Peter’s Predicament – A Dramatization of Matthew 16 – Bryn Morris
A dramatization of Matthew 16:13-23
The fresh afternoon air filled Peter’s lungs deeply before he exhaled in a sigh of contentment. The satisfaction of vindication. Oh how good it felt to finally have the Master approve of his position among the other brothers. Not that he’d ever questioned it, of course, but it was good to at least have everything clarified and out in the open now. For months they’d been quietly talking behind his back. He wasn’t worried—he’d just concluded that they needed to comfort each other in light of the obvious: he was clearly Rabbi’s favourite.
The writing was on the wall, after all. He was the only one among them who would willingly step out with courage—except maybe James and John, but they usually got rebuked for their stupidity, and rightly so. It’s not just courage that leaders need, you see, but wisdom, and when the moment came, it was not they but Simon son of Jonah who had proved his more mature perception.
You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.
Peter reflected on the moment. He had delivered the line well too, as he’d practiced.
Sure, maybe he had had his doubts—nothing compared to Thomas mind you—but he’d known that Jesus was the Messiah for a while now. With the healings, the new Torah, and the precise selection of twelve students, it was obvious that Jesus was starting a revolutionary movement styled off the stories of the forefathers. And to think that, for all those years, all the innumerable sons of Israel, all the great prophets and mighty kings of old, Jesus had chosen Peter to rule his kingdom on his behalf. I mean, only one of Jacob’s children can be Joseph, right? And a good David needs a better… or, a similar Jonathan. It just all seemed right.
“The rock … build his church on me,” Peter whispered softly to himself as Jesus and the other disciples walked on ahead. “The gates of Hades will never overpower …”. He shook his head in bewilderment at the prospect. “The keys to the kingdom of heaven will belong to me …”. These words felt good.
“Peter!” Jesus’ call arrested him from the depths of his thoughts; by the tone of Jesus’ voice, it sounded like he’d called Peter’s name several times before he had noticed.
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