A Final Intimate Moment with Peter
"It's all for an audience of one—Peter." Well that certainly rankles. There were other disciples in that boat, eating that breakfast. Peter wasn't even the first to recognize Jesus. Why does Gire assume this meeting was all for Peter's benefit?
But in a cosmic sense he is absolutely correct. If I had been there, I would have seen everything through my own eyes, and held my own interpretation. It would have been all about me, because that's the filter I've been given. So Peter, reliving his guilt and sorrow must have really enjoyed the first question: "Peter, do you love me more than these?" (I've always perversely wanted to know more than which these? These disciples? These fish? These things of the earth?)
But Peter probably jumped to answer. "You know that I love you." (Never mind the fact that I have blundered my way through most of my discipleship, fell asleep when you asked me to pray, deserted you in your hour of need, denied even knowing your name... of course I love you.) And then the same question again and again... each confession of love blotting out each denial. Peter may have understood the process but I've found (for myself) it's always easier to sin than to repent. By the third time, he was sick of it. "You know I love you... you know everything."
I definitely agree with Gire that this provided the healing Peter needed to move on from the guilt that crippled him. He moved on and became a powerful witness for Christ and a true martyr.
Of course in spectacular Peter fashion... he couldn't be satisfied to be crucified right side up. That has always been a question in my mind... if crucifixion was death by asphyxiation, due to the weight of the body hanging, how do you asphyxiate upside down? If they actually granted his request (and why would they?) Seems like it would have taken a long time for Peter to die just from loss of blood. Maybe that was the point.
But in a cosmic sense he is absolutely correct. If I had been there, I would have seen everything through my own eyes, and held my own interpretation. It would have been all about me, because that's the filter I've been given. So Peter, reliving his guilt and sorrow must have really enjoyed the first question: "Peter, do you love me more than these?" (I've always perversely wanted to know more than which these? These disciples? These fish? These things of the earth?)
But Peter probably jumped to answer. "You know that I love you." (Never mind the fact that I have blundered my way through most of my discipleship, fell asleep when you asked me to pray, deserted you in your hour of need, denied even knowing your name... of course I love you.) And then the same question again and again... each confession of love blotting out each denial. Peter may have understood the process but I've found (for myself) it's always easier to sin than to repent. By the third time, he was sick of it. "You know I love you... you know everything."
I definitely agree with Gire that this provided the healing Peter needed to move on from the guilt that crippled him. He moved on and became a powerful witness for Christ and a true martyr.
Of course in spectacular Peter fashion... he couldn't be satisfied to be crucified right side up. That has always been a question in my mind... if crucifixion was death by asphyxiation, due to the weight of the body hanging, how do you asphyxiate upside down? If they actually granted his request (and why would they?) Seems like it would have taken a long time for Peter to die just from loss of blood. Maybe that was the point.
posted by Claire Joy at
8:12 AM
3 Comments:
to keep breathing while on the cross (right side up) - you have to push your body up - all your weight cant be hanging on your body/lungs - this is excruciatingly painful as it pulls the nails in the hands & feet and you rub on the cross, so you usually cant do it too long as its too painful and you just dont have the strength to keep doing that kind of work....
so hanging upside down would seem to me to expediate the process as there would be no way to get the weight off your body/lungs... it is very hard to catch your breath if you stay upside down for too long, not to mention all the blood rushing to your head - what blood you had left....
By
dangermama, at 9:37 AM
Maybe that was Peter's way of getting back to Christ as quickly as he could?
I think I'd have trouble with the whole "hanging upside down" thing, though. I'd be too afraid I'd die and head in the wrong direction! LOL
By
HeyJules, at 10:37 AM
I love Peter too! A public denial (3 x) and a public restoration (3x).
Jesus is still transforming lives today, Hallelujah! Whenever He finds a believer who is willing to yield to His will, listen to His Word, and follow His way, He begins to transorm that believer and accomplish remarkable things in that life. Take for example, you Jules, I have loved watching you grow through this book! And, not just does He do remarkable things IN that person's life, but He alos begins to do wondrful things THROUGH that life!
By
Pilot Mom, at 12:05 PM
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