Peter in the New Testament Church http://www.myriobiblos.gr/bible/studies/karavidopoulos_ntchurch.

asp

ΟΙΚΟΣ ΤΗΣ ΕΛΛΗΝΙΚΗΣ ΒΙΒΛΟΥ ΘΗΣΑΥΡΟΣ ΤΗΣ ΚΑΙΝΗΣ ΔΙΑΘΗΚΗΣ

ΒΟΗΘΗΜΑΤΑ ΜΕΛΕΤΗΣ ΤΗΣ ΒΙΒΛΟΥ

Ioannis D. Karavidopoulos

Peter in the New Testament Church

“Le rôle de Pierre et son importance dans l’Eglise du Nouveau Testament: problématique exégétique
contemporaine,” Nicolaus. Revista di Teologia ecumenico-patristica. New Series 19 (1992): 13-29.
The author considers Petrine texts in the NT as a whole, basing his exegesis on (especially Greek)
Orthodox tradition and the church fathers, with reference to contemporary studies.

DID PETER have the same difficulties that Mark shows the other
disciples had in understanding Jesus’mission and role as Messiah?

Upset at Jesus unexpected departure when he went out to pray,

“Simon and his companions went out to find him” (Mk 1 :36).
Simon is distinguished from “his companions,” but he too has failed
to understand Jesus' universal mission, as seen by Jesus’ words,
“Let us go to the neighboring towns, so I may proclaim the message
there also; for that is what I came out to do” (v. 38). Simon and his
companions want a Jesus limited to the town where “everyone is
searching for [him]" (v. 37).

The others report the rumors on who Jesus is (“John the Baptist ...
Elijah ... one of the prophets”). It is Peter who confesses the
messianic identity (“You are the Christ,” 8:27-33), but Jesus turns
and orders the disciples as a whole not to tell anyone (v. 30).

Jesus replaces Peter's “the Christ” with the title “Son of Μan” (v.
31), a title more closely linked with the passion. When Peter
opposes the passion, Jesus rebukes him in particular, although he
turns and looks at the disciples as a whole, and to Peter he
addresses the harshest words, “Get behind me Satan!”

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By shi ing to “Son of Μan,” Jesus alludes to the passion and

corrects Peter’s Jewish messianic expectations; Peter’s confession is
worthwhile only if linked to the cross and passion, which neither he
nor the others seem to understand. We think Jesus’ words on taking
up the cross and following him are general, and not for Peter in
particular.

Corresponding to Peter’s threefold denial (Mk 14:29-31, 66-72),

Mark notes three times that the disciples slept while Jesus prayed
(14:37a, 40, 41). The first time “he said to Peter, ‘Simon, are you
asleep?’” In his narrative the evangelist uses “Peter,” while Jesus’
question uses the original name, Simon! Further, the evangelist .
sets Jesus’ messianic confession before the high priest (14:61-62)
over against Peter’s threefold denial before the high priest’s servant
(14:66).

Commentators have stressed Peter's denial while ignoring the fact

that he was the only disciple to follow Jesus “right into the court
yard” (14:54). But the fourth evangelist will say Jesus was also
followed by John, who intervened with the high priest to let Peter
come in (Jn 18:16).

At the empty tomb the women are told to "go tell his disciples and
Peter" (Mk 16:7). (In Ma hew and Luke, Peter is not mentioned
separately.) Some see this separate mention as Peter's reinstatement
a er his denial of Jesus. T. Smith shows an anti-Petrine stance when
he sees this negatively: Peter is not acknowledged as a disciple as
are the others (1985 dissertation).

Mark is neither ‘pro- nor anti- Peter,’ but his general stress is on the
disciples' difficulty in understanding Jesus' person and mission. He
is not polemical, but wants to teach his readers how weak they are
without the Holy Spirit, just as the disciples were weak in trying to
understand their master.

Ma hew

Contemporary study on Mt 16:17-19 (Peter and the keys) indicates

that there is a historical kernel to the scene, that the verses form an

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authentic unity, and that the words come not from Jesus but from
the church at a time of struggle between Judeo and Gentile
Christians in the Church of Syria. Orthodox exegesis admits that the
words are authentic but asks some questions.

a) Is Ma hew trying to correct a devalued view of Peter? He does

indeed give a more favorable view than Mark does. In listing the
Twelve, he puts Peter first (10:2); Peter is seen walking on the water
just as Jesus did (14:22-33); Jesus orders him to pay the temple tax
for both of them (17:27); at the Transfiguration Peter says, “I will
make three dwellings here” (17:4) instead of "Let's make" as in
Mark and Luke. And Ma hew omits “for he did not know what to
say” (Mk 9:6) and “not knowing what he said” (Lk 9:33). Ma hew’s
image of Peter culminates with the profession of faith and Jesus’
words to him at Caesarea Philippi.

Some say that in stressing Peter’s supremacy in relation to the other

disciples Ma hew is opposing those who are pu ing forward a
leader, James the brother of Jesus; others say he is opposing those
who advocate Paul; and others that he is correcting Mark's
devalued image of Peter. There are no solid bases for these claims.
John Chrysostom is most persuasive when he says that in his
confession Peter is “the mouthpiece of the apostles,” “the leader of
the chorus of the apostles.”

b) What meaning are we to give to “and on this rock I will build

my church”? Did the Lord promise to build his church once and for
all on Peter (Roman Catholic view)? On the faith that Jesus is
Messiah, the Son of God (Orthodox and Protestant view)? On Peter
the rock, which shows Peter's primacy, but only during his lifetime
(O. Cullmann, 1952)?

According to John Chrysostom, Jesus means to build his church “on

the confession of faith. At that time he shows that many will
believe; he encourages [Peter] and appoints him as shepherd.”

But John has no trouble calling Peter “steadier than any rock”
though he may be but a simple sinner (PG 58, 534).

Theophylactus notes that “The Lord rewards Peter by... [promising

to] build his church on him.” But immediately a erwards: “This

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profession of faith ... is to be the foundation of believers so that

every person in the future who will build his house of faith will
have this profession as a foundation. For even if we had myriads
of virtues, without a sound profession of faith, we build in vain
(PG 123, 320).”

Euthymios Zigabenos has a similar view (PG 129, 468).

Origen sums up the perspective of many Greek fathers: “Each

disciple ... is a rock, and it is on this rock that every word of the
church is built. ... If you think that it is only on Peter that the church
is built ... what would you say of John ... or ... of the apostles?”

Origen stresses that everything Jesus says to Peter concerns all the
disciples, i.e., all who want to become like Peter. All who imitate
Christ become spiritual rocks, and we can understand the Savior's
words as being said to all (PG 13, 997, 1000).

Orthodox exegetes will not question the authority of these words,

but neither will they accept an exegetical exaggeration that holds
for an eternal primacy.

c) Is the power to bind and loose given to Peter alone? Orthodox

exegetes will say it is given to all the Apostles. (See also Mt 18:18;
Jn 20:22-23).

Luke

Luke's Peter is not treated as ‘Satan’ in the profession of faith scene;

nor does Jesus reproach him for falling asleep at Gethsemane. (Luke
says the disciples fell asleep from the exhaustion caused by grief.)
Peter's denial is narrated concisely and without condemnation
(22:54-62). The prophecy that “from now on you will be catching
people,” is addressed particularly to Peter (5:1-11). Luke is the only
one to mention the appearance of the Risen Christ to Peter.

Luke's picture of Peter, then, is favorable.

Why does Jesus pray for Peter and order him ro "strengthen your
brothers" (22:31-34)? Apparently he sees that Peter will be more

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exposed to temptation than the others, for immediately a erwards

he predicts the threefold denial (v.34). Peter has always shown zeal
and love for Jesus, and Jesus will not leave him without help in
temptation.

The passage, then, is not an ‘important statement on Peter’s future

role’ (Μ.J. Lagrange), but on Jesus’ interest in his ‘brothers’-i.e., his
church. Finally we note the verb: “When once you have turned back
(epistrepsas), strengthen your brothers.” Epistrepsas is not to be taken
as active and transitive, but as middle-passive and intransitive The
Greek fathers stress Jesus' tenderness here for his ‘group leader’
disciple.

The church fathers lived at a time when a pro- or anti- wesrem

position was not a concern. Therefore they do not hesitate to speak
laudatory or deprecatory words of Peter; they do not imagine that
their words will be used either to support a view of Ihe papacy or
to reinforce an anti-Catholic position.

John

In comparing Peter and ‘the disciple whom Jesus loved,’ exegetes

have noted a slight advantage given to John. When Jesus washes
his disciples’ feet (Jn 13) Peter has trouble understanding, but the
same story shows John as the one to whom Jesus revealed the
traitor. Peter denies knowing Jesus, but John is at the cross and is
entrusted with the care of Jesus’ mother (19:25-27). And at the
empty tomb it was John, not Peter, who "saw and believed" (20:8).

A er the resurrection

If Peter is first witness of the resurrection (“he appeared to Cephas,

then to the twelve,” 1 Cor 15:5), the first believer, the first Christian,
it means only that he was the object of grace, without thereby
gaining a special place or power. It would be wrong to see this first
apparition as a ‘mythicization’ of his role.

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“The first encounter...with Peter is fundamental for faith, because it

witnesses to... the center of Christian faith. But we cannot presume
from that anything on Peter's place in the church. [His ... place in
the church is in connection with his place in the ecclesiological body
of the Twelve and with his apostolic function (V. Stoyannos).”

Peter's place among the Twelve we have considered in the first part
of this article.

Feed my lambs

John 21 is added not simply to tell about Jesus’ third appearance,

but about Peter and John, “especially about their death, still in
connection with ... chapters 1 to 20 where the well-loved disciple
has a greater authority in understanding Jesus and his teaching (S.
Agouridis).”

When Jesus appears on the bank of the Tiberias it is John who first
recognizes him and exclaims, “It is the Lord” (21:7).

The central message of the chapter is in 21:15ff where Jesus asks

Peter, "Do you love me more than these?" He then commands Peter
to “Feed my lambs” and predicts his martyrdom. He does not
intend to give Peter more responsibility than the others but to recall
the promise Peter had been unable to keep: to “lay down my life for
you” (13:37). Peter does not dare to say he loves more than the
other disciples do; aware of his weakness and with a broken heart
he says, “Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you.”
Then Jesus appoints him to shepherd the sheep in the same way the
others have this responsibility. And just as Jesus is ‘the good
shepherd’ who ‘gives his life for the sheep’ ( 10:11 ), so is Peter
called to be like Jesus [“Follow me,” 21:19], in this way keeping the
promise to lay down his life. It is in this context that Jesus predicts
Peter's martyrdom (21:18-19), a death that will make him fully a
disciple and a true shepherd of sheep.

We stress the close link between Peter's pastoral service and his
resulting martyrdom. From this perspective, any discussion on
primacy comes into the realm of the rulers and sovereigns of this

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world of corruption and sin. For Christian leaders it is not to be

thus, but responsibility is a service and martyrdom according to the
model of the Good Shepherd.

Acts

In Acts we see Peter take leadership initiatives, but always in the

context of responsibility of the Twelve or of the church of
Jerusalem. He never acts without agreement of or supervision by
the others. In choosing Ma hias to replace Judas, Peter takes the
initiative (1:15), but Ma hias is chosen a er the casting of lots and
the prayer of the whole community (1:23-26).

On Pentecost; “Peter, standing with the eleven” (2:14) begins to

speak to the

crowd. It is as a group that the apostles decide to send Peter and

John to Samaria (8:14) and Barnabas to Antioch (11:22). Peter
seems to be accountable to the others, especially a er Cornelius is
received into the faith. Taken aside by ‘the circumcised believers,’
he explains ‘step by step’ (11:3-4) to show that he acted as he did
because God had ordered it.

A er being delivered from prison, Peter visited the brothers and

asked that James be advised. “Then he le and went to another
place” (12:17). It seems this ‘other place’ was the mission within the
Judaic world (cf. Gal 2:7-8).

Peter reappears at the Council of Jerusalem. He speaks first (Acts

15:7), but the final word is by James, and the Council's decision
begins: “For it has seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us ...”
(15:28). Earlier the decision was summed up:

“Then the apostles and the elders, with the consent of the whole
church, decided to choose men from among their members... and to
send them to Antioch...” (15:22).

A er the Council Paul was highly critical of Peter who “used to eat
with Gentiles” but drew back and kept himself separate for fear of

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the “circumcision faction” (Gal 2:12). This faction consisted of those

who agreed with James. O. Cullmann says Peter’s action shows that
it was not Peter but James who had the primacy. And when Pau1
refers to the leaders in the same epistle, he lists "James and Cephas
and John" (2:9). Only a few mss. list Peter first.

The Orthodox exegete V. Stoyannos says the order of names does

not mean anything, since Paul was not concerned with the hierarchy
of church leaders in Jerusalem. Pau1 is more interested in theology
and in justifying the gospel he preaches. Stoyannos also observes
that in Galatians (esp. 2:7-8) we find the first mention of Peter's
Greek name. The translation of the honorary surname Cephas into
the Greek Petros is the counterpart of the transcription of the
Hebrew Messiah into Christos. It witnesses to Peter's place of honor
in the early church. We conclude from Acts and Galatians that Peter
has a leading role in the church a er Easter, but always ίii the context
of the Twelve. A er a certain time this leading role is held by James,
though there is no mention of a transmission of powers or
succession. Concern is with the movement of the gospel message
from Jerusalem to the rest of the Roman Empire rather than with
those who proclaim that message or with their authority and
primacy.

Today Peter can be a pole only of unity, not of division. The

Orthodox Church celebrates the feast of Peter and Paul together,
stressing “Peter's steadfastness, Paul’s moderation and ... wisdom,
and the true divine inspiration of the two.” We summarize our
conclusions:

1) “The one foundation is Jesus Christ” ( 1-Cor 3:11 ). But Pau1

also speaks of the “building of the faithful,” “built upon the
foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus... as...
cornerstone” (Eph 2:20). And the Apocalypse says Jerusalem “has
twelve foundations, and on them are the twelve names of the twelve
apostles” (21:14). Within the Twelve, Peter has a prominent place
during his life, a place acknowledged by Christ himself. But Christ
does not speak of a primacy beyond Peter's life.

2) The words on Peter as rock of faith (Mt 16:18) are authentic. The
fathers and Orthodox exegetes will interpret them as confessing the

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messianic faith -the faith of every disciple and believer- that Jesus is
Son of the living God.

3) Βy connecting Mt 16:18, Lk 22:31-34, and Jn 21:15-19, we show

that whatever primacy Peter had is a primacy not of power but of
service, of sacrifice, of martyrdom. The pastoral charge he received
(Jn 21 ) does not show his superiority over the others, but his
re-establishment a er his denial to the level of the others who carry
out the same pastoral work with the anticipation of martyrdom.
Martus takes on the twofold meaning of ‘witness’ and ‘martyr.’

4) It is incomprehensible to speak of power and primacy in the early

church, because God's omnipotent action in history does not leave
space for human power (Stoyannos). Further, any NT data on a
special role for any apostle “cannot have any meaning of power,
strength, supremacy, or of government, for those notions are ...
foreign to the notion of Christ’s apostle (I. Anastassiou).” The
apostle's essential task is to proclaim the gospel message “to the
ends of the earth” (Acts 1:8). (RJ)

ΘΗΣΑΥΡΟΣ
ΤΩΝ
ΠΑΤΕΡΩΝ

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