St. Peter, His Name and His Office, as Set Forth in Holy ScriptureAllies, T. W. (Thomas William)
Religion
St. Peter, His Name and His Office, as Set Forth in Holy Scripture
Allies, T. W. (Thomas William)
Peter, the Apostle, Saint
But this interpretation, contrary both to internal evidence and to
early tradition, and suggested only by the anxiety to defend S.
Peter's dignity, did not prevail. Another succeeded, supported by S.
Chrysostome, S. Cyril, and the greatest Greek commentators, and for
a long time by S. Jerome, even more remarkably opposed to the
apparent sense of the passage, and only, as it would seem, dictated
by the same desire to defend the dignity of S. Peter, and the
conduct of S. Paul. Admitting that it was really Peter who was here
mentioned, they maintained that it was not a real dissension between
the two Apostles, but apparent only, and arranged both by the one
and the other, to terminate the question more decidedly. S.
Chrysostome[28] sets forth at great length this opinion: "Do you
see," says he, "how S. Paul accounts himself the least of all
saints, not of Apostles only? Now he who was so disposed with
respect to all, both knew how great a prerogative Peter ought to
enjoy, and reverenced him most of all men, and was disposed towards
him as he deserved. And this is a proof. The whole earth was looking
to Paul; there rested on his spirit the solicitude for the Churches
of all the world. A thousand matters engaged him every day; he was
besieged with appointments, commands, corrections, counsels,
exhortations, teachings, the administration of endless business; yet
giving up all these, he went to Jerusalem. And there was no other
occasion for this journey save to see Peter, as he says himself: 'I
went up to Jerusalem to visit Peter.' Thus he honoured him, and
preferred him to all men." Suspecting, too, that an accusation
against Peter's unwavering faith, might be brought from the words,
"fearing those of the circumcision," he breaks out, 'What say you?
Peter fearful and unmanly? Was he not for this called Peter, that
his faith was immovable? What are you doing, friend? Reverence the
name given by the Lord to the disciple. Peter fearful and unmanly!
Who will endure you saying such things?'"
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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