ACC ~ John 13 v36 - 38

OVERVIEW:

Jesus speaks of his departure, and Peter, to whom Jesus had entrusted the keys to the kingdom, does not presume to follow but rather only asks as one not yet up to following (AMBROSE). Only those who are prepared to walk in Christ’s steps persistently can follow (ORIGEN). And so we must rely on the power of the Spirit, who alone enables us to follow as we enter into our greatest trials (CYRIL). The brave assertion of Peter that he would lay down his life for Jesus belied his later denial but also confirmed that it is fear of death that kills you (AUGUSTINE). Jesus allows Peter to learn his own weaknesses (CHRYSOSTOM), but at this point, Peter promises more than he can fulfill, seeking to lead when he should be following (AUGUSTINE). At the time, Peter knew his great desire to defend Jesus; what he did not know was his own strength (AUGUSTINE). But even though he later failed, the fact that he received pardon is comfort for us when we fall (BEDE). Peter dies by denial but lives by tears (AUGUSTINE) as he comes to learn who he truly is (CHRYSOSTOM). The speech regarding Peter’s denial occurs at different points in different Gospels, but they are not in contradiction (AUGUSTINE, THEODORE).

13:36 | Going And Following

PETER WAS NOT PRESUMING

AMBROSE: The soul too wishes to arrive at the prize that it longs to obtain. And so it wisely asks that it be drawn, because not all are able to follow. Indeed, when Peter said, “Where are you going?” the Word of God replied, “Where I am going, you cannot follow me now. But you will follow afterward.” The Lord had entrusted to him the keys of the kingdom of heaven, [1] and yet Peter judged himself unequal to following. The Lord did not put off this soul, however, for Peter was not presuming but asking. ISAAC, OR THE SOUL 3.10. [2]

[1] See Mt 16:19.

[2] FC 65:18; CSEL 32 1:650.

FOLLOWING CHRIST

ORIGEN: The Word, however, departs on his own courses, and he who follows the Word follows him. But one who is not prepared to walk in his steps persistently cannot follow, since the Word leads those to his Father who do all things that they might be able to follow him and that they may follow him until they may say to the Christ, “My soul has clung to you.” [1] COMMENTARY ON THE GOSPEL OF JOHN 32.400. [2]

[1] See Ps 63:8 (62:9 LXX).

[2] FC 89:417; SC 385:358-60.

THE SPIRIT EMPOWERS US

CYRIL OF ALEXANDRIA: The disciples had not yet been clothed with the power from on high, neither had they received the strength that was to invigorate them and impart courage to their character—I mean the gift of the Holy Spirit. Thus, they were not able to wrestle with death and engage in a conflict with terrors so hard to face. COMMENTARY ON THE GOSPEL OF JOHN 9. [1]

[1] LF 48:225*.

13:37 | I Will Lay Down My Life for You

BEING AFRAID OF DEATH IS WHAT KILLS YOU

AUGUSTINE: Peter had earlier answered the Lord out of a kind of proud self-assurance when he had told him, “I will lay down my life for you.” He had not yet received the strength to carry out that promise. Now, in order to be able to do so, he is already filled with charity. That is why he is asked, “Do you love me?” And he answers “I do,” because it is only charity that can carry it out. So how do things stand, Peter? Dying is what you were afraid of. He is alive and talking to you, the one you saw dead. Do not be afraid of death anymore. It has been conquered in him whose death you dreaded. He hung on the cross, he was fixed there with nails, he gave up the spirit, he was struck with a lance, laid in the tomb. That is what you were afraid of when you denied him, afraid you would suffer this. And by fearing death you denied life. Understand the truth now: when you were afraid of dying, that is when you died. SERMON 253.3. [1]

[1] WSA 3 7:149**; SC 116:330.

JESUS LETS PETER LEARN HIS OWN WEAKNESSES

CHRYSOSTOM: [Jesus says to Peter], You shall know from this temptation that your love is nothing without the presence of the impulse from above. From this it is clear that in caring for him, Jesus allowed Peter to fall. Jesus wanted to teach him by what he had said earlier, but in the face of Peter’s vehemence, [1] Jesus did not throw or force him into his denial but rather left him alone in order that he might learn his own weakness. … Since Peter is in the habit of contradicting Jesus, Jesus next teaches him not to oppose him. … In every way, Jesus teaches Peter humility and proves that human nature by itself is nothing. HOMILIES ON THE GOSPEL OF JOHN 73.1. [2]

[1] See Mt 16:22; Jn 13:8.

[2] NPNF 1 14:267-68**.

PETER PROMISES MORE THAN HE CAN FULFILL

AUGUSTINE: Peter promised he would die for him, and he was not even able to die with him. He had staked more, you see, than his credit could stand. He had promised more than he could fulfill, because it was in fact unfitting that he should do what he had promised. “I will lay down my life,” he said, “for you.” But that is what the Lord was going to do for the servant, not the servant for the Lord. So as he had staked more than he was worth, he was then loving in an inverted sort of way; that is why he was afraid and denied Christ. Later on, though, the Lord, after he has risen, teaches Peter how to love. While he was loving in the wrong way, he collapsed under the weight of Christ’s passion. But when he was loving in the right way, Christ promises him a passion of his own. SERMON 296.1. [1]

[1] WSA 3 8:203*; MiAg 1:401.

PETER WANTS TO LEAD

AUGUSTINE: The blessed Peter, as we have just heard, is ordered to follow. And yet he had originally been thinking of going ahead when he said to the Lord, “I will lay down my life for you.” He was so sure of himself that he was unaware of his fear. He wanted to go ahead of the one he should be following. It was a good thing he was eager to do, but he did not keep to the right order. SERMON 297.1. [1]

[1] WSA 3 8:216; PL 38:1359.

13:38 | Prophecy of Peter’s Threefold Denial

PETER DID NOT KNOW HIS OWN STRENGTH

AUGUSTINE: Peter knew his great desire. What he did not know was his own strength. He boasted of his will while he was still weak. But the Physician had an eye on the state of his health. … Will you do for me what I have not done yet for you? “Will you lay down your life for my sake?” Can you go before even though you cannot come after? Why are you so presumptuous? What do you think of yourself and what do you imagine yourself to be? Listen to what you are: “Truly, truly, I say to you, the rooster shall not crow till you have denied me three times.” See, that is how you will very quickly get to know who you are—someone who talks big but has no idea that he is only a child. You promise me your death and yet will deny me your life. You, who think you are able to die for me, learn to live first for yourself. When you fear the death of your flesh, you occasion the death of your soul. Just as much as it is life to confess Christ, it is death to deny him. … The frailty of Peter himself acknowledged its sin when he witnessed by his tears the evil he had done in denying Christ. … Nor do we say this because we have pleasure in blaming the first of the apostles. But in looking at him, we learn that no one should place his confidence in human strength. TRACTATES ON THE GOSPEL OF JOHN 66.1-2. [1]

[1] NPNF 1 7:319-20**; CCL 36:493-94.

PETER DIES BY DENIAL BUT LIVES BY TEARS

AUGUSTINE: That took place in the soul of Peter which he offered in the body, although it happened differently from what he intended. For before the death and resurrection of our Lord, he did both die by his denial and live again by his tears. He died because he was so sure of himself, but he lived again because Jesus looked on him with kindness. TRACTATES ON THE GOSPEL OF JOHN 66.2. [1]

[1] NPNF 1 7:320*; CCL 36:495.

PETER WILL LEARN TO KNOW HIMSELF

CHRYSOSTOM: [Jesus] let him go without assistance so that he might learn his own weakness … and not fall into such sin again when he received the stewardship of the world, but that remembering what had happened to him, he might know himself. HOMILIES ON THE GOSPEL OF JOHN 73.1. [1]

[1] NPNF 1 14:267-68**.

DIFFERENT ACCOUNTS COMPARED

AUGUSTINE: John is not the only Evangelist who details this prophetic announcement of Jesus’ own denial to Peter. The other three also record the same thing [1] but not at the same time in all cases. Matthew and Mark introduce it after they have left the house in which they were eating the Passover. Luke and John bring it in before he left that scene. We may suppose either that the two former are referring to what had passed or the two latter are anticipating what is coming. Or the great difference not only of the words but of the subjects that precede the speech and that excite Peter to the presumption of offering to die for or with our Lord may lead us to conclude that he made this offer three times and that our Lord three times replied, “Before the rooster crows, you shall deny me three times.” HARMONY OF THE GOSPELS 3.2.5. [2]

[1] Mt 26:30-35; Mk 14:26-31; Lk 22:31-34.

[2] NPNF 1 6:178-79** ; CSEL 43:272-73.

JOHN AND MARK ARE NOT IN CONTRADICTION

THEODORE OF MOPSUESTIA: This is not contrary to what is said in Mark. For he said, “The rooster will not crow twice before you will deny me three times.” [1] You see, as soon as he denied him, the rooster crowed. And as he denied for a third time, the rooster crowed for a second time, in some way bearing witness to the truthfulness of the Lord, as well as reminding Peter both what he said to the Lord and what he heard from him. Therefore, when he denied at first, by the will of the Lord the bird uttered a sound out of its proper time. [2] But when he denied for the third time, then it crowed at the appointed time. However Mark, dictating the Gospel according to Peter’s view, also said how many times the bird crowed during the denial, as if he wanted to establish more clearly the reproach of Peter by his own sin. COMMENTARY ON THE GOSPEL OF JOHN, FRAGMENT 119.13.38. [3]

[1] Mk 14:30.

[2] The Syriac text of Theodore says, “according to the will and command of the Lord.”

[3] ECS 7:112*.