Why was Peter not afraid of anyone after the resurrection?
After the resurrection, Peter was not afraid of Rome, the Jews, or anyone because he had witnessed the power of resurrection. That bedrock conviction—that God raised Jesus from the dead—removed his fear and emboldened him. This resurrection witness became the foundation of the Gospel message.
Les points out the contrast between Peter before and after the resurrection. At Christ's arrest, Peter collapsed; his facade melted away, and he cursed, denied knowing Him, and ran scared, as did the others. But after the resurrection, Peter was afraid of nobody—not Rome, not the Jews, not anyone. Les says the reason is that Peter had now witnessed the power of resurrection. That resurrection became the bedrock of the Gospel. Les stresses it is not enough to believe Jesus was a good man or that He died by crucifixion; the Gospel must be taken to its fruition—He was raised from the dead, victorious over sin, hell, death, and everything. Les also notes that Paul later trumpets this truth: we are what we are because Christ not only died but rose victorious over the archenemy, breaking the bonds and shackles of sin.