LIVING WATERS
For the proclamation of the Gospel and the edification of the Body of Christ
Peter Had Been with Him
Thanks to the antecedents given by some church fathers, there is a common idea that, behind the Gospel of Mark, there is the shadow of Peter. Mark was not an eyewitness to the events he narrates, but Peter was. He was very close to the apostle for many years, and he would have heard him tell over and over again the episodes that he later writes, at the request of the brethren in Rome.
If this common view is accepted, Mark's account is an expression of Peter's customary account of the person and deeds of the Lord. Reviewing it carefully from this perspective, one feature of the older Peter that was not in the younger Peter jumps out: his humility. There are several episodes that Mark omits, which are in the other Gospels, and which have a common denominator: all of them, if told, would have brought honor to Peter.
When the Lord appears to his disciples walking on the waters, Mark does not mention that Peter also walked. Peter could boast of having been the only one who dared to take that step of faith, but he does not. The one who tells it is Matthew. A similar case is that of Peter's confession at Caesarea Philippi. Mark's record is very laconic. It occupies only four verses (8:27-30), and does not tell of the Lord's promise to give him the keys of the kingdom of heaven, which Matthew does record (16:19).
Nor does Mark tell of the finding of the stater in the fish's mouth, which only Matthew records. Peter could have boasted that the Lord had provided the money for the payment of his tax, but he does not. When the day came to prepare the Passover, Mark says that the Lord "sent two of his disciples" to do so, but he does not say who they were. Luke informs us that those two disciples were Peter and John.
The episode of the tomb on resurrection morning, which John records in such detail, Mark does not even mention. John remembered very well that anxious race that morning, his advantage over Peter, but then, Peter's decision to enter the tomb first. John remembers it, despite the years that had passed, but not Peter. It was an honorable episode for Peter, which he preferred to forget.
The same is true of Peter's courageous reaction in Gethsemane, when he tried to defend his Master. That night, Peter exposed his life by drawing his sword and attacking Malchus. The other three evangelists relate it; two of them mentioning Peter. Apparently, Peter's intention was not only to tear off the man's ear, but to prevent his Master from being apprehended. According to the light he had, he considered it legitimate to resort to these weapons to defend his Master, and he did so. But Peter preferred to remember, to his shame, other facts, such as the denial of his Master, instead of exhibiting his courage.
Humility consists, above all, in keeping silence. Peter had seen his Lord, and had learned from him. The Lord Jesus was not only humble, but was Humility personified. And Peter had been with him.