Chapter 14: ". . . AND PETER"
Chapter 14: ". . . AND PETER"
Matt, xxviii. i-8; Mark xvi. i-8; Luke xxiv. i-8; John xx. i-10
"The storm is o'er — and hark! a still small voice
Steals on the ear, to say, Jehovah's choice
Is ever with the soft, meek, tender soul;
By soft, meek, tender ways He loves to draw
The sinner, startled by his ways of awe:
Here is our Lord, and not where thunders roll."
—Kehle.
AN ANCIENT TRADITION closely associates Peter with the authorship of the Second Gospel, which, whilst bearing the name of Mark, was probably written beneath the prompting and supervision of the Apostle. There are not a few internal corroborations of this view, both in the omissions and additions of the narrative as compared with that of Matthew or Luke. Graphic touches also abound which were clearly reminiscences of one who had been an eye-witness of that wondrous life. In the forefront of these, these two words may be cited. Matthew records the angel's words to the women thus: "Go quickly and tell His disciples," but Mark makes the significant addition, "and Peter" With the others, those words might be obliterated by tides of time and change, but they were engraven on the rock of Peter's character and inlet with gold.
In the Song of Solomon three traits are assigned to a perfect love, and each of these was notably present in our Lord's remarkable treatment of His Apostle and friend, who had been warned thrice, had denied Him thrice, and on three different occasions was restored.
I. LOVE IS STRONG AS DEATH. — Much had happened to our Lord since that hour in the Judgment Hall when He turned and looked upon Peter. He had drained to the dregs the cup which the Father gave Him to drink, in pursuance of an agreement into which they had entered before time-cycles commenced to revolve.
At His own request He had been made sin for man, that God might be just and the justifier of them who believed.
He had put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself amid rending rocks and sack-clothed skies, and the hidden face of the Father's love.
He had bowed His head in death, laying down His life of Himself, and by death had destroyed Him that had the power of death.
He had met the prince of this world in the very stronghold of his power, and had wrested from his grasp the keys of Hades and of death.
He had passed through the mysterious regions of Hades, referred to afterwards as " the lower parts of the earth," and had proclaimed His finished work to the spirits, which aforetime were disobedient.
He had issued from His grave, leading captivity captive, and robbing death of its sting and the grave of its victory.
The tidings were already speeding to the farthest limits of the Universe, that through the blood of His Cross, the very heavens had been brought into closer relationship with God. Even the minstrelsy of the eternal world must have been arrested as angels desired to penetrate to the heart of the crowding revelations of that hour.
But His love was unimpaired. There was no change in its tenacity or direction. His delights were still with the sons of men. Neither death nor the grave had made any change in it; any more than they can change the love of those whom we have loved and lost awhile. Peter's case had been on His heart when He closed His eyes in death, and it was present to Him when He stopped for a moment to speak with the angel sentinel, whom He charged with this message.
To quote again the words of the Canticle — He had set Peter as a seal on His heart, the seat of love, and on His arm, the seat of power. He had carried that seal unbroken through the crowding incidents which achieved the redemption of our race; and the first words of the risen Saviour proved that His love is strong as death. Having loved His own, who were in the world, He loved them to the end. His love is strong. In others it may be merely emotional and affectional, expressing itself in smiles, or tears, or tendernesses, and largely composed of sentiment; but Christ's love is strong as well as tender. He is Immortal Love, but He is the Strong Son of God.
What death and the grave could not do, the lapse of Time and the glories of Heaven have not done.
He loves us still, as He loved Peter and Mary, John and Thomas, in the days of His flesh. Still, He breaks the silence, uttering our names, understanding our failures, and calling us back from the far country into which we have wandered. Appropriating but reversing Peter's words. He seems to say: "Though all men should be offended because of thee, yet will I never be offended."
II. MANY WATERS CANNOT QUENCH LOVE. — Like Greek fire, Christ's love burns under water; for surely in this case, as in myriads of others, it was beset by floods of ingratitude, indifference, waywardness, denial, and sin.
Peter had failed Him in the Garden, but He sent for him. — Descending from the Upper Room to the street by the outer staircase, over which vine-leaves may have fluttered in the moonlight, Jesus led His disciples across the Kedron, and up the lower slopes of Olivet, till they reached the upland lawns, studded by olive trees and the tents of the pilgrims. An enclosure there had apparently been placed at His disposal by the owner, to which He frequently resorted. His disciples had oft-times entered its precincts in His company, and were somewhat startled, when He bade eight of them await His coming at the entrance, whilst three only were invited to advance farther along the grassy path, chequered by alternate moonlight and shadow. Even they were presently stayed and urged to unite in watching and prayer, whilst He went to the distance of a stone-cast. He must tread the wine-press alone, and of the people none might be with Him. Not even the beloved John could be there when He took the cup from His Father's hand.
"Watch with me," He said, as He left them. The request was prompted by His humanity, for who does not know the priceless value of sympathy in the supreme hours of life? It is easier to make springs in the valley of Baca, if we are surrounded by a pilgrim-band. Guinevere, the Queen, was comforted by the prattlings of the little maid at Glastonbury. Forasmuch as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, Jesus Himself likewise took part in the same. But He knew also that it was the hour of the Power of Darkness. The winnowing was about to begin. Already Judas was mustering his bands. Only as they were encased in the whole armour of God could the disciples continue to stand in that evil day. But as He came three times to see how they fared, they failed Him.
Their eyes were heavy with sleep; and, finally, an Angel had to furnish the strengthening which man might have rendered, but failed. Could Peter ever forget the pathos of the Master's remonstrance which was addressed specially to himself — "What, could ye not watch with me one hour?" But though Peter had failed Him, notwithstanding all his protestations, Jesus sent for him.
Peter misconceived of His Spirit and Plan and greatly endangered Him. — All the Apostles misread the situation. They had no doubt that Jesus was the Son of the Highest and the King of Israel. To the last they wrangled for the highest positions in the Kingdom. They were not altogether surprised at the approach of the armed band, which, indeed, Jesus had taught them to expect. They had even provided against such an emergency by procuring two swords, of which Peter had one. It had probably been arranged that if the need arose, they should die around His person, though they did not expect that this would be necessary. At the supreme moment God would surely interpose. Angel hosts would appear on the scene, and their foes would be scattered as in the day of Midian.
Though Peter quailed before the servant-maid, he was not craven-hearted. He would have fought like a lion, if the Lord had permitted it. The others, when they realized the situation, asked the Master to give the signal for smiting with the sword; and Peter, not waiting for the Master's word, was already in the midst of the band hacking and hewing. He struck a mighty blow on the helmet of Malchus, which glanced aside and severed his right ear. It was well meant, but it could not be permitted. The use of force would provoke retaliation. They that took the sword would perish by the sword. The dignity of the Saviour's voluntary surrender would be impaired, and His deliberate acceptance of the Cross would be beclouded. The Pharisees would be only too glad to construe their resistance as the beginning of a revolt against the Roman occupation.
Jesus had repeatedly insisted that no one took His life from Him, but that He laid it down of Himself. By the express commandment of the Father, He could surrender and resume it. But the voluntary element in His suffering would be lost sight of if He were led off after an unseemly struggle. He therefore interposed to quell the rising excitement, held back His followers, asked permission for the freeing of one hand that He might reach as far as the wounded man, and after a brief remonstrance allowed them to lead Him away as a lamb to the slaughter. This prompt action saved the situation, which Peter's impulsive act had created. But the energy of his interposition proved the more absolutely how entirely Peter and the rest had misconceived of the whole situation. But notwithstanding all, and with the knowledge that his misconceptions were still clinging to him, Jesus mentioned Peter specially, and sent this special summons for him to come.
Peter had falsified his Vows and denied Him thrice with Oaths — but He sent for him. — The band — their captive in the midst — turned back to the city. John first recovered from the panic-stricken flight, which had carried all the Apostles from their Master's side, and seems to have followed closely in the rear, whilst Peter followed afar off. On the opening of the great gates of Annas's palace, where the first informal trial for extracting further evidence was held, John entered with the crowd; but not discovering Peter, and sure that he was waiting outside, he went back and spoke to the maid, who kept the wicket-gate, on his friend's behalf. She recognized him as an acquaintance of the High Priest, and admitted Peter, scanning his features as he passed under the oil-lamp, which lighted up the porch.
This porch led to a quadrangle, open to the sky; and as the night was cold, the servants kindled a fire in the big brazier, which shed its flickering rays on the faces of the motley group that had shared in the night's adventure. Roman soldiers and Hebrew police, the servants of the High Priest and the spies and informers that were waiting to give evidence, stood and warmed themselves. John had gone "with Jesus" into the Council Chamber, the windows of which looked out on the quadrangle; but Peter joined the group around the fire. "He stood and warmed himself." He had lost heart and hope. That his Master had so evidently refused his help had disconcerted him, and perhaps had created a veil of misunderstanding and disappointment. Still he wanted to see the end, and he thought to evade discovery by joining with the rest, as though one of themselves.
The portress, who had admitted him, leaving her post, came up to the fire, recognized Peter, and rallied him before the entire circle with the challenge: "This man also was with the Galilean." He was taken unawares, but parried the attack by professing that he did not understand what she meant — "I neither know nor understand what thou sayest."
Seizing a favourable opportunity, when probably their attention was drawn in another direction, he withdrew towards the porch, and as he reached it a cock crew in the grey dawn. Whilst there he was recognized by another maid, who had probably heard the words of her fellow-servant at the fire. She remarked to a group of bystanders: "This man also was with Jesus the Nazarene." Again he denied, and this time with an oath — "I know not the man." At the expiration of an hour he was back again at the fire, perhaps with the intention, made in his own strength, of retrieving the situation. He would vindicate his Master, even though he did not identify himself with His cause! But when he opened his mouth, his inability as a Galilean to pronounce the Hebrew gutturals gave the lie to his repeated and emphatic disavowals of any attachment to Jesus. One and another denounced him; his brogue betrayed him; and the kinsman of Malchus recognized his relative's assailant. The situation was extremely threatening, and the hapless disciple began to curse and to swear, saying, "I know not this man of whom ye speak." But the more boisterous his speech, the stronger the evidence against himself.
A second time, while he was yet speaking, a cock crew, and Peter remembered the words that Jesus had spoken. Jesus also had heard, for the second time, the same sound, and had heard Peter's strident voice where He was standing. Then, forgetting His own griefs. He turned and looked at Peter, not with anger or reproach, but remembering and reminding. And yet He sent for him. Many waters cannot drown His love! We too may fail Him, deny, and crucify Him afresh. But when our heart turns back in an agony of grief and remorse. He will renew us again unto repentance. "Only so look on us, when we fail Thee, blessed Lord, that we too may be recalled from our relapse, and broken-hearted may be forgiven and restored!"