You can't help but love Peter. He was the most lovable of the
disciples: bold, candid, human. Peter was one of the first disciples
called; he always stands first in the lists of disciples; he was also one of the
three who formed an inner circle around the Master.1
His impulsive devotion is frequently portrayed,2 and
he acted as spokesman of the Twelve.3 (At the
crisis near Caesarea Philippi, he is the representative of the whole band: for
the question is directed to them all,4 and all are
included in the look that accompanies the subsequent reprimand.
5 )
Even in his disastrous boast,6 he is also
representative of the disciples; and, as Peter's protestations of loyalty are
the loudest, so his rejection of the Lord is the most explicit.7
He is, however, specially marked out by the message
of the resurrection,8 and received a
personal visitation of the risen Lord.9
Peter's original name was, in Hebrew,
Simeon 10 ("Simon," as rendered in the
New Testament, was a Greek name of similar sound). It was as a disciple
that Simon received his new title, the Aramaic Kepha (Cephas)
, "rock" or "stone,"11 usually appearing in the New
Testament in the Greek form, Petros
.
His father's name was Jonah.12 Peter himself was
married,13 and in his missionary days his wife
accompanied him.14 His place of origin was
Beth-Saida, a largely Greek city,15 but he had made
his home in Capernaum in Galilee.16
Simon spoke Aramaic with a strong north country accent,
17 and maintained the piety and outlook of his people,
18 though not trained in the law.
19 It is likely that he was affected by John the
Baptist's movement:20 his brother Andrew was a
disciple of John.21 He and his brother were partners
with James and John in a fishing business.
Case Study of
In-filling
Often characterized by having rhetorical "foot-in-mouth
disease," Peter's behavior in the Gospels exhibits a unique ability to say the
wrong thing at the wrong time. It is very instructive to contrast his
clumsiness in the Gospels with his performance after being filled with the
Holy Spirit
in the Book
of Acts! His spontaneous sermons in Acts 2 and 3 are elegant masterpieces
of craftsmanship.22
"More Sure Word"?
Another provocative assertion of Peter occurs in his second letter: after
emphasizing the basis of being eyewitnesses at the Transfiguration,
23 he remarks,
We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto
ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place,
until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts:
Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the
scripture is of any private interpretation.
For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of
man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy
Ghost
.
- 2 Peter 1:19-21
"More sure word of prophecy"? What could be even
more certain than having been an eyewitness? His explicit legacy is a
foundational discovery for every one of us: The proof of inspiration
of Bible prophecy is compelling!
It invariably rewards - and changes the entire life of - the
diligent student.24
Peter's two letters are among the most important prophetic passages in the
New Testament. He attacks the very skepticism that has come to
characterize even the Christian circles of today:
Knowing this first, that there shall come in the
last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts, And saying, Where is the
promise of His coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as
they were from the beginning of the creation. - 2 Peter 3:3, 4
Skepticism over "the promise of His coming" is
characteristic even of many of the churches
today. The embracing of uniformitarianism of evolution is
here linked by Peter with the skepticism of Biblical prophecy. The tragic
dismissal of critical prophetic passages by the heretical doctrines of
Preterism, Reconstructionism, the Dominionists, et al., has become a serious
denial by the "Christianity" of our current culture.
Peter has given us two very provocative letters (and
many also ascribe Mark's Gospel to Peter). We strongly encourage you to
undertake a serious study of these two brief epistles of this engaging champion;
they are especially relevant to each of us today. (And the Lord
always
rewards the diligent
student!)
* * *
Our verse-by-verse expositional
commentary, available on audio tape cassettes, is now also available on CD-ROM: the audio
in MP3 format, and the notes in PDF format. (All the necessary
software is also included for both.)
