Apostle Peter: REDNECK!
A Brief Bio
Rabbi Yehudah ben Shomeyr
Simon Peter son
of Jonas (John 21:15) whose nickname which Messiah gave him, “The Rock," If were
alive today in the Western World would likely go by the name of “Rocky Johnson.”
Peter (Kefa)
was a man’s man, a guy most men in the Maritimes and Western Canada and the Southern
United States today can relate to. He was big burly rough neck who worked in
the family business as a fisherman with his brother Andrew who may have gone by
Andy if he lived today (Matt. 4:18). And sometimes Peter went fishing in the
buff (John 21:7)! Now that is redneck! They likely had a fishing company with a
couple of friends; James, John and their father Zebedee (Luke 5:10). He was a
God fearing man and who respected the Jewish faith he was raised in (Luke 5:8).
He lived in Capernaum by the Sea of Galilee (Matt. 8:8, 14-15). By the way the Gospels
read some believe it was Peter’s house that the paralytic was lowered down
through the hole the paralytic’s friends tore in the roof. He had a family and
his mother-in-law lived with them (Matt. 8:14-15). Peter was a very matter of
fact man who called it the way he saw it without apology, which sometimes got
him in a bit of trouble. Most hardnosed rednecks can relate to that. And like
most rednecks, Peter even cursed and swore (Matt. 26:74). Some might even call
him a “redneck.” After all he had the equivalent of a Bowie knife back then and
cut off a guy’s ear (John 18:10) in order to protect Yeshua, who today in the
west would have gone by Joshua. Peter was a loyal friend and clearly Peter was
the heavy out of all of the disciples. It was rough guys like this upon which
Messiah would build the Nastari movement (Matt. 16:18) despite “Rocky’s” all too
human flaw of fear which every one of us has (Matt. 26:31-75). Though a tough
guy Peter cried (Matt. 26:75) and we wasn’t afraid to tell those he was loyal
to that he loved them (John 21:15-19). After all REAL MEN cry and REAL MEN
love!
The way the Brit
Chadasha (New Testament) paints Peter and the way my western mind likes to fill
in the blanks and make it culturally relevant for me, If he were alive today, I
imagine a full and bushy bearded Peter who went by “Rocky,” in a camouflage
shirt with the sleeve cut off, a rough and dirt baseball cap with a fishhook on
the bill of the hat, wearing cargo kakis with a Bowie knife strapped to his
side and work boots.
