Peter in King of Kings

Watched the movie King of Kings last week, and it’s a good show for children to see the overview of the gospel, from the birth to the resurrection of Jesus. The crucifixion scene still moved me to tears even without the gore of the ‘Passion of Christ’. As I was watching the show, I wondered if Peter is ADHD, because recently I became more aware of its characteristics because of my condition. It was a mere fleeting thought until I did my bible reading the day after I watched the show. The reading happened to land on 1 Peter.

So I went to Google about it and this is the AI overview: “While the Bible doesn’t explicitly diagnose individuals with ADHD, some interpretations of his (Peter) behaviour in the Gospels suggest characteristics that might align with modern ADHD symptoms. Impulsivity, distractibility and poor executive function are points of comparison. However, it’s important to remember that applying modern diagnostic criteria to historical figures is a retrospective analysis, not a medical diagnosis.”

Come to think of it, Peter was featured much more than the other disciples in the show. I suppose it’s because his episodes with Jesus were all quite dramatic, with the great ups and downs and sharp fluctuations. All the good and bad laid open for all to see – Peter walked on water, said Jesus is the Son of God, and proclaimed he would never deny Jesus. Yet, it’s also Peter who started sinking in water because he doubted, denied Jesus three times, and cut the soldier’s ear.

There were also two episodes in which Satan was involved. Spiritual warfare was intense for Peter.

From that time Jesus began to show to His disciples that He must go to Jerusalem, and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised the third day. Then Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him, saying, “Far be it from You, Lord; this shall not happen to You!”

But He turned and said to Peter, “Get behind Me, Satan! You are an offense to Me, for you are not mindful of the things of God, but the things of men.”

Matthew 16:21-24 (NKJV)

And the Lord said, “Simon, Simon! Indeed, Satan has asked for you, that he may sift you as wheat. But I have prayed for you, that your faith should not fail; and when you have returned to Me, strengthen your brethren.”

But he said to Him, “Lord, I am ready to go with You, both to prison and to death.” Then He said, “I tell you, Peter, the rooster shall not crow this day before you will deny three times that you know Me.”

Luke 22:31-34 (NKJV)

I do see my faith journey similar to Peter – the dramatic ups and downs and intense spiritual warfare. But seeing Jesus’ mercy and prayer in Peter’s life, I am assured that after every spiritual battle, I would be able to encourage and strengthen other fellow Christians. And like Peter, who fulfilled God’s purpose in his life to be the rock on which the church was being built, God has a wonderful plan for me to fulfil too.

He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?”
Simon Peter answered and said, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”
Jesus answered and said to him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father who is in heaven.

And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it. And I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.”

Matthew 16:15-19 (NKJV)

Do you also identify your faith journey with Peter? Or is there another disciple that you can identify with? MBTI has 16 distinct personalities, but perhaps, there are only 12 broad categories, and Jesus had chosen each of those to make up His 12 disciples. Perhaps.

Photo in post: Taken from the ending credits of the movie

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