John 13:36-38 (WEL) Simon Peter said to him, “Lord, where are you going?” Jesus answered him, “Where I am going, you cannot follow me now, but you will follow me later.” 37 “Lord, why can’t I follow you now,” said Peter. “I will lay down my life for you.” 38 Jesus answered him, “Will you lay down your life for me? Very truly, I say to you the rooster will not crow until you have denied me three times.”
V36 Simon Peter said to him, “Lord, where are you going?” Jesus answered him, “Where I am going, you cannot follow me now, but you will follow me later.”
The disciples of Jesus follow Jesus like sheep follow the shepherd. Now, Jesus tells them that He is going somewhere that they cannot follow Him now but will later. This must have been mysterious.
Jesus speaks of His death and ascension into heaven. Jesus went to Paradise, the peaceful compartment of Hades, for the believers. After Jesus physically rises from the dead and ascends into heaven, then believers who die go to heaven directly upon death (2 Corinthians 5:8 and Philippians 1:21-23).
All believers upon death go immediately to heaven to be with the Lord Jesus.
All unbelievers upon death go immediately to Hades to be tormented.
V37 “Lord, why can’t I follow you now,” said Peter. “I will lay down my life for you.”
Note, Peter’s strong loyalty to the Lord Jesus.
Principle: It is our Christian duty to have a strong bond with our Lord Jesus and be loyal throughout life.
(Holman Commentary) “But Peter persisted. Not satisfied to come later, he wanted to go with Jesus now, even though he had no idea where. To make his point, he appealed, ‘I will lay down my life for you.’
“We find it difficult to imagine that Peter could have been prepared for the Lord’s response. A chilling announcement of his denial, not once, not twice, but three times, must have hit him in the face like a stinging snowball.”
V38 Jesus answered him, “Will you lay down your life for me? Very truly, I say to you, the rooster will not crow until you have denied me three times.”
It was Peter’s intention to be faithful to death, but he needed to be tested. Would he really remain faithful? Peter thought so, but after testing, Peter failed. Jesus tells Peter that he will fail. Then Peter is called and commissioned (John 21:17).
Principle: What we want to do (Matthew 26:41), we often fail, but God is our strength (2 Corinthians 12:9, 2 Timothy 4:17, and Isaiah 40:29).
Testing is necessary to prove to ourselves that we are faithful; God already knows. Compare James 1:2-3, James 1:12, and Genesis 22:1-18.
We learn:
- We may have zeal, but God tests us after teaching us.
- Trials, testing trials, may be difficult but are necessary.
- Jesus, God the Son, does know the future.
Questions:
- Have you been tested?
- Are you willing for God to test you?
- How do you think you would do if He tested you?