Luke 22:31-38
31 “Simon, Simon, behold, Satan has demanded to sift you men like wheat;
32 but I have prayed for you, that your faith will not fail; and you, when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers.”
33 But he said to Him, “Lord, I am ready to go with You both to prison and to death!”
34 But He said, “I tell you, Peter, the rooster will not crow today until you have denied three times that you know Me.”
35 And He said to them, “When I sent you out without money belt and bag and sandals, you did not lack anything, did you?” They said, “No, nothing.”
36 And He said to them, “But now, whoever has a money belt is to take it along, likewise also a bag, and whoever has no sword is to sell his cloak and buy one.
37 For I tell you that this which is written must be fulfilled in Me: ‘And He was counted with wrongdoers’; for that which refers to Me has its fulfillment.”
38 They said, “Lord, look, here are two swords.” And He said to them, “It is enough.”
The Last Supper (3)
The prophecy of Peter’s stumbling
Let us consider three points from this passage: the power of Satan, the sin of Peter, and the nature of Jesus. (1) Satan does not possess unlimited power. Satan can only afflict people within the limits permitted by God. (2) Peter boasted that he was ready to lay down his life for Jesus. Peter’s sin lies in the fact that he did not recognize his own weakness. (3) Jesus foresaw both the number of times, and the exact moment Peter would deny Him. This is far beyond human ability. Moreover, Jesus said, “But I have prayed for you, that your faith will not fail.” The word “you” here is singular. In contrast, when He said, “Satan has demanded to sift you men like wheat,” the word “you” is plural. Satan tempted all the disciples. However, Jesus personally offered an intercessory prayer for Peter. Jesus knew the outcome of the situation. Therefore, He said to Peter, “And you, when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers.” Through this verse, many Christians have made the decision to return to God. It was also through this verse that I decided to become an evangelist. You, too, can be a victor in Jesus.
Two swords
Jesus directly applied the prophecy of Isaiah 53:12 to Himself, saying, “For I tell you that this which is written must be fulfilled in Me: ‘And He was counted with wrongdoers.’” A difficult season was about to come upon the disciples as well. To teach them metaphorically about the severity of what was to come, Jesus said, “And whoever has no sword is to sell his cloak and buy one” (v 36). However, the disciples took His words literally and said, “Lord, look, here are two swords.” His reply, “It is enough,” expresses His sorrow that His disciples still did not understand what He meant. Are you gladly listening to the words of Jesus? Could your unbelief be causing Jesus to say, “It is enough”?
Today's prayer
Father God of Jesus Christ, You who foresaw Peter’s future also see every part of my life. I thank You that the High Priest, Jesus, is interceding for me. Please lead me to walk in Your will. In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, I pray. Amen.