Anchor My Faith

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Author: Stephen Weller
598 words, 3 minutes read time

Lord, Where Are You Going?

Scripture: Luke 22:31-32; John 13:33, 36

With the previous lesson we covered the introduction of the Lord’s Supper. With this lesson we will begin a new section related to the first prediction of Peter’s denial.

^{Jn 13:33} [Jesus said] “Little children, yet a little while I am with you. You will seek me, and just as I said to the Jews, so now I also say to you, ‘Where I am going you cannot come.’

Following the meal, Jesus, referring to his disciples as “little Children” suggest that they have much yet to learn about the kingdom and serving in it. He tells them that in a few short hours, he would be taken from them and that they would seek him, but as he told the Jews, he told them that they could not come with him at this time. In John 7:34 (ESV), Jesus said to the Jews: “You will seek me, and you will not find me. Where I am you cannot come.” Also, in John 8:21 (ESV), Jesus said to them again: “I am going away, and you will seek me, and you will die in your sin. Where I am going, you cannot come.”

The disciples do not yet understand that Jesus is not going to stay and establish his kingdom here on earth, but is going to where his kingdom is being formed, and then after they have done their work of ministry here on earth, they will be able to go and join him there. After his resurrection they will see him several times, and I suspect they might even seek him after they see him each time, wondering where he goes and what he does. Try to put yourself in their shoes during the time after his resurrection and before his ascension. Wouldn’t you wonder what was going on.

^{Lk 22:31} “Simon, Simon, behold, Satan demanded to have you, that he might sift you like wheat, ³² but I have prayed for you that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned again, strengthen your brothers.”

Jesus then directs his attention to Peter and calls him by his birth name and said, “Simon, Simon, behold, Satan demanded to have you.” Satan has already taken Judas to do his evil work and now he wants Peter. (The footnote for Luke 22:31 in the ESV Study Bible states that “you” is plural and suggest that it includes all the disciples.) Just as one would shake wheat to separate it from the straw and blow air through it to separate the wheat from the chaff. This shaking the wheat is a metaphor to represent Satan’s desire to shake them violently to cause them to fall. In Peter’s case it would be his repeated denial that he knew Jesus.

^{Jn 13:36} Simon Peter said to him, “Lord, where are you going?”

Peter is a little show in processing what Jesus is saying as he is still thinking about the statement, “Where I am going you cannot come.” Peter is insistence that Jesus tell him where he is going, but Jesus is not able to explain it to him this side of the cross.

Conclusion

Jesus just told his disciples that he is going away and that they will not be able to go with him at this time. This apparently makes Peter anxious as he insists that Jesus tell him where he is going. Next time we will see if he is successful in getting an answer.