“But I have pleaded in prayer for you, Simon…”
Luke 22:32
Simon Peter had never looked so deeply into Jesus’ eyes as he did that night as he stood and warmed himself by the fire in the courtyard of the High Priest Caiaphus.1 The rooster had just crowed,2 and a bone chilling shiver shuddered through his body. As he stood there amongst the throng of people, chief priests, captains of the temple, scribes, and elders,3 their cacophony and presence seemed to fade away as he continued to lock into the gaze of Jesus, a trance-like moment as time seemed to stand still. During this brief interlude between the rooster crowing and the reality of what he had just done, his mind paraded visions of the precious times he had experienced with the Son of God:
Peter saw himself falling to his knees at the feet of Jesus, saying, “Oh, Lord, please leave me—I’m too much of a sinner to be around you.” For Peter was awestruck by the size of the fishermen’s catch, as were the others with him. His partners, James and John, were also amazed. He was fearful of the boastful remarks he had made about his authority as a fisherman and the humiliation he faced in the light of the Truth in the company of his fishing partners. With the compassion for a child who has humbled himself, Jesus lifted him up saying, “Don’t be afraid! From now on you’ll be fishing for people!” And as soon as they landed, they left everything and followed Jesus.4
Peter’s mind skipped to the road in Caesarea Philippi where Jesus was walking with him and His disciples, teaching them when He asked, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” The disciples looked amongst themselves as one said, “John the Baptist,” then another, “Elijah,” and yet another, “Jeremiah or one of the other prophets.” Jesus stopped walking, and the disciples gathered around Him to hear His response. He looked at each one and opening His arms to them said, “Who do you say I am?” Peter’s spirit quickened, and as his eyes met Jesus,’ he heard his voice exclaim, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.”
Jesus placed His hand on him, the disciple first to proclaim this, and said, “You are blessed, Simon of John, because my Father in heaven has revealed this to you. You did not learn this from any human being. Now I say to you that you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church, and all the powers of hell will not conquer it. And I will give you the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven. Whatever you lock on earth will be locked in heaven, and whatever you open on earth will be opened in heaven.”
Jesus resumed his walk, Peter on one side and John on the other, and sternly warned them not tell anyone that he was the Messiah. From then on Jesus began to tell his disciples plainly that he had to go to Jerusalem, and he told them what would happen to him there. Jesus would suffer at the hands of the leaders and the leading priests and the teacher of the religious law—killed by them and raised by God to life on the third day.
When Peter heard this, he took Jesus’ arm, leading Him to the side of the road and began to rebuke Him, saying, “Heaven forbid, Lord! This will never happen to you!”
Jesus turned from Peter and faced His disciples who looked at them with astonishment as Jesus admonished, “Get away from Me, Satan! You are a dangerous trap to me. You see things merely from a human point of view, and not from God’s.”5
Peter’s eyes fell from Jesus’ gaze as the reality of what he had just done pierced his heart, shattered his mind, and divided his soul. The noise and commotion of the priests and elders rebuking Jesus flooded his ears as his eyes closed and his chin came to rest on his chest. His strength flowed from him as he realized that he had failed his King, that he could do nothing, standing there as a man, void of Christ’s Spirit, sifted by Satan. He was useless to his Lord, having just denied Him three times as Jesus predicted. Peter walked slowly to the courtyard door, dejected, defeated, and humiliated, unnoticed by the crowd transfixed on the One to whom he pledged, “I am ready to die for you.”6 Falling to his knees as his agony erupted, weeping bitterly,7 Peter was broken by his pride and impetuousness.
Praise to Our Father for the words He has given me.
Copyright © 2004, 2005 Stellar Rhema Ministry, 2016 by Jeff Cambridge
References
Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. All rights reserved.
1. Luke 22:55, 23:61
2. Luke 23:60
3. Matthew 26:59
4. Adapted from Luke 5:8-11
5. Adapted from Matthew 16:13-23
6. John 13:37
7. Matthew 26:75
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