Luke 22:31 Komentář

All the evangelists, whatever they omit, give us a particular account of the death and resurrection of Christ, because he died for our sins and rose for our justification, this evangelist as fully as any, and with many circumstances and passages added which we had not before. In this chapter we have, I. The plot to take Jesus, and Judas's coming into it (Luk 22:1-6). II. Christ's eating the passover with his disciples (Luk 22:7-18). III. The instituting of the Lord's supper (Luk 22:19, Luk 22:20). IV. Christ's discourse with his disciples after supper, upon several heads (v. 21-38). V. His agony in the garden (Luk 22:39-46). VI. The apprehending of him, by the assistance of Judas (Luk 22:47-53). VII. Peter's denying him (Luk 22:54-62). VIII. The indignities done to Christ by those that had him in custody, and his trial and condemnation in the ecclesiastical court (Luk 22:63-71).

Now the feast of unleavened bread drew nigh,.... Which lasted seven days; during which the Jews eat their bread without leaven, in commemoration of the haste in which they went out of Egypt; being such, that they had not time to leaven their dough, but took it with their kneadingtroughs along with them, as it was; and as figurative of the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth, with which the Gospel feast is to be kept; see Exo 12:34. Which is called the passover; because the Lord passed over the houses of the Israelites, when he slew all the firstborn in Egypt; now the time of this feast drew near, when the conspiracy was formed against the life of Christ: Matthew and Mark are more precise, and suggest, that it was two days before the passover; see Mat 26:2.

But I have prayed for thee,.... Christ prayed for all the apostles; but particularly for Peter, because he was in the greatest danger: whether the prayer Christ refers to was that in Joh 17:1 in which are many passages relating to the preservation, sanctification, final perseverance and glorification of the apostles, as well as of other saints, as in Joh 17:9 and so these words might be spoken a little after that prayer was ended, which was about this same time; or whether it was any other, and only mental, and not vocal, is not certain: however, the petition was, that thy faith fail not; Satan in his temptations strikes principally at the faith of God's people; that being a grace which gives much glory to God, and in the exercise of which believers have much peace, joy, and comfort; both which he envies and grudges; and it is also a shield which keeps off, and quenches his fiery darts, and is a piece of armour he is sadly harassed with, and therefore endeavours all he can to weaken and destroy it, or wrest it out of their hands: but though, through the power of sin, and the force of temptation, it may fail as to some degree of the steadfastness of it, as to the acting and exercise of it, and as to the sense believers may have of it; yet never as to its principle, it being an irrevocable gift of God's grace; a work of his almighty power; a solid and substantial grace, even the substance of things hoped for; an immortal and incorruptible seed, and of which Christ is the author and finisher; and to nothing more is its security owing, than to the prayers of Christ, which are always heard, and to his powerful mediation, and prevalent intercession; Christ is the advocate of his people; he prays that they might have faith, and then he prays, that it may not fail; and it shall not, notwithstanding all the opposition of hell, and earth, unto it: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren: Peter was now a converted man, and had been for some years; but whereas he would fall by temptation into a very great sin of denying his Lord, and which was attended with such circumstances as made him look like an unconverted, and an unregenerate man; his recovery by the fresh exercise of faith in Christ, and repentance for his sins, is called conversion: and which was not his own act, but owing to the power and efficacy of divine grace; see Jer 31:18. Some versions render it in the imperative, "in time, convert, turn, or return, and strengthen thy brethren"; as the Syriac, Arabic, and Persic versions: as he afterwards did: for whereas all the disciples forsook Christ, and fled, some one way, and some another, Peter, after his recovery, got them together again, and returned with them to Jerusalem; when they with him assembled together, till the third day Christ was risen: he strengthened their faith in the Messiah, and put them upon filling up the place of Judas, by choosing another apostle; and on the day of "Pentecost" preached a most excellent sermon, which as it was made useful for the conversion of three thousand sinners, was, doubtless, a means of confirming the minds of the disciples; and he has left two exceeding useful epistles for the strengthening of his brethren in all ages of time; the design of which is to establish the saints in faith and holiness, that they may not be drawn aside, and fall from the steadfastness of their faith, either by the lusts of the flesh, or by the persecutions of men, or by the error of the wicked.

Joshua, the son of Josedech, who sought to "sift the faith" of the people, was resisted by Christ, who granted forgiveness of sins to the one who was converted.

Their witness, then, appears to be the cleansing away of sins with glory. For instance, the Shepherd says: "You will escape the energy of the wild beast, if your heart become pure and blameless." Also the Lord Himself says: "Satan hath desired to sift you; but I have prayed." Alone, therefore, the Lord, for the purification of the men who plotted against Him and disbelieved Him, "drank the cup;" in imitation of whom the apostles, that they might be in reality Gnostics, and perfect, suffered for the Churches which they founded.

So he asked in the case of the apostles likewise an opportunity to tempt them, having it only by special allowance, since the Lord in the Gospel says to Peter, "Behold, Satan asked that he might sift you as grain; but I have prayed for you that your faith fail not; " that is, that the devil should not have power granted him sufficient to endanger his faith.

Let us urgently pray and groan with continual petitions. For know, beloved brethren, that I was not long ago reproached with this also in a vision, that we were sleepy in our prayers, and did not pray with watchfulness; and undoubtedly God, who "rebukes whom He loves, when He rebukes, rebukes that He may amend, amends that He may preserve. Let us therefore strike off and break away from the bonds of sleep, and pray with urgency and watchfulness, as the Apostle Paul bids us, saying, "Continue in prayer, and watch in the same." For the apostles also ceased not to pray day and night; and the Lord also Himself, the teacher of our discipline, and the way of our example, frequently and watch-fully prayed, as we read in the Gospel: "He went out into a mountain to pray, and continued all night in prayer to God." And assuredly what He prayed for, He prayed for on our behalf, since He was not a sinner, but bore the sins of others. But He so prayed for us, that in another place we read, "And the Lord said to Peter, Behold, Satan has desired to sift you as wheat: but I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not." But if for us and for our sins He both laboured and watched and prayed, how much more ought we to be instant in prayers; and, first of all, to pray and to entreat the Lord Himself, and then through Him, to make satisfaction to God the Father! We have an advocate and an intercessor for our sins, Jesus Christ the Lord and our God, if only we repent of our sins past, and confess and acknowledge our sins, whereby we now offend the Lord, and for the time to come engage to walk in His ways, and to fear His commandments. The Father corrects and protects us, if we still stand fast in the faith both in afflictions and perplexities, that is to say, cling closely to His Christ; as it is written, "Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine or nakedness, or peril, or sword? None of these things can separate believers, nothing can tear away those who are clinging to His body and blood. Persecution of that kind is an examination and searching out of the heart. God wills us to be sifted and proved, as He has always proved His people; and yet in His trials help has never at any time been wanting to believers.

Peter, though ready in spirit, was still weak in the body and was being prepared emotionally to deny the Lord; for he could not match the steadfastness of divine intention. The passion of the Lord has imitators, but not equals. Thus, I do not criticize him for his denial, but praise him for his tears. It is one thing to share in a common human condition, and another to possess a special virtue. And therefore, he is instructed to be cautious, not forced to deny.

What else does the Lord's passion present us with in our head Christ Jesus, but supremely the tests and trials of this life? That is why, as the time of his death drew near, Christ said to Peter, "Satan has asked for you all to sift you like wheat. And I have prayed, Peter, for you, that your faith should not fail. Go and strengthen your brothers." He certainly has strengthened us by his apostolate, martyrdom and letters. In them he also warned us to fear the night I am speaking of and instructed us to be carefully vigilant, having the consolation of prophecy like a light in the night. "We have," he said, "the more certain prophetic word, to which you do well to attend, as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns, and the morning star rises in your hearts."

To humble our tendency for pride and to repress ambitious feelings, Christ shows that even he who seemed to be great is nothing and infirm. He therefore passes by the other disciples and turns to him who is the foremost and sat at the head of the company. He says, "Satan has many times desired to sift you as wheat, that is, to search and try you and expose you to intolerable blows." Satan usually attacks people who are above average. Like some fierce and arrogant barbarian, Satan challenges to one-to-one combat those of high reputation in the ways of piety. He challenged Job, but his patience defeated him. The boaster fell. The endurance of that triumphant hero conquered him. Satan preys on human nature, because it is infirm and easy to overcome. He is harsh, pitiless and unappeasable in heart. As the sacred Scripture says of him, "His heart is hard as a stone, and he stands like an anvil that cannot be beaten out." Christ's might, however, places him under the feet of the saints. He has said, "Behold, I have given you to tread on serpents and scorpions and upon all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall hurt you."

And he oftentimes sought to sift us, that our faith might fail.

The Lord said: "Simon, Simon, behold, Satan has asked for you, that he might sift you as wheat. But I have prayed for you, that your faith may not fail." Lest the eleven apostles should glory and attribute to their own strength what was said almost alone among so many thousands of Jews to have remained steadfast with the Lord in trials, he shows that they too, if they had not been protected by the aid of the Lord helping them, could have been crushed by the same storm as the others. But while Satan seeks to tempt them, and, as who winnows wheat, to shake them by ventilating, he teaches that no one's faith is tested by the devil unless God allows it. For Satan desires to sift the good men, and he breathes with the heat of malice to their affliction. For as much as he covets their trial by envy, so much he perishes as if seeking their seemingly trial. But when the Savior, praying for Peter, does not ask that he not be tempted, but that his faith should not fail, that is, that after the fall of denial he should rise again to his former state by repenting, he insinuates that it is beneficial for the saints to be tested by the flames of temptations, so that either they appear strong because they have been tempted, or having recognized their own weakness through temptations, they may become stronger, and thus, when they have been tested, they also may receive the crown of life which God has promised to those who love him (James 1).

Lest the eleven should be boastful, and impute it to their own strength, that they almost alone among so many thousands of the Jews were said to have continued with our Lord in His temptations, He shows them, that if they had not been protected by the aid of their Master succouring them, they would have been beaten down by the same storm as the rest. Hence it follows, And the Lord said unto Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired thee, that he may sift thee as wheat. That is, he hath longed to tempt you and to shake you, as he who cleanses wheat by winnowing. Wherein He teaches that no man's faith is tried unless God permits it.

Since He repaid the betrayer with woe, and to them who remained in love for Him He foretold great honor in the future, lest they become proud, as though they had accomplished something great by remaining in love for Him and not betraying Him, He says: "Satan has asked to sift you," that is, to trouble, corrupt, and tempt you; but "I have prayed." Do not think, He says, that all this perfection is from yourselves. For the devil strains every effort to tear you away from My love and make you betrayers. The Lord addresses this speech to Peter, because he was both bolder than the rest, and had likely become proud from Christ's promises. Therefore, humbling him, the Lord says that Satan greatly exerted himself against them.

Now this was said to Peter, because he was bolder than the rest, and might feel proud because of the things which Christ had promised.

The chief priests and scribes plot our Lord's destruction, Luk 22:1, Luk 22:2. Judas, at the instigation of the devil, betrays him, Luk 22:3-6. He eats his last supper with his disciples, Luk 22:7-18. Institutes the eucharist, Luk 22:19, Luk 22:20. Announces one of his disciples as the traitor, Luk 22:21-23 : The contention which should be greatest, Luk 22:24-30. Warns Peter against Satan's devices, Luk 22:31, Luk 22:32. Peter's resolution, Luk 22:33. His denial foretold, Luk 22:34. Tells his disciples to make prudent provision for their own support, Luk 22:35-37. The two swords, Luk 22:38. He goes to the Mount of Olives, and has his agony in the garden, Luk 22:39-46. Judas comes with a mob, Luk 22:47, Luk 22:48. Peter cuts off the ear of the high priest's servant, which Christ heals by a touch, Luk 22:49-51. He addresses the chief priests and captains of the temple, Luk 22:52, Luk 22:53. They lead him to the high priest's house, and Peter follows and denies his Master, Luk 22:54-60. Christ looks upon him, he is stung with remorse, and weeps bitterly, Luk 22:61, Luk 22:62. Jesus is mocked, and variously insulted, Luk 22:63-65. The next morning he is questioned before the council, Luk 22:66, Luk 22:67. He acknowledges himself to be the Son of God, Luk 22:68-70. They condemn him, Luk 22:71.

Simon, Simon - When a name is thus repeated in the sacred writings, it appears to be always intended as an expression of love, manifested by a warning voice. As if he had said, While thou and the others are contending for supremacy, Satan is endeavoring to destroy you all: but I have prayed for thee, as being in most danger. Satan hath desired - you - That is, all the apostles, but particularly the three contenders: the plural pronoun, ὑμας, sufficiently proves that these words were not addressed to Peter alone. Satan had already got one, Judas; he had nearly got another, Peter; and he wished to have all. But we see by this that the devil cannot even tempt a man unless he receive permission. He desires to do all evil; he is permitted only to do some.

CONSPIRACY OF THE JEWISH AUTHORITIES TO PUT JESUS TO DEATH--COMPACT WITH JUDAS. (Luk 22:1-6) (See on Mat 26:1-5.)

Simon, Simon--(See on Luk 10:41). desired to have--rather, "hath obtained you," properly "asked and obtained"; alluding to Job (Job 1:6-12; Job 2:1-6), whom he solicited and obtained that he might sift him as wheat, insinuating as "the accuser of the brethren" (Rev 12:10), that he would find chaff enough in his religion, if indeed there was any wheat at all. you--not Peter only, but them all.