Peter saw the error into which he had fallen, and immediately set about repairing the evil that had been wrought, so far as was in his power. God, who knows the end from the beginning, permitted Peter to reveal this weakness of character in order that the tried apostle might see that there was nothing in himself whereof he might boast. Even the best of men, if left to themselves, will err in judgment. God also saw that in time to come some would be so deluded as to claim for Peter and his pretended successors the exalted prerogatives that belong to God alone. And this record of 199 the apostle's weakness was to remain as a proof of his fallibility and of the fact that he stood in no way above the level of the other apostles.

Peter indså den fejl, han havde begået, og gav sig straks til efter bedste evne at råde bod på det onde, han havde gjort. Gud, som véd alt fra begyndelsen, lod Peter afsløre denne karaktersvaghed, for at apostlen kunne komme til at indse, at der ved ham ikke var noget at prale af. Selv de bedste mennesker kan tage fejl i deres bedømmelse, hvis de er overladt til sig selv. Gud så også, at der i Den-kommende-tid ville være nogle, der var så forblindede, at de for Peter og hans såkaldte efterfølgere ville gøre krav på de ophøjede forrettigheder, som kun tilkommer Gud. Og denne beretning om apostlens svaghed skulle stå som bevis for hans fejlbarlighed og for den kendsgering, at han på ingen måde var hævet over gennemsnittet af de andre apostle.