I am currently reading The Final Days of Jesus, a book by Professor Andreas Kostenberger and Dr. Justin Taylor that tracks Jesus’ last week on earth. As I read, I am struck by Peter’s denial of Jesus. I have read the gospel accounts many times, but it had never struck me so hard until I read this carefully researched account.
At the last supper of Christ with His disciples, Peter foolishly proclaims his commitment to follow Jesus even to the point of Peter’s own death. Jesus dampens Peter’s enthusiastic declaration of fealty with the sobering reality that Peter would deny Christ three times before the cock crowed. And, sure enough, in the courtyard of Annas, Peter’s boldness gives way to the here-and-now and Peter denies Christ vehemently, even resorting to profanity (Matt 26:72).
This resonated with me.
On Sunday, surrounded by Christians, I can claim my allegiance to Christ to the point of death. However, come Monday, on the University of Alabama campus, the mood is decidedly different. Here, like Annas’ hostile court, it is definitely not popular to be a follower of Jesus. And, sadly, just like Peter, I deny that I even know this radical Jesus of Nazareth.
“But your accent gives you away,” so said Peter’s accusers and so complain some of mine; but they aren’t talking about my strong southern drawl, but about my too frequent references to the Bible, to church, and to prayer. They’ve heard about my connection to Jesus, but they see me deny him around the heat of the fire. Thus my hypocrisy is exposed.
I relate so well to Peter. When the atmosphere is friendly, I am a close companion of Christ. But, when the environment is even slightly hostile, I am more aware of my fear than my identity in Jesus.
Looking back on my 33 years as a professor, I, like Peter, am ashamed of my denials, though mine exceeded Peter’s mere three denials.
But I am encouraged to realize that Peter made amends.
In Acts 4 Peter fearlessly proclaims the gospel of Jesus Christ in the presence of Annas, the Chief Priest. In Acts 5 after being imprisoned for their testimony, it is Peter who boldly proclaims, (vs 29) “We must obey God rather than men…”.
It is so very easy for me to proclaim Christ with boldness on Sunday while being cowed to silence Monday-Friday. But Peter’s denials of Christ came before the crucifixion; he was empowered with gospel boldness after the resurrection.
And, thanks be to God, we are post-resurrection, you and I, and can be bold in obeying God rather than men. We must do our duty to teach our students well, but clearly and often endorse our own relationship with the Savior who died for us. My shame of denial has been swallowed up in the victory of using my role as a professor to proclaim Christ as often as I can.
“Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you rather than to God, you must judge, for we cannot but speak of what we have seen and heard.” (Acts 4:19-20)
Philip Bishop
Kinesiology and Physical Education
U of Alabama