JOHN 13:36-14:6 JESUS SAID LET NOT YOUR HEART BE TROUBLED; YOU BELIEVE IN GOD, BELIEVE ALSO IN ME

  Today’s Scripture deals with the time in the upper room where Jesus and the disciples are having the last supper. Jesus is giving final instructions to them before He leaves earth so they can deal with all that life will throw at them.  Peter does not understand why he cannot go with Jesus; he has gone with Him everywhere for 3 years and does not want Jesus to leave him and the disciples. Peter goes so far as to say he will die for Jesus.  Jesus then tells Peter that he will deny Him three times before the rooster crows.  He then begins to tell them it is going to be alright and they need not be troubled.  He tells them to trust in Him and believe in Him as they already do in God the Father, because He is God and is equal with the Father. Jesus knows they are in a really bad place and He wants to assure them that it will be okay and that He is going to prepare a place for them so they can be with Him forever.

36 Simon Peter said to Him, "Lord, where are You going?" Jesus answered him, "Where I am going you cannot follow Me now, but you shall follow Me afterward."

I think Peter was so shocked by our Lord’s words in verse 33 that he just couldn’t get past them. Peter “locked in” on what Jesus had said about going away. He wanted to know where Jesus was going and why he could not go with Him. He had followed Him all this way, all the way to Jerusalem. There was no turning back for him. He was committed to follow Jesus. And now Jesus is talking about going somewhere where he cannot follow? No way! Not for Peter. 

Jesus answers Peter’s question indirectly, but even this oblique reply should have given Peter some comfort. Jesus was going somewhere where Peter could not follow Him now, but he will, Jesus said, “follow later.” That is not good enough for Peter. The word “now” is foremost in Peter’s mind. He does not want to wait. He wants to follow Jesus now, wherever that might be. 

Peter does not seem to have a clue that Jesus is talking about going to the Father in heaven. He seems fixed on the idea that Jesus is going to change His place of residence on earth. Peter seems to be reasoning something like this: “Jesus says He’s going somewhere, and I can’t follow. He won’t say where, and He won’t say why. It must be the danger. He doesn’t want me coming along because it’s too dangerous. He doesn’t think I can take it. Well, I’ll let Him know that I can handle anything anyone dishes out …”

 37 Peter said to Him, "Lord, why can I not follow You now? I will lay down my life for Your sake."

 38 Jesus answered him, "Will you lay down your life for My sake? Most assuredly, I say to you, the rooster shall not crow till you have denied Me three times. (NKJV)

In his excellent commentary on the Gospel of John, William Hendriksen points out some very informative facts about Peter’s words here and in the Synoptic Gospels. Let me cite them:

In connection with this boast a few additional facts must be noted:

a. Peter spoke these words both before and after Christ’s prediction which is recorded in 13:38, as is clear from Matt. 26:33-35; Mark 14:29-31. Evidently, at the time, the words of Jesus, telling Peter that in spite of his boasting he would do the very thing which he promised so emphatically not to do, failed to register. Peter was too sure of himself.

b. He used very emphatic language. Note the double negative in Matt. 26:35, so that the boast may be rendered: ‘I will certainly not deny thee.’ And compare: ‘I will never be ensnared.’

c. He spoke with great vehemence (Mark 14:31), evidently not at all pleased with the fact that Jesus had a different opinion.

d. The passage here in John indicates that Peter’s boas