The Most Reprimanded Man in the Bible

April 1, 2007

            Just who was the most rebuked man in the Bible?  Was it David, Moses or Peter?  In my opinion, Peter was the most rebuked man in the Word of God.  Just how did this lovable, influential, vocal and wise apostle of our Lord become the most rebuked?  It is because he made a lot of mistakes.  
            It has been said, "Experience is the best teacher, but only the worst students need the best teacher."  When Peter would stumble and fall, he would always get back up and learn from his blunder.  It would seem that no matter how hard Peter tried, he could not get things right.  No matter how hard he failed, he would make thinks right. 

Right Action, Wrong Focus
            Everyone knows the story of Peter walking upon the water (Matt. 14:22-33).  Peter started to walk out to Jesus upon the waves.  He looked down at the raging sea and began to doubt.  As he lost faith, he started to sink.  Do we admire the other disciples besides Peter? Do you admire those boat potatoes? At least Peter had enough faith to get out of the boat.  He was reprimanded for his lack of faith. Jesus did not condemn him for trying, but for giving up.  His action was right.  His focus was wrong as a result of looking at the waves instead of Jesus.

Right Emotion, Wrong Advice

            “From that time Jesus began to show to His disciples that He must go to Jerusalem, and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised again the third day. Then Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him, saying, ‘Far be it from You, Lord; this shall not happen to You!’  But He turned and said to Peter, ‘Get behind Me, Satan! You are an offense to Me, for you are not mindful of the things of God, but the things of men’'' (Matt. 16:21-23).
            Peter received one the harshest rebukes ever given to anyone in the Bible.  Jesus called him “Satan.”  Peter’s emotion was right.  He only had love for Jesus and only rebuked Him because he did not understand God’s plan for His Son.  We can learn from Peter’s wholesome emotion and his unsound advice. Christians must learn to accept God's plans and commands regardless of whether we think they'll work or not.

Right Attitude, Wrong Action
            Peter, James and John had the distinct privilege of witnessing the transfiguration of Jesus, Moses and Elijah (Matt. 17:1-5).  Peter was so moved by what he saw, he said,  "Lord, it is good for us to be here; if You wish, let us make here three tabernacles: one for You, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.'' This time Peter received a rebuke straight from God in Heaven! God said, "This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. Hear Him!''
            Like Peter, we too become so avid about the Lord’s cause that we fail to seek God’s Will.  We have the right attitude, but we engage in the wrong action.  You cannot alter God’s Work in order to do God’s Will.

Wrong Humility, Right Extreme
            To teach His disciples a lesson on humble service to one another, Jesus took a towel, and some water and began to wash their feet (John 13:6-9).  When He came to Peter, he said, "You shall never wash my feet!'' The Lord replied, "If I do not wash you, you have no part with Me.'' Peter said, "Lord, not my feet only, but also my hands and my head!'' However, Jesus knew that spiritually Peter was clean.  Although Peter had the wrong idea about humility and service, he had the right idea about being completely clean.

Right Action, Wrong Endurance 

            On another occasion, Peter asked Jesus, “‘Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Up to seven times?’ Jesus said to him, ‘I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven’” (Matt. 18:21,22).  The rabbinical schools were divided over the number of times a person ought to be forgiven.  Some argued you should forgive someone only three times.  Others were more compassionate.  They argued that one should forgive up to four times.   Peter added the two answers together and arrived at seven times. In effect, Peter was saying,  “Give me just the minimum.”  Jesus said, “No way am I going to tell you seven times.  Instead, you ought to forgive him 490 times!”  Jesus was not suggesting to His disciples to keep a little black book on each brother’s trespasses.  As soon as someone sinned against us the 491st time, we could say: “Brother, I don’t have to forgive you any more.”  Jesus used the hyperbole of 490 times to command limitless forgiveness of our penitent brothers and sisters.  Peter had the right action in mind, but the wrong endurance.

Right Comment, Wrong Conviction
            “And the Lord said, ‘Simon, Simon! Indeed, Satan has asked for you, that he may sift you as wheat. But I have prayed for you, that your faith should not fail; and when you have returned to Me, strengthen your brethren.’  But he said to Him,’ Lord, I am ready to go with You, both to prison and to death.’ Then He said, ‘I tell you, Peter, the rooster will not crow this day before you will deny three times that you know Me’'' (Luke 22:31-34).
            Like so many well meaning Christians of our day, Peter made the right remark, but he did not have the real conviction to support what he was saying. How often do we hear someone proclaim to us, “I’ll be there Sunday.  You can count on me”?  When Sunday comes, the person is not in attendance.  Instead, he or she is sound asleep in attendance at St. Mattress.

Right Place, Wrong Activity
            Speaking of sleeping on the job, Peter was rebuked more than once in a single night for dozing off at his post.  On the night of His betrayal, Jesus took Peter, James and John with Him to the Garden of Gethsemane.  Leaving them, He moved into the garden a short distance and began to pray.  Every time He came back to check on His disciples, He found them asleep (Matt. 26:39-46). 
            You don’t have to go far to see the application for the modern-day Christian.  Worship service is the right place for a faithful Christian to be.  However, coming to doze off on hard pews, expecting to be entertained or just day dreaming is not the right kind of activity for the occasion.

Right Battle, Wrong Weapon

            Later in the garden, Peter cut off the ear of Malchus when Jesus was arrested.  Although Jesus miraculously replaced the ear, He still rebuked Peter: "Put your sword in its place, for all who take the sword will perish by the sword” (Matt. 26:52). Peter had some kind of courage.  He took on a whole band of trained soldiers by himself.  He is such an awful swordsman that he misses the guy’s entire chest and cut off the man’s ear. Like so many modern religious militants, Peter was using the wrong weapon for the right battle.  We do not fight a carnal war but a spiritual war. Instead of carnal weapons we need spiritual weapons (Eph. 6:10f).
                       

Right Answer, Wrong Concern
            After Jesus’ resurrection, He asked Peter who had been out fishing, “Do  you love me?”  Peter gave the right answer, each time: “Yes, I love you.”  In response to each answer Jesus commanded Peter to feed His sheep.  Peter then focused on John.  “What is going to happen to John?” Peter asked Jesus.  Jesus said, “Peter, you need to worry about Peter, John is my business not yours.” 
            He had the right answer but the wrong concern.  Again, his focus should have been on his duty to the Lord, not John’s.  No matter what others are doing we must first examine ourselves to make sure we are loving and obeying the Lord.
            Space in this article is limited.  We have not spoken of Peter’s wrong response but right conclusion in Acts 10.  Peter had both the wrong spirit and the wrong interest when Paul had to rebuke him at Antioch (Gal. 2:11-14). Peter had the right question, but wrong understanding in Matthew 15:13-20. He had both the wrong answer and the wrong reasoning when he was asked if Jesus paid the temple tax (Matt. 17:24-27).  When Jesus was on trial, Peter used the wrong words in response to those who inquired if he knew Jesus. Later, Peter expressed the right sorrow when he wept because of his denial of the Lord (Matt. 26:69-75).
            Yes, Peter made a lot of mistakes, but he learned from them.  Peter never denied that he made a mistake and never tried to rationalize away his mistakes. Instead, he repented of them.  He was the most reprimanded man in the Bible, but he learned to take it like one of the greatest men in the Bible. 
            How about you?  How do you handle all your mistakes?  How do you respond to rebuke?

– Daniel R. Vess