(iii.) The call to apostleship.—If the call to discipleship must have been somewhat later than the first Passover of the ministry (Jn 2"), the call to apostleship must be placed somewhat earlier than the (presumably) second Passover (see Mk 6™: 595... Jn 6‘). The interval therefore separating the two calls cannot have been much more than six months. The history is given in Mt 10", Mk 35%, Lk 6", The details must be passed over here. It must suffice to note that the Twelve were chosen from the whole body, and that the Lord’s choice constituted them (1) in an especial sense His com-
ions—tva dow μετ᾽ αὐτοῦ (Mk 3"; cf. Lk 22%, Jn 15”); (2) His envoys, when the occasion came, to Israel, with authority to preach and heal. The primary place in our Lord’s purpose was_ their education for future work. The lists of the Twelve given by the Synoptists v in many ways, but in each of them St. Peter holds the first place (Mt πρῶτος Σίμων ὁ λεγόμενος II. ; cf. Jn 213, Ac 113). Some time after this selection had been made, the Lord sent out the Twelve to execute their double office as heralds of the kingdom and healers of the sick, two by two, marking as the scope of their mission ‘ the lost sheep of the house of Israel’ (Mt 101. 42, Mk 67-18, Lk 9'6; it is clear that Matthew places the mission immediately after the appoint- ment of the Twelve from a characteristic desire to bring together the notices of the selection, the instruction, and the dismissal of the Twelve). As tc the use of the name ἀπόστολος in reference to the Twelve in the Gospels (except Lk 175 22!4 241) only in connexion with this mission, see Hort, Ecclesia, p. 22 ff.
We cannot but ask, Who was St. Peter's companion? The answer is almost certainly St. John. For (1) the Lord sent them together on a peculiarly solemn commission at a later time, Lk 228; ~_ they appear as companions in the gospel history, Jn 1 208i, and in the apostolic history, Ac 31-419 314 (mission to Samaria), Gal 29; (3) they were closely associated in the upper room (Jn 132), and on the occasion of the Lord’s appearance by the Lake (Jn 2120), and together formed part of an inn2r circle of the apostles in Jairus’ house (Mk 537), on the Mt. of Bee, err Mk 92), on the Mt. of Olives (Mk 13%), in Gethsemane (Mk 143%); and in this connexion the order in Lk 891 923 (Πέτρον καὶ ᾿Ινάνην καὶ ᾿Ιάκωβον) and Ac 113 is to be specially noticed.
It is impossible at this point to refrain from re- marking that a mere notice of the occasions when St. Peter’s name is mentioned in the Gospels is apt to make us forget the all-important fact that it was in daily fellowship with the Lord, in the daily contemplation of His acts and words, public and private, that the real significance and power of this period lay. Without some intimation of this obvious truth, a brief review of the specific evidence of the Gospels as to St. Peter’s life during this time may become positively misleading.
It has been convenient to consider the mission of the Twelve in close connexion with their selec- tion. But between the two occasions we must, as it appears, place a miracle with which St. Peter was brought into close relation—the raising of Jairus’ daughter (Mt 918-35. Mk 5-4, Lk 841-85), Tt is the first of three occasions when ‘Peter and James
* Mt 814 introduces the account without any indication of time. It would appear that at this point le is bringing together typical works of healing (81-17), just as he has brought se single discourse (6-7; cf. 13) typical utterances of the
PETER (SIMON)
and John’ were chosen from among the Twelve as witnesses of a «vorijpiov—here of a revelation of Christ the Life. It may have beer designed as a special preparation for some crisis in their mission soon to follow (Mt 108 νεκροὺς éyelpere). It is difficult not to trace the vividness of the narrative in Mk to the influence of St. Peter.
ἃ, St. Peter as the Lord’s companion during the (apparently) last year of the ministry.—The Twelve returned to Christ about the time when He received news of the Baptist’s murder. The re- tirement across the Lake and the Feeding of tke Five Thousand immediately followed. This who.e series of events prepared the way for a period the general character of which is expressed by the words ‘the proving of faith’ (1 P 1%).
(i.) The storm on the Lake (Mt 147%, Mk 64, Jn 6'*-).—It is remarkable that Matthew alone
reserves the record of St. Peter’s boastful chal- enge (behind which there lay a deep love for His Master, and impatience of separation from Him), his sudden fear and piteous appeal for help. Christ Himself sums up the meaning of the apostle’s failure in the word ὀλιγόπιστες It would be quite in accordance with the character of St. Peter if, when the boat came to land, he was the spokesman of ‘those who were in the ship’ in their confession, ἀληθῶς θεοῦ vids εἴ (Mt).
(ii.) The Lords hard sayings at Capernaum.— St. John records (6) that the sequel of the Lord’s teaching at Capernaum about the bread of life was that many of His disciples left Him. Jesus turns to the Twelve and asks them if they too are intending to go away. Simon Peter at once answers for the rest. is reply brings out the apostle’s belief in the Lord (1) as superior to all other teachers (πρὸς τίνα ἀπελ.; cf. Jn 3°) ; (2) as the source of a life-giving revelation (ef. v.®); (3) as the embodiment of Divine holiness.