First of the Saved

The first person to be Saved was Dismas, the thief being crucified alongside Jesus.

He asks, not to actually be forgiven, but simply that JC remembers him when He goes upstairs. JC replies, don't worry, mate, you're coming up with me. It's a stirring passage, overlooked by M & M who, of course, weren't actually there. But the point of the passage is that JC died, not for the righteous, but for the sinners.

It also raises the good point that the only person in the Gospel that JC personally promised a place in Paradise was not Peter, John or any of the apostles, but a criminal being executed.

What you won't find in any of the published Gospels is the truth behind this. Peter was originally supposed to be crucified next to JC. Jesus said "you are The Rock and on you I'll build my church". Peter was earmarked to be the first Christian martyr.

There were three crosses at Golgotha and Peter was, literally, meant to be at the right hand of the Lord, in Death, then in resurrection.

However JC knew that Peter wasn't equal to the task and told him so.

In the garden, JC had his "moment of doubt and fear" (to quote the song). He asks God if the cup can be passed from him. As a man, having free will, JC knows he could just do a runner - then the whole Brian substitute theory comes into play. But He gives up His free will to God saying "your will, not mine, be done".

Peter promises he will follow JC anywhere, "even into Death". But JC knows Peter isn't up to it, and tells him: "you will deny me 3 times".

Don't get us wrong, Peter is no coward. When the guards come he is ready to draw his sword and fight to the death to protect his master. He's a courageus man. But when he sees JC being willingly led off to execution, that is when his great courage fails and he chooses to deny he was with Jesus and run away.

So Gesmas and Dismas are crucified, one of them in Peter's place. It is Dismas, who is forgiven, and goes up in Peter's place.

We see Peter at the start of Acts, then Paul takes over.

John was the only apostle to turn up to the crucifixion. JC tells him to go live with Mary, be her son, and care for her, which John does until her death. John wrote his three epistles and has the courage to stand up for his beliefs, even in the face of death. Instead of execution, John is exiled to Patmos and it is there that he receives the vision of Revelation, because he has been found worthy.

There is no Gospel of Peter, there is no revelation of Peter.

Either way, dead or alive and disgaced, there never would have been.