On Peter: Did God Test and Transform the Fisherman into a Fisher-of-Men?

Jesus did not tell Peter to walk on a tornado to demonstrate his faith in him. He never tested any of his disciples with adversities. Instead, when their circumstances challenged their faith, Jesus helped them trust in him. For instance, when Peter had a bad day fishing, Jesus directed him to cast his net in a particular place. He did it so that Peter would understand Jesus’ Messianic identity. Peter repented of his disbelief. 

 

Moreover, like Isaiah, who saw God’s glory, Peter understood his shortcomings before God’s Holy Son. He requested Jesus, “Lord, I am a sinful man. Please go away from me.” However, Jesus chose Peter to follow Jesus and preach God’s Kingdom. A humble fisherman, Peter left his profession and embarked on a faith journey. Just as Jesus had foretold, Peter made thousands of disciples and eventually became a fisher of men. 

 

Yet, the Bible often contrasts Peter’s passionate enthusiasm with his fickle-mindedness, a struggle many can relate to. For example, Peter would express his desire to follow Jesus even to the point of death but also discourage Jesus from enduring the cross. These instances reflect Peter's human nature and his journey of faith, which was not always smooth. One minute, he is afraid of the storm and doubts Jesus’ motives. The next minute, he is ready to step out into the storm and walk over the stormy sea. One minute, Peter casts out demons and heals the sick in Jesus’ name. The next minute, he is afraid to confess that he even knows Jesus –the Messianic claimant from Galilee.

 

We find the same paradigm repeatedly. Peter is enthusiastic and ready to go the extra mile, but his faith lacks substance in real-life situations. Many preachers have said that God was testing Peter’s faith. However, observing the Biblical narratives, I think God did not intend to test Peter’s faith actively in the way we understand 'testing '. It was not as if God told his friends, “Let us test Peter’s faith repeatedly by giving him challenging circumstances.” Instead, God allowed Peter to face challenging circumstances to help him grow in his faith and trust in Him. 

 

Remember, in Gethsemane, Jesus had prayed for Peter’s return to faith despite knowing that Peter would fail to stand with him during his crucifixion. Moreover, Jesus had also predicted that Peter would strengthen the rest of his disciples to stand for him boldly after Peter returned to faith. Jesus did not tell his friends, “Let us test Peter and find him wanting.” When Jesus reinstated Peter, he did not rebuke him for his lack of faith. Instead, Jesus helped him understand his position among his disciples. Peter is a natural leader with a heart of gold. He is Jesus’ co-shepherd and must feed Jesus’ flock with God’s word. 

 

Even after Jesus reinstated him, Peter had difficulties.  First, he wanted to know his position in Christ’s family compared to his longtime friend John. After Jesus told him to focus on his own calling and work, Peter had a second problem. He wanted to know if the Gentiles who crucified Jesus were allowed to participate in God’s Kingdom community. God gave Peter a vision and sent him people from Cornelius’ house to confirm his plan for a Jew plus Gentile Christ family. Still, Peter struggled with this concept until Paul rebuked him sharply of hypocrisy. 

 

Eventually, Peter helped the Jewish Christians understand God’s love for Gentiles and include them in the Abrahamic Messianic family of God. It seems there is a steady pattern of Peter’s difficulty acting out his faith in real life until God pushed him to his limits using challenging circumstances, visions, and Paul-like figures. In my view, God never actively tested Peter’s faith. Instead, Peter’s circumstances tested his faithfulness to God. He was a hardcore conservative Jew who was not open to Christ’s visionary work. Only after multiple reassurances did Peter fully trust in Jesus' faithfulness to him and his Jewish community. 

 

Peter's second adventure as a fisherman underscores that God never actively tested his faith. Instead, God reaffirmed that no matter how far Peter strayed, God was always there, for and with him. God repeated the miracle of Peter's (big) catch of fish to help Peter trust in His faithfulness. God willingly guided Peter at his own pace, demonstrating His patience and understanding. He did not harshly judge Peter's shortcomings. Jesus allowed Peter to gradually test and trust Him until he was fully convinced of God's Kingdom project and His faithfulness to him personally. In essence, God allowed Peter to test, trust, and experience Him in his challenging circumstances, not the other way around.

 

Today, many new believers in Christ face a unique challenge. Pastors judge and discriminate against them if they fail to hold on to their faith during crisis hours. They may even recommend some other disciples in front of the failing believer to challenge them to trust God’s faithfulness. However, it hurts the new believer’s psyche. Some might feel, “Now that I am a believer, God will put me to the test,” as if it is necessary. Many who see the believer’s struggle to remain in the faith and to impress his spiritual leaders may feel reluctant to follow such a demanding God. 

 

That is why Peter’s story can bring comfort to those who feel tested by challenging circumstances or difficult-to-please people. The key is that God does not actively test his disciples. Instead, he desires for them to trust and experience His faithfulness. God did not repeatedly test Peter to discourage him or push him beyond his limits to prove his loyalty. Instead, through His faithful acts, Jesus transformed the humble fisherman Peter into a fisher of men, instilling in him a deep trust in God’s loyalty. God, our Lord Jesus, is not a tester or tempter but a loyal and loving Savior.