05.24. A Harmony Of Peter
XXXIII A HARMONY OF PETER
I. BEFORE CONVERSION
1. His father was Jonas (or John) – Matthew 16:17; John 1:42.
2. His brother was Andrew – John 1:40.
3. He was a married man – Matthew 8:14; Mark 1:30; Luke 4:38; 1 Corinthians 9:15.
4. His home was in Capernaum by the Sea of Galilee – Mark 1:21-29.
5. His occupation was that of a fisherman – Matthew 4:18; Mark 1:16.
6. Partners in business were Andrew, his brother, and James and John, sons of Zebedee – Luke 5:10.
7. His circumstances were good. He had a home, a good business, hired servants (Mark 1:20), which is also implied by the sacrifices he made in business to become a preacher – Luke 18:28; Matthew 19:27-29.
8. His education was limited (Acts 4:13), and provincial – Matthew 26:73.
II. BECOMES A DISCIPLE OF JOHN THE BAPTIST, HARMONY, PAGES 18-19.
We find him and his brother Andrew, and John, the son of Zebedee, away from home at the Bethany beyond Jordan as disciples of John the Baptist (John 1:35-41), to which Peter himself refers (Acts 1:21-22). So that he became a Christian through repentance and faith under the preaching of John the Baptist, the first preacher of the gospel. Compare Mark 1:1-4; Luke 3:1-6; Matthew 3:1-3; Luke 1:76-77; Acts 1:21-22; Acts 19:4; Isaiah 40:3-8; Malachi 4:5-6; Matthew 11:14; Luke 7:29-30. In fact, most, if not all, of the original twelve apostles were baptized by John (John 4:1-2; Acts 1:21).
III. FROM HIS FIRST MEETING WITH THE LORD TO THE DEATH OF CHRIST
1. His first meeting with the Lord. – John’s disciples were baptized upon faith in a Messiah soon to appear. As soon as John himself was assured of the person of the Messiah he pointed him out to Andrew and John, a son of Zebedee. Andrew brings his brother Peter to the Lord. When our Lord saw Peter he announced a change of his name: "Thou art Simon – thou shalt be Peter," Simon meaning a hearer, and Peter, or Cephas, meaning a stone, thus indicating the subsequent development of Simon (John 1:19-44).
These are great pulpit themes: (a) From Abram to Abraham; (b) From Jacob, a supplanter, to Israel, a prince having power with God and man; (c) From Simon to Cephas; (d) From Saul to Paul. See a sermon by Spurgeon, and one by the author on the third theme above.
2. His change of occupation from catching fish to catching men, or his call to the ministry (Matthew 4:18-22; Mark 1:16-20; Harmony, p. 28).
Note what it cost Peter to "leave all and follow Christ" as developed later (Matthew 19:27-29); Luke 18:28, and the compensation therefore. So that here we have two great pulpit themes:
(a) Entering the ministry does not mean a loss of natural talents, or past business training, but only a change of object and direction. One trained to catch fish may profitably employ that training in fishing for men. Various methods of approach must be used in catching different kinds of fish. The fisherman must know their habits, the baits most attractive to each kind and whether in different cases he must use the hook and line for the individual fish, or the net for a particular school of fish, or the drag-net for all kinds. So with catching men. This applies to other occupations. An old hunter once said, "Some deer are never killed except in the still-hunt; others in the drive with hounds, horns, horses, and much noise; others again only in the fire hunt by night; and yet others at the salt licks." Hence the proverb: "The deer that goes often to the lick meets the hunter at last."
(b) There is always adequate compensation, even if not in kind, to one who leaves all to become a minister of Jesus Christ.
3. Peter’s first confession: "I am a sinful man." Harmony, page 28, Luke 5:1-11.
(a) Note his profound consciousness of sin in the presence of the Holy Lord (Luke 5:1-11). Compare the case of Job (Job 42:5-6) and of Isaiah (Isaiah 6:5) and note that nearness to God, and increased light, makes sin manifest, and that human claims to sinlessness and perfection argue the claimant’s distance from God, and the darkness in which he walks.
(b) Note the pulpit theme: Increased light and nearness to God deepens the consciousness of sin.
4. Peter entertains his Lord, and the Lord heals his mother-in-law and many others (Harmony, pp. 29-30; Matthew 8:14-17; Mark 1:29-34; Luke 4:38-41). NOTE: Christ in the home heals its sick and makes it a house of salvation to others. What a marvelous guest I
5. Harmony, page 30. Peter, with others, attempts to make a corner on salvation by confining it to Capernaum (Mark 1:35-38; Luke 4:42-43).
6. Harmony, page 37. Peter learns how our Lord could know a fact by the outgoing of his internal power without seeing the beneficiary of his power (Luke 8:45-46). What a fact for psychology and the materialist!
7. Harmony, page 38. Peter, with James and John, selected to witness the raising of the daughter of Jairus (Mark 5:37-43; Luke 8:51-56). We see this illustrious trio twice more similarly honored – at the transfiguration and in Gethsemane.
8. Our Lord appoints twelve men to be with him continually that they might be trained to be apostles. In the list twice given here (Mark 3:13-15; Luke 6:12-16) and twice later (Matthew 10:2-3 and Acts 1:13), Peter’s name is always first, Primus inter pares – Harmony, pp. 44-45, 72, 244; Acts 1:13.
9. Harmony, pages 71-72. After much training Peter and the other apostles, sent out, two by two, to do their first preaching and healing (Matthew 10:1-42; Mark 6:7-13; Luke 9:1-6).
10. Peter’s presumption and little faith on the water (Harmony, p. 80; Matthew 14:28-31). Here, as elsewhere, note that John’s spiritual perception exceeds Peter’s, but Peter’s impulsiveness makes him more ready to act. Indeed, that impulsiveness gets him into much trouble later.
11. Harmony, page 83. Peter’s second confession (John 6:66-69). When hard but necessary doctrine drives away many followers, and our Lord asks if the twelve will also leave him, Peter nobly responds in a great confession: "Lord, to whom shall we go? Thou hast the words of eternal life. And we have believed and know that thou art the Holy One of God." What a great pulpit theme! When the truth concerning our depravity and the necessity of supernatural power in order to our salvation and the spirituality required as an entrance qualification to the kingdom offends our pride and worldliness, it is well to inquire: (1) To whom we must go if we decline to follow Christ? (2) How then shall we obtain eternal life? (3) Who but the Holy One of God is worthy of our faith? (4) How can we know this Holy One? We can know him if we will to follow him.
12. Harmony, pages 89-90. Peter’s third and greatest confession: "Thou, the Son of man, art the Christ, the Son of the living God" (Matthew 16:16). This incident at Caesarea Philippi is every way momentous:
(1) The remarkable teachings and deeds of Jesus necessarily demand explanation, and awaken popular inquiry as to his person and mission which results in many erroneous conclusions.
(2) Jesus prayed that his twelve apostles, at least, after so much training, might have the true conception of his nature, person and mission (Luke 9:18), for his questions follow the prayer.
(3) Peter’s confession of both his humanity and divinity and of his messiahship, calls forth from the Lord the most remarkable response ever given to a man:
(a) A signal blessing accompanied with the assurance that such faith came not from flesh and blood, but from a revelation of the Father.
(b) An announcement that he had now passed from Simon to Peter.
(c) That on this rock (however we interpret it) he would build his church, against which the gates of hell should not prevail.
(d) His giving to Peter the keys of the kingdom, with authority to bind and loose. It is true that the binding and loosing is also later given to the church (Matthew 18:18) and to the other apostles (John 20:22-23), and still later to Paul, yet the priority of the grant was made to Peter, under such signal circumstances as to distinguish him from the eleven.
13. Harmony, page 91. Our Lord’s sharp rebuke of Peter (Matthew 16:21-23; Mark 8:31-33). Peter’s offense here is every way remarkable:
(a) It follows so soon the high honor and commendation, Task received.
(b) It shows that while Peter believed in the messiahship of Jesus, he did not yet understand that the passion of the Messiah was his crowning glory, and the one means of salvation.
(c) His presumption was very great in rebuking Christ for announcing his vicarious passion.
(d) He is called "Satan" for tempting the Lord to escape that suffering by which alone he could save men, and is reminded that his words savored more of men than of God. The whole incident shows how much Peter has yet to learn concerning himself, the gospel, and in the way of discipline.
14. Peter, with James and John, selected to be a witness of the transfiguration (Harmony pp. 92-93; Matthew 17:1-13; Mark 9:2-13; Luke 9:28-36). Here also the lessons are great:
(a) The outshining glory of his Lord.
(b) The death of Christ, offensive to Peter, interests Moses and Elijah.
(c) The foreshadowing of the final advent in the raising of the dead and transfiguring of living saints.
(d) The teaching of Christ superior to that of Moses and the prophets: "Hear ye him."
(e) Peter’s reference to this great event much later in his life (2 Peter 1:16-18).
15. Peter’s hasty assumption to decide for the Lord, on the payment of the Temple tribute, and our Lord’s miracle to relieve him from embarrassment (Harmony, p. 97; Matthew 17:24-27).
16. Peter learns a lesson on forgiveness: "Seventy times seven" (Harmony, p. 101; Matthew 18:21-22).
17. Peter learns a lesson on applying to himself and other disciples certain teachings of our Lord (Harmony p. 117; Luke 12:41).
18. Peter learns a lesson concerning the compensation for sacrifices made by following Christ (Harmony p. 133; Matthew 19:27-28).
19. Peter, amazed at the sudden withering of the barren fig-tree cursed by our Lord, learns a lesson of faith ’(Harmony p. 146; Mark 11:21-24).
20. Peter, with Andrew, James, and John, inquiring privately about the time and signs of the destruction of Jerusalem, and our Lord’s final advent, call forth our Lord’s great prophecy (Harmony p. 160; Mark 13:3).
21. Peter and John sent to make ready the Passover (Harmony p. 172; Luke 22:8).
22. Peter learns a great lesson on the washing of feet (Harmony p. 174; John 13:6-10).
23. Peter, through John, asks who of the twelve is the traitor (Harmony p. 175; John 13:23-26).
24. When our Lord at the Passover announces his going away where the disciples cannot follow him, and that all the disciples would be offended at him that very night, Peter becomes prominent as follows:
(a) He insists on knowing where the Lord was going, and why he cannot follow him now.
(b) He boldly announces his readiness to lay down his life for the Lord.
(c) He passionately affirms that if everybody else in the world should turn away from the Lord, he himself would stand firm.
(d) Our Lord tells him that this very night, before the time of the second cock-crowing, i.e., just before day, Peter would deny him thrice.
(e) Peter vehemently reaffirmed that he would not deny the Lord.
(f) Whereupon our Lord informs him of the source of the danger, namely, that Satan, by request, had obtained the apostles temporarily that he might sift them as wheat, but that the Lord had prayed for Peter that his faith should not utterly fail, and enjoins upon him that when he was converted, i.e., turned again by repentance for his fall, to confirm other brethren who should be weak in like temptation.
(g) This was the greatest personal lesson of Peter’s life. He learned his own weakness, vanity, vain confidence, the power of Satan, and particularly that his salvation did not consist in his weak hold on Christ, but in Christ’s strong hold on him. Very humbly and earnestly in his later life he obeyed the solemn injunction to confirm the faith of the weak, and to warn against Satan’s power. See 1 Peter 1:3-5; 1 Peter 5:6-10.
25. Peter, with James and John, again selected and honored, this time to enter Gethsemane with the Lord, in order to watch and pray; but they sleep, neither watching nor praying, leaving the Lord alone in his agony (Harmony p. 184; Matthew 26:37-45; Mark 14:33-41).
26. Peter, misunderstanding what our Lord had said (Luke 22:35-38), draws the sword when our Lord is betrayed (Harmony p. 188; Matthew 26:50-54; Mark 14:46-47; Luke 22:49-51; John 18:10-12). This is one of the most important lessons of the New Testament, and generally but little understood. When our Lord first sent out the twelve he assured them that their support and protection was his charge; hence they needed neither sword nor purse. But in the passage cited (Luke 22:35-38), he tells them to prepare both sword and purse, i.e., during the period between his death and resurrection. The sheep would then have no shepherd, and be scattered, and so must look out for their own support and protection. This would not go into effect, however, before he died, nor continue after his resurrection. Peter misunderstood on both points. He drew his sword before Christ died, and later went back to his old occupation for support (John 21:3) after Christ was risen. Moreover, he drew the sword, not to protect himself when Christ was dead, but to protect Christ while he was alive, which contravened all Christ’s teachings. See particularly John 18:36.
27. Peter follows Christ afar off, to see the end (Harmony p. 193; Matthew 26:58; Mark 14:54; Luke 22:54).
28. Peter thrice denies his Lord (Harmony pp. 193-195; Matthew 26:58-74; Mark 14:54-71; Luke 22:54-60; John 18:15-27).
29. The cock crows the second time, Christ looks at Peter, Peter remembers, goes out and weeps bitterly (Harmony, p. 195; Matthew 26:74-75; Mark 14:72-72; Luke 22:60-62).
IV. BETWEEN THE RESURRECTION AND ASCENSION
1. The angel at the empty tomb sends word by the woman to Peter (Mark 16:7) that Jesus is risen, and to remind the disciples of the great appointment in Galilee (Harmony p. 219). Which message Mary Magdalene delivers to Peter and John, who hurry to the tomb and find it empty, but they do not understand the scripture about the resurrection and do not believe (Harmony p. 220; John 20:2-10).
2. Jesus appears to Peter himself, the same day (Harmony p. 224; Luke 24:34; 1 Corinthians 15:5).
3. In the evening of the same day he appears again to Peter and nine other apostles, who all are inspired and receive the binding and loosing power conferred on Peter alone at the time of his third great confession (Matthew 16:1-28; Harmony, pp. 224-225).
4. The next Lord’s Day he appears a third time to Peter, with the ten other apostles (Harmony p. 226; John 20:26; 1 Corinthians 15:5).
5. He appears a fourth time to Peter, with six others, at the Sea of Galilee, when doubtless they were on their way to the Galilean appointment. This is Peter’s recall to the ministry (Harmony p. 226-227; John 21:1-23). This was a great occasion in Peter’s life, full of important lessons:
(a) Though Christ was risen, Peter goes back to his old occupation (John 21:3), leading the others with him.
(b) They catch nothing for all their night’s work, as preachers often fail when returning to secular employment. The Lord, appears and mildly rebukes with his question: "Children, have you any meat?" i.e., "Is this thing paying you?" Then to show them how they always succeed under his direction, he commands them to cast on the other side of the boat and lo, a multitude they could not drag! Here again John’s perception outruns Peter’s in recognizing the Lord, and Peter’s impulse to action outruns John’s. When on the land, lo again, he supplies their food.
(c) After their fast was broken, comes the catechizing of Peter, which rebukes and probes to the bottom: "Lovest thou me more than these?" Here the pronoun "these" may well refer to the nets and fish, i.e., the secular method of support from which Peter had been called to the ministry. If so, the rebuke is for his return to his old business. With this agrees the suggestion that "feeding the sheep, lambs, and little sheep," so solemnly enjoined, was work enough to fill his time and occupy all his talent. With such work, why go back to fishing? And if the Lord could and did supply their breakfast without using any fish caught by them, was he not able to supply all their needs all the time? When preachers go back to secular work, does not the flock hunger and go astray? But if "these" refers to the other disciples, then the rebuke is against his boast that though all else forsook him, he, Peter, would stand firm. With this agrees the seeming reference to his threefold denial by the threefold question. In either event, the probing so deep left a lasting impression on Peter’s mind.
(d) The fourth lesson is in the Lord’s foretelling the manner of his unwilling death in old age (John 21:18): "Thou shalt stretch forth thy hands, another shall gird thee and lead thee whither thou wouldst not," which implies a death by crucifixion – a martyrdom which Peter himself would desire to avoid, which is a rebuke to Peter’s boast that he was ready to lay down his life for his Lord. To this death Peter himself refers a long time afterwards: "Knowing that shortly I must put off this my tabernacle, even as our Lord Jesus Christ hast showed me." This unwillingness of Peter to suffer martyrdom is preserved in a tradition well stated in the famous book Quo Vadis.
(e) But there is another lesson for Peter. The Lord again repeats the words of Peter’s original call to the ministry, "follow me," which originally occurred at this very place, and when they were doing the self-same thing, and was accompanied then as now by a miraculous draft of fishes under the Lord’s direction, after they had toiled all night and caught nothing. See Harmony, page 28. The call is renewed: "Follow me; leave these nets and become fishers of men."
So many a despondent preacher, going back to his farm or to his carpenter shop, or to law, or to medicine, for a support, has had his call renewed.
And all this supports the view first expressed above, that the pronoun "these" refers to nets and fishes, or his old secular business.
(f) A final lesson comes to poor Peter. He, having started to follow, turns about and seeing John also following, breaks out, "Lord, and what shall this man do?" to be sharply rebuked: "If I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to thee? Follow thou me." Our Lord had already warned against delay in following, on account of the affairs of others (Matthew 8:21-22), and against the danger of turning back (Luke 9:62). Mark Peter’s prurient curiosity, his meddlesomeness with the case of others, but especially note his questioning of the Lord’s right to single him out with such a preemptory demand to leave all and follow the Master, even to martyrdom, without first explaining what should be the duty and fate of others. It is even yet a very imperfect, but very natural Peter. It is amazing that Romanists find in this incident by the Sea of Galilee, the, to them, decisive proof that signal honor is here conferred on Peter as the chief pastor of all the spiritual Israel, when the whole passage, and in all its parts, is a rebuke to Peter. Peter is indeed distinguished from the others, but by repeated censure. Certainly, he himself never construed the incident as conferring any such signal honor upon himself, and when, in old age, writing of himself, in relation to others, he adopts no such lordly tone. See particularly 1 Peter 5:1-4.
6. He appears the fifth time to Peter and to hundreds of others in the appointed Galilean mountain when the Great Commission is given to the church, discussed elaborately in the chapter on that passage (Harmony p. 228; Matthew 28:16-20; Mark 16:15-18; 1 Corinthians 5:6).
7. He appears the sixth time to Peter, and to the other apostles, giving them illumination to understand the Old Testament Scriptures, as he had previously inspired them to write the New Testament Scriptures, and again commissions them, and promises them the coming and guidance of the Spirit, but enjoins that they tarry at Jerusalem until they received this power from heaven (Harmony p. 229; Luke 24:44-49).
8. He appears to Peter the seventh time with 120 others on the day of his ascension (Acts 1:6-15; Harmony pp. 229-231).
V. AFTER HIS ASCENSION
1. Peter takes the lead in filling the place of Judas (Acts 1:15-26). Query: Was he too previous? Was Matthias lawfully put into the apostolic office? This question is thoroughly discussed in Acts of this INTERPRETATION.
2. Peter takes the lead on the famous Pentecost, when the church is baptized in the Spirit (Acts 2:14-41). Here he uses one of the keys to the kingdom of heaven, and from the inside opens the door to the Jews.
3. Peter, with John, works a great miracle and preaches s second great sermon (Acts 3:1-26).
4. Peter, with John, arrested and imprisoned, makes a great defense before the Sanhedrin, and is released (Acts 4:1-22).
5. Peter, with John, makes report to the church, and joins in an earth-shaking prayer (Acts 4:23-31).
6. Peter leads again, in the detection and exposure of Ananias and Sapphira (Acts 5:1-11).
7. The very shadow of Peter works miracles (Acts 5:15). From Pentecost Peter is flawless, and strides like a Titan.
8. Peter, with all the other apostles, again arrested and imprisoned by the Sanhedrin, but released by the angel of the Lord, they preach boldly in the Temple (Acts 5:17-20).
9. Peter, with other apostles, being again arrested, makes another marvelous defense, is beaten with stripes, but glories in persecution, and continues to preach (Acts 5:21-42).
10. Peter joins the other apostles in the ordination of deacons (Acts 6:1-6).
11. Peter, with John, sent by the other apostles, goes to Samaria to confer the Spirit on Philip’s converts, and exposes Simon Magus (Acts 8:14-25).
12. Peter receives a visit from Paul (Acts 9:26-30; Galatians 1:18).
13. Peter, in a tour to Lydda, heals Eneas, and on invitation goes to Joppa and raises Dorcas (Acts 9:32-43).
14. At Joppa he receives the great vision which eventuates in opening the door to Gentiles at Caesarea with the other key to the kingdom of heaven (Acts 10:1-48). Here again, in his characteristic way, he says, "Not so, Lord," but when fully convinced, obeys the vision.
15. Peter, when questioned by some in the church for this matter, makes a glorious defense (Acts 11:1-18).
16. In the persecution by Herod, Peter is imprisoned, but again released by the angel of the Lord, and goes back to Caesarea (Acts 12:1-19).
17. In a preliminary meeting just before the great consultation in Jerusalem on the question whether Gentiles must become Jews in order to become Christians (Acts 15:1-2), Peter, with John and James, the brothers of the Lord, acknowledges Paul’s independent apostleship, gives him the hand of fellowship in the division of labor, that while they ministered to the circumcision, Paul was commissioned to go to the Gentiles (Galatians 2:1-9). This case alone, set forth in Galatians 1:1-24, Galatians 2:1-21, effectually disproves the papacy of Peter.
18. In the council, Peter defends the acts of Paul in receiving Gentiles without circumcision, by citing his own case with Cornelius (Acts 15:7-11).
19. And yet at Antioch, a little later, Peter, in awe of the followers of James, tears down what he had built up, and is publicly and sharply rebuked by Paul (Galatians 2:11-21).
20. Partisan misuse of Peter’s name at Corinth (1 Corinthians 1:12; 1 Corinthians 3:22; 1 Corinthians 9:5).
21. Peter goes to Babylon on the Euphrates, and there writes his truly great letters, which are his crowning glory, and bears testimony to Paul’s wisdom, and ranks Paul’s letters with the Old Testament Scriptures (1 Peter 1:5; 1 Peter 1:13; 2 Peter 3:15-16).
This brief, but connected survey of Peter’s life serves several valuable purposes.
(1) It furnishes the richest material in the Bible for noting the developments of a Christian life, showing that the new convert is but a babe in Christ, imperfect in both theology and life, but through training and sanctification, progressing toward higher ideals in both, thus from Simon to Cephas. A good sister once said to the author, "Peter is a great comfort to me; he is so natural, so impulsive, so hasty in speech and deed, so full of faults, so often stumbling, and yet on the whole loving his Lord, frankly confessing his sins and repenting, and every time he falls in the ditch, he manages to climb out on the side toward heaven and resumes his pilgrimage. He is a great comfort to me because I am so much like him, saying and doing foolish things; he keeps me in countenance and hope, but that Paul, who never makes a slip after conversion – he is so perfect he discourages me."
(2) The several great epochs of his life – his conversion, his first meeting with the Lord, his call to the ministry, his three great confessions, his piteous fall, his recall to the ministry at the same place of the first call, and under similar circumstances, his baptism in the Spirit, and from that Pentecost until even his shadow heals the sick (Acts 2:1-47, Acts 3:1-26, Acts 4:1-37, Acts 5:1-42) – what a flawless leader! He is braver than a lion, striding like a Titan, soaring like an eagle, sublimely great. Then his opening the door to the Gentiles, and defense thereof; his superb attitude at the Jerusalem consultation (Acts 15:1-41; Galatians 2:1-21) privately toward Paul and publicly toward the great question of salvation there pending; his subsequent weakness and cowardice at Antioch; his final ripeness and glorious testimony to Paul in his great letters – all these stages are clearly outline. In view of his ups and downs we take off our hats to Peter when we see the culmination of his spirit and charter as evinced in his letters.
(3) It prepares for an examination of the Romanist claims concerning Peter and his alleged successors.
(4) There is a good preparation toward the study of the Acts which follows.
(5) When we come to his letters it will be interesting to gather from them what events recited in this Harmony most impressed Peter’s own mind, and what his final statements of great doctrines, and what his crystallized character.
QUESTIONS
1. Who was Peter’s father? who his brother? was he single or married? where was his home? what was his occupation? who were his partners in business what was his circumstances and what his education?
2. Under whose preaching did he become a Christian, who was this preacher, and what conditions of salvation did he set forth?
3. Who brought him to Christ, what change of name here, and what three other instances of such change of names in the Bible?
4. What did it cost Peter to "leave all and follow Christ," what the compensation therefore, and what two pulpit themes deduced from this incident?
5. What Peter’s first confession, what two Old Testament cases of like kind, and what pulpit theme from this incident?
6. Give an account of Peter’s first entertainment of his Lord.
7. How did Peter and others attempt to make a corner on salvation?
8. What triple honor was bestowed upon the illustrious trio – Peter, James, and John?
9. What position has Peter’s name in the different lists of the twelve apostles?
10. Where do we first note his presumption and little faith?
11. What his second confession?
12. What his third and greatest confession, and what signal honor here conferred upon him?
13. What is our Lord’s sharp rebuke of Peter and in what was Peter’s offense very remarkable?
14. On what occasion did Peter assume to decide for our Lord and how did our Lord reprove him?
15. What lesson does he learn from the withering, barren fig tree?
16. How did Peter, James, and John call forth our Lord’s great prophecy of his second advent?
17. What was Peter’s part in connection with the last supper?
18. What was the greatest personal lesson of Peter’s life?
19. At what critical hour did he leave his Lord alone and sleep?
20. What rash act of Peter again showed his impulsiveness and what is the important lesson connected with this incident
21. How does he follow Christ from this time on?
22. What now brings Peter into the depths?
23. What brings him to repentance and bitter weeping?
24. How many times did Jesus appear to Peter on the resurrection day, and what each occasion?
25. When does he next appear to Peter and what the occasion?
26. When and where did he again appear to Peter, and what the important lesson for Peter connected with this incident?
27. Where did he appear to Peter the fifth time? where the sixth time? and what did he give Peter on this occasion in connection with the other ten apostles?
28. When did he appear to Peter the seventh time?
29. Trace this harmony of Peter through the Acts.
30. What purposes are served by this survey of Peter’s life?