BULLETIN 33 -Saint Peter -The Unity of Scripture.
Peter, also known as Simon, in his letters that were provided by an assistant Silvanus, provides great evidence of the achievements of true Christians and also many of their great challenges and the unity of the scriptures. We know little about Silvanus, only he worked in the background and he was also a scribe for Paul so he was important in the early church.
We know of Peter as the disciple who, under great pressure during the arrest of Jesus, denied him thrice before the cock crowed. We also know that Jesus regarded Peter as a rock, that is one who was solid and reliable, a faithful henchman of the apostles. It was to him that Jesus entrusted much of the church's foundation as the first Pope of 'the church to have no ending'. It was God's apparent slowness to act that he realised was not indifference or dilatoriness.( 2 Peter 3:8,9) .Peter clearly understood that there is a pattern to scripture, centred on Christ. Firstly the prophets who foretold Christ. Secondly Christ who came into being, and thirdly the Apostles brought the good news of Christ. The Second Peter is one of the most neglected books of the bible, written to combat the beliefs and activities of certain men concerning the second coming of Christ, who were a threat to the early church. The Christian is one who has escaped from the corruption of the world and must always realise that there has been a purgation of their old sins, so there is laid upon them the duty of ethical holiness and moral goodness, culminating in the great virtue of love (not eros).Suffering may have different outcomes for all of us, for example it may result in bitterness, resentment or despair. But if it is accepted in love, in a certainty that it should not cause needless fear, then out of suffering come lessons that the easy way can never brings.
1 Peter 4:11 says: If anyone speaks, let him speak as one uttering sayings of God. If anyone rendeers any service, let him do so as one whose service comes from the strength which God supplies, so that God may be glorified in all things through Jesus Christ, in whom glory and power belong for ever and ever. Amen. E.Selwyn reminds us that the motto of the Benedictine Order of Monks is the letters-IOGD, which means in order that in all things God may be glorified.
A new grace and glory would enter the church, if all church people ceased doing things for themselves, and did them for God- (and the obliteration of self).To realise his destiny The Christian. must not remain alone but must be built into the fabric and edifice of the church. That means that the church is a community. The Christian must abstain from fleshly lusts because his law is the law of the Kingdom, and his goal is the eternal joy which is the presence of God. The function of the church is to tell forth the excellences of God , thus the Christian is to tell others about what God has done for his soul. Christians are a royal priesthood with the means to approach God; and every Christian offers his work, his worship and himself to God.
This commentary provides only a little of the gems that Peter wrote but hopefully you will look further than this.
Blessings to all, AMEN. Ref. W. Barclay
- srd