Pride meets Grace
Then Jesus told them, “This very night you will all fall away on account of me, for it is written: “‘I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock will be scattered.’
But after I have risen, I will go ahead of you into Galilee.”
Peter replied, “Even if all fall away on account of you, I never will.”
“Truly I tell you,” Jesus answered, “this very night, before the rooster crows, you will disown me three times.”
But Peter declared, “Even if I have to die with you, I will never disown you.” And all the other disciples said the same.
Matthew 26:31-35
The verses above describe an exchange between Peter and Jesus at their last meal together before Jesus was hung on the cross. Notice the pride of Peter, refusing to believe that he would turn away from Christ. He was to learn a tough lesson on pride and grace.
It all started when Peter, named Simon, was a fisherman, the sea his hunting ground. One day, as he was pulling his net in on the beach by the Sea of Galilee, Jesus approached him, looking deep into his eyes. The Bible uses the Greek word emblepo to describe the gaze. Emblepo means to “look upon” with a “close, penetrating ‘look.’” Jesus, being God himself, looked at Simon and knew all that would happen in his life. He knew the pride of Simon shown in the verses above. He knew that Simon would say that he was committed but turn his back on him at his darkest hour. He knew that Simon’s passion and tendencies to speak his mind would get him in trouble throughout his life. And he knew that Simon would never, could never, live a life without failure.
Yet, even knowing all of these shortcomings, Jesus didn’t condemn or pass Simon by to find someone who could better measure up. Not Jesus. Not him who was grace himself. Instead, at that moment on the beach, looking in his eyes, Jesus changed Simon’s name to Peter, meaning “rock.” At that moment, Jesus said that Peter would be a rock for his ministry, the church. Jesus overlooked the failures of Simon and welcomed the man Peter with open arms, giving him a life of immeasurable purpose, joy, and hope. In a moment, Peter’s life changed forever.
There is an awesome scene in the Bible that illustrates the grace of Jesus and the love he has for us, despite our shortcomings. As Jesus foreknew, Peter’s final act toward him prior to his death was betrayal. As Jesus was getting brutally beaten and murdered, Peter refused to help. Worse, he pretended that he did not know him. As Jesus was walking across the courtyard, bloody from the beatings he was enduring, he looked among the crowd and locked eyes with Peter. Imagine the moment. Imagine the penetrating gaze. Peter ran away crying. Peter had betrayed his Savior, his best friend.
Hours later, Jesus was brutally killed on the cross, as Peter looked on in the distance.
After the crucifixion of Jesus, when Mary went to the tomb early Sunday morning, the stone has been rolled away and there was an angel greeting her. Mary must have been startled beyond belief. She looked on in amazement. Jesus had risen! Everything he said was true!
Mark 16:7 captures the heart of Jesus. The angel turned to Mary and said, “Go, tell his disciples and Peter.”. Go and tell Peter. The one who had denied him and refused to acknowledge him. The one who was certainly hurting more than anyone else because he had turned his back on Jesus. The angel said to make sure Peter knew that Jesus had risen. Jesus cared for Peter and wanted him to know that everything was okay. “Forget about denying me, Peter. Just know that I have risen.”
After receiving the news and understanding the truth about his death and resurrection, Peter recklessly told others. He became the leader of the believers. There was no more denying Jesus. As Jesus said in Luke 7:47, Peter had been forgiven much, so he loved Jesus much.
When pride meets grace, grace wins. Grace indeed overcomes pride. He who has been forgiven much loves Jesus much.
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