Joh 13:36-37 | KingComments | STEP | What the Lord said about his going away raises the question with Peter as to where He is going. He asks Him about it. The Lord does not answer by mentioning the place where He is going, but by saying that Peter cannot follow Him there now. By this He means His inimitable work on the cross. Once He has completed His work on the cross, it will be possible to follow Him. Peter will follow Him later as a martyr in martyrdom to get where He is. Peter doesn’t understand this either and he asks Him for it. He also adds that he is willing to follow the Lord even in death. Although Peter means well, it appears from his words that he doesn’t realize what he is saying. He really loves the Lord, but he doesn’t know himself well. If he had listened better, he would have accepted the Lord’s words, even if he had not understood everything. Not listening well brings us a lot of loss and also a lot of pain. We often have to learn through painful experiences, which we could have avoided had only our heart been more subdued. The Lord does not praise Peter for his love for Him, but tells him what he will come to. The seriousness of this prediction is again preceded by the double “truly” followed by the authoritative “I say to you”. The three times repeated denial by Peter of his Master, prophesied by the Master, exalts the Master. He restores Peter in spite of his repeated denial by His marvelous grace. And what He is to Peter, He is no less to us.

‏ John 13:36-37

Peter’s Denial Foretold

What the Lord said about his going away raises the question with Peter as to where He is going. He asks Him about it. The Lord does not answer by mentioning the place where He is going, but by saying that Peter cannot follow Him there now. By this He means His inimitable work on the cross. Once He has completed His work on the cross, it will be possible to follow Him. Peter will follow Him later as a martyr in martyrdom to get where He is.

Peter doesn’t understand this either and he asks Him for it. He also adds that he is willing to follow the Lord even in death. Although Peter means well, it appears from his words that he doesn’t realize what he is saying. He really loves the Lord, but he doesn’t know himself well. If he had listened better, he would have accepted the Lord’s words, even if he had not understood everything. Not listening well brings us a lot of loss and also a lot of pain. We often have to learn through painful experiences, which we could have avoided had only our heart been more subdued.

The Lord does not praise Peter for his love for Him, but tells him what he will come to. The seriousness of this prediction is again preceded by the double “truly” followed by the authoritative “I say to you”. The three times repeated denial by Peter of his Master, prophesied by the Master, exalts the Master. He restores Peter in spite of his repeated denial by His marvelous grace. And what He is to Peter, He is no less to us.