What Peter Saw: He Suffered

February 17, 2023

What Peter Saw: He Suffered

Who would have believed what we just heard? When was the LORD’s power revealed through him? He sprouted up like a twig before God, like a root out of parched soil; he had no stately form or majesty that might catch our attention, no special appearance that we should want to follow him. He was despised and rejected by people, one who experienced pain and was acquainted with illness; people hid their faces from him; he was despised, and we considered him insignificant. (Isa 53:1-3, NET)

Jesus was indeed a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief.

He was rejected by the people he had created.

The true light, who gives light to everyone, was coming into the world. He was in the world, and the world was created by him, but the world did not recognize him. He came to what was his own, but his own people did not receive him. (Jn 1:9-11, NET)

His own family did not believe in Him.

So Jesus’ brothers advised him, “Leave here and go to Judea so your disciples may see your miracles that you are performing. For no one who seeks to make a reputation for himself does anything in secret. If you are doing these things, show yourself to the world.” (For not even his own brothers believed in him.) (Jn 7:4-5, NET)

The Jewish leaders thought he was either insane or had a demon.

Another sharp division took place among the Jewish people because of these words. Many of them were saying, “He is possessed by a demon and has lost his mind! Why do you listen to him?” (Jn 10:19-20, NET)

And the Chief Priest and the Pharisees were determined to seize him and kill him.

So from that day they planned together to kill him… (Now the chief priests and the Pharisees had given orders that anyone who knew where Jesus was should report it, so that they could arrest him.) (Jn 11:53, 57, NET)

This was indeed a person who was rejected of men and acquainted with grief. And Peter had experienced it firsthand. As a matter of fact, Peter on several occasions tried to protect him from it. When Jesus predicted his sufferings and death, Peter tried to deny it.

From that time on Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things at the hands of the elders, chief priests, and experts in the law, and be killed, and on the third day be raised. So Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him: “God forbid, Lord! This must not happen to you!” But he turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me, because you are not setting your mind on God’s interests, but on man’s.” (Mt 16:21-23, NET)

When they came to arrest Jesus, Peter tried to prevent it by striking Malchus. On both occasions, Jesus again rebuked him.

Then Simon Peter, who had a sword, pulled it out and struck the high priest’s slave, cutting off his right ear. (Now the slave’s name was Malchus.) But Jesus said to Peter, “Put your sword back into its sheath! Am I not to drink the cup that the Father has given me?” (Jn 18:10-11, NET)

Somewhere along the road of beatings, scourging, the cross, and the empty tomb, Peter got the idea. The Messiah must suffer. And he suffered willingly, for us.

He was wounded because of our rebellious deeds, crushed because of our sins; he endured punishment that made us well; because of his wounds we have been healed. All of us had wandered off like sheep; each of us had strayed off on his own path, but the LORD caused the sin of all of us to attack him. (Isa 53:5-6, NET)

So, when we consider Christ's sufferings, I would start with rejection. Imagine the angst of being the Creator and loving those he created, yet they reject you. Imagine growing up in a family where you never did anything wrong, never sinned, and always loved and respected everyone. But your own brothers would not return the favor. They would not respect or believe in you. And imagine being the very Word of God (John 1:1-5) and yet the so-called experts in the Word considered you either insane or demon possessed. Talk about disrespect and rejection. Of course, Jesus was tough. We never catch him crying about it. But it still must have hurt. He suffered rejection.

In the Garden of Gethsemane, He sweat great drops of blood anticipating the coming crucifixion. For the first time in all eternity, he would be separated from his heavenly Father. The excruciating pain and suffering ahead paled in comparison to the guilt and shame of taking on the sins of the world.

And even in this dark hour in Gethsemane his dear friends could not even stay awake to pray with him.

Then they went to a place called Gethsemane, and Jesus said to his disciples, “Sit here while I pray.” He took Peter, James, and John with him, and became very troubled and distressed. He said to them, “My soul is deeply grieved, even to the point of death. Remain here and stay alert.” Going a little farther, he threw himself to the ground and prayed that if it were possible the hour would pass from him. He said, “Abba, Father, all things are possible for you. Take this cup away from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will.” Then he came and found them sleeping, and said to Peter, “Simon, are you sleeping? Couldn’t you stay awake for one hour? Stay awake and pray that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.” He went away again and prayed the same thing. When he came again he found them sleeping; they could not keep their eyes open. And they did not know what to tell him. He came a third time and said to them, “Are you still sleeping and resting? Enough of that! The hour has come. Look, the Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. Get up, let us go. Look! My betrayer is approaching!” (Mk 14:32-42, NET)

He suffered much more than rejection. The beating, scourging, and death on the cross was the ultimate in pain and shame. They secured his hands and his feet to the cross with nails and hung him up naked to die. Once dead, they pierced his side with a spear. (John 19:34; Ps 22).

So, Jesus was most certainly a man of sorrows acquainted with grief. He knew pain and suffering. He became sin for us.

God made the one who did not know sin to be sin for us, so that in him we would become the righteousness of God. (2 Cor 5:21)

And Peter knew it. So how did this affect him later in life?

Peter eventually becomes the spiritual leader of the church in Rome. The early churches were under severe persecution. Peter was eventually crucified under Nero in 64 AD. Tradition says that he was crucified upside down because he didn't want to be crucified in the same manner as his Lord.

In writing the letters we know as 1st and 2nd Peter, suffering is a huge theme. I can count at least 8 times. 1 Pet 4:12-19 is a great example:

Dear friends, do not be astonished that a trial by fire is occurring among you, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice in the degree that you have shared in the sufferings of Christ, so that when his glory is revealed you may also rejoice and be glad. If you are insulted for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory, who is the Spirit of God, rests on you. But let none of you suffer as a murderer or thief or criminal or as a troublemaker. But if you suffer as a Christian, do not be ashamed, but glorify God that you bear such a name. For it is time for judgment to begin, starting with the house of God. And if it starts with us, what will be the fate of those who are disobedient to the gospel of God? And if the righteous are barely saved, what will become of the ungodly and sinners? So then let those who suffer according to the will of God entrust their souls to a faithful Creator as they do good.

Notice a few things he points out:

We shouldn't be surprised when suffering comes.
We can rejoice at the privilege of suffering for Christ.
We will be blessed when we are persecuted.
We should never suffer for doing wrong, but for doing right.
When suffering, we should entrust ourselves to God.

There are many reasons why we suffer. Persecution for our faith is certainly one of the main reasons. But there are also health issues that we or our loved ones face. There is the pain caused by our own sin, or the sins of others. And we live in a fallen world. There are calamities associated with living here. In every case, Peter's admonition to entrust ourselves to God is profound.

When suffering, we may try to run away, blame others, blame ourselves, or blame God. Our attitude can make matters much worse. How many have developed a bitter and angry spirit during suffering. What good does that do? It only makes matters worse. Consider Jesus. He was the perfect example. He entrusted himself to his heavenly Father, just as we can. He responded in faith, as we should. Peter understood this. So should we.

For what credit is it if you sin and are mistreated and endure it? But if you do good and suffer and so endure, this finds favor with God. For to this you were called, since Christ also suffered for you, leaving an example for you to follow in his steps. He committed no sin nor was deceit found in his mouth. When he was maligned, he did not answer back; when he suffered, he threatened no retaliation, but committed himself to God who judges justly. (1 Pet 2:20-23, NET)

Questions to consider: