The Apostle Peter

His Faithfulness

He recognized his own sinfulness. Luke 5:1-8 Now it happened that while the crowd was pressing around Him and listening to the word of God, He was standing by the lake of Gennesaret; and He saw two boats lying at the edge of the lake; but the fishermen had gotten out of them and were washing their nets. And He got into one of the boats, which was Simon’s, and asked him to put out a little way from the land. And He sat down and began teaching the people from the boat. When He had finished speaking, He said to Simon, “Put out into the deep water and let down your nets for a catch.” Simon answered and said, “Master, we worked hard all night and caught nothing, but I will do as You say and let down the nets.” When they had done this, they enclosed a great quantity of fish, and their nets began to break; so they signaled to their partners in the other boat for them to come and help them. And they came and filled both of the boats, so that they began to sink. But when Simon Peter saw that, he fell down at Jesus’ feet, saying, “Go away from me Lord, for I am a sinful man!”

He left all he had to follow Jesus. John 1:36-42 and he looked at Jesus as He walked, and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God!” The two disciples heard him speak, and they followed Jesus. And Jesus turned and saw them following, and said to them, “What do you seek?” They said to Him, “Rabbi (which translated means Teacher), where are You staying?” He said to them, “Come, and you will see.” So they came and saw where He was staying; and they stayed with Him that day, for it was about the tenth hour. One of the two who heard John speak and followed Him, was Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother. He found first his own brother Simon and said to him, “We have found the Messiah” (which translated means Christ). He brought him to Jesus. Jesus looked at him and said, “You are Simon the son of John; you shall be called Cephas” (which is translated Peter).

When the masses were deserting Jesus Peter made this confession. John 6:68 Simon Peter answered Him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have words of eternal life.

Peter was the first one recorded to confess that Jesus was the Christ. Matthew 16:16-17 Simon Peter answered, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” And Jesus said to him, “Blessed are you, Simon Barjona, because flesh and blood did not reveal this to you, but My Father who is in heaven.

He was the clear leader of the twelve (or at least the one willing to be their spokesman).

He wasn’t afraid to ask questions.

Matthew 15:15 Peter said to Him, “Explain the parable to us.”

Matthew 18:21-22 Then Peter came and said to Him, “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.

He was the only one to step out of the boat. Matthew 14:29 And He said, “Come!” And Peter got out of the boat, and walked on the water and came toward Jesus.

He was willing to die to protect Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane.

When all the other disciples fled only he and John continued to follow. (v. 15)

It is easy to focus on Peter’s denials and failures.

However we should also remember that he did follow Jesus even after the arrest.

His Failures

Even though he was the only one to get out of the boat he eventually took his eyes off of Jesus and sank.

He attempted to rebuke Jesus - Matthew 16:22 Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him, saying, “God forbid it, Lord! This shall never happen to You.”

He boasted that he would never forsake the Lord. Matthew 26:33 But Peter said to Him, “Even though all may fall away because of You, I will never fall away.”

He claimed that he would die for Jesus right before denying Jesus. John 13:37 Peter said to Him, “Lord, why can I not follow You right now? I will lay down my life for You.”

He resorted to violence in Gethsemane when that clearly wasn’t what Jesus wanted.

His Three Denials

The Young Woman at the Door (v. 17)

This is likely taking place at the home of Annas, a former high priest and father in law to Caiaphas the current high priest.

Attending the door was a young woman.

It is very interesting that it appears from this text that John (the other disciple) has a backstory we know nothing about. How was he known to the high priest? It is possible that John came from a wealthy family based on the fact that he had hired hands to work. - Mark 1:19-20 Going on a little farther, He saw James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, who were also in the boat mending the nets. Immediately He called them; and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired servants, and went away to follow Him. Peter was in some kind of partnership with Zebedee’s business.

John walked right in, but Peter remained outside until John gained him entry.

Based on the way that the young woman asks the question it is possible that John was recognized as a follower of Jesus.

Thus after seeing John she says “Are you not also one of this man’s disciples?”

In the original language the question is worded in such a way as to expect a negative answer. “Your not one of His disciples are you?” In the Gospel of John at least the question seems to be more cynical than hostile.

Peter’s response is quick and sharp - “I am not!” The other Gospels tells that he also said something akin to “I don’t know what you are talking about.”

The Servants and Officers (v. 18, 25)

Standing around a charcoal fire to warm themselves they ask Peter the same question as the young woman.

“Are you not also one of His disciples?” - This question may have been prompted by the young woman as seen in the other Gospels.

It may be at this point that someone recognized him as a Galilean based upon his accent.

He again denied Jesus saying “I am not”

We know from the other Gospels just how agitated Peter is at this point because he not only denies his association with Jesus but also swears an oath to attest to his lie. (This is not profanity as the KJV would seem to indicate.)

The Servant

How unlucky can Peter get at this point?

One of the servants there was related to the guy who got his ear chopped off by Peter.

This servant was in Gethsemane as well. - “I saw you in the garden with Him.”

This time John does not record Peter’s words but simply says that “Peter then denied again and immediately the cock crew.”

John 13:38 Jesus answered, “Will you lay down your life for Me? Truly, truly, I say to you, a rooster will not crow until you deny Me three times.

Luke 22:61 The Lord turned and looked at Peter. And Peter remembered the word of the Lord, how He had told him, “Before a rooster crows today, you will deny Me three times.”

What did He see in Jesus’ eyes in that moment?

“I told you so”

Compassion and forgiveness.

John does not record this but the other Gospels tell us that Peter left and wept bitterly.

His Future

A faithful leader of the early church

On the day of Pentecost, Peter was the main speaker to the crowd in Jerusalem (Acts 2:14ff), and the Church began with an influx of about 3,000 new believers (verse 41).

Later, Peter healed a lame beggar (Acts 3) and preached boldly before the Sanhedrin (Acts 4).

Even arrest, beatings, and threats could not dampen Peter’s resolve to preach the risen Christ (Acts 5).

Peter was still Peter and struggled in areas

It was probably Peter who provided much of the source material for the Gospel of Mark.

Application

Main Theme: The focus of this text is not so much the failure of Peter but the faithfulness of Jesus. Jesus went to the cross knowing that the disciples, His closest friends would flee. He knew that Peter would deny Him.

Secondary lessons:

Don’t define yourself by your failures.

Compromise gets easier each time you do it. I get the feeling that each of Peter’s denials came quicker and quicker until he noticed Jesus looking right at him through the many faces in the crowd.