Poor Peter, Rich Peter - Wednesday in Holy Week

Poor Peter!  The few hours that lead up to Jesus’ arrest had been difficult ones for Peter.  A reading of Luke’s Passion account avoids singling Peter out as much as Matthew and John do.  When the disciples are rebuked for falling asleep in the Garden, Luke does not mention Peter being singled out as Matthew does.  The striking of the servant of the high priest with a sword is mentioned by all of the evangelists, but only John reveals that it is Peter.  However, Luke records Jesus’ prediction of Peter’s impending denials.  Luke’s Gospel notes that an argument had broken out among the disciples about who is the greatest at the table immediately following Jesus’ institution of the Lord’s Supper.  Jesus rebukes the disciples and tells them that He has come among them as One who serves.  But then, He specifically references Peter, noting that Satan has sought to “sift you like wheat.”  Expectedly, Peter responds by declaring, “Lord, I am ready to go with you both to prison and to death.”  Sadly, Jesus tells him that this very night that He will deny him three times.  Naturally, Jesus’ word is true and in the courtyard of the high priest, Peter repeatedly denies even knowing Jesus.  Luke then simply states, “And he went out and wept bitterly.”

We can say “Poor Peter” because we know the heavy burden of guilt.  We know the shame of sin.  How often tears have streamed down our cheeks and we have tasted the bitterness of sorrow over our sins.  We understand Peter’s fragile emotional state because we have been there ourselves.  We have denied the Lord with our self-serving attitudes.  We have been more concerned with our own well-being, advancement, and popularity than we have confessing Christ.  We have shrunk from the opportunities to bear witness to Christ and scurried away in fear.  We have been too consumed with satisfying our own appetites and desires that we have had no regard for serving our neighbor’s need by sharing Christ in word and deed.  We relate to Peter because we, also, are poor, miserable sinners. 

But Jesus drank the bitter cup of suffering that Peter deserved by enduring the cross and scorning its shame.  The Lord that Peter denied lovingly offers His life as a substitute for Peter’s many sins and for yours.  The great orthodox Lutheran, John Gerhard, writes, “Take courage then, O my soul, and despair not.  Hope thou in Him whom thou dost not fear; flee thou to Him for refuge, from whom thou has fled in fear.  O Jesus Christ, for Thy name’s sake, deal with me according to Thy name…True it is, O Lord, that my participation in sin merits condemnation, and my penitence can never satisfy Thee; but certain is it also that Thy mercy exceeds all my offense.  In Thee, O Lord, do I put my trust, let me never be confounded.”  Peter’s hope and strength was always Jesus.  For even as Jesus predicts his denial, He also assures Him of His merciful love, “but I have prayed for you that your faith may not fail.”  Peter goes out and weeps bitterly, but he does so in faith.  There is guilt and shame, but there is also repentance and faith.  For Jesus had prayed for him so that his faith would not fail.  The same Jesus who reached out His hand and rescued Peter from sinking into the abyss of the Sea, mercifully delivers Peter with His grace. 

Thanks be to God that Christ’s grace and mercy make him, “Rich Peter!”  Peter is lifted up out of His bitter sorrow and made rich through the merits of the Lord whom He denied.  May God truly make you rich in His grace and mercy! 

Collect for Wednesday in Holy Week

Merciful and everlasting God, You did not spare Your only Son but delivered Him up for us all to bear our sins on the cross.  Grant that our hearts may be so fixed with steadfast faith in Him that we fear not the power of sin, death and the devil; through the same Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.  Amen.