Luke 22:31-35
Luke 22:31 (KJB)
And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he
may sift you as wheat:
Here Jesus tells Peter that Satan had demanded that he have you. The word
desired carries with it the meaning of “demanded.” Why did Satan want to sift
Peter? Sifting was like winnowing when the wheat and chaff were still together.
When they were tossed up in the air, the wind blew out the chaff and all that
was left was the good wheat. The principle here is that Satan demanded to have
Peter so he could put Peter through severe trials like he did the Lord Jesus. It
is important to note that the word “you” is in the plural. This means that Satan
wants to take all the disciples and severely test them to see if they will
endure. This can also be widened to include the church down through the ages
because we have read what great trials Satan had put the church through such as
the Roman persecutions, the Roman Catholic persecutions, persecution from Islam,
etc. All through these trials, the Christians have come through triumphantly
because no one can pluck us from the Father’s hands. (John 10:29-30 KJV) My
Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck
them out of my Father's hand. {30} I and my Father are one. We are safe in
both the Father’s hands and the hands of the Lord Jesus.
Luke 22:32 (KJB)
But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when thou art
converted, strengthen thy brethren.
Jesus is telling Peter that in conjunction with Satan’s desire to have him, that
Jesus has prayed for him that he would not lose faith because of the trial that
will come upon him at the trial of Jesus. He will deny he knows Jesus three
times and that would be enough to cause someone to be so distraught that they
would be utterly discouraged. The prayer of Jesus also contains the fact that
after Peter denies Jesus and then when he is converted, that is, when he
receives the Holy Spirit on Pentecost, he will begin to strengthen the brethren.
This will come from his experience in denying Christ and being restored. He will
be able to help those who may become discouraged at the trials which will come
upon them. (Gal 6:1 KJV) Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye
which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering
thyself, lest thou also be tempted.
Luke 22:33 (KJB)
And he said unto him, Lord, I am ready to go with thee, both into prison, and to
death.
Despite the specific prophecy that Jesus gives Peter concerning his upcoming
denial, Peter does not accept what the Lord says and continues to claim that he
will die with Jesus. Peter did not understand the strength of the Spirit coupled
with the weakness of the flesh. Fear will come upon him in a few hours and he
will totally deny the Lord, in fact he will even start cursing to show that he
is not connected to Jesus. Peter was not the only one who declared his
allegiance but all the disciples state that they would die with Jesus and not
deny Him. They too did not understand that what was happening was a fulfillment
of Zechariah 13:7 and therefore the Scripture could not be broken.
Luke 22:34 (KJB)
And he said, I tell thee, Peter, the cock shall not crow this day, before that
thou shalt thrice deny that thou knowest me.
Jesus responds to Peter’s vow with another prophecy. He starts out by telling
him that he is going to deny Him. Jesus tells him that He will deny him three
times even before the rooster crows early in the morning. Jesus is not giving
Peter some type of vague prophecy but is telling him specifically that he will
deny and when. In fact, Peter will go from defender to denier in just a few
hours.
Luke 22:35 (KJB)
And he said unto them, When I sent you without purse, and scrip, and shoes,
lacked ye any thing? And they said, Nothing.
Jesus now returns to a previous time when He sent out the disciples in
preparation for their ministry. (Luke 10:3-4 KJV) Go your ways: behold, I
send you forth as lambs among wolves. {4} Carry neither purse, nor scrip, nor
shoes: and salute no man by the way. He had told them that they were not to
take any belongings on the journey because God would supply everything they
needed. They did not take a purse, a provision bag, or even an extra pair of
sandals. Then Jesus asked them if they had lacked anything on their journey?
They responded by stating that they did not lack anything they needed. They had
gone out as itinerant preachers which lived on the hospitality of the people.