Luke 22:31

Commentary on Luke 22:31

Luke 22:31 records a solemn and personal warning from Jesus to Peter, delivered during the intimate setting of the Last Supper. It reveals a profound spiritual reality: the intense desire of Satan to attack and destabilize the faith of believers, while also highlighting Christ's divine foreknowledge and protective care.

Context of Luke 22:31

This pivotal verse occurs immediately after Jesus institutes the Lord's Supper and addresses the disciples' dispute about who among them was the greatest (Luke 22:24). The atmosphere is charged with the impending betrayal of Judas and the disciples' general unpreparedness for the trials that await them. Jesus' direct address to "Simon, Simon" underscores the urgency and gravity of the spiritual danger they face, setting the stage for Peter's impending denial.

Key Themes and Messages

• Satan's Malicious Intent: The verse plainly reveals Satan's active and hostile desire to attack and undermine the faith of God's people. He is not a passive observer but an aggressive adversary.
• Spiritual Sifting: The metaphor "sift you as wheat" powerfully illustrates a severe trial or intense pressure designed to expose weaknesses, separate genuine faith from superficiality, and potentially cause spiritual collapse. It signifies a shaking that aims to remove anything valuable.
• Divine Foreknowledge and Warning: Jesus, with His divine omniscience, is fully aware of Satan's schemes and warns His disciples. This demonstrates His sovereign authority even over spiritual forces and His compassionate care for His followers.
• Vulnerability of Believers: Even devoted and prominent followers like Peter are susceptible to spiritual attack and temptation, highlighting the constant need for vigilance and reliance on Christ.

Linguistic Insights

The repetition of "Simon, Simon" is a solemn and emphatic address, indicating the profound importance and urgency of Jesus' words to Peter. The Greek word translated "desired" is exaiteo (ἐξαιτέω), which carries the stronger sense of "to ask for, demand, or obtain by asking permission." This implies that Satan needed to *request permission* from God to test them, echoing the narrative of Job 1:11 where Satan similarly sought permission to afflict Job.

Crucially, the "you" in "Satan hath desired to have you" is plural (Greek: humas), indicating that Satan sought to attack *all* the disciples. However, Jesus then immediately focuses on Peter in the very next verse (Luke 22:32), praying specifically for him, perhaps because of Peter's pivotal role among the apostles and his impending, severe fall.

Practical Application

Luke 22:31 serves as a timeless reminder that believers are engaged in spiritual warfare (Ephesians 6:12).

• Awareness of Spiritual Attack: We must recognize that Satan is a real, active adversary who seeks to undermine our faith and cause us to stumble (1 Peter 5:8).
• Trust in Christ's Intercession: Even in the face of intense trials and temptations, we can find comfort knowing that Jesus is aware of our struggles and intercedes for us before the Father. His prayer for Peter's faith not to fail offers profound assurance.
• Trials as Refinement: While spiritual sifting can be painful and challenging, it can also serve to refine our faith, removing impurities and strengthening our reliance on God, much like how wheat is separated from chaff to yield pure grain.
• Call to Vigilance and Prayer: Like the disciples, we are called to be watchful and prayerful to withstand temptation and spiritual assault, trusting that God will not allow us to be tempted beyond what we can bear.