Life of Peter Timeline
Jesus' Last Passover to Pentecost

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This is the second of three timelines covering the life and ministry of the Apostle Peter! This timeline discusses Peter's life from Jesus' last Passover through the day of the Lord's ascension and up to the Day of Pentecost in 30 A.D.

Tuesday April 4 30 A.D.
Sunset to 10 p.m.

Rejecting Footwashing

Jesus partakes of his last Passover with his disciples, an event he has longed to have with them (Luke 22:14 - 16).

Early in the Passover meal Jesus begins to wash the feet of each of his disciples. Peter, when he sees the Lord approaching him, initially rejects having his feet washed. After being gently chided he relents.

Then He (Jesus) came to Simon Peter; and he said to Him, "Lord, are You going to wash my feet?" Jesus answered and said to him, "What I am doing you do not understand now, but you shall know after these things."

Peter said to Him, "You shall not wash my feet, not ever." Jesus answered him, "If I do not wash you, you have no part with Me." Simon Peter said to Him, "Lord, not my feet only, but also my hands and my head." (John 13:6 - 9).

Who Will Betray the Lord?

During Passover, shortly after the footwashing ceremony, the Lord reveals one of his disciples will betray him (John 13:21). Peter, whose curiosity and impulsiveness during this solemn Passover got the best of him, asks John to find out who it is.

Now one of His disciples (John), the one whom Jesus loved, was leaning on Jesus' chest. And so, Simon Peter motioned to him to ask who was the one of whom He was speaking (John 13:23 - 24).


Saint Peter Walking on the Water
Saint Peter Walking on the Water
Alessandro Allori, 1590s

Jesus tells John it is the person to whom he gives the sop who will betray him. Judas, after receiving the sop, is possessed by the devil and leaves the room.

The quiet exchange between Jesus and John, and the sop denoting who was the betrayer, was known only by the two men and Judas. Peter, like the rest of the apostles, did not know during Passover why Judas hurriedly left the room (John 13:28). Peter's ignorance was likely necessary to allow prophecy to be fulfilled as his impulsive, "act first and think later" behavior may have tried to stop Judas.

Escalating Bravado

Later during the Passover ceremony the Lord reveals that all of his disciples will soon abandon him (Matthew 26:31 - 32). Peter, ignorant of his own human nature and its tendency to focus on self-preservation, professes he would not deny Jesus.

Then Peter answered and said to Him, "Even if all shall be offended in You, I will never be offended" (Matthew 26:33).

Jesus then reveals that Satan had requested from the Father the right to "sift" or take down all of the disciples! He then reassures them that their faith would not completely fail.

Then the Lord said, "Simon, Simon, listen well. Satan has demanded to have all of you (all the disciples!), to sift as wheat. But I have prayed for you, that your faith may not fail; and when you are converted, strengthen your brethren." (Luke 22:31 - 32).

Peter's response is to ramp up his promise of devotion by asserting his willingness to die for Jesus.

And he (Peter) said to Him, "Lord, I am ready to go with You both to prison and to death." (Luke 22:33).

It is at this point in the Passover conversation that Jesus tells Peter he will deny him three times before the cock crows.

But He said, "I tell you, Peter, the cock shall in no wise crow today before you have denied knowing Me three times." (Luke 22:34).

Tuesday April 4 30 A.D.
Around 10 p.m.

The Flesh is Weak

Jesus and the disciples finish observing Passover and walk to the Garden of Gethsemane. Arriving in the garden around 10 p.m., the Lord separately takes Peter, James and John with him to the place he will pray until his arrest. In a short time, however, the three disciples are fast asleep!

Jesus returns to the disciples after an hour and quizzes Peter.

"Simon, are you sleeping? Were you not able to watch one hour? Watch and pray, so that you do not enter into temptation. The spirit truly is willing, but the flesh is weak." (Mark 14:37 - 38).

The disciples, in spite of the Lord's admonition, fall back into sleep. Jesus chides them a second time for sleeping (Matthew 26:43, Mark 14:40) and then continues praying.

Wednesday April 5
Shortly After Midnight

Simon Injures a Servant

Judas, shortly after midnight on April 5, arrives at Gethsemane with soldiers to arrest Jesus (Matthew 26, Mark 14, Luke 22, John 18). Peter, as the soldiers approached the Lord to arrest him, pulls out a sword and cuts off the ear of a servant!

Then Simon Peter, who had a sword, drew it out and struck the servant of the high priest, and cut off his right ear. And the servant’s name was Malchus.

But Jesus said to Peter, "Put your sword into the sheath; shall I not drink the cup that the Father has given Me?" (John 18:10 - 11).

Jesus then heals the servant's ear (Luke 22:51) and is taken into custody. All the disciples then flee as was prophecied (Matthew 26:56).

Around 1 a.m. Wednesday

Jesus Taken to Annas' House

As Jesus is led to Annas' house, who was the previous High Priest, Peter follows the group from a distance. The Lord is briefly questioned at the house, slapped in the face, and then take to the house of the current High Priest (John 18:13 - 24).

2 - 3 a.m. Wednesday

The First Two Denials

Peter, as Jesus is being questioned by the Sanhedrin, sneaks his way into the courtyard of the High Priest's house. A young woman notices him and recalls he was with the Lord.

Now Peter was in the court below; and one of the maids of the high priest came, and saw Peter warming himself; and after looking at him, she said, "Now you were with Jesus the Nazarene."

But he denied it, saying, "I do not know Him or even understand what you are saying. And he went out onto the porch, and a cock crowed." (Mark 14:66 - 68).

The young woman sees Peter, yet again, and says to those with her that he was indeed a disciple (Mark 14:69). The apostle denies knowing the Lord a second time.

Around 4 a.m. Wednesday

The Third Denial

An hour after Peter's second denial, just a short time before the day portion of Passover begins, a man recognizes him as one of the disciples.

Now after about an hour had passed, a certain other man strongly affirmed, saying, "In truth, this one also was with Him, for he is indeed a Galilean."

And Peter said, "Man, I do not know what you are talking about." And immediately, while he was yet speaking, the cock crowed (Luke 22:59 - 60).

Peter then experiences the immensely sad and humbling experience of having Jesus look right at him after the cock crowed!

Then the Lord turned and looked at Peter; and Peter remembered the word of the Lord, how He had said to him, "Before the cock crows, you shall deny Me three times."

And Peter went outside and wept bitterly (Luke 22:61 - 62, see also Matthew 26:75).

His sadness at his own weaknesses, unlike Judas' which led to suicide, will lead him to repentance (2Corinthians 7:9 - 10).

Sunday April 9 30 A.D.

Jesus is Alive!

Mary Magdalene, after arriving at the Lord's tomb early in the morning, discovers that it is empty. She then runs to Peter and the other disciples to report the body is missing (John 20:1 - 2).

Peter and John then run to the tomb and also discover Jesus' body missing. They then see the Lord's grave linens lying in the tomb with the linens wrapped around his head folded and placed by itself. After viewing this amazing and puzzling scene they return home (Luke 24:12, John 20:3 - 10).

After sunset on the same day Jesus shows himself alive to Peter and nine of the other remaining disciples who are hiding in fear of the Jews (John 20:19 - 23). Only Thomas, for unknown reasons, is not with the group. This is the first time Peter has seen Christ alive since his crucifixion.

Sunday April 16

Second Appearance

Jesus, after sunset, shows himself alive a second time to his disciples. This time, however, all eleven of his remaining twelve disciples (including Thomas) are in the room where he miraculously appears (John 20:26 - 29).

April 17 to May 17

Appearance in Galilee

In fulfillment of his Passover promise to meet the disciples in Galilee (Matthew 26:32), Jesus shows him alive to Peter and the rest of the disciples (28:16 - 17).

On Galilee's Shore

Jesus, on Lake Galilee's shore, appears to Peter and several other disciples (John 21:1 - 24).

The Lord, as Peter and several other disciples are fishing, causes their net to miraculously fill with 153 fish! Peter then jumps into the water and swims to Jesus who is on the shore.

After eating a group meal Jesus asks Peter three times if he loves him. After the greatly concerned apostle answers the Lord it is revealed to him that he will someday die as a martyr (John 21:15 - 22).

Thursday May 18 in 30 A.D.

The Last Appearance

Jesus appears one last time to Peter and the other disciples just before he ascends to the right hand of God in heaven (Matthew 28:18 - 20, Mark 16:15 - 19, Luke 24:50 - 53, Acts 1:4 - 9).

The Lord commands his disciples to wait in Jerusalem until they receive power from on high.

And while they were assembled with Him, He commanded them not to depart from Jerusalem but to "await the promise of the Father, which," He said, "you have heard of Me." (Acts 1:4).

May 19 to 28 30 A.D.

Selecting a New Apostle

Peter, the ten remaining apostles, as well as 109 other sometime between Jesus' ascension and Pentecost, informs the group of 120 disciples meeting in Jerusalem that it was necessary to replace Judas as one of the witnesses of the Lord's life.

And in those days, Peter stood up in the midst of the disciples . . .

"Men and brethren, it was necessary for this scripture to be fulfilled, which the Holy Spirit spoke before by the mouth of David concerning Judas, who became a guide to those who took Jesus; For he was numbered with us, and had obtained a part of this ministry . . .

"Therefore, it is obligatory that from those men who have accompanied us during all the time in which the Lord Jesus came in and went out among us, beginning from the baptism of John until the day in which He was taken up from us, one of these shall become a witness with us of His resurrection." (Acts 1:16 - 17, 21 - 22).

Two men, Barsabas (Justus) and Matthias, are proposed by the group as possible replacements for Judas. Matthias is ultimately chosen after prayer and casting lots (Acts 1:24 - 26).

Next Timeline
Peter's Life from
Pentecost to His Death


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Timeline Notes
Date ranges delineate when event(s)
occurred and not their duration.


References
Bible Knowledge Commentary
Harmony of the Gospels
Holy Bible a Faithful Version