24.11 | Eyewitnesses
1 Peter 4:12-5:14
‘So I exhort the elders among you, as a fellow elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, as well as a partaker in the glory that is going to be revealed’
1 Peter 5:1
A common question that have about Christianity is this:
Why should I trust the Bible?
It’s an essential question—for our faith is built upon the veracity of the events found in the Bible. If the Bible gives us an accurate insight into the person and work and words of Jesus of Nazareth, then there can be no more important document in history. If it is a fantastical piece of writing, made up by conspirators and fairytale tellers, then it can be put back upon the shelf, as no more than an amusing insight into the colourful imagination of a few rogue individuals. The trustworthiness of the Scriptures is foundational for our confidence.
The Church of those early centuries were aware of this. As the years progressed, other ‘Christian’ writings began to circulate, sharing different viewpoints and fantastical ideas about who Jesus was. Some kind of guiding principles were needed to clarify which writings about the Way of Jesus were considered totally dependable.
Their decision included one particular criteria:
A book could be included if it was written by an eyewitness of the risen Jesus (or somebody with extraordinarily close proximity to an eyewitness). The New Testament was to collate these eyewitness events, to the exclusion of everything else.1
A witness of the sufferings of Christ.
The Peter who writes this letter is no distanced historian.2 He was in the boat when Jesus began preaching. He was handing out bread and fish at the feeding of the five thousand. He walked with Jesus on the water. He was in the courtyard at Jesus’ trial and he was among the first on the scene at the empty tomb. He ate breakfast with the risen Jesus, saw the flames of Pentecost, and witnessed how the presence of God upon his life led to those touched by his shadow to be miraculously healed.
With this in mind, it is maybe easier to get into his mindset today. For Peter speaks about suffering—and, specifically, suffering for the testimony of Jesus. For such suffering always asks a blunt question of the soul:
Is this worth it?
Our answer to which is, unequivocally, upon our confidence in the truth of this reality.
Cost—suffering—is the great test of the soul of the believer, for in the place of discomfort we are confronted with how substantial our confidence truly is. When integrity means we lose, when vocation means taking a lower salary, when faithfulness in the small things costs us platform in the seemingly greater ones. When our beliefs or ethics are considered immoral to the culture, when our testimony is rejected, and when our alarm clocks go off an hour early to delve deeper in Scripture and prayer.
Confidence.
These are hinge moments, my friends. Do not be discouraged, for you are never abandoned. Comfort is not the marker of God’s favour, but rather, discomfort is often the arena in which the truer confidence of the apostolic faith is proved substantial. He is trusting you with the greater testimony. Stand strong, for such steadfastness is a resting place of the Spirit of glory.
Be assured: we are building on strong foundations. The Peter who wrote these words believed them so fiercely that he was crucified upside down for his conviction—as was his brother, Andrew. James was killed with the sword, Paul beheaded, the other James stoned to death. We could go on. We walk in their footsteps, and we carry the same flame. For we do not peddle in fantasies, but in the substance of reality.
Reflect:
What discomfort do I face right now? How may this be an opportunity for endurance? Invite the Spirit of glory to settle upon this place in your soul.
Pray:
Father,
When confronted with pain, opposition, exclusion, and the voices of doubt,
It is easy for me to lose my
Confidence.
And yet, Father,
I look ahead,
And see that this road has been trod
By many before me—
Who endured such opposition and such pain
With insubordinate confidence.
And thus, Father,
I take my stand—
In these circumstances and in this moment—
That my life may join with the apostolic declaration
Of the surety of the inbreaking world,
And that this life be a resting place
Of the Spirit of glory.
In Jesus’ Name,
Amen
Old Testament:
For those also reading the Old Testament this year, your additional readings are here:
Ezekiel 45-46 | Psalm 134
The technical term for this is apostolic derivation. Matthew: a tax collector turned apostle of Jesus. Mark: a mentee of Peter, who wrote down Peter’s accounts. Luke: a doctor and historian in the first church community, and a travelling companion of Paul. John: another of the twelve disciples, found at the foot of the cross and the empty tomb. And so it goes on: Paul, who met the risen Jesus on the road, James and Jude—brothers of Jesus who became key leaders in the Early Church. The possible exception to this list is Hebrews, as the author is lost—although was likely another individual close to the apostles, such as Barnabus or Apollos. Another criteria was total unity with the teachings of the apostles, to which Hebrews aligns.
See also 2 Peter 1:16