Scuba Pete
Le plongeur avec attitude...
Good question, as most are.Tiberius said:You say that "Peter KNEW that he could not out Agape God." What exactly do you mean by out AGAPing God? Do you mean he couldn't love god more than Jesus loved God?
It is impossible to devine Peter's full thoughts... we do our best but we are still guessing. It appears to me that Peter knew full well that he was incapable of "truly loving" Jesus who is God incarnate.
Three times Jesus asked Peter if he "truly loved" him. Three times Peter only said that he "loved" him. That Peter also denied Jesus three times could be coincidental, but I don't think so. Let's look at that passage:
Luke 22:31 "Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift you as wheat. 32 But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers."
33 But he replied, "Lord, I am ready to go with you to prison and to death." 34 Jesus answered, "I tell you, Peter, before the rooster crows today, you will deny three times that you know me." NIV
and it continues:
Luke 22:54 Then seizing him, they led him away and took him into the house of the high priest. Peter followed at a distance. 55 But when they had kindled a fire in the middle of the courtyard and had sat down together, Peter sat down with them. 56 A servant girl saw him seated there in the firelight. She looked closely at him and said, "This man was with him."
57 But he denied it. "Woman, I don't know him," he said.
58 A little later someone else saw him and said, "You also are one of them."
"Man, I am not!" Peter replied.
59 About an hour later another asserted, "Certainly this fellow was with him, for he is a Galilean." 60 Peter replied, "Man, I don't know what you're talking about!" Just as he was speaking, the rooster crowed. 61 The Lord turned and looked straight at Peter. Then Peter remembered the word the Lord had spoken to him: "Before the rooster crows today, you will disown me three times." 62 And he went outside and wept bitterly. NIV
Peter was broken here beyond my ability to comprehend. He had completely betrayed his Lord. When Jesus approached him on this, he did not use his nickname, but his "legal" name, Simon. After showing such bravado and then not being able to live up to his own hype, Peter knew humility like few of us ever will. He could not utter the word "Agape" to his lord. He knew that he could only phileo Jesus.