36 Simon Peter said to Him, “Lord, where are You going?” Jesus answered, “Where I go, you cannot follow Me now; but you will follow later.” 37 Peter said to Him, “Lord, why can I not follow You right now? I will lay down my life for You.” 38 Jesus answered, “Will you lay down your life for Me? Truly, truly, I say to you, a rooster will not crow until you deny Me three times."
Message: Peter's Overconfidence
Time: John most likely wrote between A.D. 85 and 90. John's purpose in writing was, "that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing you may have life in His name (John 20:31)."
What the Lord is Saying: Verse 36 seems to begin where verse 33 left off when Jesus said, "Where I am going, you cannot come." Peter is not understanding Jesus and wants to go with Him. Jesus seems to be mentioning his ascension after His death to the Father. Peter is confident in his surrender to the Lord, but Jesus now once again, as in showing the betrayal of Judas, predicts also the denial by Peter of Jesus that will occur 3 times before the rooster will crow.
Previously in John 10:11 mentioned that as the Good Shepherd He will lay down His life for His sheep. And in other places there is the prediction that Jesus will one day die. It is said that Peter is sort of a spokesman for the other disciples often. He speaks here wondering where Jesus is going and wants to go with him, but Jesus confirms that Peter cannot come. Peter does not really understand what Jesus is doing yet. I am sure I would not understand either at this time if I was in the same place as Peter and the other disciples. Jesus also mentions thought that one day Peter will go where he is going, "you will follow later." As such Jesus is confirming that Peter will be with him one day in heaven.
But in response to this now, Peter is not listening well. He wants something and Jesus' reply is not holding weight to what he wants. He states that he will lay down his life for Jesus. He will follow Jesus even to death. Peter has a devotion to the Lord that is clear even when he does not necessarily understand all that Jesus is saying. Peter has a willingness to follow Jesus. The disciples left everything to follow Jesus initially and this unreserved devotion to Him continues here. They have had a willingness to follow Him and that resolve has not changed.
Yet, Jesus sees something that Peter does not see. Despite the fact that Peter seems to be expressing a heartfelt commitment to follow, Jesus knows something about Peter that he doesn't know: that Peter will deny Jesus when put to the test. Jesus conveys this information to Peter. Jesus makes a statement and yet it doesn’t change the fact that Peter will still deny him. If someone told me something that I was embarrassed by that was going to happen, I would think I might try to make sure it doesn’t happen. And yet it still happens.
It’s also really hard to be critical of Peter, because I might hope that I would respond differently given the situation, yet it’s not until I’ve been placed in that situation that I would know for sure.
Summary: Simon wants to follow Jesus and go where He goes when He is glorified, but Jesus lets him know that He will come later, but first Peter will deny Jesus 3 times.
Promise: We dare not trust in ourselves but only in the power of Christ to keep us faithful to Him. Let us ask Him this day to make us persevere.
Prayer: O Lord, I pray that I am a faithful follower of You all of my days. And yet Lord, I am concerned of my own failure and the way I might deny You given a circumstance. I pray that I am not like that and that instead I make you known always. Thank you for these words though it is hard for me to hear them about Peter. Thank You for Your great love.
Note: If you are interested in other studies/devotions, check out my index of Bible Study's.
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