Lesson 9 for the 30th of August, 2008

And I tell you that you are Peter [Πέτρος], and on this rock [πέτρα] I will build my church; and the gates of Hades will not overcome it (Mathew, 16: 18)

The ROCK of Old Testament is God himself

You deserted the ROCK, who bore you; you forgot the God who gave you birth(Deuteronomy, 32: 4, 15, 18, 30, 31, 37)

Who is the ROCK except our God? (2 Samuel, 22: 2, 3, 32, 47; 23: 3)

The Lord is my ROCK, my fortress and my deliverer (Psalms, 18: 2, 31, 46)

You have forgotten God your Savior; you have not remembered the ROCK, your fortress (Isaiah, 17: 10)

The ROCK of New Testament is Jesus Christ or His words

Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the ROCK (Matthew, 7: 24, 25; Luke, 6: 48)

As it is written: "See, I lay in Zion a stone that causes people to stumble and a ROCK that makes them fall, and the one who believes in him will never be put to shame (Romans, 9: 33)

And they all drank the same spiritual drink; for they drank from the spiritual rock that accompanied them, and that ROCK was Christ (1 Corinthians, 10: 4)

A stone that causes people to stumble and a ROCK that makes them fall (1 Peter, 2: 4-8)

1.1. He led the primitive He led the primitive church in its early yearschurch in its early years

2.2. He resisted temptation of He resisted temptation of self-exaltationself-exaltation

3.3. He extended the work to He extended the work to gentilesgentiles

4.4. He was (with John) the He was (with John) the first missionary who was first missionary who was sent by Jerusalem’s sent by Jerusalem’s churchchurch

Peter led a small group of believers and cared about exalting always Jesus; both as the maker of miracles and as the One Who is worthy of worship

Even the best of men, if left to themselves, will make grave blunders. The more responsibilities placed upon the human agent, the higher his position to dictate and control, the more mischief he is sure to do in perverting minds and hearts if he does not carefully follow the way of the Lord. At Antioch Peter failed in the principles of integrity. Paul had to withstand his subverting influence face to face. This is recorded that others may profit by it, and that the lesson may be a solemn warning to the men in high places, that they may not fail in integrity, but keep close to principle

E.G.W. (S.D.A. Bible Commentary Vol. 6, page 1108, paragraph 5)

God’s direct intervention was God’s direct intervention was necessary in order to necessary in order to understand, Peter first and understand, Peter first and all the church later, that the all the church later, that the Gospel had to be brought to Gospel had to be brought to everyone, both Jewish and everyone, both Jewish and gentilesgentiles

While the church was growing, pairs of missionaries were sent to help new groups of converted. Peter and John were one of these first pairs.

Peter was able to adapt himself to the popularity of leadership, and to the obedience to church body when it thought it was proper to sent him as a missionary

The following day Annas and Caiaphas, with the other dignitaries of the temple, met together for the trial of the prisoners, who were then brought before them. In that very room, and before those very men, Peter had shamefully denied his Lord.

All this came distinctly before the mind of the disciple as he now appeared for his own trial. He had now an opportunity of redeeming his former wicked cowardice…

E.G.W. (The Story of Redemption, page 250)

The company present remembered the part Peter had acted at the trial of his Master, and they flattered themselves that he could be intimidated by the threat of imprisonment and death.

But the Peter who denied Christ in the hour of His greatest need was the impulsive, self-confident disciple, differing widely from the Peter who was before the Sanhedrin for examination that day. He had been converted; he was distrustful of self, and no longer a proud boaster…

E.G.W. (The Story of Redemption, page 250-251)

He was filled with the Holy Spirit, and through its power he had become firm as a rock, courageous, yet modest, in magnifying Christ. He was ready to remove the stain of his apostasy by honoring the name he had once disowned

E.G.W. (The Story of Redemption, page 251)

Be thou faithful

unto death, and I will give

thee a crown of

life