Skip to main content

The Preparation of Peter the Rock



Spiritual Thought of the Day

They say, all men must be tried like Abraham to merit eternal exaltation. After pondering the acts of Peter throughout the New Testament, it would seem that this intrepid, shamelessly faithful Apostle would have done just about anything to have pleased or defended the Savior.

The three examples that primarily come to mind are:

1. Peter leaping out of his fishing vessel and swimming to shore once he recognized the Savior instead of waiting for the wind to take the ship in, like the rest of the Apostles. In John the Beloved's words, "he girt his fisher's coat unto him (for he was naked,) and did cast himself into the sea. (John 21:7)

2. Peter beseeching the Savior to wash all of him instead of just his feet, once he understood its significance at the Last Supper. (John 13:6-12)

3. Peter smiting off the Jewish, night guard's ear to protect the Savior in Gethsemane. I wonder if Peter understood his purpose for being on the Mount of Olives at all that night. I don't think I do for sure. I'm sure the thought crossed his mind, "Maybe Jesus stationed us at these different spots in order to act as lookouts and defend him in the case of an attack!" (Matt 26:51-54)

I wonder if Peter's test of faith wasn't to do something, like it was for Abraham, but to restrain himself from doing something.

In Mark 14:29-31, Peter and the Savior are speaking towards the end of the Last Supper. Just after Judas parted from the 12, Peter reassures the the Savior in verse 29, "Although all shall be offended, yet will not I." Then comes the challenge from the Savior's lips: "Verily I say unto thee, That this day, even in the this night, before the cock crow twice, thou shalt deny me thrice."

Until recently, I've assumed that this was simply a prophecy; but what if it was actually given as a commandment? What if Christ intended for Peter deny him? Might those three lies, that Peter uttered, have been the commandment most difficult for him to keep? Might those acts of betrayal, so natural to any ordinary man, have been the crucible that forged Peter's soul and prepared him to testify that much more vehemently in the mission (Mark 6:7) he was called to perform?

Is it possible? Yes or No?


Labels:

Comments

  1. NoelleMon Jan 26, 06:40:00 AM MST

    Interesting thought, though I'm not sure I agree.

    ReplyDelete
  2. CourtneyMon Jan 26, 03:59:00 PM MST

    I think it is possible. For sure. I love Peter! Thank you for this post.

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Please share your thoughts.

Popular posts from this blog

Rummi-"CUB" vs. Rummi-"CUBE"

The "Rummikub" Pronunciation Debate Affirmative Constructive: "Cub" For years, I have been a firm advocate and defender of the pronunciation, Rummi-"CUB".  The game box I grew up with spelled it, Rummicub  on the box. However, other productions of the game have variant spellings: Rummykub , Rummy Kube , Rummy Tiles , etc.  Based solely on box spelling, the game's true pronunciation is open to interpretation. Therefore, Rummi"cub" is equally acceptable to any other given pronunciation. Negative  Constructive : "Cube" My opponents argue that since the game originated over seas, we ought to respect and maintain its original pronunciation. Affirmative Rebuttal: Americanization of the Term When the game was brought to America and given Americanized rules, its name was also Americanized. Pronunciation loyalists then counter my rebuttal with, "there are lots of adopted foreign words that have retained their original pron...
5 comments
Read more

Who's Got The Funk?

I am an amateur guitarist, and I've got no funk. My musical skills seem to lacking that special something . Great musicians have it . Those fortunate enough to have gotten hold of  it , create timeless hits. While musicians without it  fade into oblivion. After spending hours searching through Blues history websites and 1970's band documentaries online, I discovered what that special something  is thank to a (70% Man, 30% fish) character from the BBC show "The Mighty Boosh" named Old Gregg. He identified that  thing  as  The Funk ! But what exactly is The Funk ? Here is some dialogue from the show to help explain its origin and purpose: Old Gregg: You're a musician, yeah? Howard: Yes I am. Old Gregg: Butchya ain't very good, are ya? Howard: I'm one of the best in town. Old Gregg: Come on, I read your reviews. Hmm? You know what your problem is? Howard: What? Old Gregg: Ya ain't got the funk. You're all rigid. Hmm? You're l...
2 comments
Read more

Song Analysis: Your Blood by Aurora

Do You Recognize the Melody? When I first listened to Aurora's 2023 hit single, " Your Blood ," I was immediately reminded of " Lovefool ," a 1996 classic from fellow Scandinavians, The Cardigans. I assumed they were both singing about unrequited love, but I realized they told different stories as I spent more time with Aurora's work. Background Interview with the Artist In this article, A Matter of the Heart , Aurora gives listeners a glimpse into the meaning behind her hit single, " Your Blood" .  In summary, "Your Blood" reflects on the loss of heart and empathy in a world driven by rationality and profit, exploring themes of pain, empathy, and interconnectedness.  Inspired by a letter written by  Indigenous activists from Brazil , Aurora's album,  What Happened to the Heart?,  questions humanity's reliance on mind over heart, highlighting how decisions driven by logic rather than compassion lead to suffering, both for the Eart...
Post a Comment
Read more