Bible Study series: Luke 22:31-34. Jesus prayed for him against a satanic attack.
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In the next link to the original chapter, I comment more and offer the Greek text. At the bottom you will find a “Summary and Conclusion” section geared toward discipleship. Check it out!
In this post, links are provided for further study.
Let’s begin.
Scripture: Luke 22:31-34
31 “Simon, Simon, watch! Satan has demanded to sift you like wheat. 32 But I have prayed for you so that your faith would not fail. And when you turn back, strengthen your brothers.” 33 But he said to him, “Lord, I am ready to go with you even to prison and to death.” 34 But he said, “I tell you, Peter: the rooster will not crow tomorrow until you have denied three times that you know me.” (Luke 22:31-34)
Comments:
31:
When the Lord calls a person’s name twice, a warning is about to be issued or a major transition in the character’s life is about to come to pass.
Abraham, Abraham, right before the near sacrifice of Isaac, and the double name stopped it (Gen. 22:11)
Jacob, Jacob, when God was about to name his sons and their sons (Gen. 46:2)
Moses, Moses, from the burning bush (Exod. 3:4)
Samuel, Samuel, when he was a child and was going to be called (1 Sam. 3:10)
Martha, Martha, when Jesus told her not to be so anxious (Luke 10:41)
Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? (Acts 9:4)
In his lament, Jesus even called Jerusalem’s name twice (Luke 13:34)
Stein says Jesus chose Peter’s birth name (Simon) because Peter was about to go back to an earlier lifestyle, predating his decision to follow Jesus (comment on v. 31). In any case, Jesus is warning his lead disciple.
“watch”: this translates the common “behold!”
“you”: it is plural, because Satan has demanded or asked (either translation is fine) to sift the twelve like wheat. Satan already sifted Judas. But then in the next verses Jesus switches to the singular—“you” or Peter. He is the leader to be sifted, but when he recovers or turns back to Jesus, he is to strengthen his brothers or the other ten. It seems hard to believe, but only eleven disciples are in the room right now. Judas is out doing his dirty work.
Picture wheat grains going through a sifter. The idea is to take someone apart. Or picking someone to pieces. (Bock, p. 1742). Another unpleasant image: shred you. The point is that our soul has been torn into tiny pieces. But God restored Peter (John 21:15-19), so he can restore you after Satan has sifted you.
32:
“I have prayed”: Jesus prayer was answered, for Peter’s faith did not fail him completely and irrevocably. He was restored (John 21:15-20).
See these posts:
What is Biblical Intercession?
“for you”: this is singular, so Jesus is talking to Peter.
“turn back”: its basic meaning is “turn.” It can sometimes mean “turn around” or “repent” in the right contexts and prefixes (Acts 3:19). It can mean that here, too.
33:
And so not surprisingly Peter speaks boldly, but he does not know what he is talking about. He does not read his own soul very well. He is the victim of irony, which says you believe that you know something, but you really don’t. A biblical example is Job and his friends. They were trying to figure out why Job met with disasters, and though they had a small level of understanding—and the poetry is beautiful—they really did not know as much as their confidence allowed. God showed up on the scene and told them so. For a modern comic example, in the sitcom Hogan’s Heroes, Col. Klink, the camp commandant, believes that there has never been a successful escape from Stalag 13, but the prisoners come and go as they please, underground. He even boasts about his perfect record. This is irony because he thinks he knows something, but he actually does not. The main point is he lacks knowledge of himself. But these verses are not comedic irony. This is tragic irony.
Likewise, Peter boastfully predicts that he would go to the death with Jesus. Jesus knew Peter better than Peter knew himself.
Self-knowledge is beneficial, but Peter had none.
Peter’s claim to suffer imprisonment will come some time after this (Acts 5:19; 12:1-17 […])” (Bock, p. 1743).
34:
The pronouns are still singular.
The rooster won’t crow this morning until Peter denies three times that he knew Jesus.
Jesus said: “For whoever is ashamed of me and my words—the son of Man shall be ashamed of him when he comes in his glory and of the glory of the Father and his holy angels” (Luke 9:26). It is a blessing that Peter was restored (John 21:15-19).
This is personal prophecy, pure and simple. But it was not very positive!
6. Gifts of the Spirit: Prophecy
See my posts at Matthew 26:31-35 and Mark 14:27-31 for more about this prediction.
GrowApp for Luke 22:31-34
1. Have you ever denied the Lord? How did you turn back? How did he restore you?
RELATED
11. Eyewitness Testimony in Luke’s Gospel
3. Church Fathers and Luke’s Gospel
14. Similarities among John’s Gospel and the Synoptic Gospels
1. The Historical Reliability of the Gospels: Introduction to Series
BIBLIOGRAPHY AND MORE
To see the bibliography, please click on this link and scroll down to the bottom. You will also find a “Summary and Conclusion” for discipleship.
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