[The apostle] Peter seems to have been a natural leader, commanding the respect of his peers by sheer force of personality. In every listing of Jesus' disciples, Peter's name is invariably first.

In the early church, his influence was enormous and acknowledged by all. By virtue of his position, he was easily the most powerful figure in the Christian community. And his energetic preaching, ardent prayer, bold healing, and wise direction confirmed the trust placed in him.

The way Peter handled himself in that position of power is even more impressive than the power itself. He stayed out of the center, didn't "wield" power, maintained a scrupulous subordination to Jesus. Given his charismatic personality and well-deserved position at the head, he could easily have taken over, using the prominence of his association with Jesus to promote himself. That he didn't do it, given the frequency with which spiritual leaders do exactly that, is impressive. Peter is a breath of fresh air. . . .

That he didn't become a bully (and religious bullies are the worst kind) but rather the boldly confident and humbly self-effacing servent of Jesus Christ that we discern in [his] letters, is a compelling witness to what he himself describese as a "brand-new life, with everything to live for."

Eugene Peterson, Introduction to 1 & 2 Peter, The Message