Holy Hormones Bible Study: If your Book is not a buzz, it’s not the Bible.

PASSOVER STORIES: PETER FROM A DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE — FAITHFUL HERO OR CRAVEN COWARD

“Rumour has it” Theology

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James Tissot, The First Denial of Saint Peter (Premier reniement de Saint Pierre ), Brooklyn Museum [AI search found no copyright information]

“Rumour has it” is typically used to preface something that is widely talked about, but not officially verified. It implies that the details you’re about to share are circulating among people and are not necessarily backed by concrete evidence.

Peter’s cowardice is not necessarily backed by concrete evidence?!

You’re joking! It’s in the book!

Perhaps. Perhaps not.

Be Aware: This post may seem excessively long because there is a lot of Scripture included. This is done so that you have the evidence at a glance. If you don’t need it, just glance on by.

I have a problem

If you have not heard the derogatory meme about “That Coward Peter,” you must not have been paying attention. In my part of town, it is part of the DNA of in-the-know NT Saints.

The story is common knowledge, which has emanated from the Pulpit and permeated through the Pews.

It is common knowledge that everyone knows what common knowledge is.

Really?

Help me out.

Perhaps I’m missing something.

Here’s the gist of what I hear.

○ Peter says that others may desert Jesus — but not him. He was prepared to die for Jesus. But the Lord tells him that he, Peter, will deny Him three times.

True.

It is written in Matthew 26:31–35 ||

Then Jesus said to them, “All of you will be made to stumble because of Me this night, for it is written: ‘I will strike the Shepherd, And the sheep of the flock will be scattered.’ But after I have been raised, I will go before you to Galilee.”

Peter answered and said to Him, “Even if all are made to stumble because of You, I will never be made to stumble.” Jesus said to him, “Assuredly, I say to you that this night, before the rooster crows, you will deny Me three times.” Peter said to Him, “Even if I have to die with You, I will not deny You!” And so said all the disciples.

And in John 13:37–38 ||

Peter said to Him, “Lord, why can I not follow You now? I will lay down my life for Your sake.” Jesus answered him, “Will you lay down your life for My sake? Most assuredly, I say to you, the rooster shall not crow till you have denied Me three times.

Luke 22:33–34 ||

But he said to Him, “Lord, I am ready to go with You, both to prison and to death.” Then He said, “I tell you, Peter, the rooster shall not crow this day before you will deny three times that you know Me.”

○ Peter denies Him three times, and is devastated.

This can’t be denied

Luke 22:60–62 ||

… But Peter said, “Man, I do not know what you are saying!” Immediately, while he was still speaking, the rooster crowed. And the Lord turned and looked at Peter. Then Peter remembered the word of the Lord, how He had said to him, “Before the rooster crows, you will deny Me three times.” So Peter went out and wept bitterly.

○ Peter is struck from the roll as a Disciple.

I kid you not

Mark 16:6–7 || But he (the young man clothed in a long white robe) said to them, “Do not be alarmed. You seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He is risen! He is not here. See the place where they laid Him. But go, tell His disciples — and Peter — that He is going ahead of you into Galilee; there you will see Him, as He said to you.”

○ Peter is reinstated.

Voilà!

The famous “Love Conversation” ends with “Follow me.” Happy ending — and the difference between Peter’s rhetoric before and after the Resurrection shows he is a New Creation.

This is what is said, but not exactly what is read.

I’m open to correction, but it seems Bible Cherries are perennial. They are always ready to be picked. But these so-called incriminating verses are surrounded by other verses that may be the surprise witnesses that save the day, like a gripping courtroom drama.

CBS-TV promo-material

After all, Peter is in the Courtroom of Public Opinion.

So where is this evidence?

The importance of detail: It is often said that, “The Devil is in the detail,” but I think that is a lie from the Pits of Hell. It is the Holy Spirit Who is in the detail. Because the Devil doesn’t understand the finesse he invariably shoots himself in the foot, and takes the sick, lame and lazy with him because reading the fine print gets in the way of a good doctrine.

○ Matthew 26:31–32 holds the evidence in plain sight.

Jesus Himself identifies Zechariah 12–13 as being a Messianic Prophecy of the coming of the Christ.

• Parsing

v.31

Then Jesus said to them, “All (G3956 — pas) of you (G5210 — hymeis) will be made to stumble because of Me this night, for it is written: ‘I will strike the Shepherd, And the sheep of the flock will be scattered (G1287 — diaskorpizō ).’

• G5210 — hymeis Speech: Personal / Possessive Pronoun Person: 2nd Person Case: Nominative Number: Plural

The context is that Jesus is addressing His twelve Special Disciples.

• G3956 — pas = each, every, any, all, the whole, everyone Speech: Adjective Case: Nominative Number: Plural Gender: Masculine

He is warning that ALL of His Special Team, and His other Disciples, will stumble and be scattered. Obviously, Peter is included.

• G1287 — diaskorpizō = to scatter abroad, disperse Speech: Verb Tense: Future (be warned) Voice: Passive (the Disciples have no control over this) Mood: Indicative (this will definitely happen) Person: 3rd Person (them meaning the other Disciples, too) Number: Singular (sheep is singular/plural, flock is a collective noun, so it applies to ALL of His Disciples.

v.32

But after I have been raised, I will go before you to Galilee.”

He told everyone in the Upper Room, Peter plus the others.

Why is this important?

The Prophecies concerned The Messiah — NOT The Messiah and His mates.

Since Genesis 3:15–16, the focus of the Prophecy of the Scarlet Thread has been the Messiah. The Shepherd, not the sheep.

The Love of God has saved no one. It is the Blood of Sinless Jesus. (His Love kept Him pinned to the Cross.) The blood of Peter would just cause a mess.

Was Jesus blindsided by Peter?

No. The Lord warned Peter what would happen in Luke 22:31–32, “And the Lord said, 'Simon, Simon! Indeed, Satan has asked for you, that he may sift you as wheat. But I have prayed for you, that your faith should not fail; and when you have returned to Me, strengthen your brethren.”

There are two main supporting roles that day — Peter and Judas Iscariot.

I’m sure you have read the Scriptures to see that each one failed the Lord differently. Judas failed by intention. Events showed that he knew what he was going to do early on.

Peter failed through human weakness. He may have been huffing and puffing, but Matthew 26:75 and Luke 22:62 imply that he utterly believed what he said but refused the first three jumps and was devastated. It would not be difficult to believe that, for the rest of his life, whenever Peter heard a cock crow, the pain of the memory would pierce his heart. That may be human logic, but God has promised His ways are above our ways. Events show that, when Peter was reinstated, he was forgiven and cleansed of his sin to go on to bigger and better things — indwelt by the Holy Spirit.

But was there a problem?

Yes.

Peter’s enthusiasm had to be quenched.

It is written in John 18:12 that a G4686 — speira of armed men came to arrest Jesus. It is not clear how many men (estimates range between 10 and 1000), and I’m not entering any arguments. Enough to say it was not just a few — and they were armed. Peter showed he was up to taking them all on and chopped the ear of one of them off (is it necessary to give the reference for this event?). Jesus sorted it out and told Peter to behave, and he did. But his blood was obviously boiling — however, not spilling. He may have acted like a stupid person, but not a coward.

Rome had scheduled three men to die that day. Apparently, any three because the incident with Jesus was passing trade off the street. Pilate was not expecting him. Jesus, Himself, had forced the issue during the Last Supper. Peter could easily have been one of the three in addition to Christ. However, that would have burst the bubble of the Prophecies. (Check them out yourself in the Old Testament.) THAT COULD NOT BE ALLOWED TO HAPPEN!!!

So what? That was then. What about now?

The late American Bible Teacher, Chuck Missler, often quoted, “The problem is not life after death. It is life after re-birth.” Many Christians would gladly die for Christ (there was the famous incident of the young girl in the Columbine High School Massacre on April 20, 1999, which is easily found on the Internet), but the question often asked seems to be, “Do you mean I have to live for Him, too?” The cold light of day is not a place where ‘pretend christians’ can flourish. But Luke 22:31–32 is a wonderful verse to carve up.

• Satan has asked for you, that he may sift you as wheat. The Accuser of the Brethren/Sistren is after YOU unceasingly.
• But I have prayed for you, that your faith should not fail. Our Saviour is interceding for YOU all the time the Accuser is accusing. In modern parlance, “Let the Troll troll.”
• and when you have returned to Me. It is written in Psalm 145:14, “The Lord upholds all who fall, And raises up all who are bowed down.” More evidence of Eternal Security.

So?

Was Peter a Craven Coward? There is much more evidence, but if this doesn’t convince you, I don’t know what will. However, it is up to you to decide. I have no Theological Qualifications to convince you. Only that, by the Grace of God, I was taught to read in primary school.

Conclusion

There is so much L-O-R-E and so little L-A-W in my part of town.

I’m open to correction, but from the evidence presented:

• Peter was prepared to die that day (there may have been more), but they weren’t included in the Prophecies, which were exclusively directed at Christ.
• The Prophecy in Zechariah 13, and repeated in Mark 14:27, said ALL the sheep would scatter. Logically, that means NONE would remain. (Admittedly, we know that John returned, but that was after the heat had died down.)
• Peter was actually a loose cannon who had to be managed so that he didn’t extinguish the Prophecies, which could not happen because the Written Word of the Lord is:-

Inspired: The Word of the Lord declares in Amos 3:7, “Surely the Lord God does nothing, unless He reveals His secret to His servants the prophets.” Somehow He ‘breaths’ His intentions into the imaginations of His Prophets. They then describe what they see in their own vocabulary. That is why Isaiah, who has the most extensive vocabulary in the Scriptures, relays the same message as Hosea (whom, we are told, was a very rustic person)

Inerrant: He is the only One Who knows the End from the Beginning. It has nothing to do with spelling and human error. You have already found that the Bible is multifaceted. One of the facets is that it is a legal document (Satan is a Legalist) where the Lord has written down His Redemption Plan and made promises for all Creation to see. He has shown He is prepared to Honour those Promises. It would do you well to find out something about the Plan. Have the Prophecies failed to date?

Infallible: Is the Word of the Lord, Who created Creation with the Word of His Mouth, ever going to fail? Feel free to list His Failures to date.

I’M OPEN TO CORRECTION FROM THOSE WHO HAVE UNDERSTANDING TO CLEAR UP MY CONFUSION. OPINIONS DON’T COUNT.

If you have seen something you like, I encourage plagiarism. So, always check everything I say first, then please re-cycle, re-brand, re-structure, re-issue, re-label, or regurgitate in any manner you please. No need to acknowledge me because it is the Holy Spirit Who holds the Intellectual Rights.

All Glory to the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.

(We all have a plank in our eye. It’s bigger than we think.)

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