this the divine Teacher discerned the ardent,
sincere, loving heart. Jesus rebuked his self-seeking, disappointed
his ambitions, tested his faith. But He revealed to him that for which
his soul longed—the beauty of holiness, His own transforming love.
“Unto the men which Thou gavest Me out of the world,” He said to
the Father, “I have manifested Thy name.” John 17:6.
John’s was a nature that longed for love, for sympathy and companionship.
He pressed close to Jesus, sat by His side, leaned upon
His breast. As a flower drinks the sun and dew, so did he drink in
the divine light and life. In adoration and love he beheld the Saviour,
until likeness to Christ and fellowship with Him became his one
desire, and in his character was reflected the character of his Master.
“Behold,” he said, “what manner of love the Father hath bestowed
upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore
the world knoweth us not, because it knew Him not. Beloved, now
are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be:
[88] but we know that, when He shall appear, we shall be like Him; for
we shall see Him as He is. And every man that hath this hope in
Him purifieth himself, even as He is pure.” 1 John 3:1-3.
Chapter 9—An Illustration of His Methods 65
From Weakness to Strength
The history of no one of the disciples better illustrates Christ’s
method of training than does the history of Peter. Bold, aggressive,
and self-confident, quick to perceive and forward to act, prompt in
retaliation yet generous in forgiving, Peter often erred, and often
received reproof. Nor were his warmhearted loyalty and devotion to
Christ the less decidedly recognized and commended. Patiently, with
discriminating love, the Saviour dealt with His impetuous disciple,
seeking to check his self-confidence, and to teach him humility,
obedience, and trust.
But only in part was the lesson learned. Self-assurance was not
uprooted.
Often Jesus, the burden heavy upon His own heart, sought to
open to the disciples the scenes of His trial and suffering. But their
eyes were holden. The knowledge was unwelcome, and they did not
see. Self-pity, that shrank from fellowship with Christ in suffering,
prompted Peter’s remonstrance, “Pity Thyself, Lord: this shall not
be unto Thee.” Matthew 16:22, margin. His words expressed the
thought and feeling of the Twelve.
So they went on, the crisis drawing nearer; they, boastful, contentious,
in anticipation apportioning regal honors, and dreaming
not of the cross.
For them all, Peter’s experience had a lesson. To self-trust, trial
is defeat. The sure outworking of evil still unforsaken, Christ could
not prevent. But as His hand had been outstretched to save when the
waves were about to sweep over Peter, so did His love reach out for [89]
his rescue when the deep waters swept over his soul. Over and over
again, on the very verge of ruin, Peter’s words of boasting brought
him nearer and still nearer to the brink. Over and over again was
given the warning, “Thou shalt ... deny that thou knowest Me.” Luke
22:34. It was the grieved, loving heart of the disciple that spoke out
in the avowal, “Lord, I am ready to go with Thee, both into prison,
and to death” (Luke 22:33); and He who reads the heart gave to
Peter the message, little valued then, but that in the swift-falling
darkness would shed a ray of hope: “Simon, Simon, behold, Satan
hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat: but I have
66 Education
prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted,
strengthen thy brethren.” Luke 22:31, 32.
When in the judgment hall the words of denial had been spoken;
when Peter’s love and loyalty, awakened under the Saviour’s glance
of pity and love and sorrow, had sent him forth to the garden where
Christ had wept and prayed; when his tears of remorse dropped
upon the sod that had been moistened with the blood drops of His
agony—then the Saviour’s words, “I have prayed for thee: ... when
thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren,” were a stay to his soul.
Christ, though foreseeing his sin, had not abandoned him to despair.
If the look that Jesus cast upon him had spoken condemnation
instead of pity; if in foretelling the sin He had failed of speaking
hope, how dense would have been the darkness that encompassed
Peter! how reckless the despair of that tortured soul! In that hour of
anguish and self-abhorrence, what could have held him back from
[90] the path trodden by Judas?
He who could not spare His disciple the anguish, left him not
alone to its bitterness. His is a love that fails not nor forsakes.
Human beings, themselves given to evil, are prone to deal untenderly
with the tempted and the erring. They cannot read the heart,
they know not its struggle and pain. Of the rebuke that is love, of
the blow that wounds to heal, of the warning that speaks hope, they
have need to learn.
It was not John, the one who watched with Him in the judgment
hall, who stood beside His cross, and who of the Twelve was first at
the tomb—it was not John, but Peter, that was mentioned by Christ
after His resurrection. “Tell His disciples and Peter,” the angel said,
“that He goeth before you into Galilee: there shall ye see Him.”
Mark 16:7.
At the last meeting of Christ with the disciples by the sea, Peter,
tested by the thrice-given question, “Lovest thou Me?” was restored
to his place among the Twelve. His work was appointed him; he
was to feed the Lord’s flock. Then, as His last personal direction,
Jesus bade him, “Follow thou Me.” John 21:17, 22.
Now he could appreciate the words. The lesson Christ had given
when He set a little child in the midst of the disciples and bade them
become like him, Peter could now better understand. Knowing more
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fully both his own weakness and Christ’s power, he was ready to
trust and to obey. In His strength he could follow his Master.
And at the close of his experience of labor and sacrifice, the
disciple once so unready to discern the cross, counted it a joy to
yield up his life for the gospel, feeling only that, for him who had [91]
denied the Lord, to die in the same manner as his Master died was
too great an honor.
A miracle of divine tenderness was P
