Peter, James, and John: A Lesson in Boldness?

Image courtesy of www.latitude5.com 

I was listening to a sermon recently where my pastor preached from a scripture that I have read countless times before. He spoke on the raising of Jairus's daughter and renewing our astonishment, our sense of amazement, at the miracles that are performed in our lives daily.  As he spoke, returning often to the scripture, I found my attention drawn repeatedly to 37th verse of the 5th chapter of St. Mark's gospel.  The verse reads simply, “And he suffered no man to follow him, save Peter, and James, and John the brother of James."  This verse not only sparked my memory but kindled a sense of wonder and curiosity that I could not seem to press down.  The memory was simply this: at least three times in scripture Peter, James, and John are singled out by Christ, twice during moments of His miraculous glory, and once during His moment of greatest weakness.  The wonder that soon followed after can be summed up by a single, poignant question:  "Why them?" Why, during the moment of his transfiguration, did he choose to take these three?  Why, at the raising of Jairus's daughter, did he allow none but Peter, James, John to accompany him?  And why, as sweated blood in the garden of Gethsemane, did he choose these from among the twelve to stand watch as he prayed?   

Images courtesy of http://www.scienceofcorrespondences.com
/in-the-garden-of-gethsemane--mark-14-.htm

The answer, I thought, must be there, hidden among the pages of the gospels, between the lines of scripture that provide the details of Christ's three year ministry.  So, I began to look, to search, to recall those stories of these three (often hapless, thoughtless) disciples.  As I walked among the pages of scripture, the shining examples of discipleship that I had hoped to find were simply not present, at least not in the way that I believed they would be.  Let’s take what we know of these three, beginning with James and John, as their stories are a bit shorter than Peter’s.  In each of the lists of the twelve, though Peter is always listed first, James and John follow immediately after[i].  They are first on the lists, and, apparently, are often first in the mind of Christ during those miraculously momentous times during his ministry, however, when they are mentioned in scripture, it is often during a rebuke.  Immediately following their witness of Christ’s transfiguration, James and John were ready to call down fire from heaven to consume an entire city; Christ has to step in and remind them that He came to save men’s lives, not destroy them[ii].  These are the same two disciples who must be called down for asking to sit at the right and left-hand of Christ in the kingdom of heaven[iii].  Peter’s laundry list of rebukes is even greater.  This is disciple who is admonished for his doubt after taking his eyes from Christ and sinking in the waves.  He is quietly reprimanded for falling asleep as Christ prayed in the garden.  He is named “Satan” for attempting to steer Christ away from his destiny, and must be told to put away his sword after cutting off a man’s ear when Christ is taken away[iv].  The list seems to go on.  What then, is scripture trying to tell us by repeatedly calling out these three specifically?  Perhaps these three, plagued as they were by deficiencies of character, simply needed the most help and were thus allowed a bit more time alone with Christ.  Perhaps.  Or perhaps Papa is trying to show us something else.


As I sit and look to story after story where these three are mentioned specifically, I am struck by sheer desire for closeness, the hunger for a greater measure of faith, and the boldness with which they exercise that faith.  It seems that, while the other disciples were often content with following, with listening, and with moving on, these three had a desire to walk in the fullness of the glory that had been promised to them.  While eleven were content to remain on the boat and watch as Christ walked across the raging waters of a stormy sea, only Peter had the courage, the boldness, to step forward and say, “Lord, if it is you, bid me to come.”[v]  While the other disciples seemed tolerant of the treatment that Christ received at the hands of the Samaritans, only James and John had the nerve to step forward in righteous anger.  And when Christ began to speak of the end of all things, only Peter, James, and John, this time accompanied by Andrew, had the nerve to ask the most important of all questions, Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign when all these things shall be fulfilled? (Mar 13:4).  Perhaps, then, it is not a greater need for education of character, but a testament to hunger and boldness that causes these disciples to be so often called out from among the twelve to a closeness with Christ that is above and beyond that which can be seen of the remainder of the twelve.  Perhaps it is boldness that causes Christ to give Simon a new name – to call him Peter, which means “little stone” and in the same breath declare “upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it” (Mat 16:18).  Perhaps it is boldness that causes Christ to give James and John the surname “Boanerges, which is, the sons of thunder” (Mar 3:17). This, then, is my desire and my prayer for 2014:

Image courtesy of http://ootbwc.com/2012/07/

Papa, I come to you now in the name of your son, Jesus Christ, desiring nothing more than the relationship with you that allows me to be called out.  I want to experience a greater closeness with you than I have ever before experienced.  Give me the boldness to speak your Word, not only in the House of God, but in the world, daily.  Give me the courage, when others may stand back, to step out of the boat and to walk, truly walk, hand in hand with you.  Guide my steps, guard my heart, and allow the living water inside of me to spill forth in uncertain times with a boldness that pleases the heart of God.  I stand upon the promise of your Word that declares that we are to come boldly before the throne of grace and that boldness allows us entrance into the holiest through the blood of Jesus Christ where we may find mercy, grace, and help in our times of greatest need.  Live through me, Papa, and let that life, which can only be lived IN you, bring glory and honor to your name. 

---

[i] Mt. 10:1-4; Mk. 3:16-18; Lk. 6:12-16 [ii] Lk. 9:54 [iii] Mk. 10:35-40 [iv] Mt. 14:31, Mk. 14:37, Mt. 16:23, Jn. 18:10, respectively [v] Mt. 14:28