The Boldness of Peter and John

“When they saw the boldness of Peter and John, they took knowledge of them, that they had been with Jesus.’ — Aots iv. 138.

THESE two men drew one quality from the same source; they had both become

bold from living with Jesus. Yet it was not the same kind of boldness. Peter and John were both courageous; yet the courage of Peter was as unlike the courage of John as the sun is unlike the moon. When Christ gives the same quality to two men He does not thereby make them the same man. The light which shines on the wall comes from the same source as the light which shines on the river; but no one would mistake the light on the river for the light on the wall. Even so, no one would mistake the courage of Peter for the courage of John. They are not only

different; they are in some sense opposite.

Peter has the courage that strikes; John has the courage that waits. Peter is a force of action; John is a force of bearing. Peter draws the sword; John lies on the bosom. Peter crosses the sea to meet Jesus; John tarries till the Lord comes. Peter goes into the sepulchre where the body of Jesus has lain; John merely looks in — keeps the image of sorrow in his heart. Christ needs each of these types. There are times when His kingdom requires the courage of the hand — the power of actual contact with danger. There are times when it needs the courage of the heart — the power to wait when nothing can be done, and to keep the spirit up when the hand must be let down. Life has both its Galilee and its Patmos — its place for work and its place for waiting; and for both it requires courage.

And yet methinks, my soul, thou needst it most for Patmos. John’s courage is the least shining, yet is it not the most difficult! There are men who could be bold in Galilee who could not be bold in Patmos. It is a hard thing to keep the vision of hope before thee when thou art in island life. It is comparatively easy to have courage in the battle; the sight of the multitude inspires boldness. But to have courage in the moment of isolation, to have courage when there is no spectator, to have courage when thou art alone with thine own thoughts and hearest not the chorus of human sympathy — this is an arduous thing! And this is the thing that is most asked of thee. Thy most tragic moments are thy Patmos moments. Thy deepest struggles are ever in the wilderness. The duty most required of thee is to bear. Not to say to this mountain, “Be thou removed!” is thy greatest need. The power wanted of thee is to keep this mountain on thy breast without fainting. The courage of faith can cast it into the sea; but only the courage of love can bear its pressure. They are brave soldiers that meet Christ in Galilee; but methinks the honours of the day are reserved for the men of Patmos. Meet Him in Patmos, O my soul!