspecial care torehabilitatePeterandassure
himhe was forgiven. AtPentecost,the HolySpiritfilledthe apostles.Peterwassoovercome thathe
beganto preachto the crowd. Acts2:41 tellsus3,000 people were convertedthatday.Throughthe
remainderof thatbook, we can also learnthat Peterand Johnwere persecutedfortheirstandfor
Christ. Earlyin his ministry,SimonPeterpreachedonlytoJews,butGodgave hima visioninJoppaof a
huge sheetcontainingall typesof animals,warninghimnottocall anythingmade byGod impure.Peter
thenbaptized the Romancenturion Corneliusandhishouseholdandunderstoodthatthe gospel isfor
all people.
Traditionsaysthat persecutionof the firstChristians inJerusalemledPetertoRome,where he spread
the gospel tothe fledglingchurchthere.Legendhasitthatthe Romanswere goingto crucify Peter,but
he toldthemhe wasnot worthyto be executedinthe same mannerasJesus,sohe was crucifiedupside
down. The Roman CatholicChurch claimsPeterasitsfirst pope.
AccomplishmentsofPeterthe Apostle: AfterbeinginvitedbyJesustocome,Petergot outof hisboat
and walkedonwater(Matthew14:28-33). PetercorrectlyidentifiedJesusasthe Messiah:SimonPeter
answered, “Youare the Messiah,the Son of the livingGod.” (Matthew16:16). He waschosenby Jesus
to witnessthe transfiguration.AfterPentecost,Peterboldlyproclaimedthe gospel inJerusalem,
unafraidof arrest andpersecution.MostscholarsconsiderPeterthe eyewitnesssource forthe Gospel of
Mark. He alsopennedthe books 1 Peterand2 Peter.
Peterthe Apostle'sStrengths:Peterwasa fiercelyloyal man.Like the other11 apostles,he lefthis
occupationto followJesusforthree years,learningfromhimaboutthe kingdomof heaven.Once he
was filledwiththe Holy SpiritafterPentecost,PeterwasafearlessmissionaryforChrist.
Peterthe Apostle'sWeaknesses:SimonPeterknew greatfearanddoubt.He lethispassionsrule him
insteadof faithinGod. DuringJesus'final hours,PeternotonlyabandonedJesusbutdeniedthree times
that he evenknewhim.
Life Lessonsfrom Peter the Apostle:Whenwe forgetthat God is incontrol,we overstepourlimited
authority.Godworksthroughus in spite of ourhumanfrailties.Nooffense istoogreattobe forgivenby
God. AsChristianswe need tobearinmind that we can accomplishgreatthingswhenwe putour faith
inGod insteadof ourselves.