So the World May Know

 Here he comes again, he is a good young man, and he is writing for me. Once again he asks, if I might like to include in this story a time when I said something so profound, that even the Lord himself stopped and praised me. He tells me that one of my friends plans to write about it. I pause and reflect, and then I slowly shake my head. I tell this young man that, this story really is not about me. In fact, since you the young man are doing all the actual writing, I want your name to be credited as the author. For I appreciate your faith in the one true and living God. However, with me as your source material, I ask that you do not include the things I did then that were profound, smart, wise, and noble to your way of thinking. I don't want the world to know me, I want the world to know Him. He says, that I am very wise, and that if I'm not careful with what I ask, I will go down in history as a lovable idiot, I tell him, I don't care. He shakes his head a little sadly, blots out a few lines from his manuscript, and leaves. 

 Dear reader, maybe you read my disciple's writings, and you see me as a dunderhead, who always put his foot in his mouth, who always said the wrong thing. Yes, there is a lot of truth to that, I do like to talk, and at times, I do put my foot in my mouth, but, the thing is, I don't need you to know what I'm good at, I don't need your accolades. I want you to see him. He is the answer, not I, but him. I don't think I even want to die like him, I am willing to suffer yes, but I don't feel worthy to die like him. I just want the world to know Him. Not this him, the Him. So, the world may know, you don't have to have it together, He just wants you. You can say things so wrong, that God shuts you down from Heaven, and that Christ rebukes the devil motivating you to your face, and you can deny and lie about your relationships, even after being warned that you would, and He will still want you. That is what I want you to know. This is why my disciple writes about me in this way, he doesn't like writing about me like this, but I want him to, so...the....world....may....know....

 There is a church, in a town, somewhere in the Roman Empire, a young man, has failed badly, he had a marvelous conversion, but, the prostitute down the street caught his eye, and he forgot about his new man in Christ. Now, he sits in his hut, afraid, and he knows that he betrayed the Lord, and that he is doomed. However, he hears an apostle coming, and because of what he heard about this apostle, and how freely this apostle admits his failings, he thinks, that maybe he understands, maybe he can help. So he talks with him, and this apostle knows all about betrayal, and how Jesus receives those who betray him, the young man repents, runs to the arms of Christ and is restored and made whole again. 

 Here we sit today, chuckling at the antics of Peter and admiring the energy of Paul, and yet, the early writings attribute the gospel of Mark, to Peter. For Mark was Peter's disciple, and he wrote down the things he heard Peter say. No gospel is as hard on Peter as Mark's. I have taken many liberties with this story, but, it's my way of saying thank you Peter, thank you for being vulnerable with the world, so that we all know, Christ accepted you as a close friend, surely he will accept me to....When I get there, I want to hear about you more Peter, about your victories, about where you went, and what you saw. Thank you Peter, for having us worship Christ and not you. 

 I have no evidence for many of the things I said in my "story", but I believe it to be true, for when I look at the evidence that I will explain next, what else could it be? The friend of Peter's that planned to write about his profound statement was Matthew, see Matthew 16:15-20. Now compare that with Mark 8:27-30. So, what Peter said is included in both, but, you cannot find the equivalent of Matthew 16's verses 17-19. The early church writers generally believed that Peter spoke the words that Mark took down, and attribute Mark's gospel as unofficially Peter's gospel. I was first made aware of this by a man who has done a very thorough job of studying the early church writings. Here is his teaching if you are interested: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0L9BZoe_J7A