Calvary Road Baptist Church

“PETER, A MAN WITH A PROBLEM”

John 13.36-38 

It is the night of our Lord Jesus Christ’s apprehension in the Garden of Gethsemane. The day began well, but it will not end well. Or so the apostles thought. It began with preparations for the Passover celebration. It would end with the Lord Jesus Christ being seized in the Garden of Gethsemane. At present, they, which is to say the Lord Jesus and His remaining eleven apostles, are about to leave the Upper Room one apostle short of a dozen for a walk to the Garden of Gethsemane.

The eleven didn’t know it, but there would be no sleep for them after their intermittent dozing in the Garden when they should have prayed. With their Lord escorted away in the custody of the soldiers to the chief priest Caiaphas’ house, and then to Pontius Pilate the Roman governor in the Antonia Fortress, and then on to Herod Antipas, and then back to Pilate for final disposition, for execution by crucifixion the next morning, there would be no sleep for them as there had been in the Garden of Gethsemane.

Our text is John 13.36-38, where we will examine the brief conversation that took place between the Lord Jesus Christ and His most prominent, likely His oldest, and certainly His most physically imposing disciple immediately after He commanded the eleven to love one another. Simon Peter has been referred to by more than one commentator as the big fisherman. Have you ever considered Simon Peter? He was a most interesting man.

We begin our consideration of him by reflecting on what the Word of God suggests about him as a physical specimen. Taking into account a man’s physical size and strength is important when trying to take the measure of a man, because a man’s size, strength, and prowess figures so much in the development of every man’s personality in one way or the other. It governs how he walks into a room, how he approaches friends, and how he addresses strangers. Feminism has so browbeaten men of late that even men of impressive stature in our day are just this side of simpering wimps so much of the time. Not so back in the day.

Consider the matter of strength, physical strength. We know from God’s Word that Samson was very strong, but his strength was a supernatural phenomenon that was likely not suggested by anything approaching observable indications. Despite the artists’ portrayals of Samson down through the centuries, for God to receive the glory for Samson’s feats of strength, it is likely he was a very ordinary-looking man, and not at all big and muscular.

Apart from Samson, little attention is given by most readers to other Bible characters who are mentioned. Have you thought of Jacob, the son of Isaac, the grandson of Abraham? Reflect on the significance in Genesis 29.2 of the “great stone” that covered the well where Jacob saw his future wife Rachel for the first time. Think also about Jacob removing the great stone from the well’s mouth by himself, a stone so large that it normally took several men to move.[1] But what is more astounding is the fact that Jacob was seventy years old when he performed that feat of strength to impress a pretty girl named Rachel.[2]

Exodus records the occasion when Moses slew an Egyptian man he saw smiting a Hebrew, and sometime later withstanding a group of men who he observed giving grief to seven sisters, Exodus 2.11-12, 17. I am not excusing Moses for taking a man’s life or standing up to a group of thugs in the desert. I merely point out that the record suggests he was a man of impressive physical prowess, and it was no accident that one of the seven sisters he defended from that harassment was Zipporah, who eventually became his wife.

We also know about King Saul’s impressive stature, as well as David and his remarkable set of skills, demonstrated in his face off against the Philistine giant named Goliath, after he had already slain a lion and a bear.[3] Then there were the men David gathered around him, his mighty men, demonstrating the admiration they held for him as a warrior and as a leader. One mighty man, named Adino the Eznite, lifted “up his spear against eight hundred, whom he slew at one time,” Second Samuel 23.8. Then there was Abishai, another of David’s vaunted mighty men, who slew three hundred men in battle with a spear, Second Samuel 23.18.

I could go on in my listing of men in the Bible who were not wimps or shy and retiring types. They certainly run contrary to most modern-day images of men of faith. But our interest today is in Simon Peter. We know he was an aggressive fellow, outspoken, and a bit blustery. Rough cut, most people would say. But what led to the man’s outsized personality? I would suggest to you that it was, at least partly, his large and powerful physique.

We can surmise that he was physically fit since he made his living as a fisherman.[4] Being a fisherman in that era meant that his was a life of toil and exertion. But what about Simon Peter as opposed to other fishermen? To answer that question, we need to glance ahead from Thursday evening in the Upper Room, where we are in our text, to a scene that unfolded after Christ’s resurrection after the apostles had returned to Galilee and resumed their profession of fishing.

I read John 21.1-11: 

1  After these things Jesus shewed himself again to the disciples at the sea of Tiberias; and on this wise shewed he himself.

2  There were together Simon Peter, and Thomas called Didymus, and Nathanael of Cana in Galilee, and the sons of Zebedee, and two other of his disciples.

3  Simon Peter saith unto them, I go a fishing. They say unto him, We also go with thee. They went forth, and entered into a ship immediately; and that night they caught nothing.

4  But when the morning was now come, Jesus stood on the shore: but the disciples knew not that it was Jesus.

5  Then Jesus saith unto them, Children, have ye any meat? They answered him, No.

6  And he said unto them, Cast the net on the right side of the ship, and ye shall find. They cast therefore, and now they were not able to draw it for the multitude of fishes.

7  Therefore that disciple whom Jesus loved saith unto Peter, It is the Lord. Now when Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he girt his fisher’s coat unto him, (for he was naked,) and did cast himself into the sea.

8  And the other disciples came in a little ship; (for they were not far from land, but as it were two hundred cubits,) dragging the net with fishes.

9  As soon then as they were come to land, they saw a fire of coals there, and fish laid thereon, and bread.

10 Jesus saith unto them, Bring of the fish which ye have now caught.

11 Simon Peter went up, and drew the net to land full of great fishes, an hundred and fifty and three: and for all there were so many, yet was not the net broken. 

Verse 6 declares that “they were not able to draw [the net] for the multitude of fishes.” The net they had cast was so full of fish that at least two of the men could not retrieve it. But when Simon Peter recognized it was the risen Lord Jesus who spoke to them, he jumped into the water and made his way to shore, “and drew the net to land full of great fishes” by himself.

Incredibly, Simon Peter was strong enough to do what at least two of his fellow fishermen were not able to do, suggesting he was an enormously powerful man. Remembering that John the Apostle lay his head on the Savior’s breast in the Upper Room (suggesting John was the youngest), the affinity Simon Peter and John had for each other was understandable in terms of the oldest and the youngest being so compatible, as well as the possibility of them also being the biggest and the smallest, or at least the strongest and the weakest of the Lord’s men.

Imagine a man who likely has always been among the biggest and strongest of his circle of family, friends, and colleagues. Imagine, also, that over time as he becomes the oldest, he slips into the custom of being the natural leader of the groups he found himself in. Those younger, smaller, and not so strong, would fall into the pattern of deferring to him. He also fell into the pattern of seeing himself, perhaps imagining himself would be a better word, or flattering himself, to be qualified to lead other men. This is how Simon Peter’s personality was formed as a fisherman on the Sea of Galilee. He was big, strong, physically imposing, outspoken, and confident.

Somehow he and his friends became aware of the ministry of John the Baptist, the prophet who preached and baptized in the Jordan River near Jericho. Simon Peter and his brother, along with James and John, seem to have traveled South where they heard the Baptist preach, and then became his disciples. That entailed repentance and baptism. It was there they met the Lord Jesus Christ for the first time and began to follow Him.[5]

As we read through the Gospel accounts covering the three to three-and-one-half year span of their association with the Lord Jesus, we catch glimpses of Simon Peter’s personality of bluster, bravado, and presumption. This comes as no surprise. It is not so unusual for a big, powerful man to have a big, powerful personality. But did his personality always serve him well? Is the naturally developed personality of a man like Simon Peter always conducive to spiritual benefits and advantages?

Take the modern-day football player, the basketball player, or any athlete who is bigger, stronger, and faster than most of the people he knows. Or perhaps the guy who wears a uniform. He might be a firefighter, a cop, a member of the military, or some other such type. Studies have shown such men develop different personalities than most other people. The question, of course, is if such a personality serves anyone well in the spiritual realm.

That is what we will consider as we reflect on John 13.36-38: 

36  Simon Peter said unto him, Lord, whither goest thou? Jesus answered him, Whither I go, thou canst not follow me now; but thou shalt follow me afterwards.

37  Peter said unto him, Lord, why cannot I follow thee now? I will lay down my life for thy sake.

38  Jesus answered him, Wilt thou lay down thy life for my sake? Verily, verily, I say unto thee, The cock shall not crow, till thou hast denied me thrice. 

Following Matthew Henry’s lead, we will pay attention to two things as we examine Simon Peter’s interaction with the Lord Jesus Christ in the Upper Room, his curiosity and his confidence: 

First, PETER’S CURIOSITY IS EVIDENCED BY A VERY DIRECT QUESTION, WHICH THE LORD RESPONDED TO WITH SOME PUSH BACK  

Verse 36 begins, 

“Simon Peter said unto him, Lord, whither goest thou?” 

This is a question many people would not ask, certainly not people of the opinion that the Lord would tell them where He was going if He wanted them to know. But Peter’s question is in response to what the Lord said in John 13.33, 

“Whither I go, you cannot come.” 

Is it not interesting that Peter passed right by the exhortation Christ had given the apostles concerning brotherly love, asking no questions about that topic, but zeroing in on the matter Christ purposely did not speak about? Sadly, this is not at all unusual. Not only do people frequently inquire about what is personal, private, and confidential in other’s lives, people also tend to pass over the simple and straightforward to instead occupy themselves with the complex and unclear. The Lord wanted Peter and the others to know about and do love for one another, but Peter’s attention was distracted to what the Savior had not pointed them to do. And he asked the Lord a very direct question, perhaps even an aggressive question, suggesting that he was a man who was used to asking what he wanted to ask and used to people he asked answering him. After all, he was a big, strong, dominant individual. We would call Peter an alpha male.

Christ’s push back to Peter was instructive, for us if not for him. The Lord did not whet Peter’s appetite with anything that would satisfy his curiosity. Rather, He reiterated what He had told Peter and the others moments before. Notice that the Lord’s is a reaction to Peter, but not an overreaction. He has dealt with the big guy for more than three years at this point, time and time again, addressing Peter’s lifelong habit of asserting his will over others, sometimes consciously and sometimes unconsciously. Ever know a big guy to do that, to be that way? Our Lord responded to Peter matter-of-factly: 

“Jesus answered him, Whither I go, thou canst not follow me now; but thou shalt follow me afterwards.” 

The Lord Jesus Christ is alluding to His crucifixion at this point. He had to go to the cross alone. He had to bear our sins alone. He had to die alone. His work of atonement was a solitary accomplishment. Simon Peter does not seem to comprehend that at this time, but then neither do the other apostles. However, their personalities do not exhibit the need to satisfy their curiosity at the expense of the Lord’s determination to keep certain things to Himself. Not so with Peter, so he asked and the Savior answered.

But there is a second reason for Christ’s push back of Simon Peter. Simon Peter has an incredible lack of self-awareness and self-knowledge at this point in his life. He has an estimation of his spiritual capacity that is as wide of the mark as you can imagine. Do we not see this when Simon Peter’s initial response in the Garden of Gethsemane was to take off the ear of Malchus with a sword? Throughout his life, he always assumed he knew what to do and did it. However, what Peter did was so contrary to the Savior’s mission that He not only rebuked Peter and told him to sheath the sword, but he healed the man’s ear.[6]

That was only the beginning of Simon Peter’s errors in judgment and displays of cowardice that evening that showed the Lord’s push back was appropriate. Remember that the apostles initially scattered for fear when the soldiers took their Lord.[7] Then Peter and another disciple (almost certainly John) followed the soldiers and their captive before Simon Peter denied the Savior three times. Simon Peter was an inquisitive man. But he was more than inquisitive, wasn’t he? He was rude. His curiosity went too far because he thought he had a right to have every question answered, every inappropriate probe satisfied. Had he not gotten away with being boorish most of his life, because he was bigger, stronger, louder, and more aggressive than his mates? However, he doesn’t get away with it when dealing with the Lord Jesus Christ, does he? And that is good. The Savior, you see, is a match for any person. 

Next, PETER’S CONFIDENCE IS EVIDENCED BY A SECOND DIRECT QUESTION, WHICH THE LORD RESPONDED TO WITH MORE PUSH BACK 

Do you recognize the reluctance of Peter to evaluate the Lord’s remarks to him? He is so aggressive, so confident, so determined, and so used to getting his own way that the Savior’s words have little impact on him. So he comes right back with yet another remark, in the form of a very confident, an overconfident, assertion, in verse 37: 

“Peter said unto him, Lord, why cannot I follow thee now? I will lay down my life for thy sake.” 

When it comes to the Savior’s determination to go on alone versus Peter’s determination to get what he wanted by accompanying His master, he attempted to push his will over the Savior’s will with a very strong assertion of his ability and loyalty. Is Peter’s insistence based on a conversion he overheard with the Pharisees and chief priests in John 7.34-36? To His enemies, the Lord said, 

34 Ye shall seek me, and shall not find me: and where I am, thither ye cannot come.

35 Then said the Jews among themselves, Whither will he go, that we shall not find him? will he go unto the dispersed among the Gentiles, and teach the Gentiles?

36 What manner of saying is this that he said, Ye shall seek me, and shall not find me: and where I am, thither ye cannot come? 

I would hate to think a disciple of Jesus Christ concluded a comment made by the Savior’s enemies that influenced him more than the Lord’s statement to him. However, that appears to be the case. Do people sometimes listen to others more than they listen to the Lord? Sadly, yes.

My mother was a pretty sharp woman, but she knew nothing about how to get to heaven. My dad is a pretty sharp guy, but he knows nothing about how to get to heaven. Like the great theologian, Dirty Harry once said, “A man’s got to know his limitations.” Simon Peter may have listened too much to the wrong people and not enough to the Lord. I hope you don’t do that.

Did Peter wrongly think the Lord was planning some excursion He wanted to take without Peter’s company? If so, he exhibited an incredible lack of spiritual discernment. That said, there can be no denying Peter’s love for his Lord Jesus. He said, 

“I will lay down my life for thy sake.” 

Let us understand the matter before us. There is no question about Peter’s commitment or determination to do right. The issue had to do with Peter’s understanding. He did not understand what the Lord had to do alone. Neither did he understand his own spiritual weaknesses and inconsistencies. Like Simon Peter, we sometimes think that we can do anything we set our minds and hearts to, and we reject being warned of our limitations. The reality, of course, is that without Christ, we can do nothing.

We now come to our Lord’s second push back against His passionate but misunderstanding disciple: 

“Jesus answered him, Wilt thou lay down thy life for my sake? Verily, verily, I say unto thee, The cock shall not crow, till thou hast denied me thrice.” 

Our Lord handed Simon Peter a surprising prediction. Does not the Lord Jesus Christ know us better than we know ourselves? And does He not have ways of revealing to us what we do not know about ourselves, to expose our ignorance about ourselves, our presumptions about ourselves, and our proud assumptions about ourselves?

Notice how He first challenged Peter’s misplaced confidence: 

“Wilt thou lay down thy life for my sake?” 

I can imagine the Savior saying this with a wry smile on His face. Remember, this is the man brave enough to step out onto the water with the Lord, but the same man who immediately became afraid and began to sink.[8] This is also the guy who declared “Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God,” moments before rebuking Him.[9]

Now notice the Lord’s prediction of Simon Peter’s cowardice only a few hours from then: 

“Verily, verily, I say unto thee, The cock shall not crow, till thou hast denied me thrice.” 

To put a stop to Peter’s completely unfounded boasting, the Lord issued this very solemn pronouncement, showing Simon Peter and the others that He is not kidding. He is very serious.

The first phrase of our Lord’s declaration, “Verily, verily, I say unto thee,” is similar to pronouncements He had made again and again throughout His earthly ministry. Twenty-five times in John’s Gospel account, we see “Verily, verily,” meaning “Amen, amen,” or “Truly, truly.”[10] Thus, any hint that our Lord’s response to Simon Peter is not consequential evaporates.

Next, our Lord made mention of the cock crowing. But this does not suggest what people sometimes think it suggests. City people think the Lord is predicting that Peter will deny the Lord before the rooster crows in the morning. But rural people know that roosters begin crowing long before sun up. The Lord is predicting that this will take place while it is still nighttime, before the rooster crows twice, Mark 14.30. And, sure enough, we read of Peter’s denials of the Lord in all four Gospel accounts. This is astonishing, since conducting a trial at night when Peter denied the Lord was prohibited under the Mosaic Law, yet Christ’s prediction was literally fulfilled.

Finally, the verse ends with the words “till thou hast denied me thrice.” The Lord did not predict a slip by Peter, or an accidental denial. One denial might be a slip. Two denials could possibly be accidental. But three times? No, this is an act of cowardice predicted by the Savior about His biggest, strongest, most aggressive, apostle. How completely out of character. Yet, how perfectly was this prediction fulfilled.

 

What do we learn from this interaction between the Lord Jesus Christ and Simon Peter? At the very least, we see illustrated that the Lord Jesus Christ knew Simon Peter far better than Simon Peter knew Simon Peter. And so it is with everyone — not a surprise with the Son of God.

As well, we see that the most prominent apostle of Jesus Christ was a deeply flawed man. His personality, developed over a lifetime to deal with the natural and physical circumstances of life, left him woefully unprepared to cope with the spiritual issues he faced. When confronted with spiritual challenges, he broke down completely.

However, the same is true of you and me and everyone else who has ever followed the Lord Jesus Christ. We typically fail to grasp the significance of our weaknesses and overestimate our capacities. And do we not fail catastrophically? When Simon Peter failed so miserably, was there any indication the Lord was done with him? None whatsoever.

Simon Peter had a relationship with Jesus Christ despite his foibles, inconsistencies, personal defects, and shortcomings. Continue reading the Gospels, and you will see that Peter failed miserably when he denied the Lord three times. How bitter were his tears of regret. We learn that even later on as an apostle with a great deal of experience, he stumbled badly. Yet he repented and was restored to service.

From Simon Peter, we learn so much about the Savior and ourselves. We are so weak, yet He is so strong. We are so foolish, yet He is so wise. We can be so faithless, yet He abides faithful. He cannot deny Himself.

Isn’t this the kind of Savior you want? Isn’t this the kind of Savior you need?

__________

[1] Genesis 29.2, 8, 10

[2] Edward Reese, The Reese Chronological Bible, (Minneapolis, MN: Bethany House, 1977), page 73 showing Jacob’s birth in 1807 B. C. and page 79 showing Jacob’s encounter with Rachel in 1837 B. C. on page 79, meaning he was about 70 years old.

[3] 1 Samuel 9.2; 17.1-62

[4] Matthew 4.18

[5] John 1.37-42

[6] John 18.10-11; Luke 22.51

[7] Mark 14.50

[8] Matthew 14.30

[9] Matthew 16.16, 22

[10] John 1.51; 3.3, 5, 11; 5.19, 24, 25; 6.26, 32, 47, 34; 8.51, 58; 10.1, 7; 12.24; 13.16, 20, 21, 38; 14.12; 16.20, 23

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Pastor@CalvaryRoadBaptist.Church