(By : Dessy Ariadna – Stand To JESUS Writing Team)
Another very unreasonable accusation from outsiders was that Simon Peter was crucified in place of JESUS Christ. Obviously this is very strange considering that Simon Peter himself was afraid and ran away in the Garden of Gethsemane . Let’s thoroughly examine this untrue accusation.
1. Peter ran away when Jesus was arrested in the Garden of Gethsemane
After cutting off the ear of the servant of the high priest named Malchus, Simon Peter and his disciples ran away from Jesus and allowed Him to be captured by the officers and guards who came with Judas Iscariot.
John 18:10-12 (IMB) Then Simon Peter, who had a sword, drew it and cut off the right ear of a servant of the high priest. The servant’s name was Malchus. JESUS said to Peter, “Sheath your sword! Should I not drink the cup that the Father has given Me? ” Next, the soldiers, officers and Jewish guards together arrested Jesus and tied Him up.
Matthew 26:47-56 (IMB) While He was still speaking, Judas, one of the twelve disciples, came with a large crowd sent by the chief priests and elders of the people, carrying swords and wood. He who betrayed Him had given them a sign, saying, “Whom I kiss, that is He, arrest Him! ” He approached JESUS and said, “Greetings, O Rabbi. ” And she kissed Him. But JESUS said to him, “Friend, what are you here for? ” Then they approached Jesus and arrested Him. One of those with Jesus drew his sword, then attacked a servant of the high priest and cut off his ear. But Jesus said to him, “Sheath your sword again, for whoever uses the sword will die by the sword. Or do you think that I do not have the power to ask My Father right now to bring Me more than twelve legions of angels? How then can the Scriptures be fulfilled, which say it should be so? ” At that time Jesus said to the crowd, “As if you were going to face thieves, did you come out with swords and sticks to arrest me? Every day I sat with you teaching in the Temple, and you did not arrest Me. But all this happened, so that the prophecies of the prophets might be fulfilled. ” Then all the disciples fled away from Him.
2. Peter denied JESUS three times
Simon Peter followed JESUS who was arrested secretly with another disciple to find out what would happen to JESUS. But what happened was because he was so afraid of being arrested if people found out that he was a disciple of JESUS, Simon Peter denied 3 times that he knew JESUS.
John 18:15-18 (IMB) Simon Peter and another disciple followed JESUS. The disciple was known to the high priest, and he entered with Jesus into the courtyard of the high priest’s palace. Peter was standing at the outer door, so another disciple whom the high priest knew came out, spoke to the woman guarding the door and brought Peter in. Then the servant girl, the doorkeeper, asked Peter, “Aren’t you also one of His disciples? ” Peter answered, “I am not His disciple. ” Because it was cold, the servants and guards made coals from charcoal, and they stood there warming themselves. Peter stood with them and warmed himself.
John 18:25-27 (IMB) Simon Peter was standing and warming himself. Then they said to him, “Aren’t you also one of His disciples? ” He denied and said, “I am not His disciple. ” A servant of the high priest, a relative of the man whose ear Peter had cut off, said, “Are you not the one I saw with Him in the garden? ” Peter denied it again, and at that moment the rooster crowed.
Matthew 26:73-75 (IMB) A few moments later, those who were standing there approached Peter and said, “Surely you are one of them too, because the way you speak makes you visible. ” So he began to curse and swear, “I do not know that Man! “And at that very moment the rooster crowed. So Peter remembered the words of Jesus who said to him, “Before the rooster crows, you will deny Me three times. ” And going out, he wept outside very bitterly.
3. Peter hid with the other disciples after JESUS’ crucifixion
After JESUS’ crucifixion, Simon Peter and the other disciples chose to hide because they were afraid of the Jews and JESUS appeared to them all.
John 20:19-20 (IMB) Towards evening on the first day of the week, when the disciples were gathered in a place with the doors locked for fear of the Jews, Jesus came standing among them and said: “Shalom to you ! ” Having said this, He showed them His hands and His side. And when the disciples saw the Lord, they rejoiced.
If Simon Peter had been crucified in place of JESUS, Simon Peter would have died and would not have been able to gather and hide with the disciples in a house. And if it was true that Simon Peter was crucified, why was it JESUS who came to appear after the resurrection and not Simon Peter?
4. Peter was crucified upside down in Rome on the orders of the emperor Nero
Simon Peter’s crucifixion took place in Rome and not in Jerusalem. JESUS Christ was crucified in 33 AD, while Simon Peter in 67 AD, this incident was recorded by Jerome, where the emperor Nero sentenced Simon Peter to death because he had bravely spread Christianity in the Roman Empire and made many people in the Roman Empire become Christians. , Peter was crucified upside down, his head down and his feet up.
So it is clear that Simon Peter was never crucified in place of JESUS, this accusation is false and completely inconsistent with the truth recorded in the Bible or in history. Even the famous Jewish historian in the Roman Empire named Flavius Josephus recorded the crucifixion of Jesus and the resurrection of Jesus.
