I hear this expression often. We usually use it to confirm that we have done exactly what someone else has done, but we also use it say we have made the same mistake again.

We should learn from our mistakes, but more often than not we repeat a habit, mistake, or sin that we have committed before. We are no different than those who have lived before us. Peter is a perfect example of repeating what he did before—saying the wrong thing, doing the wrong thing, and being at the wrong place at the wrong time.

We start with Matthew 14. We find the disciples in a boat on the Sea of Galilee. It was between 3 and 6 AM. They look out across the water and see a figure moving toward them. I have been on the Sea of Galilee, and I can only imagine how the disciples must have felt. They are quick to surmise that the figure is a ghost. Matthew says that they were afraid. When the figure begins walking toward them, they are terrified.

Jesus, knowing their fear, calls out to them, “Take heart; it is I. Do not be afraid”. Peter says, “Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water”. Notice Peter’s condition for leaving the boat—“If it is you”. He is expressing doubt even when the Lord says, “Come.”

So, Peter gets out of the boat; and he walks on the water, heading toward Jesus. Then the typical Sea of Galilee weather stirs up the wind; Peter becomes afraid, and he begins to sink. As he is floundering in the water, he calls out, “Lord, save me”. Jesus immediately takes hold of Peter, but Jesus next words must sting as He says, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?”

The second time Peter said the wrong thing is found in Matthew 18. Jesus has been talking about being humble and facing temptations. He tells the parable of the lost sheep which leads into His instructions about dealing with a brother that has sinned against you. At the end of the parable, Peter wants to know how often he has to forgive a brother who has sin against him. He even offers Jesus a number—seven times. Jesus’ reply was probably outrageous to Peter, since seven was the number that represented perfection under Jewish law. The Jewish Rabbis held that forgiveness must be extended to one who confessed his fault to three repetitions (B. W. Johnson commentary). Jesus then tells the story of the unforgiving servant.

Again, about two years later, Jesus wants to wash the disciples’ feet.

Another recorded “been there, done that, got the T-shirt moment came at the arrest of Jesus and shortly thereafter in John 12. Jesus’ triumphant entry into Jerusalem is behind Him. He speaks about His impending death, though the disciples do not understand it. They now move to an upper room to celebrate the Passover. Normally, the host would have washed the feet of all those present; but that had not happened. So, Jesus removes His outer garments, takes a towel, pours water in a bowl, and begins to wash the disciples’ feet.

Peter, is the one to speak up. “Lord, do you wash my feet? You shall never wash my fee.”

Peter’s heart is probably in the right place, but his tone suggests an aggravation that his Lord would consider washing the feet of the disciples. Jesus then tells Peter, “If I do not wash you, you have no share with me”. Now Peter is all in, even declaring that he will lay down his life for Jesus.

The last of our examples is found in all four gospels. Peter appears to attempt to kill Malchus. Maybe he just wants to scare the mob away, but that isn’t likely considering the number of soldiers that came to take Jesus. After Malchus is healed, Jesus is taken to His trials. Peter follows at a distance. There is another disciple who follows as well—one who is known to the high priest. He speaks with the servant girl who is tending the door, and then he brings Peter in. The amazing thing about this particular story is that the servants and officers are warming themselves by a fire, and Peter was with them.

Three times someone asks him if he knows Jesus or is one of his followers. Three times Peter denies that he knows or is in any way associated with Jesus. When the rooster crows, Peter gets “the look”. You know, the one that says, “Been there, done that, got the T-shirt”. Peter has been there before; saying the wrong thing, doing the wrong thing, and being with the wrong crowd.

What do we learn? All of us have done things we wish we had never done. We have all made the same mistakes more than once. We need to look at Peter’s mistakes and not just see what he could have done differently. We need to profit from his mistakes and from our own. We should try, through prayer and a study of God’s Word, to learn to avoid the same mistakes.

Sandra Oliver