Thoughts on the Restoration of Peter

Recently, I was listening to a sermon and the speaker was talking about Peter, his falling away and his restoration by Yeshua (Jesus). Since then I have not been able to get it out of my mind. I have tried to personalize it to some degree. What must it have been like for Peter to do what he did? How did he feel? What must it have been like to come face-to-face with Yeshua (Jesus) after the resurrection?

Notice that Yeshua does not immediately restore Peter. In fact, it seems like it was several days or maybe a few weeks. During that time, there is no recorded statement by Yeshua of any accusation or condemnation. I wonder if we would have been so gracious? In fact, at the right time the Lord actively sought out Peter and restored him. It was a perfect example of the shepherd leaving the 99 to seek out the one sheep that was lost.

The question I have been asking lately is what affect it would have had on Peter for the rest of his life and ministry. Since it is part of scripture, Peter obviously told others and did it for several years. It must have been a constant reminder to him and a gentle one at that. Sometimes the Lord allows some things to remain as a way to help us remember the grace of God. Like Jacob and his limp. It’s something that we are meant to never forget.

After Shavuot (Pentecost) Peter was a changed man. Obviously, the outpouring of the Ruach (Spirit) of God changed Him. Yet could his falling away and restoration have changed Peter as well? I know it would change me. I would be less willing to condemn others.

To some degree, there have been times when we have not “been there” for the Lord. When the pressure gets intense, sometimes, we can back off and walk away. It has happened to me. Yet the Lord is seeking us out in order to restore us.

The Parable of the Good Samaritan

Read Luke 10:30-37

When Yeshua (Jesus) told this parable to people, it must have been a considerable shock. The Samaritans and Jewish people were old and longstanding enemies. The very idea of either side helping the other would have been almost unthinkable to many.

We are so far removed from the events that we hardly ever think about how one side felt about the other. All we have to do is look at the current news to get an idea of how the Samaritans and the Jewish people felt about each other. At the moment, we can see numerous examples all over the world of ethnic and religious hatreds: Iraq, Ireland, Britain, France, India, Pakistan, Turkey, and the United States. Unfortunately, the list is endless. I am sure there are many people within each of these groups that are reaching out to the other side, there are also many who won’t.

Yeshua knew about the ancient hatreds. He could have easily made his point about being neighborly and hospitable with less extreme terms, yet He deliberately chose to shock the listeners. Scripture many times shows Yeshua deliberately using extreme examples to illustrate how serious He was. Examples include cutting off a body part rather than going to Hell or forgiving someone 490 times. He wanted people to be absolutely clear about what He meant in the particular situation.

When Yeshua was asked “…who is my neighbor?” The intent of his response could have easily been stated as: “Show mercy to people. Show it not just to your friends but to your enemies as well. I especially expect you to show it to your enemies. Be hospitable to them. Go the extra mile. Don’t just say ‘be warm and well fed’ but if they are hurt, pick them up off the ground and nurse them back to health. I expect you to go beyond your hatreds and show love and respect. Reconciliation and healing has to start with someone and I (Yeshua) expect it to start with YOU, my disciples.”

Frankly, Yeshua didn’t just say it to the people around Him at the time but to us as well. When we try to justify ourselves by rationalizing our anger and hatreds, He is saying the same thing: “Show mercy and hospitality not only to those you like but to those you don’t like. I expect it to start with YOU.”