rocky barjonas

it is always a little surprising that the church in her wisdom (allright, i'm being sarcastic here: the church as old men in strange clothes' insecurity) has put so much more attention on peter's declaration that jesus is the messiah that on any of the earlier declarations, often coming from people with less dramatic evidence. remember anna and simeon in luke's gospel? or nathanael's somewhat ironic declaration in john's?

but this week's lectionery gospel (in the revised common lectionery used by most of the parts of the church that speak european languages these days) has what has come to be called "the confession of peter."

i found the discussion at sarah laughed rather insightful on peter's role in the whole process, especially as related to men who consider themselves powerful and who wear clothes proclaiming the same.