The Twelve: St. Peter

St. Peter

Meaning of his name: At his birth he got the name Shimon, which literally means “the one who was heard.” To some extend it is a reflection on the suffering of matriarch Leah who said “[God has] heard...” when she conceived and bore the second boy (Genesis 29:33). The apostle was named after the forefather – one of the sons of Jacob (which begs a question, maybe Andrew was the first and Simon – the second).

There is a famous passage (Matthew 16:18) that people identify as a moment when the apostle was renamed. (Close but no cigar). Actually, he was called Simon Peter prior to his confession, and after. But Jesus changed Simon's name – when the LORD called him as a disciple (John 1:41-42). Peter is a Greek word for “Rock” or a “jewel.”

Life story: The New Testament has many stories about St. Peter. I am not going to talk about his denial of Jesus, or cutting of an ear of the High priest servant, or multiple times in the prison, or conflict with St. Paul. We will pick a few of the most known ones to paint a picture of the apostle.

Psalm 28

Psalm 28

Psalm begins with two requests (v. 1):

a. Be a rock

  b. Not to be deaf to me

  b’. if you’ll be silent

a’. I will go to the pit  

Then the primary answer is right there (v. 2):

Hear the voice of my pleas for mercy, when I cry to you for help

When I lift up my hands toward your most holy sanctuary.

 

But then David goes into a “negative” example (vv. 3-5):

a. Description:  Wicked – workers of evil 

being treacherous: speaking peace but having evil in their hearts

   b. Outcome: Give them what they deserve (in accordance with their deeds), v. 4

a’. Description of the reason: Because they do not regard the works of the LORD (the Living one, see the reference to the pit, v. 1)

   b’, Description of the outcome: He will tear them down and build them up no more – they will not experience resurrection. For all of us go through the cycles of “down-ups” or “death-resurrection.”

   

Fuller description of God’s “answers” (vv. 6-9):

a. Hearing (vv. 6-7). He hears – I give thanks with my song.

b. Lord – the strength of His people (vv. 8-9) – like a ROCK. He is a saving refuge, where people can hide in times of trouble.