Peter’s
Perspective
4/19/14
Anxiety hung in the air like
criminals on the cross. No one spoke. No one moved. Peter was leaning in the
corner, blending with the shadows. The ten other disciples along with a handful
of Jesus’ followers, were scattered around the dimly-lit room as the lone
candle flickered back and forth, casting eerie shadows throughout the
windowless room.
Each loomed
silently, contemplating, and comprehending the horrific series of tragedies
that had occurred in the past few days. Peter mentally recalled the arrest of
Jesus and slicing the soldier’s ear. He recalled the words he spoke denying the
Son of God, followed by the rooster’s crow and Jesus’ countenance as he
stumbled by, shrouded in disappointment and splattered with blood. And he thought
of the Lord’s limp body maimed and lacerated, dripping with warm crimson as he
hung in agony on the cross, along with
the blood- stained wrappings on his body as he was gracefully placed into the
tomb. He realized that he wanted revenge on the Romans, on the Pharisees, on
anyone for what they did to his teacher. But he thought of what Jesus would
say, to “forgive and bless them who have wounded us.”
Suddenly they were all jolted out of their
self- brooding sessions by a hurried pound on the wooden door. John stood and
cautiously opened the door. Half a dozen frantic women came bustling into the
room, chattering and crying out in a hurried confusion. They were shouting and
crying something about the tomb being empty and Jesus being gone, and men in
white robes appearing out of nowhere. But it was hard to tell in all the
confusion and chatter.
Yet, a thought
flashed through Peter’s mind while everyone was arguing that the women were
hallucinating. Peter spoke up, “I will go and see the fabled empty tomb,” And
go he did. Before anyone could argue he leapt out into the dusty, crowded
streets and sprinted to the tomb. Leaping over carts and dodging crowds, scenarios,
ideas, and memories rushed through his mind faster than he ran. The crowded
streets whizzed by and became the near-deserted country roads.
Then the elated
Peter finally arrived, winded, yet excited near the mouth of the tomb. He
slowed his pace as the mammoth boulder which was covering the entrance of the
cave came into view. He noted that the large stone was off to the side; the
tomb was gaping open like the mouth of a waiting lion.
Peter slowly
stepped out of the already warm morning sun into the cool, musty interior of
the cave. He rushed to the spot where Jesus was left lying when they entombed
him, only to find nothing but stained burial shrouds.
His first thought
was grave robbers. But then something clicked in the back of Peter’s mind and
he remembered Jesus saying that he would be killed but rise in three days’
time. Now Peter understood it! Jesus had risen, and is alive. He leapt from the
tomb and sprinted to his fellow followers of Christ to spread the good news.
He jogged back
through the dusty country roads, to the crowded city, then back into the house
where his fellow disciples were waiting. He bounded into the house and told his
story to his companions. Some believed him and others didn’t; but they would
all believe soon enough…
By Evan Richards
