From Easter to Pentecost: a Season for reading Acts
The Acts of the Apostles (the story of the early Church after Jesus’ farewell) reads like a Hollywood production. The story advances from one crisis to another, here, there and everywhere – as quickly as film passing through a projector. And what a cast! Peter, Stephen, Saul (who becomes Paul), Philip the Deacon, an Ethiopian eunuch, Caiaphas, Herod (who dies in public from a bad case of worms), Roman governors, Cornelius, Barnabas, Lydia, Aquila, Priscilla, Rhoda, Dorcas; then there are riots, jail breaks, ship wreck – you name it.
It’s also a book in which Jesus’ resurrection triggers off a series of resurrections of people who had been somewhat dead in a figurative way. I have in mind Peter in particular. For example, in the very first episode after Jesus’ ascension we find the eleven disciples, diminished by Judas’ suicide, gathered under Peter’s supervision to elect Judas’ successor. And Peter prefaces the voting with two Old Testament quotes applicable to a traitor: Let his encampment become desolate and May another take his office.
But might not Peter in condemning Judas take a look into a mirror? Was Peter so loyal that he should remain leader of Jesus’ followers? Let’s go back a little. Peter, thinking loyalty to Jesus meant materially upward mobility, rebuked Jesus for thinking he would die a violent death – and Jesus rebuked him in turn saying: Get behind me, Satan! You are an obstacle to me. Peter was also full of bravado when it did appear Jesus was in danger – but he couldn’t even keep his eyes open during Jesus’ agony in the garden and backed into the shadows when the police arrived. Then came his open denial of ever knowing Jesus when a servant girl recognized him outside the High Priest’s court. May not those biblical quotes Peter applied to Judas apply to him as well?
Only if his discovery of Jesus’ empty tomb had not somehow drawn Peter himself out of his own sepulcher of fear, false heroics, slow-wittedness and remorse! So that how does he later appear in Acts? A lame man sits begging by the Temple gate called “Beautiful” and Peter grasped him by his right hand . . . and he sprang up, stood on his feet, and started to walk. Peter is already a replica of the risen Jesus, triggering off resurrections himself. Summoned before the very Caiaphas and court that condemned Jesus, Peter boldly justifies his action and proclaims the same Good News that could get himself executed. Indeed he does wind up in jail for his brave proclamation of the Gospel – and always escapes. This is not the same guy who disappeared into the shadows and was terrified by the curious eye of a waitress.
Indeed the High Priestly Council was startled by the boldness of this unlettered fisherman. (The court uses the word idiotes to describe Peter, from which we derive the word idiot, which meant “layman” in those days; in other words, how could a mere layman be so bold and eloquent?) Also “boldness” in Greek really means telling it like it is, the courage to speak with all the candor of an innocent child.
One could go on. In Acts Peter is a changed man as are Stephen and Paul and so many others – risen from their inhibitions, their devious, cautious ways of speaking, made bravely alive – influenced by their experience of the risen Jesus. Does Easter do that for you? Does Christ’s empty tomb roll away the stone that has perhaps kept a lid on the remarkable, courageous, eloquent, even poetic, unique you (for God’s sake!!) he came to retrieve?