Peter 2.0

A while back I wrote about Peter and his incredible metamorphosis over the time from when Jesus called him to his death in Rome years later. Before the Resurrection, we have a number of incidents featuring Peter in a none-too-complimentary light:

• Babbling at the Transfiguration
• Fearfully sinking as Jesus walked on the water
• Humbly refusing to let Jesus wash his feet
  
• Boastfully declaring he would lay down his life for Jesus at the Last Supper
• Vindictively cutting off the ear of the High Priest's slave
  
• Later that night declaring three times that he didn't even know Jesus

In the readings from the last two weeks from Acts we see a whole new Peter -- Peter 2.0:

• Boldly condemning the House of Israel and people of Jerusalem on the day of Pentecost for Jesus' death, and calling them to repentance, baptism, and conversion. The people he called out were the same people the disciples tried to lock out in the upper room ("for fear of the Jews").
• Curing the cripple at the Temple in Jesus' name
• Again condemning the children of Israel, and calling them to conversion
• Arrested by the Sadducees, questioned by "their leaders, elders, and scribes...Annas the high priest, Caiaphas, John, Alexander, and all who were of the high-priestly class." There he boldy testifies to the Risen Christ and forgiveness of sins through Him.

For me, it is precisely because of Peter's all-too-human weaknesses as Jesus' disciple that I find his example so compelling once he assumes leadership of The Way.