Kefa Pt.1

By Marc Vidito

Gnarled calloused hands from casting and pulling fraying splintered nets.  Dark olive sun bathed skin, often blistered by the sun.  Eyes that squinted at the sun reflecting off the Kineret, the Sea of Galilee. Thick muscular arms and an often sore back from rowing, casting, hauling.  A full thick beard that met a crown of thick unkempt curly hair.  Tattered clothes.  All of it covered with sweat and grime from a hard day’s labor and pronounced by the stench of sweat and fish.  In all probability, this was Simon Peter.  Not the saintly haloed figure painted in murals or inlaid in stained glass windows.

Who was he?

Lets dive (pun intended) into a two part character study of the man that left everything to become one of the very first disciples of Yeshua and the one about whom Yeshua would say, “And I also tell you that you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build My community; and the gates of Sheol will not overpower it.” (Matthew 16:18)

We will be reading a lot of scripture tonight.  If you did not bring a physical bible, please download the YouVersion bible app on your phone so you can follow along.

Read Matthew 4:18-20

Describe this scenario.  What is happening? What do Simon Peter and Andrew do in response to the Lord’s call?  Why? Why do you think they immediately follow?  How would you respond?

Luke 5:1-11 gives context to the same story.  Read this passage.

There is more to the story than simply hearing and immediately changing the course of their lives.  According to Luke, what was the series of events?  What did Yeshua ask of Simon Peter before asking him to follow Him?  What did Peter listen to?  What sign did Peter see? How did Peter initially respond?  What type of person do you think Peter was when Yeshua found him?  A man of good repute? Someone people liked to bump into in the marketplace?  Someone offered the place of honor as a guest in someone’s home?

When I picture Peter, I hear a gruff weathered voice.  I see a rash slightly impulsive man.  This was the one, after all, who cut off the ear of the servant of the Kohen Gadol in the garden at Yeshua’s betrayal.  (John18:10-11) He seemed to be always the first to respond to Yeshua’s questions and actions.  “Don’t wash my feet!”  “Wash my hands and head also!” (John 13:4-10) “I’ll follow you to death!” (Matthew 26:31-35)  “I tell you I don’t know the man!” (Matthew 26:69-75)

Who was Peter when Yeshua found him?  Peter is a complex man and one of the greatest bits of character development that we get to see in the gospels.  In what ways did Peter change throughout scripture?

Who are you?  Who were you when Yeshua called you?  In what ways has your life changed since that call?