The Evangelists repeatedly mention the fear of the first of the apostles - St. Peter. It was St. Peter walking on the water who was afraid of the wind and began to sink. St. Peter feared persecution; after all, St. Peter also denied Jesus three times. Biblical scholar Fr. Prof. Mariusz Rosik states in his Sunday, September 3 commentary that Piotr's ability to overcome fear and give his life for faith was due to love. "The threefold betrayal contrasts with the threefold confession of love," the biblical scholar writes for the Heschel Center of the Catholic University of Lublin.

At the time of Jesus' passion and death, the first apostle denied his acquaintance with the Messiah and his membership in the group of the Twelve, the first Church. "When Peter, for the third time, denies his acquaintance with Jesus, he also denies that he is among Jesus' disciples: he denies his relationship with the Teacher and the group of disciples. Thus, he excludes himself from the community," writes Fr. Prof. Rosik.

Nor did the resurrection of Jesus make St. Peter overcome his fear. "The risen Jesus twice came to the apostles although the doors were locked (John 20:26). Even the fact that Jesus overcame death did not restore courage in the apostle's heart," Fr. Prof. Mariusz Rosik points out.

The turning point came when Christ questioned Peter three times about love, as recorded in St. John's Gospel. "It is a conscious effort by John the evangelist to emphasize the threefold confession: 'Lord, you know that I love you' (John 21:15.16.17). The threefold betrayal contrasts with the threefold confession of love," stresses biblical scholar Fr. Prof. Mariusz Rosik.

The full commentary follows:

The first apostle struggled with anxiety and even fear throughout his life. The Evangelists emphasize this fact several times. Anxiety is revealed very clearly in the scene of Peter's calling. Peter asks: "Depart from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man!" (Luke 5:8). Another time when the apostle began to walk on water, he was afraid of the wind (cf. Matthew 14:22-33). The fear in Peter's heart caused him to start drowning. He had to seek rescue from Jesus.

Near Caesarea Philippi, Peter was to receive from Jesus the authority of the keys: "I will give you the keys to the kingdom of heaven. Whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven" (Matthew 16:19). Just after this exaltation of Peter, the evangelists situate the pericope about Peter's misunderstanding of Jesus' mission. When Jesus begins to announce the purpose of his journey towards Jerusalem, his passion, death, and resurrection, Peter "takes him aside" to prevent such a course of events. Peter knew the disciples would come to share the Master's fate; If Jesus is persecuted, the Twelve will face the same fate. The fear of persecution motivated Peter to try to influence Jesus, dissuading Him from carrying out God's intentions.

Some Bible scholars suggest that the fear motif can be traced back to Peter's question to Jesus, "Lord, if my brother sins against me, how often must I forgive him? As many as seven times?" (Matthew 18:21). Anxiety here is supposed to result from a specific fear stemming from an inability to live in complete harmony with everyone.

Peter's fear emerges in the scene of denying his relationship with Jesus. When Peter denies acquaintance with Jesus for the third time, he also denies that he is among his disciples: he denies his relationship with the Teacher and the group of disciples. Thus, he excludes himself from the community (cf. Matt. 26:69-75).

Peter is also absent at the cross of Jesus (cf. Jn 19:25-27). Fear dominates him. The same one that later made him bolt the door of the Upper Room (cf. Jn 20:19). The risen Jesus twice came to the apostles "although the doors were locked" (Jn 20:26). Even the fact of Jesus' overcoming death did not restore courage in the apostle's heart.

How does Peter struggle with fear? A conscious effort by John the Evangelist is to emphasize the threefold confession: "Lord, you know that I love you" (John 21:15.16.17). The three-fold betrayal contrasts with the three-fold confession of love. Love overcame fear; not some act of courage, not bravery or bravado, but love. The same John the Evangelist, at the end of his life, will express this truth directly: "There is no fear in love, but perfect love drives out fear because fear has to do with punishment, and so one who fears is not yet perfect in love" (1 John 4:18).

About the Author

Fr. Prof. Mariusz Rosik - biblical scholar, professor of theological sciences, director, and researcher of the Institute of Biblical Studies at the Pontifical Faculty of Theology in Wroclaw. He specializes in the theology of the New Testament, exegesis of the Synoptic Gospels, and ancient Jewish history. Author of numerous scientific, popular science, and pastoral publications. Websites: www.mariuszrosik.pl www.lumenvitae.pl

Abraham J. Heschel Center of the Catholic University of Lublin