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Simon Peter – Prominent Prophet of the Apostles (5 of 10)

Focus Text: John 18.8-11

Today we continue to examine the impulsive nature of Simon Peter.

“Jesus answered, ‘I have told you [the arresting soldiers] that I am He. Therefore, if you seek Me, let these go their way, that the saying might be fulfilled which He spoke, “Of those whom You gave Me I have lost none.”’ Then Simon Peter, having a sword, drew it and struck the high priest’s servant, and cut off his right ear. The servant’s name was Malchus. So Jesus said to Peter, ‘Put your sword into the sheath. Shall I not drink the cup which My Father has given Me?’” (John 18.8-11).

Peter had been with Christ virtually since the first day of His public ministry; he had received lesson after lesson on the nature of the kingdom; he had witnessed miracle after miracle demonstrating Jesus’ miraculous power, power over every conceivable force whether of nature of man; he had personally heard Jesus tell His disciples that He would go into Jerusalem and would there be ill-treated of the scribes, elders, and the chief priests; he had even heard Jesus foretell His death at the hands of His enemies; Peter was among the twelve when they were sent out on the limited commission and told to “…be wise as serpents and harmless as doves.” (Matthew 10.16). Yet, even after all this exposure to the teachings of Jesus, Peter seemingly could not restrain himself from acting impulsively when the soldiers came to arrest Jesus. Perhaps in many instances being anxious to defend someone you love would be seen as a virtue, but not in this one; not in the case where Pater had explicitly been told of these events and shown how he ought to react to them.

Impulsive behavior cannot be of faith; faith is reasoned behavior; it is based on what God says about a matter and not instincts or impulses. We must be careful not to be too harsh on Peter in as much as we might have done the exact same things as he did. However, just because we would have done the same does not justify his actions, or ours. Faith seeks God’s will and refuses to be guided by directions that have their origin in mere humans; once can call it wisdom, instinct, impulse, or any other name, but when human actions go contrary to God’s will, it cannot be good!

James, the inspired writer, said the same when he declared, “So then, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath; for the wrath of man does not produce the righteousness of God. Therefore lay aside all filthiness and overflow of wickedness, and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls. But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.” (James 1.19-22). Doers of God’s will are “slow to speak, slow to wrath.” Impulsiveness is the exact opposite of the godly behavior enjoined by these verses.

Peter may have been somewhat impulsive in his earlier years, but Christian growth seasoned his attitudes and values. We ought to grow out of impulsiveness and not into it!

Questions:

1. Why should Peter have known that the sword was not the path Jesus would have him take at the time of His arrest?

2. What had Jesus said to the twelve about the way they were to interact with their hearers?

3. What does it mean that the wrath of man does not produce the righteousness of God?

4. How can maturity as a believer improve impulsive behavior? How else can we curb this enemy of righteousness?

"'Winging It" from Stan Smith

Moralism