Tag Archives: Jesus

The People of God

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1 Peter 2:10

10 for you once were NOT A PEOPLE, but now you are THE PEOPLE OF GOD; you had NOT RECEIVED MERCY, but now you have RECEIVED MERCY.

Speaking to both believing Jews and Gentiles, Peter reminds them that they were “called out of darkness.” And in that state they were not the people of God but were of the devil and of darkness. In fact, Peter writes that they were “not a people.” I suppose he meant that being always guided by their fleshly desires, they were more like animals than people. Hence, they also did not receive God’s mercy. But when they came to the light and believed they were privileged as Children of God to receive His mercy.

A Stone of Stumbling

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1 Peter 2:7-8

7 This precious value, then, is for you who believe; but for those who disbelieve,

“THE STONE WHICH THE BUILDERS REJECTED,

THIS BECAME THE VERY CORNER stone,”

8 and,

“A STONE OF STUMBLING AND A ROCK OF OFFENSE”;

for they stumble because they are disobedient to the word, and to this doom they were also appointed.

The “precious value” is in Jesus our cornerstone. But those who disbelieve Him and reject Him, He will become for them the cornerstone that will cause them to stumble (see Ps. 118:22); He will be their judgment. This judgment on them is divinely appointed because of their disobedience and unbelief. Hence, just as believers are appointed for salvation (Rom. 8:29-30), all others who choose not to believe are appointed for doom—eternal judgment (Rom. 9:18).

A Spiritual House

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1 Peter 2:5-6

5 you also, as living stones, are being built up as a spiritual house for a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. 6 For this is contained in Scripture:

“BEHOLD, I LAY IN ZION A CHOICE STONE, A PRECIOUS CORNER stone,

AND HE WHO BELIEVES IN HIM WILL NOT BE DISAPPOINTED.”

We as believers are living stones. He is the cornerstone (the foundation stone) and we are all the other building stones, which are being built up as a spiritual house (metaphorically). We are built up for a holy priesthood (v. 9)—each of us being priests of God, working in the service of God and having access to God. As priest we offer up our bodies as a living sacrifice for all the work He would have us do for Him (Rom. 12:1).

Verse 6 is a quote from Isaiah 28:16. It is a prophecy of the Messiah to come, and all who believe in Him will not be disappointed; that is, He will be all that He has been prophesied to be and all that we need Him to be.

Our Living Stone

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1 Peter 2:4

4 And coming to Him as to a living stone which has been rejected by men, but is choice and precious in the sight of God,

Peter encourages his readers to come to Him and abide in Him (Jn. 15:5) as our living foundation stone (1 Cor. 3:10-11), upon which we can be built up on. He has been rejected by men, but for you He will be precious as he is in His Fathers eyes.

Peter and John Jailed for Preaching about Jesus

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Acts 4:5-12

On the next day, their rulers and elders and scribes were gathered together in Jerusalem; 6 and Annas the high priest was there, and Caiaphas and John and Alexander, and all who were of high-priestly descent. 7 When they had placed them in the center, they began to inquire, “By what power, or in what name, have you done this?” 8 Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, “Rulers and elders of the people, 9 if we are on trial today for a benefit done to a sick man, as to how this man has been made well, 10 let it be known to all of you and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead — by this name this man stands here before you in good health. 11 “He is the STONE WHICH WAS REJECTED by you, THE BUILDERS, but WHICH BECAME THE CHIEF CORNER stone.  12 “And there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men by which we must be saved.”

Immediately after Peter (with John) gave his message to the people (Acts 3:11-26), priests, the captain of the temple guard, and the Sadducees came and put Peter and John in jail for preaching about Jesus (mainly for proclaiming His resurrection; for the Sadducees did not believe in the resurrection).

On the next day (v. 5), they questioned Peter and John as to what gave them the authority to speak about Jesus the way they did. Well, I imagine that Peter immediately recognized his open door to preach to them. And Peter was indeed filled with the Spirit and held nothing back, He proclaimed Jesus as the healer of the sick man and as the chief cornerstone which they rejected. Then, to put a cap on it, Peter told them that they could be saved by no other name except by Jesus Christ. Peter certainly was filled with the Holy Spirit—which became evident by his great boldness.

Peter Directs the Disciples to Elect A Replacement for Judas

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Acts 1:12-16

Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is near Jerusalem, a Sabbath day’s journey away. 13 When they had entered the city, they went up to the upper room where they were staying; that is, Peter and John and James and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus, and Simon the Zealot, and Judas the son of James. 14 These all with one mind were continually devoting themselves to prayer, along with the women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with His brothers.

15 At this time Peter stood up in the midst of the brethren (a gathering of about one hundred and twenty persons was there together), and said, 16 “Brethren, the Scripture had to be fulfilled, which the Holy Spirit foretold by the mouth of David concerning Judas, who became a guide to those who arrested Jesus.

Sometime after Jesus performed the miracle of fish on the Sea of Galilee in front of the seven disciples, and after Jesus encouraged Peter to continue to follow Him in discipleship (Jn.  21:1-23), He gathered all eleven of His disciples together on the Mount of Olives where He spoke His last words to them and then ascended to heaven (Acts 1:4-9).

The disciples then, according to Jesus command, immediately went to Jerusalem (a Sabbath day’s journey) to the upper room, where they were staying. We don’t know what kind of arrangements they had made with the owner; whether they purchased the room, or were renting it, or he was just letting them stay there. But we know that they ate the last supper there; and it was also where Jesus appeared to them after His resurrection. Now they would stay there as a place of safety, and to wait and pray until the day of Pentecost (vv. 4-5).

It appears from the text that the upper room was rather large; for one hundred and twenty people were gathered there, waiting for the coming Holy Spirit.

As for Peter, he had apparently felt the strong call of God to lead this group of disciples. And here it seems that he was led by God to give his first sermon, mainly having to do with electing another man to replace Judas. And as it happened by lot, Matthias was the one who was divinely chosen (verse 26).

Peter uses the Sword

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John 18:10-11 (also Matthew 26:47-54; Mk. 14:47-49; Lu. 22:50-51)

Simon Peter then, having a sword, drew it and struck the high priest’s slave, and cut off his right ear; and the slave’s name was Malchus. 11 So Jesus said to Peter, “Put the sword into the sheath; the cup which the Father has given Me, shall I not drink it?”

Only John’s gospel is clear about who cut off the ear of the slave Malchus. It was Peter. The other gospels just said that he was one of those who was with Jesus. Matthew’s gospel also was more descriptive than the others about why they were not to use the sword.

As for Peter, he proved here that he was one to act without thinking. What was he intending to do? fight the entire Roman army? If he did, Jesus had a response for him; that He had at His disposal more than twelve legions of angels—if it was God’s will to fight them. But Jesus knew that what was happening was according to God’s will. And so, He had no will to fight. He was even compassionate toward His enemies; and He reached out and touched the one who was injured by the sword so that he was healed (Lu. 22:51).

Jesus Prayed while the Disciples Slept

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Matthew 26:36-41

Then Jesus came with them to a place called Gethsemane, and said to His disciples, “Sit here while I go over there and pray.”  37 And He took with Him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and began to be grieved and distressed. 38 Then He said to them, “My soul is deeply grieved, to the point of death; remain here and keep watch with Me.”

39 And He went a little beyond them, and fell on His face and prayed, saying, “My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; yet not as I will, but as You will.”  40 And He came to the disciples and found them sleeping, and said to Peter, “So, you men could not keep watch with Me for one hour?  41 “Keep watching and praying that you may not enter into temptation; the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.”

Jesus and His disciples came to the garden of Gethsemane. And when they arrived Jesus felt the need to pray; so He took with Him Peter, James and John and went a little further to pray, leaving the others. Then He felt an even deeper need to pray and went on by Himself. Hence, as it seems, there were three groups: the main group of disciples (minus the three), a little further there was Peter James and John, then further, only Jesus. All three groups were to be praying.

Notice that Jesus trusted Peter (and also James and John) to pray more than the others. But they turned out not to be trustworthy. They fell asleep. Notice also that in Mark’s gospel Jesus called Peter Simon. This I think was an indication that Jesus was frustrated with him—that he was not living up to his chosen name (Peter, the rock). But regardless of Jesus’ displeasure in His disciples, He continued to encourage them to keep watching and praying.

The gospel of Luke only recorded how an angel appeared to Him to strengthened Him. It may occur to you (as it does to me) what He needed strength for, and how could an angel help Him. Well, I don’t think angels have any difficulty with temptation; I think they are always strong and incapable of sin. They may not even understand it. Their mission is to help and encourage people with whatever they can do according to the will of God. I think what they did for Jesus was just to encourage Him to keep praying. And He did pray very fervently and was sweating drops of blood.

Peter Gets His Feet Washed

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John 13:5-11

Then He poured water into the basin, and began to wash the disciples’ feet and to wipe them with the towel with which He was girded. 6 So He came to Simon Peter. He said to Him, “Lord, do You wash my feet?” 7 Jesus answered and said to him, “What I do you do not realize now, but you will understand hereafter.”  8 Peter said to Him, “Never shall You wash my feet!” Jesus answered him, “If I do not wash you, you have no part with Me.”  9 Simon Peter said to Him, “Lord, then wash not only my feet, but also my hands and my head.” 10 Jesus said to him, “He who has bathed needs only to wash his feet, but is completely clean; and you are clean, but not all of you.”  11 For He knew the one who was betraying Him; for this reason He said, “Not all of you are clean.”

That evening, when the Passover was ready, and when they all were seated, Jesus suddenly got up, wrapped a towel around His waist, poured water into a basin and began to wash His disciples’ feet.

Peter (and I think all of the disciples) was embarrassed and shocked that Jesus would stoop so low as to wash their feet. But Jesus had a different purpose in mind than mere physical washing. He was by this act cleansing them spiritually. When Jesus said to Peter “What I do you do not realize now, but you will understand hereafter” and also when He said, “If I do not wash you, you have no part with Me,” these words were to indicate to them a spiritual cleansing, so that they would be acceptable to God. I’m sure they did not fully realize His actions, but later they would.

Peter here, after Jesus said to him, “If I do not wash you, you have no part with Me,” was eager to have Jesus wash him—all of him; for he very much wanted to have fellowship with Jesus and come into His kingdom.

But Jesus not only was demonstrating a spiritual cleansing, but also a lesson in humble service; for in verses 14 and 15 He said that He as their Lord and Teacher was giving them an example to follow (read 1 Pt. 5:3).

Jesus Tells Peter that He would Reign with Him

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Matthew 19:27-28 (also in Mk. 10:28-31; Lu. 18:28-30)

Then Peter said to Him, “Behold, we have left everything and followed You; what then will there be for us?” 28 And Jesus said to them, “Truly I say to you, that you who have followed Me, in the regeneration when the Son of Man will sit on His glorious throne, you also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.

Before this text there seemed to be a long stretch of time when Peter kept silent; at least nothing was recorded. However, Jesus ministry was constant (and I’m sure Peter and the others were taking everything in and being awed by what Jesus was doing). They traveled from village to village, and Jesus was teaching and healing many.

While on His way to Jerusalem for the last time, He encountered a rich young ruler who asked Him what he must do to inherit eternal life (Luke 19:16-26). When Jesus told him that he must keep the commandments, the man said that he had already kept them. But when Jesus said that he must also sell his possessions and give the money to the poor and follow Him, the ruler went away with a sad face because he knew he could not do that.

Then Jesus turned to His disciples and told them how hard it was for the rich to enter into heaven. He said that it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle. The disciples were astonished and wondered who then could ever be saved. But Jesus came to their rescue and said, “All things are possible with God.”

At this point a light flashed in Peter’s head because he realized that he and his comrades, unlike the rich man, had left everything to follow Him.

Well, Jesus was more than willing to tell them what was to come for them. They would reign with Him on His throne (a reference to the earthly kingdom; but then later in heaven we all will reign forever with Him, Rev. 22:5).