The Life and Letters of the Apostle Peter
by Paul M. Sadler

Keywords: Apostle Paul, Apostle Peter, right division, rightly dividing, gospel of grace, Paul's gospel, Berean Bible Society, Pauline mid-Acts dispensationalism, Jesus Christ according to the revelation of the mystery, grace doctrine

As we know, there is very little written on what is commonly called the General Epistles from the standpoint of the Word, rightly divided. This is somewhat understandable insofar as most of our grace authors have spent the lion’s share of their time addressing Pauline themes. Of course, this has been by design since the commands of Christ for the Church today are found solely in Paul’s epistles. While there will always be room to further our understanding of the Mystery, perhaps the time has come to consider the writings of Peter in light of the Pauline revelation.

The neglect of this subject over the years has generated numerous questions which deserve our prayerful consideration. For example, since Peter knew about Paul’s gospel, did he preach it to his hearers? Are the letters of Peter on equal footing with Paul’s epistles? In other words, do Peter’s writings contain Body truth? If those living during the dispensation of Promise were incorporated into the dispensation of the Law, then, did those who were "in Christ" before Paul become members of the Body of Christ at the beginning of this present dispensation? Did the twelve apostles of the kingdom become members of the Body of Christ? Etc., etc.

A LOWLY FISHERMAN

"Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, to the strangers scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia." —I Peter 1:1

The epistle opens by introducing us to a man named Peter. Although religion has placed him on a pedestal, Peter never thought so highly of himself. In fact, when Cornelius fell down at his feet to worship him, "Peter took him up, saying, stand up; I myself also am a man" (Acts 10:25,26).

If we were to rank the social status of Peter according to our present system he would probably be living at the poverty level. He had little education, which meant that he was held in low esteem in the eyes of men. The Galilaeans in those days were a simple people who were somewhat impulsive, which helps to explain Peter’s actions at times. Those who lived along the shores of the Sea of Galilee were primarily fishermen by trade. Thus, when the Lord called Peter, and Andrew his brother, He found them casting a net into the sea hoping to snare some fish.

"And Jesus, walking by the sea of Galilee, saw two brethren, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea: for they were fishers. And He saith unto them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men. And they straightway left their nets, and followed Him" (Matt. 4:18-20).

Notice that the Master "saw two brethren." This strongly implies they already knew the Lord. Thus, this call was to discipleship. Hence, "follow me, and I will make you fishers of men." The Potter is about to place the clay onto the potter’s wheel that He might fashion it according to His will. Throughout the molding process, the life of Peter is a study of contrasts, especially in the early stages of his spiritual development. Perhaps the most suitable word that sums up the character of Peter is, impetuous. While we admire his willingness to serve the Lord, he always seemed to be in a dilemma!

Who, but Peter, would ask the Master if he too might walk upon the sea in the midst of a raging storm. After he climbed out of the boat he realized that mere mortals don’t walk on water, although he had already taken a few steps. As Peter was about to go under, he cried out, saying, "Lord, save me" (Matt. 14:22-33). The lesson here for believers is this, when we take our eyes off the Lord and begin to dwell on our circumstances, we usually find ourselves sinking into the depths of despair.

On another occasion, Peter, if you can imagine it, "rebuked the Lord" for stating how He must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things and be killed. "Be it far from thee, Lord: this shall not be unto thee." "I will lay down my life for thy sake" (Matt. 16:21,22 cf. John 13:36-38). One thing you could count on with Peter, he always spoke his mind. But sometimes the best intentions fall prey to weakness when we act in our own strength.

Peter lived to have his own words betray him when a lowly servant girl perceived, "this fellow was also with Jesus of Nazareth...Then began he to curse and to swear, saying, I know not the man." Before the evening ended Peter had denied the Lord three times. It has been said, "The noblest and purest of men are often tempted by evil thoughts and perplexing doubts." But Peter refused to wallow in the quagmire of failure. To his credit he repented of his wayward actions and continued in the faith. He did, however, learn a valuable lesson, never to place confidence in the flesh.

Years later as the clay was shaped into a vessel of honor, the religious leaders in Israel took note that Peter and the other disciples had been with the Lord. They marveled that these unlearned and ignorant men spoke with such authority and boldness (Acts 4:13). Higher education isn’t necessarily a prerequisite to be used of the Lord. In fact, very few of the inspired writers of Scripture were educated men by ancient standards, yet they produced a Book that has left an indelible impression upon the world.(1) You see, God has chosen the "nots" "to bring to nought things that are: that no flesh should glory in His presence" (I Cor. 1:28,29). God can and will use you in His service no matter what your educational background may be. A willing heart is all that is required.

PETER’S APOSTLESHIP

"And when He had called unto Him His twelve disciples, He gave them power against unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all manner of sickness and all manner of disease. Now the names of the twelve apostles are these; The first, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother; James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother; Philip, and Bartholomew; Thomas, and Matthew the publican; James the son of Alphaeus, and Lebbaeus, whose surname was Thaddaeus; Simon the Canaanite, and Judas Iscariot, who also betrayed Him" (Matt. 10:1-4).

We should note here the Holy Spirit’s shift in emphasis from "twelve disciples" to "twelve apostles." A disciple is a follower, one who is learning the elementary things of God’s Word. In this case, the Lord was teaching them the first principles of the kingdom. Interestingly, the Apostle Paul never refers to the members of the Body of Christ as disciples in any of his epistles, and for good reason. We are the college graduates, as it were, who have at our disposal a knowledge of both programs of God. Therefore, we are given titles that have to do with authority, such as ambassadors and stewards.

On the other hand, "apostle" has the idea of a sent one. Once the disciples were schooled in the basics of the kingdom message, they were commissioned to proclaim Christ as the Messiah of Israel, the rightful heir to the throne of David. The number 12, the number of governmental authority, is woven throughout the Prophetic Program. Thus, there were 12 Apostles of the kingdom who will sit upon twelve thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel.

Although the listings of the twelve vary somewhat, there is one constant: Peter is always placed first on the list, while Judas is always mentioned last. But why Peter? Perhaps we should also ask, why Moses or why Paul? Simple! They were divinely appointed to fulfill that which God had called them to. Those who questioned the instructions of these divinely chosen vessels questioned God Himself, for they were His spokesmen.

In the case of Peter, he was the head of the twelve, which again shows leadership within the leadership structure. It was Peter who stood up in the midst of the apostles regarding the office left vacant by Judas and said, "Men and brethren...." It was Peter who lifted up his voice on the day of Pentecost and said, "Ye men of Judaea, and all ye that dwell at Jerusalem, be this known unto you, and hearken to my words...." It was Peter who rose up at the Jerusalem Council after much disputing and said, "Men and brethren, ye know how that a good while ago God made choice among us...." He was the one who confirmed Paul’s apostleship among the Gentiles.

It has been suggested that the twelve apostles should be grouped, humanly speaking, in the following manner: Peter, Andrew, James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother were born leaders. Philip, Bartholomew, Thomas, and Matthew were born doubters. While James the son of Alphaeus, Thaddaeus, Simon the Cannaanite, and Judas were all born workers.

PETER’S CONFESSION

Perhaps the main reason Peter emerged as the head among the apostles was due to his confession. Upon arriving at Caesarea Philippi our Lord asked His disciples, "Whom do men say that I the Son of Man am?" Since they were still somewhat uncertain themselves at this point, they shared what they had been hearing via the grapevine. Some say you’re John the Baptist who has returned from the dead. Others seem to think you’re Elijah who is to precede the coming of the Messiah. We’ve also heard that you are Jeremiah or one of the other prophets.

"He saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am?" It was Peter who stepped front and center and said, "Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God" (Matt. 16:16). "Thou art the Christ," that is, (Gr. Christos), the anointed—the Old Testament (Heb. Mashiyach) Messiah. Peter’s confession is a clear indication that God’s hand of blessing was upon him.

"And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven. And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it" (Matt. 16:17,18).

The eighth day after Peter was born his earthly father (Jona) named him Simon, which means hearing. He was as unstable as water, but divine grace was about to make a profound change in his life. Thus, he receives a "given name" from our Lord who was well pleased with his declaration. "Thou art Peter" (Gr. Petros) a little rock. He was to become a rock, sure and steadfast, that could be relied upon to hold fast to the truth through the coming storms.

We also have a fascinating Greek play upon words in this portion. "And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter [Gr. Petros], and upon this rock [Gr. Petra} I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it." Our Lord did not say that He was going to build His Church upon Peter (Petros) as Catholicism teaches. They believe Peter was the first Pope, a claim that is unsubstantiated by Church history and more importantly the Scriptures.

Rather, it would be built upon the special revelation that Peter received from the Father, namely, "Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God" "Upon this rock [Gr. Petra, a massive rock] I will build my church." In other words, the church would be built upon Christ. He was to be its foundation upon which the living stones will rest (I Peter 2:1-8). If we consistently rightly divide the Word of truth, the called out ones in this passage would be the kingdom church. Therefore, it is the kingdom saints who have received their Messiah that will be added to this foundation—the first of which was the little flock that included the twelve apostles (Luke 12:32).

So then, believing Israel is the New Testament church. Contrary to tradition, we are not the New Testament church; we are the Church, the Body of Christ. Both the Old and New Covenants were made with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah (Jer. 31:31,32). However, the Apostle Paul is clear that we are partakers of Israel’s spiritual things; consequently, we are the beneficiaries of the spiritual blessings of the New Testament by grace, and grace alone. Those who claim otherwise must crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put Him to open shame, since the blood of Christ was shed once for all in accordance with the New Testament (Rom 15:27 cf. Heb. 9:11-15).

The Lord assures Peter and the others here in Matthew 16 that nothing could deter Him from fulfilling His promise. "Upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell [Gr.hades] shall not prevail against it." Every language has words that are not found in other languages. Since we do not have an English word for the Greek term hades, the translators chose to use the word "hell." Here it must be remembered that hades is not the literal hell of the Bible.

The Greek Gehenna or hell is a completely different realm than that of hades. "And if thy hand offend thee, cut it off: it is better for thee to enter into life maimed, than having two hands to go into hell [Gr. Gehenna], into the fire that never shall be quenched" (Mark 9:43). Hell was originally created for the devil and his angels, and insofar as man has followed Satan in his rebellion against God all unbelievers will also be sentenced to the blackness of darkness forever. Presently unoccupied, hell is located in outer darkness (Matt 8:12; 25:41 cf. Rev. 20:10-15; 21:8).

On the other hand, hades or the unseen world is located in the center of the earth. Prior to the Cross it was a repository for the departed spirits of the dead. The believers were located in paradise, called Abraham’s bosom, which was separated from the unbelievers by a great gulf. Today, only the unsaved reside in hades, awaiting the judgment to come (Ps. 63:9; 139:8; Matt. 11:23; Luke 16:19-31; Eph. 4:9).

Inasmuch as hades was so closely associated with death, they are often spoken of together. Before the coming of Christ, death and hades reigned supreme. They conquered so methodically, so completely that it appeared hopeless to ever be delivered from their grasp. Thus, the Lord consoled His disciples that not even the "gates of hades" could hinder His purpose to establish the kingdom church.

In the Old Testament the gates of the city were the place where the elders gave counsel and the judges pronounced judgment. It was a place of authority. Consequently, death and hades, and he who possessed the power over both, Satan, could not overthrow the plans and purposes of God. Christ conquered death, triumphing over it when He rose again the third day. The gates of hades could not prevail against Him (the Rock). He threw open the gates, delivering all those who lived in fear of death into the glorious presence of the Father, where they await the return of Christ to the earth to establish His kingdom.

With the finished work now accomplished, the Scriptures record these words of the judge of all the earth: "I am He that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell [hades] and of death" (Rev. 1:18). He who holds the key in His hand, holds the authority over the domain. According to this passage Christ has supremacy over death and hades. Sinner friend, believe on the Lord Jesus Christ that He died for your sins and rose again, or you will one day find yourself in hades with no hope of reprieve. Woe unto those who die without Christ, for they will be carried away to the unseen world which is destined to be emptied into the lake of fire.

Although the twelve didn’t fully comprehend all that had been spoken at the time, the Lord knew in His sovereignty that the victory was near at hand. Therefore, He turns to Peter and says: "And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven" (Matt. 16:19). Notice "I will give unto thee," that is, Peter. Peter, as well as the other apostles, is given the power to act on the Messiah’s behalf regarding matters of the kingdom. He has the authority to bind or loose, which as we shall see is significant.

The Life and Letters of the Apostle Peter - Part 2

1. The divine work of inspiration passed through each writer’s very thought process (including those who spoke it orally). It miraculously filtered through their different styles of writing, vocabulary, vocations, experiences, moods, and sufferings. Yet we can safely say that the 66 Books of the Bible are the inspired Word of God in their original writings. As Pastor Stam has always said: "The truth is that the Bible is wholly the Word of God, yet at the same time, wholly the word of man…."