Light and Dark: Peter and Judas

The book of Matthew is probably the most read book in the Bible. I, like many Christians, have read it several times.  It wasn't until this class, however, that I was able to notice the contrast of light and dark throughout the book.  

Peter is the light in this book.  Even though the people in Jesus' hometown do not believe he is the son of God, Peter does.  I probably would look at John the Baptist and think he was crazy.. a guy who ate locusts and wore a loin cloth?  I'd assume he was a drug-addict.  Jesus said the poor, meek, and hungry are blessed.  This would be like our equivalent of a homeless schizophrenic.  Though it is sad, I can see why most people laughed at Jesus. I hate to admit it, but I would have had a hard time trusting him too.  But Peter didn't have a hard time trusting him.  

When Keefer mentioned that Peter is a Greek name, meaning 'rock,' the scriptures in Matthew made a lot more sense.  In the sermon on the mount, Jesus said "Everyone then who hears these words of mine and acts on them will be like a wise man who built his house on a rock. The rain fell, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on a rock" (Matthew 7:24-25). When Peter calls Jesus the Messiah, Jesus says "Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my father in heaven. And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not prevail against it" (Matthew 16:17-18).  I see Peter as a metaphor for faith in these passages. So Jesus is saying to build religion on faith.

All throughout Matthew, the writer was foreshadowing the dark.  In this book, Judas represents the dark.  Keefer mentions, that while those who were faithful to Jesus called him 'Lord,' Judas simply called Jesus 'teacher' and 'Rabbi.'  This suggests that Judas believed Jesus was a good teacher, but not necessarily the son of God.  In the sermon on the mount, I think the sand could be interpreted as insecurity, something Judas represents.