Peter's Concept of Jesus

Clifford P. Smith

Until after Paul became a Christian, Peter was the foremost follower of Jesus. Apparently, also, it was Jesus who gave him this position. For these reasons, and because Peter continued until he was martyred to be one of the two most prominent Christians of that time, his concept of Jesus is particularly important.

A brief digression here can discuss why the Master preferred Peter among all of his disciples. Why did he not give the first position to Andrew, his first follower, or to John, whom he particularly loved, or to Matthew, who was comparatively prominent as a former collector of public revenue? The answer to these questions is indicated by John 21:15–19. Peter loved Jesus as the Christ, and gave promise of ability to carry on the Christly work during the difficult time which was to follow the Master's crucifixion and his ascension above human life. Surely, the love and the promise thus manifested by Peter must have resulted from his comprehension of Jesus and of the latter's relation to God.

So what comprehension of Jesus did this distinguished disciple commit to history? For one point, Peter regarded him as a man and not as God. "Ye men of Israel, hear these words; Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved of God" (Acts 2:22)—these are the words of Peter, chosen when he must have intended to speak with careful precision. Of course, "a man approved of God" is not God; hence, there is no barrier between Jesus and other men. Mrs. Eddy has declared his status as "the highest human corporeal concept of the divine idea, rebuking and destroying error and bringing to light man's immortality" (Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, p. 589).

For another point, Peter regarded Jesus as the Christ, as "he that should come." In other words, Peter recognized Jesus as fulfilling the hope of the Jews for a Messiah or Saviour. (See Luke 7:19–23; Mark 8:27–30.) There is no evidence, however, that Peter regarded either Jesus or the Christ as God. On the contrary, he declared in effect that Jesus derived his Christhood from God. (See Acts 2:36.) Indeed, all that Peter is known to have said or written is consistent with Mrs. Eddy's definition of "Christ" as "the divine manifestation of God, which comes to the flesh to destroy incarnate error" (Science and Health, p. 583).

Peter expressed another exceedingly important point when he spoke of Jesus as one "who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him" (Acts 10:38). The distinct implication of these words is that Jesus ministered to human needs by demonstrating good instead of evil, doing this in the natural way and in the normal course of divine providence. The same words also indicate, as I Peter 4:10, 11, and II Peter 1:2 imply more plainly, that all men have the innate ability to minister one to another and to do good in all ways, by the universal grace of God. Peter's words, therefore, remind one of Mrs. Eddy's saying: "It was the consummate naturalness of Truth in the mind of Jesus, that made his healing easy and instantaneous. Jesus regarded good as the normal state of man, and evil as the abnormal" (Miscellaneous Writings, p. 200).

Finally, Peter put another point of exceeding importance into his first epistle when he spoke of Jesus or Christ as having the same Mind which is available to all men: "Arm yourselves likewise with the same mind" (I Peter 4:1). Like two of Paul's sayings (I Cor. 2:16 and Phil. 2:5), this one by Peter presents every man's practical possibilities in their utmost statement. All that any man is or can be results from his mental relation to God, his God-given ability to reflect the divine Mind.

Jesus, as Mrs. Eddy has said, was a "Godlike and glorified man" (Science and Health, p. 54). His was a derived goodness, a reflected glory. He manifested the goodness and the power of God, which is the function of every man. To follow him, to be redeemed from mortality, to be saved from evil, one must lift thought above mortal and sinful personality so as to perceive and achieve one's real individuality, one's true manhood, with its ability to do good, its freedom from evil, and its unity with the Principle of immortality. This perception and achievement requires Science—Christian Science—because, as Peter has indicated (II Peter 1:2-4), grace and "all things that pertain unto life and godliness" are given unto us "through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord," and knowledge, in its best sense, is Science.

Clifford P. Smith

Send a comment to the editors

NEXT IN THIS ISSUE

Editorial

The Holiness of Life

June 21, 1930

Contents

We'd love to hear from you!

Easily submit your testimonies, articles, and poems online.

Submit