This blog will be a brief reflection from the sermon I delivered this past Sunday. In John 21, we find the risen Jesus reinstating Peter through a series of three questions about love. What lies behind those questions?
I believe that Peter had absorbed the common narrative that when the Messiah came, Israel would be purified and the Son of David would establish the Kingdom of Israel by defeating all Israel’s enemies, especially the Romans. That is, the Messiah would be the Lion of Judah. When Jesus came to Peter, that narrative guided his understanding of just who Jesus would be.
Jesus, however, had a different narrative, one announced at His baptism by John. A Voice from heaven quoted Scripture, “You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased (Luke 3:22 NIV).” The first Scripture quoted is Psalm 2:7 about the Royal Son who will rule the nations with a rod of iron. Peter was all over that! The second Scripture, however, was from Isaiah 42:1, about the Servant who will not break a bruised reed to bring justice. That Servant would ultimately suffer and die, being pierced for our iniquity (Isaiah 53). Jesus combined two seemingly contradictory ideas into one paradox of what it meant to be the Messiah. The Servant was the Lamb of God. Peter’s narrative had no place for this. For Peter, the Messiah would be all Lion and no Lamb.
Peter followed Jesus with the expectations his narrative gave him. When, at Caesarea Philippi, Peter confessed that Jesus was the Messiah, the Son of the Living God, Peter reflected Psalm 2. It was a great and true confession, revealed by God. However, when Jesus told His disciples that He must suffer, die, and be raised (Isaiah 53), Peter would have none of that!
In John 13, the Master, wore the apron of the servant and began to wash the disciples’ feet. Initially, Peter would have none of that either. Later, Peter, with his narrative’s view of the Messiah, promised that he was willing to lay down his life for Jesus. When the moment came, Peter began to make good on his promise. He drew a sword, swinging it like a fisherman. Peter was no coward! It was Jesus who stopped Peter with these words, “Put your sword away! Shall I not drink the cup the Father has given me?” (John 18:11 NIV) Peter was crushed by despair, not cowardice. Peter’s three denials were the denials of disillusionment, not fear.
With the events of the Passion, Peter’s narrative collapsed. Only after Easter could it be rebuilt to match that of Jesus. John 21 is part of that rebuilding. For each denial, Jesus asks Peter if he loves Him. Humbled, Peter confesses his love. Forgiven, Peter is commissioned. Finally, he is challenged simply to follow Jesus. That’s what forgiveness in love does for each of us who follow Jesus. We are given one central question: Do we love Jesus? We no longer have to be frozen in our past. Serving the Lion, who is the Lamb, lays before us.
Tim Kelley