Day 637: Saved to serve - Luke 22 vs 31 – 38

31-32 “Simon, Simon, behold, Satan demanded to have you, that he might sift you like wheat,  but I have prayed for you that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned again, strengthen your brothers.” 33-34 Peter said to him, “Lord, I am ready to go with you both to prison and to death.”  Jesus said, “I tell you, Peter, the cock will not crow this day, until you deny three times that you know me.”

35-36 And he said to them, “When I sent you out with no money bag or knapsack or sandals, did you lack anything?” They said, “Nothing.” He said to them, “But now let the one who has a money bag take it, and likewise a knapsack. And let the one who has no sword sell his cloak and buy one. 37-38 For I tell you that this Scripture must be fulfilled in me: ‘And he was numbered with the transgressors.’ For what is written about me has its fulfilment.” And they said, “Look, Lord, here are two swords.” And he said to them, “It is enough.” Luke 22:31-38 (English Standard Version)

This incident of Peter boasting how he would not forsake Christ, and of Jesus' prophecy that Peter would deny him three times before cock-crow, is probably one of the most well known parts of the Bible. Could it be because we easily identify with such failure? I wonder if Jesus using his birth name of Simon was to remind Peter of his natural weakness. But what were the two 'behind the scenes' events of Peter's fall and his eventual recovery? (vs 31-32)

We must never forget that we have a spiritual enemy who seeks the downfall of God's people, especially of those in leadership. But we must also not forget that, like Peter, we have a High Priest who prays for us. In Hebrews 7:24-25 we read “Because Jesus lives forever, He has a permanent priesthood. This is why He can fully save those who are approaching God through Him, because He always lives to speak with God for them.” It's because Jesus intercedes for us that Satan doesn't get the better of us in this world. Notice too that although Satan tripped Peter up, the Lord was still going to use Peter to strengthen other believers. God can pick us up from our defeats and enable us to yet help others.

The Lord's instruction in vs 35-36 that the disciples buy some swords seems to be a strange one. What does His explanation in vs 37-38 appear to suggest?

Jesus says that this was to bring to fulfilment words which the Old Testament prophet Isaiah had spoken concerning the Messiah who was to come. The New Living Translation puts Isaiah's words this way: “I will give Him (the Messiah) the honours of a victorious soldier, because He exposed Himself to death. He was counted among the rebels. He bore the sins of many and interceded for rebels.” (Isaiah 53:12) That translation sees the word 'transgressors' as speaking of rebellious people. It does fit the picture here. When Jesus was arrested a short while later it was as if He was part of a bunch of rebels.

We see that Jesus clearly understood from things spoken by the prophets of the Old Testament what was about to happen to Him. And He was willing to fulfil even the smallest detail of what had been prophesied about Him. The chapter in Isaiah that Jesus was quoting from also said of the Messiah: “He was pierced for our rebellion, crushed for our sins. He was beaten so we could be whole. He was whipped so we could be healed. All of us, like sheep, have strayed away. We have left God’s paths to follow our own. Yet the Lord  laid on Him the sins of us all.” (Isaiah 53:5-6)

The death of Jesus, and the manner in which He died, was no accident. He was the Perfect Priest offering a perfect sacrifice for sins. No wonder He is able to intercede on our behalf when, like Peter, we are tripped up by Satan. May He then also use us to strengthen the faith of others.