Yes — the resurrection changed Peter from a fearful denier into a bold, fearless witness.
Before the resurrection, Peter swore with an oath that he never knew Jesus and fled in fear with the other disciples. After the resurrection, Les observes, Peter never again kowtowed to fear; he stood up to Rome and Israel's rulers because he had witnessed God's resurrection power.
Acts 4:13 — The biblical account shows the observable change in Peter: the rulers saw his boldness, which was not there before the resurrection.
Romans 1:4 — The power by which Jesus was declared the Son of God is the same resurrection power Les says transformed Peter.
The biblical record shows a stark contrast in Peter. During the night of Jesus' arrest, Peter denied knowing Him and swore with an oath, while the disciples scattered in fear. After the resurrection, the same Peter stands before the people and declares, 'This Jesus hath God raised up, whereof we all are witnesses' (Acts 2:32). When the rulers later see the boldness of Peter and John, they recognize 'that they had been with Jesus' (Acts 4:13). Scripture also connects the resurrection to divine power: Paul writes that Jesus was 'declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead' (Romans 1:4).
Les Feldick repeatedly points to the resurrection as the one event that changed the total attitude of the eleven disciples. At the crucifixion, he says, they scattered like quail and Peter denied Christ under oath because he feared for his life. After the resurrection, Peter never again showed that fear; he stood up to Rome and to the rulers of Israel, and the eleven apostles faced martyrdom without fear. Les calls this transformation the power of the resurrection and says if he needed proof of the resurrection, he would simply look at Peter and the other ten men. He also notes that in Acts 2, Peter states the resurrection as a fact—the people killed the Messiah, but God raised Him—rather than ascribing salvation to His death, burial, and resurrection in that particular message.
Les looks back to the night of the arrest and says the disciples scattered like a bunch of quail, scared to death. Peter denied Jesus three times and even swore with an oath that he did not know Him, because he was fearful for his own life. That fearful reaction, Les says, was typical of the group before the resurrection.
After Christ rose from the dead, Les says, Peter never again would have kowtowed to a young maid and sworn he never knew Him. Instead, Peter stood up to Rome and stood before the rulers of Israel without fear. Looking at Acts 4, Les points to the boldness of Peter and John before the council. These same men were now ready to face persecution and martyrdom because of resurrection power.
Les is emphatic: what made the difference was the power of the resurrection. The same power that raised Jesus from the dead transformed these men from scared rabbits into men who stood against Rome and the rulers of Israel. He connects this to Romans 1:4, where Paul says Jesus was declared to be the Son of God with power by the resurrection. For Les, this resurrection power is where everything is at in this age of grace.
Les says that if there is one proof of the resurrection that stands above all others, it is Peter himself. The man who betrayed Christ and swore he never knew Him is the same man who, after the resurrection, is bold and unshakable. Les also points to Peter and the other ten men as visible proof that resurrection power transformed fear into fearlessness.
Resurrection Declares Jesus the Son of God
Les teaches that the resurrection fulfilled the words 'Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee' and that Romans 1:4 declares Jesus the Son of God with power by the resurrection. This is the same resurrection power behind Peter's change.
One Thing Changed the Disciples
Les says the resurrection changed the total attitude of the eleven, so Peter never again denied Christ before a maid; instead he stood up to Rome, and the apostles were martyred without fear.
From Scared Quail to Persecution-Ready
Les contrasts Peter denying Christ three times out of fear with the post-resurrection disciples who were ready to face persecution, knowing the power of the resurrection is in their future.
Peter Himself Is the Proof
Les calls Peter the proof of the resurrection: the man who swore he did not know Jesus became bold and unshakable after the resurrection.
Boldness Before the Council
Les points to Acts 4, where the rulers saw the boldness of Peter and John; these same men who had scattered in fear were now afraid of nothing.
The Power of His Resurrection
Les says the power of the resurrection transformed the disciples from scared rabbits into men who stood against Rome and Israel's rulers, and this is where it is all at in this age of grace.
Public Declaration of the Raised Christ
Les shows Peter in Acts 4 boldly declaring that the Jesus the rulers crucified is the one God raised from the dead, and that the healing was done by His power.
Resurrection Stated as Fact in Acts 2
Les notes that in Acts 2 Peter states the resurrection as a fact—they killed the Messiah, but God raised Him—rather than ascribing salvation to the death, burial, and resurrection in that message.
Romans 1:4: And declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead:
This verse grounds the resurrection in divine power, which Les identifies as the power that changed Peter.
Acts 2:32: This Jesus hath God raised up, whereof we all are witnesses.
Peter's first bold public statement after the resurrection, declaring himself and others eyewitnesses.
Acts 4:10: Be it known unto you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom ye crucified, whom God raised from the dead, even by him doth this man stand here before you whole.
Peter fearlessly proclaims the resurrection before Israel's rulers, demonstrating his post-resurrection boldness.
Acts 4:13: Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were unlearned and ignorant men, they marvelled; and they took knowledge of them, that they had been with Jesus.
The council observes the visible boldness in Peter and John, a direct contrast to their earlier fear.
Les says Peter was fearful for his own life. When Jesus was arrested, the disciples scattered like quail, and Peter swore with an oath that he never knew Jesus. Fear, not lack of faith, drove that denial.
Peter had seen the proof and power of the resurrection. Since God had raised Christ from the dead, no human power could threaten the part of him that would one day be resurrected. So he no longer feared Rome or the rulers of Israel.
It changed their total attitude. They went from scattering in fear to standing up fearlessly before the world. Les says the resurrection is the reason the eleven were willing to be martyred without fear.
Les observes that in Acts 2 Peter states the resurrection as a fact—they killed the Messiah, but God raised Him—rather than ascribing salvation to His death, burial, and resurrection in that message.
Watch the Teaching: What Does "Only Begotten Son of God" Really Mean?