One fateful day as Jesus was simply going along by the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brother’s fishing, Simon (Peter) and Andrew, his brother. As Jesus asks them to follow him and begin fishing for men they leave their nets and lives do just that, follow him (Mark 1:16-18). A few miles down the road the group runs into James and John the sons of Zebedee, they were also in the fishing industry. A similar situation occurs Jesus’ propositioned them with a career change and they accepted. The largest difference between the sets of brothers was what they left behind. Peter and Andrew left behind a boat and nets, John and James left behind their father with his hired servants, who were still fishing (Mark 1:19-20). It is obvious that John and James’ family was better off than the family of Peter and Andrew; already a stage has been set for comparison.
We get a better sense of a competitive nature and comparison of Peter and John the day Jesus asks the three of them to come with him up to a high mountain. The three have become the inner circle of the Jesus entourage. All of the sudden Jesus is transfigured, his clothes are changed and radiating whiteness, Moses and Elijah show up, and Peter sees his opportunity to jump ahead in the race of favorite so he says, “Teacher, it is a good thing that you brought us here, now we can build three tabernacles, one for each of you.” It takes the audible voice of God the father to shut Peter up (Mark 9:2-9). This situation did not help Peter in the running for number one.
Peter is not the only one who takes initiative in the competition. A short time later James and John come up to Jesus and say, “Jesus we want you to do something for us.” He asks them what they want. “Hey…yeah…so, we want to be the ones who sit on your left and right when this Kingdom thing goes down.” There is then a small discussion on if they could handle the job. All parties agree that they could but then Jesus says, “But you two sitting at my right and left isn’t up to me, it has already been reserved for someone else.” After this conversation took place the ten other disciples started getting a little fed up with the Thunder Boys (Mark 10:35-41). This could only make the situation worse. Here are the James and John who are asking to be promoted above everyone else. Jesus then tells all of them that in order to be the greatest you will have to be a servant, not trying to win or be first (Mark 10:43-45).
Skip forward to the Mount of Olives, after the Last Supper (I feel like supper is such a country word. Why don’t we call it the Last Dinner?). It is a pretty tense moment. Jesus has been saying some pretty heavy stuff that really no one understands, something happened with Judas who freaked out and left, and now Jesus has just said “You will all fall away.” Peter, with his same competitive nature speaks up, “Nope. Not Me. Yeah, sure the rest probably will but not me.” Jesus responds by informing him that before the cock crowed in the morning he will deny Jesus three times. Still, Peter kept on insisting that even if it meant death he would not deny him (Mark 14:27-31). Skip forward a few hours. Judas has returned and brought with him soldiers and armed officers from the chief priest and Pharisees. Jesus agrees to go with them and Peter does something stupid and cuts the ear off of the high priest’s slave. Jesus fixes the ear, and reprimands Peter, “Put your sword up! Don’t stop me from doing what God has told me to do,” (John 18:10-11). Jesus was then arrested and taken away.
We don’t know what everyone else did, but Peter and most likely *John follow Jesus who was taken into the court of the high priest. The high priest knew John most likely because of his family and is allowed into the court but Peter was left standing outside and has to have John convince the doorkeeper to let Peter in. The slave-girl at the door then questions Peter as a follower of Jesus. Peter denies. Even in the midst of their world falling apart Peter must of felt that John still had one up on him, he was the one who could get into the courts on his own, for Peter to get in it took the help of John and Peter’s fist denial (John 18:15-17). Peter continues and twice more while in the courts he is questioned about his association with Jesus. Twice more he denies his Christ and immediately he hears the cock crow. (John 18:25-27). Not only did he fail and fall away, he wasn’t even the last one standing. Jesus is crucified and as he is dying on the cross it is John that he entrusts with the care of his Mother (John 19:26-27). John is the one that is there still standing as Jesus is put to death.
Three days later Mary Magdalene shows up to where John and Peter are with news of the empty tomb. The two begin running towards the resting place. This scene literally becomes a foot race. So it seems in spite of everything they had just gone through, this is what it has come to, a foot race. And yet again John wins, and gets there first (John 20:1-8). Peter must have felt defeated. In the light of the glory of the resurrection Peter must have felt some measure of defeat. For the last three years he had given his all and tried his hardest to be the best but it just wasn’t enough.A few days later a group including Peter and John are fishing, with little success. Jesus shows up and with his help fish are caught. He then invites them to the fire for breakfast. After breakfast Jesus takes Peter aside and asks, “Do you really love me more than these?”
“Yes Jesus you know I love you.”
“Then tend my lambs. Peter do you really love me?”
“Yes Jesus you know I love you.”
“Then shepherd my sheep. Peter are you sure you love me?”
(Discouraged Sigh) “Jesus, you know everything, you know that I love you.”
“Then tend my lambs.”
Peter is affirmed and is told that his commitment, this time, would not fade but be to death. Then Jesus says to him the words that he said three years earlier on the shores of the Sea of Galilee, “Follow Me!” (John 21:15-19). Jesus affirms a beaten man and while Peter felt as if he had lost and failed, Jesus offers him restoration.
Then Peter directly addressed the situation. Out of the corner of his eye he saw John, following them and Peter asked, “What about this man,” and Jesus responded “Peter, what is it to you, Follow Me!” (John 21:20-22). It didn’t matter than John’s family was rich and well known. It didn’t matter that Peter repeatedly stuck his foot in his mouth. It didn’t matter that Peter had failed when John hand not. It didn’t matter that Peter couldn’t run as fast as John. After competing for three years for top honors, after constant comparison, Jesus sums it up, and this time Peter got it, “It doesn’t matter. What matters is what I have called you to do.”
It doesn’t matter. What matters is who God has called us to do.
*In John 18:15 It mentions Peter and another disciple were following Jesus, most likely this was John due to the fact that this Gospel was written by John
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2 comments:
Awesome insights. We preachers have been foot-racing ever since. Bunch of insecure babies...
One other interesting comparison. When John got to the tomb, he stopped at the entrance. Peter went barreling in. So John was first on, Peter first in.
Then there's that whole "disciple whom Jesus loved" reference in the gospel of John... which was written well after Peter died. Yeah, yeah, it's the Bible and all. Still....
You're right Joel, I don't think it would be a problem at all if it was a criticism of the church. As you and I both know, I am all for the subversion of institutions. Whether good or bad, however, I didn't see it as a criticism.
The root of the issue (as it always is with me) is in the accepted definition of criticism. The way it was used by the critics of such movements seemed to have nuances of polarization. It is as if the proponants of the movement were saying "the old way is bad, our way is good. choose our way, because we are the real church, and they are the false."
I didn't see any of that in the movement. Again there are times when the proponents like Claiborne call the church out on things, but I do not feel it is polarizing the old and new ways of church. It seems to me that they would be open to both (and many more) approaches to church.
So yes, there is some criticism, and that is not bad. But it is not a polarizing criticism that I felt the critics of the movement(s) seemed to be saying.
Also, cool picture.
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