The Prediction

 Hello everyone.

We will continue our journey through Luke 22 today, by looking at Jesus' conversation with Peter, where Jesus predicts Peter's three denials.  Here is my translation of verses 31-34:

31 “Simon, Simon, watch out! Satan is demanding to sift you like wheat. 32 But, I am praying for you, that your faith will not falter.  When you return, strengthen your brothers.  
33 Peter responded, “Lord, I am prepared to go to prison or even death, with you.” 
34 Jesus answered him, “Peter, today, before the rooster crows, you will deny three times that you even know me.”

In addressing Simon Peter, Jesus uses the Greek word ἰδοὺ (idou), which is often used a marker of emphasis, and often translated as ‘behold.”  The NIV leaves it out.  However, I translated it as ‘watch out!’ as it seems Jesus is really wanting to call attention to what he is saying to Peter here. 

Then, he uses the Greek word ἐξῃτήσατο (exetesato) to describe Satan's actions.  It is often translated as “asked,” but it really means something much stronger than that.  According to the Greek-English Lexicon of New Testament Words, it means “to ask for with emphasis and with implication of having the right to do so.”  It can be translated as ‘demand.’  

Robert Stein makes a very interesting point in regard to this scripture.  The Greek word ὑμᾶς (hymas) for ‘you’ is plural.  So, the passage could be translated as “Satan has demanded to sift all of you like wheat.” (Stein, 552.) Darrell Bock takes a slightly different approach, recognizing that the ‘you’ is plural, meaning all of the leadership, but that Peter, as the de facto leader, is Satan’s specific target.  (Bock, 1742.)  It is easy to imagine, with Satan being who he is, that he would target all of the remaining eleven Apostles and try to destroy their faith.  It is also not hard to imagine Satan specifically targeting Peter within that larger picture of sifting everyone. 

What is Satan specifically asking to do to Peter, and perhaps, the other apostles, as well?  We get a farming analogy.  His demand is that he be allowed to sift Peter like wheat.  To sift wheat means to run the grains through a sieve, to effectively take the grain and break it into pieces.  Satan is asking to do that to Peter.  He wants to rock Peter’s world.  Like Job, Satan has asked permission to try to ruin Peter’s faith.  

Jesus knows that Peter is a target, so he warns him, but then encourages him.  “Yes, Satan is demanding this, but I am praying for you.” Jesus is offering prayers to God on Peter’s behalf, just as Jesus is interceding on their behalf.  Satan has asked, but Jesus intercedes and we know that Jesus is the stronger of the two.  

Jesus' encouragement continues with an imperative.  Jesus tells Peter that when, not if, he returns, that he is to strengthen his brothers.  Yes, Peter is going to go through a crisis of faith and he will fail. 

However, Jesus assured him that his faithlessness will not last.  He will return and when he does, he will effectively lead his brothers and the church. 

Peter is likely confused, not really understanding what Jesus is talking about, and probably not really believing it, either. When Jesus clarifies what he is saying. Peter declares to Jesus that he is not only willing to go to prison for Jesus, but he is even ready to die for him.  Peter later shows that to be true, when he pulls a sword on the mob that came to arrest Jesus.  

Mark’s record of this conversation includes an additional statement. (Mark 14:29)  Perhaps going back to the constant argument over which of them was the greatest, Peter declares that even if all of the rest of them were to fall away, he would not.  Peter is declaring himself to be the most loyal among Jesus’ loyal followers. Later on, the new, strengthened Peter does make good on his pledge of loyalty to Jesus.  In Acts, he does go to prison, and later he does die for Jesus’ cause. 

Jesus knows what is about to happen on a level that Peter does not.  He knows that for all of Peter’s words, the time will come when Peter can’t back them up.  

It's already nighttime, and Jesus tells Peter that before the sun comes up, he will deny three times that he even knows Jesus. At this point, Peter undoubtedly cannot pathom that what Jesus is telling him is going to actually happen, but we all know the story.  Peter does fail badly that night.  We know the rest of the story.  Jesus is not just correct about the failure.  He is right about Peter's return and his strengthening of the brothers.  

     Robert Stein, Luke, Nashville, Tennessee, B & H Publishing Group, 1993. 

     Darrell Bock, Luke: Volume 2 - 9:51-24:53, Grand Rapids, Michigan, Baker Academic, 1996.