No. The Church, like the world, misunderstands the incident.
The denials of Peter were the answer to the prayer of Jesus that his faith not fail him. The denials of Peter were what Jesus required of him in order to follow him.
Peter was a man who would rather die with Jesus than deny him. He even pledged as much: “Though I should die with you, yet will I never deny you.” But he has been judged by those who have never heard and understood the words of Jesus, those who judge according to appearance.
You see, Jesus instructed his apostle disciples, if any would come after him, to deny themselves, to take up their crosses, and to follow him,
The deaf can not hear and understand that one who would rather die with Jesus than deny him must deny him rather than die with him, if he is to deny himself.
The ten followed Jesus when they scattered.
Peter, first among The Twelve, thinking his love for Jesus was the greater love, rather than that his head was the harder head, continued on to the palace of the chief priest.
Peter became the last of The Twelve to follow Jesus only because he was the last to understand the teaching of Jesus to deny oneself.
The Church and the world have yet to understand it.
Jesus, after his resurrection, never rebuked Peter for his denials, but only for his thinking that his love for Jesus was greater than the love of the others for him.
Nevertheless, I say these things only in my own name.
No comments:
Post a Comment