Apostles were far from angelic

It’s tempting to think the apostles were a bunch of saintly men, who were radically different from us. After all, they spent each day with Christ, so surely they glowed with virtue.

Truth be told, however, they were refreshingly similar to ordinary people on an extraordinary mission. Some were scared, some were skeptical, some were hungry for fame — and they sometimes disappointed their leader.

Christ knew about the human desire to get recognition and maybe a nice plaque with our names on it. So when the mother of James and John begged him to give her boys a cushy spot in heaven, he asked them if they’d be willing to suffer as he would. They quickly replied “yes,” not realizing the horrendous death he would face.

Later, on the night before his death, when he’s sweating in agony about facing crucifixion, Jesus pleads with the apostles for help, and they all disappoint him.

He asks one simple favor: “Would you watch with me one hour?” How discouraged he was when all of them — including James and John — failed him by falling asleep, leaving him alone to contemplate his fate.

It’s well known Judas betrayed Jesus, but some might be surprised to learn that Peter — chosen to head the church on earth — was far from angelic.

When Christ told the apostles he would be killed by crucifixion at the hands of sinful men, Peter took him aside and said, “God forbid it, Lord! This must never happen to you!”

But Jesus corrected him sharply, because Peter clearly misunderstood the whole point of Christ’s ministry. His reply, “Get behind me, Satan!” revealed the severity of Peter’s error.

The night Jesus was arrested, all his friends went running away out of fear. When Peter sneaks into the area where Jesus is being held, perhaps to get the latest news, he’s terrified when he’s recognized as Christ’s follower.

And then he says the famous words, “I tell you, I don’t know the man!” not once but three times. When a rooster crows after the third denial — as Jesus had predicted — Peter realizes what he’s done and weeps bitterly. Still, despite his tears, Peter is conspicuously absent at the crucifixion — as are all the apostles except John.

After Jesus has been resurrected from the dead, he visits the apostles in a closed room, but Thomas isn’t there. Present at the next visit, Thomas wants tangible proof before admitting this man is actually his beloved teacher.

Christ suggests he touch the wounds and the nail marks — and when Thomas does, he responds passionately, “My Lord and my God!” This apostle goes down in history as “doubting Thomas,” even though his skepticism was quickly banished.