John 13:36

¶ Simon Peter said unto him, Lord, whither goest thou? Jesus answered him, Whither I go, thou canst not follow me now; but thou shalt follow me afterwards.

Simon {G4613} Peter {G4074} said {G3004} unto him {G846}, Lord {G2962}, whither {G4226} goest {G5217} thou? Jesus {G2424} answered {G611} him {G846}, Whither {G3699} I go {G5217}, thou canst {G1410} not {G3756} follow {G190} me {G3427} now {G3568}; but {G1161} thou shalt follow {G190} me {G3427} afterwards {G5305}.

Shim‘on Kefa said to him, “Lord, where are you going?” Yeshua answered, “Where I am going, you cannot follow me now; but you will follow later.”

“Lord, where are You going?” Simon Peter asked. Jesus answered, “Where I am going, you cannot follow Me now, but you will follow later.”

Simon Peter saith unto him, Lord, whither goest thou? Jesus answered, Whither I go, thou canst not follow me now; but thou shalt follow afterwards.

John 13:36 finds Simon Peter, ever the outspoken disciple, questioning Jesus about His mysterious departure. This exchange occurs during the intimate setting of the Last Supper, moments after Jesus has announced His impending separation from His disciples.

Context

This verse is part of Jesus's farewell discourse to His disciples, a crucial period where He prepares them for His imminent crucifixion, resurrection, and ascension. Just prior to this, in John 13:33, Jesus states, "Whither I go, ye cannot come." Peter, always eager and perhaps misunderstanding the spiritual nature of Jesus's journey, impulsively asks for clarification. His question, "Lord, whither goest thou?", reveals both his concern and his desire to remain with Jesus. Jesus's response hints at a divine plan and a future destiny for Peter that he cannot yet comprehend.

Key Themes

  • Divine Timing and Purpose: Jesus's journey to the cross and beyond was a necessary part of God's redemptive plan. Peter could not follow Him into death and resurrection at that moment because his role and understanding were not yet complete. This highlights the concept of Jesus preparing a place and fulfilling His mission first.
  • Future Discipleship and Destiny: The phrase "but thou shalt follow me afterwards" is a profound promise. It assures Peter that while he cannot accompany Jesus into His immediate suffering and glorification, he will indeed follow Him later. This prophecy is widely understood to refer to Peter's eventual spiritual maturity and ultimately his martyrdom for Christ, as alluded to later in John 21:18-19.
  • Misunderstanding and Growth: Peter's question underscores his initial lack of understanding regarding Jesus's mission and the spiritual nature of His kingdom. The disciples were still thinking in earthly terms, not fully grasping the necessity of Jesus's sacrifice. This verse subtly sets the stage for Peter's future challenges and spiritual growth, including his impending denial of Jesus, found just two verses later in John 13:38.

Linguistic Insights

The Greek word for "go" (hypago - ὑπάγω) used by Jesus often implies a departure with a specific purpose or destination, reinforcing the intentionality of His journey. Similarly, "follow" (akoloutheo - ἀκολουθέω) means to accompany or to be a disciple of. Peter desired a physical accompaniment, but Jesus spoke of a deeper, spiritual following that would eventually include sharing in His suffering and glory.

Practical Application

This verse offers comfort and insight for believers today. Just as Peter could not immediately follow Jesus into His suffering and glory, there are times in our spiritual journeys when God's plan or timing may not align with our desires. We may not understand why certain paths are closed to us "now." However, Jesus's promise to Peter reminds us that God has a future for us, and our ultimate destiny is to truly follow Him, even if the path isn't immediately clear. It encourages patience, trust in God's perfect timing, and perseverance in our faith, knowing that our ultimate union with Christ is assured.

Note: Commentary was generated by an advanced AI, utilizing a prompt that emphasized Biblical fidelity over bias. We've found these insights to be consistently reliable, yet we always encourage prayerful discernment through the Holy Spirit. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

  • 2 Peter 1:14

    Knowing that shortly I must put off [this] my tabernacle, even as our Lord Jesus Christ hath shewed me.

  • John 21:21

    Peter seeing him saith to Jesus, Lord, and what [shall] this man [do]?

  • John 21:22

    Jesus saith unto him, If I will that he tarry till I come, what [is that] to thee? follow thou me.

  • John 13:33

    Little children, yet a little while I am with you. Ye shall seek me: and as I said unto the Jews, Whither I go, ye cannot come; so now I say to you.

  • John 21:18

    Verily, verily, I say unto thee, When thou wast young, thou girdedst thyself, and walkedst whither thou wouldest: but when thou shalt be old, thou shalt stretch forth thy hands, and another shall gird thee, and carry [thee] whither thou wouldest not.

  • John 21:19

    This spake he, signifying by what death he should glorify God. And when he had spoken this, he saith unto him, Follow me.

  • John 14:2

    In my Father's house are many mansions: if [it were] not [so], I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.

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