30/06/13

Simon called Peter

Matthew 4:18 - And Jesus, walking by the sea of Galilee, saw two brethren, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea: for they were fishers.


One needs to understand when the Gospels were initially written half of them were in Aramaic and it was latter, during the time of the Apostles that they were rewritten and completed in Greek. Even though they were translated in Greek we find some of the words are yet left in their original languages. Surely the people doing this had knowledge and understanding as to why they left these words in their original language.

Let me take an example.

When Jesus went to bring back to life the daughter of Jairus head of a Jewish Synagogue Jesus sent everyone out of the house but took with Him only Peter, John, James and the parents of the girl. They were the only ones in the house along with the body of the little girl. At this time Jesus takes the hand of the little girl and commands her to rise up and she does come back to life. Then Jesus instructs them to give her food to eat.

What is interesting is that both Luke and Mark records Jesus instructing them not to tell people what happened there.

Now reflect on this, what did Jesus want them to not tell to others? Was it about Him bringing back to life the girl, if so then the parents would have to put the girl in hiding for the rest of her life which would not have been possible. Or was it that Jesus did not want others to know that He bought her to life? That too was out of the question because all knew she was death and after Jesus and His disciple entered the house they would find her alive so it would be obvious that Jesus bought her to life like He did with many others.

We only understand what Jesus did not want others to know when we read the recording of Mark of this event. Mark's Gospel makes sure to keep two words in its Aramaic origin and did not translate it to Greek or English and the words are Talitha cumi. Mark takes the pain to write even the translation besides the Aramaic words as Damsel (little girl), I say unto thee, arise, this we do not see in other cases.

If one also reflects it is only in the case of this girl where her clear age is mentioned. No other person healed or person bought to life we find the age of the person is mentioned. When I read this I asked why only in this case, and it was only when I read about Jewish traditions which debating with Muslims about marriage I understood why.

According to Jewish tradition a girl at the age of 12 was considered a woman and eligible for marriage. Jesus showed that God did not approve this tradition of the Jews and thus addresses the girl as little girl and not as lady or woman. Jesus was directly confronting Judaism and that too in the house of a senior leader of the Jews when Jesus used the words Talitha to the daughter of Jairus. Jesus wanted the people with Him (and us) to know but did not consider it a time for the Jews outside to know.

Similarly we see with the name of Peter. During the time of Jesus the Jews mostly spoke Aramaic among themselves and Greek only with the Romans. We read in John during Jesus first personal encounter with Simon (Peter) we find Jesus did not call Simon by the name Peter but called him Cephas which is an Aramaic word. It is in the translation that the name changed to Peter. His name Cephas clearly means stone but the Greek name Petros (stone / pebble) gets confused with Petra (rock/cliff).

Jesus named him Cephas when He encountered him and his brother as disciple of John the Baptist. They latter become His disciples when Jesus goes to meet John and James. They were cousins of Jesus sons of Salome wife of Zebedee (whose real name was Cleophas) and a sister to Mary (Jesus' mother) was also called Mary by Jesus lovingly since she was like a mother to Him same was the Jesus' reason to call Mary the Magdalene as Mary, her name also was not Mary but lovingly called Mary by Jesus.

Peter (Cephas) was one of three most important disciples of Jesus along with John and James, we see Jesus gave all 3 of them personal special extra attention. The reason Jesus did this because He was training them for it was these 3 who headed the initial Church. It was not Peter alone or all the 12 Apostles but Peter, John and James who headed the first administrative (organized) Church and this Paul records in his letters.

Peter was given a special assignment of heading the Jewish Christians while Paul was given the task of heading the Gentile Christians, yet we see Catholics consider him as first head of the Church. This they do because of their misunderstanding of Matthew 16:18. If they have to point someone as the first 'Pope' (head) of the Church it should have been Paul for we Christians and so also the Roman Christians were not Jews (circumcised). But even that would not hold for no one man headed the church but all three Peter, John and James headed the first Church and they were later joined by Paul and Barnabas.


[ Prayer Starter ]
Lord, we pray the eyes of those deceived due to their lack of understanding of the Truth. Lord, we pray their hearts not be hardened with the teachings of man but they repent and surrender unto You and the Truth and be saved...

This prayer we make in Jesus' Name, Amen.


[ Reference ]
Matthew 4:18 And Jesus, walking by the sea of Galilee, saw two brethren, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea: for they were fishers.

John 1:41-42
41 He first findeth his own brother Simon, and saith unto him, We have found the Messias, which is, being interpreted, the Christ.
42 And he brought him to Jesus. And when Jesus beheld him, he said, Thou art Simon the son of Jona: thou shalt be called Cephas, which is by interpretation, A stone.

Luke 8:41-42, 49-56
41 And, behold, there came a man named Jairus, and he was a ruler of the synagogue: and he fell down at Jesus' feet, and besought him that he would come into his house:
42 For he had one only daughter, about twelve years of age, and she lay a dying. But as he went the people thronged him.
49 While he yet spake, there cometh one from the ruler of the synagogue's house, saying to him, Thy daughter is dead; trouble not the Master.
50 But when Jesus heard it, he answered him, saying, Fear not: believe only, and she shall be made whole.
51 And when he came into the house, he suffered no man to go in, save Peter, and James, and John, and the father and the mother of the maiden.
52 And all wept, and bewailed her: but he said, Weep not; she is not dead, but sleepeth.
53 And they laughed him to scorn, knowing that she was dead.
54 And he put them all out, and took her by the hand, and called, saying, Maid, arise.
55 And her spirit came again, and she arose straightway: and he commanded to give her meat.
56 And her parents were astonished: but he charged them that they should tell no man what was done.

Mark 5:22-24, 35-43
22 And, behold, there cometh one of the rulers of the synagogue, Jairus by name; and when he saw him, he fell at his feet,
23 And besought him greatly, saying, My little daughter lieth at the point of death: I pray thee, come and lay thy hands on her, that she may be healed; and she shall live.
24 And Jesus went with him; and much people followed him, and thronged him.
35 While he yet spake, there came from the ruler of the synagogue's house certain which said, Thy daughter is dead: why troublest thou the Master any further?
36 As soon as Jesus heard the word that was spoken, he saith unto the ruler of the synagogue, Be not afraid, only believe.
37 And he suffered no man to follow him, save Peter, and James, and John the brother of James.
38 And he cometh to the house of the ruler of the synagogue, and seeth the tumult, and them that wept and wailed greatly.
39 And when he was come in, he saith unto them, Why make ye this ado, and weep? the damsel is not dead, but sleepeth.
40 And they laughed him to scorn. But when he had put them all out, he taketh the father and the mother of the damsel, and them that were with him, and entereth in where the damsel was lying.
41 And he took the damsel by the hand, and said unto her, Talitha cumi; which is, being interpreted, Damsel, I say unto thee, arise.
42 And straightway the damsel arose, and walked; for she was of the age of twelve years. And they were astonished with a great astonishment.
43 And he charged them straitly that no man should know it; and commanded that something should be given her to eat.

Mark 15:40 There were also women looking on afar off: among whom was Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James the less and of Joses [Mary mother of Jesus], and Salome;

John 19:25 Now there stood by the cross of Jesus his mother, and his mother's sister, Mary the wife of Cleophas [was a common name therefore called Zebedee], and Mary Magdalene.

Matthew 16:18 – (Aramaic) "You are KE'PHA' (a movable stone) and upon this SHU`A' (a large massive rock) I will build my church."
This is in exact correspondence to the original inspired Greek text:
"You are PETROS (a movable stone) and upon this PETRA (a large massive rock) I will build my church."
13 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.


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