2. Peter's Growth as a Disciple (Matthew 14-18)


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Free E-mail Bible Study Bible study Apostle Peter: Disciple Lessons from the Rock

Michael , detail of 'Saint Peter' (1465), on Swiss stone pine, Kunsthistorisches Museum Wien, Vienna, Austria.
Michael Pacher, detail of 'Saint Peter' (1465), on Swiss stone pine, Kunsthistorisches Museum Wien, Vienna, Austria. Full image.

We've looked at the early days of Peter, as he follows John the Baptist and then Jesus, finally commits his life to a new profession of "fishing for men."

Now we turn to Peter's growth as a disciple. We'll examine some of the experiences that helped form him. It is likely that Peter is present for nearly all of Jesus' teachings and healings. But to study all of Jesus' ministry and teaching is outside the scope of this study. Here we focus on Peter and his development.

2.1. Chief of the Twelve Apostles

The appointing of the twelve apostles is found in all of the Synoptic Gospels, with "Simon, who is called Peter" as the first name in each list.37 This seems to be a good indication that Peter is considered the lead apostle, as Jesus seems to indicate when he says, "On this rock I will build my church" (Matthew 16:16, Lesson 3.1.5). He is also the best-known disciple, mentioned in the Bible more times by far than all of the other Twelve Apostles put together.

Inner Circle -- Peter, James, and John

In the Synoptic Gospels it becomes clear that Jesus has three apostles that he mentors more closely and allows to be present in particularly intimate situations where the other disciples are excluded -- Peter, James, and John

  1. The raising of Jairus' daughter (Mark 5:37; Luke 8:51). No words from the disciples are recorded, and as such, this incident isn't included in our study.
  2. The Transfiguration of Jesus. Peter offers a strange suggestion (Mark 9:2, 5; Matthew 17:1,4; Luke 9:28, 32, 33), that we'll consider in Lesson 4.1; and
  3. Praying in the Garden of Gethsemane, where Peter is addressed by name (Mark 14:33, 27; Matthew 26:37, 40). We'll consider this in Lesson 5.3.

The order of names sometimes varies, but Peter is always mentioned first among the three. This is another indication of Peter's preeminence among the disciples.38

Why does Jesus have this inner circle of three? Jesus is in the business of training men and women to follow him and to lead the church after he has ascended. He looks for those who have the greatest spiritual maturity and leadership skills and takes them aside for further instruction. Some are more ready than others to learn. This is just wise usage of a leader's time.

But it is also possible that Jesus needs people with whom he can share himself more openly. To see Jesus as emotionally needy sounds heretical, but he is human, after all. In the Garden of Gethsemane where he is under great stress, he seems genuinely disappointed that Peter and the others sleep rather than stay awake to support him.

Pastors have emotional needs, also. Too often, pastors don't open themselves to anyone in their congregations for fear of being criticized for weakness or accused of favoritism. But Jesus doesn't live that way and neither should we. Part of Jesus' leadership style is vulnerability. Pastors need to select leaders to disciple and train and share their lives with in order to further the kingdom. Pastors need friends, too.

Jesus' inner circle of Peter, James, and John isn't about fairness, but about fulfilling the mission of the Kingdom.

Q6. How is Jesus' inner circle of Peter, James, and John a strategic leadership style to advance the Kingdom? How is it important for Jesus' needs?

2.2. Peter as a Spokesman for the Disciples

On at least seven occasions, Peter seems to serve the Gospel narrative as a spokesman for the disciples in situations where the teaching experience doesn't feature him in particular.

We'll note these incidents, but not spend much time on them. Rather, we focus on those incidents where Peter is more centrally involved in the action, with the goal to see what we can learn about Peter's reaction to Jesus' teaching that will help us grow as disciples.

Here are the incidents in the Gospels where Peter acts primarily as a spokesman for the body of disciples.

  1. The Hemorrhaging Woman. In the crowd of people pressing against Jesus, where a hemorrhaging woman touches the hem of Jesus' garment, to Jesus' question, "Who touched me," Peter responds, "Master, the people are crowding and pressing against you" (Luke 8:45). Mark doesn't mention Peter, but reports, "His disciples said to him" (Mark 5:31).
  2. Things that Defile. When Jesus gives a teaching on the things that defile a person in Matthew. Peter is the one who asks, "Explain the parable to us" (Matthew 15:15). Mark reports only, "The disciples asked him" (Mark 7:17).
  3. Watchful Servants. When Jesus tells the Parable of the Watchful Servants, Luke records, "Peter said, 'Lord, are you telling this parable for us or for all?'" (Luke 12:41). Matthew's account omits the question.
  4. Rich Young Ruler. Following Jesus' dialog with the rich young ruler, Jesus suggests that salvation of the rich is as impossible as a camel going through the eye of a needle, it is Peter who asks "We have left everything to follow you! What then will there be for us?" (Matthew 19:27; cf. Mark 10:28; Luke 18:28). All three Synoptic Gospels record his question, but he seems to be speaking for the group. Nevertheless, we discuss it in Lesson 1.4.
  5. Disciples Deserting. When many disciples leave Jesus after the hard saying of eating the flesh and drinking the blood of the Son of Man, Jesus asks the Twelve, "Do you want to go away as well?" Peter seems to answer for the group, "Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life" (John 6:68) We consider it briefly in Lesson 3.3.
  6. Meaning of the Withered Fig Tree. On his way into Jerusalem, Jesus curses a fig tree that bears no fruit. On the way back, Peter remembers and notes: "Rabbi, look! The fig tree you cursed has withered!" (Mark 11:21). Jesus' reply is to all the disciples, not just Peter.
  7. Who is the Betrayer? At the Last Supper, Peter motions to John to ask Jesus who the betrayer is -- trying to find out what all the disciples are wondering (John 13:24). We discuss it briefly in Lesson 5.1.

In one instance, Peter joins other disciples in asking Jesus about his prediction of the destruction of the temple (Mark 13:3)

None of these incidents tells us much about Peter, except that he is inquisitive, bold, and the one who often speaks out and voices the questions of the group, so we only notice most of them in passing.

2.3. Peter Walks on the Water (Matthew 14:22-34)

Philipp Otto Runge, detail of 'Peter Walks on Water' (1806), oil on canvas, 45.6 x 61.8 in., unfinished altarpiece, Hamburger Kunsthalle, Hamburg, Germany.
Philipp Otto Runge, detail of 'Peter Walks on Water' (1806), oil on canvas, 45.6 x 61.8 in., unfinished altarpiece, Hamburger Kunsthalle, Hamburg, Germany. Full image.

We do learn a lot about Peter, however, from the incident of him walking on water. Both Matthew and Mark record the incident of Jesus walking on the Sea of Galilee towards the disciples' boat,39 but only Matthew records Peter's attempt to walk on water. We must distinguish this incident, however, from Jesus calming the storm previously, where Jesus had been asleep in the boat.40

Let's look at the account of Peter walking on the water.

Phantom on the Water (Matthew 14:22-27)

Jesus has fed the 5,000 and then sends off his disciples by boat, while he remains to dismiss the crowds and spend time in prayer.

"22 He made the disciples get into the boat and go before him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowds. 23 And after he had dismissed the crowds, he went up on the mountain by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone, 24 but the boat by this time was a long way from the land, beaten by the waves, for the wind was against them." (Matthew 14:22-24)

Towns around the Sea of Galilee
Towns around the Sea of Galilee. Larger map.

This event takes place in the open water of the lake, far from shore.41]1 The men are probably rowing since the prevailing wind is against them. The water is choppy and they are making little progress against the wind on their way to Gennesaret across the north part of the lake.

"During the fourth watch of the night Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake." (Matthew 14:25)

In the New Testament era, Jews were following the Roman custom of dividing the night into four watches: evening, midnight, cockcrow, and morning,42 The "fourth watch of the night," then, would be very early, in the last three hours before sunrise. The disciples, by now, have been up all night and are exhausted.

All of a sudden, one of the disciples in the boat sees Jesus in the near darkness before dawn. Jesus must have been fairly close to the boat.

"When the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified. 'It's a ghost,'43 they said, and cried out in fear." (Matthew 14:26)

These are superstitious fishermen. When they see a figure dressed perhaps in white walking on the waters of the lake, they are startled, afraid of harm, and thoroughly rattled.44 They are crying out in fear, maybe screaming.

"Jesus immediately said to them: 'Take courage! It is I. Don't be afraid.'" (Matthew 14:27)

"Take courage" or "take heart" is an encouragement to be resolute in the face of danger, courageous.45 He calls them to their best. At the same time, he reassures their fears, "Don't be afraid."

Walking on Water (Matthew 14:28-30)

Now comes a fascinating part of the story that involves Peter.

"28 'Lord, if it's you,' Peter replied, 'tell me to come to you on the water.'

29 'Come,' he said.

Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus." (Matthew 14:28-29)

What is Peter thinking when he asks Jesus to call him to walk on the water? He has the presence of mind and wisdom not to attempt this by himself. Rather, he asks Jesus to call him so that he is acting on Jesus' word. Good start!

Clearly, the desire to walk on the water towards Jesus exhibits a great deal of imagination, faith, and what the Yiddish refer to as chutzpah. Perhaps he is thinking, if he can do it, I can probably do it too.

"But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, 'Lord, save me!'" (Matthew 14:30)

Peter steps out on the water and starts walking on it towards Jesus. That, my friends, is truly amazing faith. But then his concentration is broken. "When he saw the wind, he was afraid."

I've been to the top of some of New York's tallest buildings, but looking down at the tiny people at street level makes me feel very uncomfortable, even though I know the building is not in danger of falling and I am not going to fall off. A fear of heights. In severe cases it is called acrophobia, an intense and irrational fear of heights. I'm not afraid of flying in an airplane, but being near a window high up in a tall building frightens me. People instruct climbers in high places, just don't look down. Keep your eyes level or up on what is above. Don't look down. Good advice.

Peter is alright so long as he keeps his eyes on Jesus across a few yards of water. But when he turns his attention to the gusts of wind blowing across the lake, he is afraid and begins to sink.

As a fisherman raised on the lake, he is finely tuned to the subtleties of the weather. He knows what wind can do to whip up the waves and capsize fishing boats. He has heard stories of good men who have been lost this way. So he is suddenly afraid -- and the faith that got him out of the boat and on his way to Jesus seems to evaporate.

Faith for Miracles (Matthew 14:31)

Courage isn't the absence of fear, but firmness of purpose even when we are afraid. But there is a kind of fear without courage that can paralyze us. That is what takes hold of Peter. He looks at the danger of the wind and loses his focus on Jesus, even though Jesus is now close by.

"Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. 'You of little faith,'46 he said, 'why did you doubt?'" (Matthew 14:31)

Jesus actually says a lot about faith for miracles as he ministers to people. Here are the incidents in Matthew:

Regarding worry about food and clothing: "O you of little faith?" (Matthew 6:30).

Of the centurion whose servant was healed: "I have not found anyone in Israel with such great faith" (Matthew 8:10).

On calming the storm: "You of little faith, why are you so afraid?" (Matthew 8:26).

Regarding the men who let the paralytic down through the roof: "When Jesus saw their faith..." (Matthew 9:2).

To the hemorrhaging woman: "Take heart, daughter, your faith has healed you" (Matthew 9:22).

To two blind men: "According to your faith will it be done to you" (Matthew 9:29).

To the Syro-Phoenician woman: "Woman, you have great faith! Your request is granted" (Matthew 15:28).).

To the disciples discussing not bringing enough bread: ""You of little faith" (Matthew 16:8).

To the disciples, on the reason they couldn't heal a demon-possessed boy: "Because you have so little faith" (Matthew 17:20).

To the disciples on moving mountains: "If you have faith and do not doubt..." (Matthew 21:21).

There is a truth here for us to grasp. Our faith is important in seeing God work!

On the other hand, I have seen this truth abused by some faith healers whose unfailing explanation on why a person isn't healed after prayer is, "They didn't have enough faith." Easy to say for the healer to save face, but injurious to the sufferer who is still sick and now blamed and feeling guilty for his lack of healing. He is worse off than he was before.

I think of the man whose son is demonized. He says to Jesus, "If you can do anything...." Jesus calls him on his lack of faith. "If you can?" What kind of faith is that? "Everything is possible for him who believes," Jesus says. The father doesn't hesitate. "Immediately the boy's father exclaimed, 'I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!'" (Mark 9:22--24). Then Jesus goes ahead and heals his son. Faith isn't that far away, but we must not stop with doubt.

I think the important (sometimes missing) piece in healings, for example, is God's specific will and timing. If we know the will of God in a particular situation, then our faith can be instrumental with God's power to bring about a particular miracle. When there is a conjunction of the will of God and our faith, a miracle can result. One way we can learn God's will is learning to discern God's voice. (See my study, Listening for God's Voice (JesusWalk, 2018), https://www.jesuswalk.com/voice/)

You Are the Son of God (Matthew 14:32-34)

The passage concludes with wonder.

"32 And when they climbed into the boat, the wind died down. 33 Then those who were in the boat worshiped him, saying, 'Truly you are the Son of God.' 34 When they had crossed over, they landed at Gennesaret." (Matthew 14:32-34)

All the disciples were amazed by what they had seen. Previously in Jesus' calming the storm, they had seen his control over nature: "He rebuked the winds and the waves, and it was completely calm" (Matthew 8:26). But here, despite the fact that "when they climbed into the boat, the wind died down," the miracle that amazes them is s Jesus walking on the water in contravention of the laws of nature.

When Jesus calmed the storm they asked, "What kind of man is this? Even the winds and the waves obey him!" (Matthew 8:27). Now they say, "Truly you are the Son of God" (Matthew 14:33). Later, in Caesarea, Peter voices their growing understanding in his great confession, "You are the Christ, the Son of the Living God!" (Matthew 16:16, Lesson 3.1.2).

I wonder how many of the disciples had wished hehe had been the one to "step out on faith" to meet Jesus on the water? In spite of Peter's weakness of faith here, we see that he is a person of faith, even if, at this point in his life, it is only a little faith. As we'll see, his faith grows!

In the last century, the Pentecostal Movement spread around the world bringing millions into the Kingdom -- many times accompanied by miracles of God. One of the keys to the power of this movement is the core belief that God through his Spirit can do anything, anytime, through anyone. Compare that to the carefully qualified faith for miracles of many Christians. Faith! Oh, we of little faith, let us call on God to help us grow in faith! To be bold in faith!

Q7. (Matthew 14:22-34) Do you think Jesus wanted Peter to walk on the water? Why does Peter ask Jesus if he can come to him? What does this tell us about Peter? What do we learn about faith from this incident? What are we modern-day disciples to learn from this?

2.4. Peter and the Temple Tax (Matthew 17:24-27)

'St. Peter and the Temple Tax,' unknown artist.
'St. Peter and the Temple Tax,' unknown artist.

Matthew, alone among the Synoptic Gospel writers, gives us this account of Peter and the temple tax.47 Matthew seems to include this incident to point to Jesus' status as Son of God, and to seal it to Peter's consciousness.

Temple Tax (Matthew 17:24-25a)

"24 After Jesus and his disciples arrived in Capernaum, the collectors of the two-drachma tax came to Peter and asked, 'Doesn't your teacher pay the temple tax?'
'Yes, he does,' he replied." (Matthew 17:24b-25a)

Those who come to Peter asking for the temple tax aren't the hated tax collectors collecting revenue for the oppressor Rome. They are Jews collecting an annual tax to help maintain Herod's Temple in Jerusalem, the pride of Jews everywhere. This tax provided a significant amount of the money needed to keep the temple repaired and all its services going.

This tax had originally been instituted by Moses to support the service in the tabernacle (Exodus 30:11-16). It was now referred to as the "two-drachma tax,"48 though the actual drachma coin was no longer in circulation in Jesus' day. The tax is equal to a half shekel, about two days' wage, levied on all Jewish men, and collected even outside Palestine in the communities of the Jewish Diaspora.49

Jesus seems to be staying in Peter's house in Capernaum, so the collector asks Peter,

Augustin Tünger, 'The Apostle Peter paying the temple tax with a coin from the fish's mouth' (1486)
Augustin Tünger, 'The Apostle Peter paying the temple tax with a coin from the fish's mouth' (1486), illustration in Facetiae Latinae et Germanicae, Konstanz Württembergische Landesbibliothek Stuttgart, Codex HB V 24a. Larger image.

Perhaps the collector doesn't approach Jesus himself out of deference for Jesus' status as a rabbi or on the assumption that since Peter is the leader of the apostles, that he could answer for Jesus.

This could be a gentle reminder about a tax due but yet unpaid. But the collector may have been asking if Jesus and his followers consider themselves exempt like the priests, since they are living off the gifts of others (Luke 8:3).50

The Sons Are Exempt (Matthew 17:25b-26a)

When Peter enters the house following this encounter, Jesus, who has probably overheard the conversation, immediately questions the assumption behind Peter's quick answer to the collector.

"25b When Peter came into the house, Jesus was the first to speak. 'What do you think, Simon?' he asked. 'From whom do the kings of the earth collect duty and taxes-- from their own sons or from others?'

26 'From others,' Peter answered.

'Then the sons are exempt,'51 Jesus said to him." (Matthew 17:25b-26a)

Does a king tax his own sons? Jesus asks Peter. Of course not! It is an absurd proposition. But it forces Peter to rethink his answer to the temple tax collector.

Since Jesus is actually the Son of God, Jesus reasons, it makes no sense that he should be taxed to maintain his Father's own house, the temple.

So That We May Not Offend Them (Matthew 14:27)

Jesus instructs Peter by means of a gentle rebuke. But quickly, Jesus assures him that it's okay. Peter's answer is theologically shaky, but practically correct -- Jesus will pay the temple tax. Jesus says,

"But so that we may not offend52 them, go to the lake and throw out your line. Take the first fish you catch; open its mouth and you will find a four-drachma coin. Take it and give it to them for my tax and yours." (Matthew 17:27)

Of course, Jesus isn't afraid of shocking or offending his opponents the Pharisees and the scribes. But the temple tax collector is just a Jew doing his duty and all Jewish men age 20 and over pay the tax, not just the devout. Now is not the time to make a big deal of it; they wouldn't understand anyway. In other words: Pick your battles. Don't fight over every little thing, even when you're right.

Silver coin minted in Tyre about 149 BC,
Silver coin minted in Tyre about 149 BC, image of Alexander I Balas, diameter 27 mm, weight 14.15 g., value tetradrachm. Larger image.

So Jesus tells Peter the fisherman to go down to the lake, this time with a hook and line, not a net, and catch a fish. Fishhooks would have been fashioned from bone, shell, bronze, or iron. The line would have been made from braided plant fibers, sinew, horsehair, etc. A rod was apparently not used at the time.53

We're not told that Peter caught the fish with the coin in his mouth, but we can assume that he did, for Jesus tells him to take the statēr, a particular silver coin, worth about four drachmas,54 and give it to the tax collector to pay the tax for both of them. This statēr was probably a tetradrachm of Antioch or Tyre that was in circulation in Galilee at the time, bearing the image of an emperor or family member.

I imagine Peter standing knee-deep in the Sea of Galilee, feeling a bit silly, since he -- a commercial fisherman -- is fishing with a baited hook and line. But, sure enough, a fish bites and in his mouth there just happens to be a silver statēr, just enough to give to the tax man for Peter and Jesus. It's probably a story our fisherman from Galilee retells again and again as he teaches about Jesus.55 And I expect he tells the story with a broad smile.

Just like the Transfiguration (Lesson 4.1), this incident points to Jesus as God's Son, and reveals this truth to Peter the Fisherman with an appropriate miracle. This is Jesus' way of teaching Peter more deeply who he is -- a Son of the Father, whose earthly house is the Temple. But there's also a hint with the word "sons" (verse 25) and the tax to include Peter, that his disciples are sons of the Kingdom in some way as well.

Q8. (Matthew 17:24-27) Why do you think Matthew includes the story of the temple tax in his Gospel? What does Jesus want Peter to learn about who He is? Why does Jesus have Peter get the tax through a miracle rather than by normal means? Why does the fish have enough tax for both of them?

2.5. 77-Fold Forgiveness (Matthew 18:21-22)


Jesus forgives the woman taken in adultery, but calls her to repentance. Audrey N. Mironov, 'Christ and the Sinner' (2011), oil on canvas, 40 x 70 cm. Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International license. Larger image.

Both Matthew and Luke include Jesus' teaching about forgiving one's brother not just once, but continually. In Luke it is a couple of verses, but in Matthew this is the core of an extended block of teaching about forgiveness in chapter 18.

  1.  If your brother sins against you (Matthew 18:15-20). This section discusses how to deal with a brother who refuses to admit his sin, so you ultimately have to take the grievance to the church for adjudication.56
  2. The number of times you must forgive (Matthew 18:21-22). Here, Peter deals with the issue of how often one is obligated to forgive. We'll consider that in a moment.
  3. Parable of the Unmerciful Servant (Matthew 18:23-35). This is Jesus' teaching on the necessity of forgiving if we want to be forgiven. It has no parallel elsewhere.57

This section in Matthew includes the bulk of Jesus' teaching on forgiveness. We'll only consider the small part of this that includes Peter, but that will give us the flavor of Jesus' teaching.58

On Forgiving One's Brother (Matthew 18:21-22)

Jesus had taught his disciples,

"3b 'If your brother sins, rebuke him, and if he repents, forgive him. 4 If he sins against you seven times in a day, and seven times comes back to you and says, "I repent," forgive him.'

5 The apostles said to the Lord, 'Increase our faith!'" (Luke 17:3b-5)59

But apparently Peter wants clarification. He comes to Jesus privately to explore this further.

"21 Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, 'Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother when he sins against me? Up to seven times?'
22 Jesus answered, 'I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times.'" (Matthew 18:21--22)

It is possible that Peter comes to Jesus with a kind of academic question he has about forgiveness, but I doubt it. The Peter we are getting to know tends to be impulsive and quick to speak. I think he has had an ongoing relationship problem with one of the other disciples and is at his wits end. He may be asking: How many times do I have to forgive this guy before I punch him in the nose?

In Peter's question, the phrase "sinning against me" probably refers to something more serious than a heated moment. Jesus has taught his disciples to directly confront a brother who sins against them.

"If your brother sins against you, go and show him his fault, just between the two of you. If he listens to you, you have won your brother over." (Matthew 18:15)

It sounds like when Peter has confronted his brother with the sin, the brother admits it and asks forgiveness. He repents. But Peter is getting tired of this constant cycle of sin-confrontation-repentance-forgiveness. He wants it to end!

Seven Times vs. Seventy-Seven Times

"Lord, how many times shall I
forgive my brother when he sins against me?
Up to seven times?" (Matthew 18:21)

Seven is a significant number to the Jews. Of course, seven is the number of days in a week. In the Bible, the number seven often expresses fullness, completion.60 For example,

"[Cain]will suffer vengeance seven times over." (Genesis 4:15)

"Purified seven times." (Psalm 12:6)

"Pay back ... seven times." (Psalm 79:12)

"He must pay sevenfold." (Proverbs 6:31)

"The sunlight will be seven times brighter, like the light of seven full days." (Isaiah 30:26)

"There are six things the Lord hates,
seven that are detestable to him." (Proverbs 6:16)

Peter wants to set a hard limit on forgiveness, on grace. He is frustrated. So he suggests "seven times" as a good limit, a generous limit even (Luke 17:4). But Jesus' answer removes all boundaries from the obligation to forgive.

"Jesus answered, 'I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times.'" (Matthew 18:22)

There are a couple of different ways one can legitimately translate these Greek words:

"Seventy-seven times" (NIV, ESV, NRSV, NJB), or

"Seventy times seven" (KJV, NASB)61

It is a kind of an Hebraic numeric word play. But whether Jesus intends literally 70 x 7 = 490 or 77 really doesn't matter. The point is that Peter wants to set the limit at seven, and Jesus pushes out the boundary by orders of magnitude. There is no limit to the number of times we are to forgive!

This reminds me of the chorus of a Gospel song of a previous generation.

"His love has no limits, His grace has no measure,
His power no boundary known unto men;
For out of His infinite riches in Jesus
He giveth, and giveth, and giveth again."62

Jesus' reply to Peter that there is no limit to forgiveness is followed by the Parable of the Unmerciful Servant (Matthew 18:23-35), which concludes with the saying:

"This is how my heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother from your heart." (Matthew 18:35)

Forgiveness between brothers is essential! In the Lord's prayer, it is the condition of our own forgiveness (Matthew 6:12, 15-16).

Who Must We Forgive?

At the conclusion of a similar teaching in Luke, the disciples' response is amazement: "Increase our faith!'" (Luke 17:3b-5). The disciples are overwhelmed by the extent of the forgiveness that Jesus requires.

This raises some questions that we'll consider only briefly in this context.

First, do we have to forgive people who aren't "brothers" or "sisters"? While these passages refer to brothers and sisters, that is, fellow Jews or people in our faith community, elsewhere, Jesus' demand for forgiveness is not limited to brothers, but to humans.63 We are to forgive anyone who sins against us (Matthew 5:12, 14-15). We are to love our enemies (Matthew 5:43-48).

Second, do we have to forgive people who don't repent? Who aren't sorry for sinning against us? Luke 17:3 -4 treats those who repent. Jesus' desire surely is reconciliation (Matthew 5:23-24). Elsewhere, Jesus seems to exclude repentance from the equation:

"When you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive him, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins." (Mark 11:25)

It seems like when we identify unforgiveness in our heart toward anyone, we need to deal with it, regardless of whether they repent or admit they are wrong. If they do, of course, reconciliation is possible. If not, however, at least our heart is cleared of the bitterness that holding unforgiveness can fester there.

Third, what is forgiveness? I cover this question more fully in my article, "Don't Pay the Price of Counterfeit Forgiveness."64 Briefly, true forgiveness is deciding not to hold a sin against a person any longer. Period. Forgiveness is not excusing. ("She didn't mean it.") Forgiveness is not minimizing the sin. ("It wasn't that bad.") Forgiveness isn't minimizing our pain. ("I recovered okay.") Forgiveness doesn't require us to forget the offence, only to commit ourselves not to hold it against the person when we do remember. Forgiveness doesn't require us to trust the person. Trust is earned. None of these is true forgiveness. True forgiveness is deciding not to hold a sin against a person any longer. It is costly -- look at the cross. It is not easy. Sometimes, when we can't forgive from the heart, we can pray, "Lord, help me want to forgive this person." Forgiveness is sometimes a process, a journey. But it is an essential journey for disciples.

What do we learn about Peter from his question here? We probably see Peter's frustration with someone who is always sinning against him. But we also see an inquiring mind, asking whether Jesus' statement of "seven times" in an earlier teaching (Luke 17:3-5) is absolute or figurative. He receives a clear answer: for Jesus there is no end to forgiveness. Praise God, we serve a merciful father who refuses to hold our transgressions against us! We are to become like our forgiving God!

To the person who says, What I have done is so bad that God will never forgive me, one answer is: If God tells us to forgive 7 x 70, how much more will he himself forgive?

Q9. (Matthew 17:24-27) Why do you think Peter is frustrated with Jesus' command to forgive? What does this tell us about Peter? Why is forgiveness often so hard for us? Why do we want to limit forgiveness ("seven times")? What does Jesus' "seventy-seven times" or "seven times seventy" teach Peter about forgiveness? Who is Jesus calling on you to forgive?

St. Peter: Disciple Lessons from the Rock, by Ralph F. Wilson
Available in book versions: paperback, PDF, and Kindle

In this lesson we've examined Peter's role as lead apostle, looked at his faith displayed by attempting to walk on water, seen his understanding of Jesus increase with the incident of the temple tax, and walked with him through a boundless directive to forgive those who sin against us. Peter is growing! In the next lesson, we'll consider Peter's great confession of Christ and Jesus' severe rebuke of Peter when he oversteps his role as a disciple.

Prayer

Father, put in us the kind of bold faith we see in Peter. Immature, yes. Undeveloped, yes. But there. Wanting to learn to follow you. Teach us, embolden us, mold us, we pray, in Jesus' name. Amen.

Lessons for Disciples

Step by step, Jesus is teaching Peter what discipleship requires. Here are some of the lessons of these passages:

  1. Peter, James, and John are part of Jesus' inner circle of especially attentive learners, who he includes in some intimate situations. An inner circle can be an effective strategy to disciple some of those whom God sends to us (§2.1)
  2. Peter asks Jesus to call him to come to him on the water, recognizing the need for him to operate within his Master's will (Matthew 14:22-34; §2.3).
  3. Peter begins to sink when he loses his focus on Jesus, and begins to assess the dangers of the wind. We learn we must keep our eyes on Jesus (Matthew 14:22-34; §2.3).
  4. Faith is a vital element in God's working in and through us, "according to your faith be it done to you" (Matthew 14:22-34; §2.3). However, even our early attempts at faith, though inadequate, still please our Father, who is working to grow our faith.
  5. Jesus involves Peter in the miracle of the coin in the fish's mouth to help him understand better Jesus' relation to the Father as a Son. He also shows Peter not to pick a fight over every misunderstanding (Matthew 17:24-27; §2.4).
  6. There are no limits as to how many times we are to forgive those who sin against us (Matthew 18:21-22; §2.5k).

Key Verses

"Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, 'Lord, save me!'" (Matthew 14:29b-30, NIV)

"Peter came to Jesus and asked, 'Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother when he sins against me? Up to seven times?' Jesus answered, 'I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times.'" (Matthew 18:21--22, NIV)

 

End Notes

References and Abbreviations

[37] Matthew 10:1-4, Parallels §58; Mark 3:13-19 and Luke 6:12--16, Parallels §72.

[38] In one instance, the small group expands to four -- Peter, James, John, and Andrew -- but this group isn't mentioned elsewhere, except at the call of these fishermen in Galilee (Mark 13:3; Parallels §213). Matthew and Luke attribute the question to "the disciples." When Jesus sends some disciples to prepare the upper room for Passover, Luke's Gospel clarifies for us, "Jesus sent Peter and John, saying, 'Go and make preparations for us to eat the Passover'" (Luke 22:8, Parallels §234). However, there is no particular focus on Peter here, except his sensitive and obedient following of Jesus' cryptic instructions.

[39] Matthew 14:22-33; Mark 6:45-52; Parallels §113.

[40] Matthew 8:23-27 = Mark 4:35-41 = Luke 8:22-25.

[41] Tabgha on the northwest of the lake is the traditional site of the Feeding of the 5,000, but more likely this event took place east of Bethsaida, in a less-populated area. The boat is going to "the other side" of the lake, with a final destination of Gennesaret on the northwest shore of the lake (Matthew 14:34).

[42] A. E. Hill, "Watch," ISBE 4:1023.

[43] "Ghost" (NIV, NRSV, ESV), "spirit" (KJV) is phantasma, "apparition," especially, "ghost" (BDAG 1049).

[44] "Terrified" (NIV, NRSV, ESV), "troubled" (KJV) is aorist passive indicative of tarassō, "to cause inward turmoil, stir up, disturb, unsettle, throw into confusion," passive, "be troubled, frightened, terrified" (BDAG 990, 2).

[45] "Take courage" (NIV), "take heart" (ESV, NRSV), "be of good cheer" (KJV) is tharseō, "to be firm or resolute in the face of danger or adverse circumstances, be enheartened, be courageous" (BDAG 444).

[46] "Of little faith" is oligopistos, "of little faith" (Matthew 6:30; 8:26:16:8; Luke 12:28; Matthew 14:31; BDAG 702). This is a compound adjective, from pistos, "faith, trust" + the adjective oligos, "few; little, small short," here probably, "relatively low on a scale of extent or existing only to a small degree, little slight" (BDAG 703).

[47] Chronologically, the account of Peter and the Temple Tax probably belongs after Peter's Confession at Caesarea Philippi, but I include it here for lesson balance.

[48] Didrachmon, "a double drachma, two-drachma piece." Even though this tax was paid with other coins, the amount was termed a didrachmon (BDAG 241).

[49] L. M. Sweet and G. A. Gay, "Tax; Tribute," ISBE 4:742.

[50] Priests were exempt from paying the tax (Mishnah Shekalim 1:4). The Qumran Essenes also claimed to be exempt. The Mishnah concedes, "For the sake of keeping peace, they do not exact the half-shekel from priests" (Mishnah Shekalim 1:3). Perhaps those occupied solely in God's service felt they might be exempt also, though any objection would have to be adjudicated by the authorities in Jerusalem, not the collectors themselves.

[51] "Exempt" (NIV), "free" (ESV, NRSV, KJV) is eleutheros, "free," here, "pertaining to being free from control or obligation, independent, not bound" (BDAG 317, 2).

[52] "Offend," "give offense" is the verb skandalizō (from which we get our word "scandalize"), "cause to sin," here, "to shock through word or action, give offense to, anger, shock" (BDAG 926, 2). A skandalon is a trap, a device for catching something, then a cause for sin or offense.

[53] R. K. Harrison, "Fishhook," ISBE 2:309. A. Van Selms, "Fishing," ISBE 2:309. Isaiah 19:8; Habakkuk 1:15; Job 41:1.

[54] "Four-drachma coin" (NIV), "shekel" (ESV), "coin" (NRSV), "piece of money" (KJV) is statēr, "the stater," a silver coin = four drachmas (about four days' wages) (BDAG 940).

[55] I've read accounts that St. Peter's fish (talipia) eat plankton and thus can't be caught with a hook. My research shows that indeed talipia can be caught on a hook. There are "stories" of people finding pebbles or once of a bottle cap in a talipia's mouth. And that the "bright object" was sought by the mother fish to keep young from returning to her mouth, where they were nurtured briefly after hatching. Again, my research is that pebbles and bottle caps are not likely the cause of the coin in the fish's mouth. It is a miracle!

[56] Luke's short parallel (Luke 17:3) only considers the situation when the brother repents of his sin, not when he doesn't admit his sin.

[57] For more on this parable, see my study Jesus' Parables for Disciples (JesusWalk, 2023), Lesson 1.2.

[58] Elsewhere in Matthew, Jesus teaches about the necessity for us to forgive in the Lord's Prayer (Matthew 6:9-15, with related teaching in Mark 11:25 and Matthew 5:23-24). Since love and grace are such central themes in Christian teaching, it shouldn't surprise us that Jesus insists on reconciliation where possible.

[59] Since the disciples are with Jesus for three years, it doesn't surprise me that Jesus teaches the same principles in various ways and contexts. For a fuller exposition of Luke's passage, see my Disciple Training in Luke's Gospel (JesusWalk, 2010, 2020), Lesson 72 (https://www.jesuswalk.com/luke/072-forgive-7x70.htm).

[60] Seven is used symbolically in almost 600 passages. It was a sacred number in virtually all the ancient Semitic cultures (B.C. Birch, "Numbers," ISBE 3:561). "Scripture does use sh ebaʿ often as a mystic sign-word, and the fair-minded lexicographer can hardly fail to note this" (Gary G. Cohen, sh ebaʿ, TWOT #2318).

[61] There are two Greek words: hebdomēkontakis, "seventy times" and hepta, "seven." The lexicon comments that the words may be short for hebdomēkontakis heptakis, "seventy times seven times," but it is more likely "seventy-seven times" as we see in Genesis (BDAG 269). If Cain is avenged seven times, then Lamech seventy-seven times" (Genesis 4:24).

[62] Annie Johnson Flint, "He Giveth More Grace" (1941).

[63] The word is the plural of anthropos, "a person of either sex, with focus on participation in the human race, a human being" (BDAG 81, 1c).

[64] Ralph F. Wilson, "Don't Pay the Price of Counterfeit Forgiveness," Moody Monthly, October 1985, pp. 106-108 (https://www.joyfulheart.com/maturity/forgive.htm)

Apostle Peter: Disciple Lessons from the Rock

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Jesus' Parables for Disciples, by Dr. Ralph F. Wilson
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