Among the many characteristics that we know defined Simon Peter was his tendency to speak before thinking. He did not seem to be a person who took care to examine how his words might be perceived, or even if they were the right words for the occasion. Sometimes this worked out to his benefit, such as when he boldly declared Jesus to be the Son of God (Matthew 16:16). Other times, however, he blurted out the first thing that came to mind, and it resulted in a stern rebuke, such as—mere minutes after the previous example—when he dared to tell Jesus He was not allowed to go to the Cross (Matthew 16:22-23).
One of the more famous examples of Peter’s mouth getting him into trouble came during the Lord’s last supper, when the disciple boasted that he would never deny Jesus. To that, the Master told him he would, in fact, deny Him three times before the night was done (Matthew 26:34). That’s a very famous moment in Peter’s life, but I was struck by a thought the other day: After Jesus makes that statement to Peter in the upper room, we do not hear from him again until he denies Jesus three times. Despite being known as the disciple who talks the most, and despite there being a lot that goes on between the upper room and trial of Jesus, in none of the four Gospel accounts, does Peter say another word after the upper room until he says “I don’t know the Man…”
In John 14, when Jesus makes some cryptic comments that spark a robust series of questions from His disciples, it is Thomas and Philip who ask the questions, not Peter. When the Lord is arrested, Peter says nothing. He does draw a sword and swing it at Malchus, but he says nothing. Maybe he drew the weapon to prove to Jesus, and to himself, that he was ready to fight for the Lord. But then, when Jesus put a stop to his violence, Peter, lost and confused, ran (along with the rest). He ran. He said nothing. Then he snuck back into the court… and denied Jesus.
Is there a point to this observation? I’m not sure. Maybe it’s the fact that Peter, in the middle of this quiet stretch, didn’t seem to wrestle with the grim reality Jesus was predicting. He didn’t seem to admit the possibility of his denials until it was too late. Had he, perhaps he wouldn’t have acted so rashly in the Garden when he drew his sword at Malchus. It seems, to me, like Peter was uncharacteristically quiet in this small window of time, and yet was still very characteristically “unthinking,” too.
Just because you’re being quiet doesn’t mean you’re contemplating. Use the quiet times to meditate on God (and with God). Doing so will help you draw closer to Him. Failing to do so might result in something like what happened to Peter: You might break your silence with a denial, and with you being further from God than when your silence began.
~Matthew