The words were uttered on the side of a lake. They would have been easy to miss. The situation started with Jesus' question, "Do you care about me?" and ended with "Follow me." Between these phrases, most of the dialog was about Jesus letting Simon know that he would be counting on him to guide his followers. But all of that dialog was foretelling how Simon would spend his life. At the tail end of the Q&A part of the conversation in John 21.18-19, Jesus foretells Simon's death. The remark is easy to miss, especially when reading for gist.
The short remark was to forewarn Simon of a difficult death. Simon could easily see the metaphor of protection and provision for Jesus' little lambs before Jesus finished speaking to him, which is what Jesus wanted him to do. But, the statement that followed the Q&A was less metaphorical and more matter of fact. Jesus knew Peter's last day wouldn't be a soft landing at the end of an illustrious life. He separated his guidance portion from the death forewarning with the repetition of the word ἀμὴν (amen or something on the order of "truthfully"). Jesus wanted him to know not to expect to go softly into the dark on his last day. His reward would be only, but certainly, in the next life. So Jesus began:
Verse 18a
Ἀμὴν ἀμὴν λέγω σοι, ὅτε ἦς νεώτερος, ἐζώννυες σεαυτὸν καὶ περιεπάτεις ὅπου ἤθελες
(Here's the truth. When you were younger, you got yourself ready and went wherever you wanted to go.)
Yes, Simon was young in the early days of The Way. He had the energy and charisma to lead the little lambs to a robust belief in Jesus' Way. He would lead in Jerusalem in the face of the Jews that wouldn't recognize Jesus as messiah, in Corinth in the face of gnostics who would spiritualize Christianity into simply an inner light for a serene life, and in Rome in the face of the most brutal and indifferent masters of a world empire.
But, Jesus continued speaking:
Verse 18b
ὅταν δὲ γηράσῃς, ἐκτενεῖς τὰς χεῖράς σου, καὶ ἄλλος σε ζώσει καὶ οἴσει ὅπου οὐ θέλεις
(But when you get old, you will raise your hands for someone else to get your ready and take you where you don't want to go.)
Yes, Simon would grow old. He would cross paths with powerful people and stand for the faith, but eventually one of those powerhouses would be his nemesis, leading him down a path he would not want to travel. His life would end.
Verse 19a
τοῦτο δὲ εἶπεν σημαίνων ποίῳ θανάτῳ δοξάσει τὸν θεόν
(He said this to signify what kind of death he would honor God with.)
A great historical account exists of the end of Simon's life. The story recounts events that happened exactly as Jesus said. The account exists in both Latin and Greek and is called today, The Acts of Peter. Section 6, labeled Martyrdom of Peter, relates the episode. Simon is told by Christians close to him in Rome that Agrippa was actively seeking to kill him. They urged him to leave Rome so that he could continue to teach them from afar. Peter took their advice, disguised himself, and left Rome.
At the outskirts of the city, Simon saw a man approaching him on the road. As they passed each other, Simon recognized the other man to be Jesus. Peter spoke out:
(Peter noticed him and said, "Lord, where are you going?")
Και ο κυριος ειπεν αυτω εισερχομαι εις την ρωμην σταυρωθηναι
(The Lord said to him, "I am going into Rome to be crucified.")
Και ο πετρος ειπεν αυτω κυριε μου παλιν σταυρουσαι
(Peter replied, "My Lord, are you being crucified again?")
Και ειπεν αυτω ο κυριος ναι πετρε παλιν σταυρουμαι
(The Lord answered, "Yes, Peter, I am being crucified again.")
Και ελθων εις εαυτον ο πετρος και ιδων τον κυριον εις ουρανον ανελθοντα
(Then Peter watched the Lord ascend to Heaven.)
The account went on to say that Jesus' words all those long years ago by the side of the lake flashed through Simon's mind. It is clear that Simon also remembered Jesus' last instruction to him (John 21.19).
Verse 19b
καὶ τοῦτο εἰπὼν λέγει αὐτῷ· ἀκολούθει μοι
(He then reiterated to Peter, "Follow me.")
Simon could hear again Jesus' voice imprint at the end of his prediction, "Follow me." That remembered imprint caused Simon to turn to follow Jesus' wish of going back into Rome to suffer crucifixion for his Lord. All Rome could see the crucifixion of Jesus a second time through his body.
And from his head-downward position on the cross, Simon told the followers of Jesus that had gathered there, the mystery of the cross, namely that everything on Earth is backward to the way of the cross. Simon quoted Jesus as saying, "Unless you make the things on the right as the things on the left, and the things below as the things above, and the things behind as the things in front, you cannot enter the kingdom of heaven." Matthew West captures this message from The Martyrdom of Peter wonderfully well in his song, My Finest Hour.
As time has passed, I have looked on accomplishments that have come my way, what I would consider my finest hours. They usually led to making life a little better in some way or to giving my children an example. Only recently have I tried to look on things that have happened and queried Jesus, "Where are you going (with the skills and experiences you have given me?)." I expect that the answer is the same one Simon received, "I am going into Rome to be crucified again." I translate that into my own life as "I am visiting your experiences for you to use them for my honor." So, like Peter, I turn back to take up again what I have done in order to honor God.
Let it happen.
[Introductory photo of reflection retrieved from http://www.topdesignmag.com/62-impressive-examples-of-reflection-photography. The second work of art is retrieved from http://catholicharboroffaithandmorals.com/St.%20Peter%20Lives%20of%20the%20Popes.html]
[The first song is Be Not Afraid, I Go Before You Always by Harsh Realm. The second song is My Finest Hour by Matthew West]
[The Greek text used for the New Testament references is the Nestle Aland 28th edition]
[The Greek text used for the Acts of Peter and the kingdom of heaven quotation of Jesus is taken from The Ancient Martyrdom Accounts of Peter and Paul by David L. Eastman]
[Translations from Greek are my own.]
