The Underestimated Apostle – Part 3

Peter Denying the Christ Peter, the Underestimated Apostle 6 May The Paradox of Peter 6 May Preacher, President & Apostle 13 May Peter and Paul 13 May Peter in Rome Rembrandt Harmenszoon van Rijn Peter Denying the Christ Recently on exhibition at the Art Gallery of NSW

Peter and Paul Social and Economic Differences between Peter and Paul Peter: semi-educated, married, children (?), partner in fishing coop, rural Galilee Paul: highly educated (Jerusalem), brilliant writer, tri-lingual, unmarried (?), wealthy family, citizen of Tarsus; by birth Roman citizen. Tarsus

Martyrdom of St Stephen Peter and Paul Known Contacts between Peter and Paul 34 And Saul approved of his [Stephen’s] execution. And there arose on that day a great persecution against the church in Jerusalem, and they were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles (Acts 8:1). 37 Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to visit Cephas and remained with him fifteen days (Galatians 1:18) Giorgio Vasari Martyrdom of St Stephen

Peter and Paul Known Contacts between Peter and Paul 47 Then after fourteen years I went up again to Jerusalem with Barnabas … James and Cephas and John who seemed to be pillars … gave the right hand of fellowship to Barnabas and me, that we should go to the Gentiles and they to the circumcised. (Galatians 2:1, 9) 48 when Cephas came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face…(Galatians 2:11) Ancient Antioch 49 The apostles and the elders were gathered together [Jerusalem] to consider this matter (Acts 15:6).

Peter and Paul Peter’s contacts with Samaritans, God-fearers and Gentiles 36(?) Now when the apostles at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent to them Peter and John, who came down and prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit, for he had not yet fallen on any of them, but they had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. Then they laid their hands on them and they received the Holy Spirit (Acts 8:14-17). Note: Jews despised Samaritans and would have no dealings with them.

Samaria Jacob’s Well Sebaste in Samaria

Peter and Paul Peter’s contacts with Samaritans, God-fearers and Gentiles 38(?) So the church throughout all Judea and Galilee and Samaria had peace and was being built up … Now as Peter went here and there among them all, he came down also to the saints who lived at Lydda …(Acts 9:31-32) And on the following day they entered Caesarea. Cornelius was expecting them and had called together his relatives and close friends. And as he talked with him, he went in and found many persons gathered. And he said to them, ‘You yourselves know how unlawful it is for a Jew to associate with or to visit anyone of another nation, but God has shown me that I should not call any person common or unclean. So when I was sent for, I came without objection (Acts 10:24, 27-29)

Caesarea

Caesarea

Peter and Paul Peter’s contacts with Samaritans, God-fearers and Gentiles 38(?) While Peter was still saying these things, the Holy Spirit fell on all who heard the word. And the believers from among the circumcised who had come with Peter were amazed, because the gift of the Holy Spirit was poured out even on the Gentiles. For they were hearing them speaking in tongues and extolling God. Then Peter declared, ‘Can anyone withhold water for baptizing these people, who have received the Holy Spirit just as we have’? And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. (Acts 10:44-48) So when Peter went up to Jerusalem, the circumcision party criticized him saying, ‘You went to uncircumcised men and ate with them’ (Acts 10:2-3)

Peter and Paul Peter’s contacts with Samaritans, God-fearers and Gentiles Galatians 2:11-15 But when Cephas came to Antioch,  … Modern Antioch … I opposed him to his face, because he stood condemned. For before certain men came from James, he was eating with the Gentiles; but when they came he drew back and separated himself, fearing the circumcision party. And the rest of the Jews acted hypocritically along with him, so that even Barnabas was led astray by their hypocrisy. But when I saw that their conduct was not in step with the truth of the gospel, I said to Cephas before them all, ….

Peter and Paul Peter’s contacts with Samaritans, God-fearers and Gentiles ‘If you, though a Jew, live like a Gentile and not like a Jew, how can you force the Gentiles to live like Jews?’ We ourselves are Jews by birth and not Gentile sinners; yet we know that a person is not justified by works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ, so we also have believed in Christ Jesus, in order to be justified by faith in Christ and not by works of the law, because by works of the law no one will be justified

Peter and Paul Peter’s contacts with Samaritans, God-fearers and Gentiles Acts 15:6  The apostles and the elders were gathered together to consider this matter. And after there had been much debate, Peter stood up and said to them, ‘Brothers, you know that in the early days God made a choice among you, that by my mouth the Gentiles should hear the word of the gospel and believe. And God, who knows the heart, bore witness to them, by giving them the Holy Spirit just as he did to us, and he made no distinction between us and them, having cleansed their hearts by faith. Now, therefore, why are you putting God to the test by placing a yoke on the neck of the disciples that neither our fathers nor we have been able to bear? But we believe that we will be saved through the grace of the Lord Jesus, just as they will’.

Peter and Paul Reflections Peter took radical action in laying hands on Samaritans and baptizing Gentiles Paul had extensive contact with Peter c. 37 in Jerusalem in Peter’s home c. 47 in Jerusalem, meeting with ‘pillars’ James, Cephas and John c. 48 in Antioch, where the two men differed sharply c. 49 in Jerusalem, where Peter seems to have corrected his error in Antioch

Peter and Paul Reflections It is likely that each man influenced the other: In c. 37 Peter had opportunity to instruct Paul re Jesus’ teaching and miracles In c. 48 Paul’s instruction in Antioch seems to have changed Peter’s mind in Jerusalem 4. The key ‘traditions’ Paul ‘delivered’ to the Corinthians (and other churches) would have been formatted in Jerusalem under Peter’s leadership.

Questions about the Underestimated Apostle