John 13:31-38 CSB
When he had left, Jesus said, "Now the Son of Man is glorified, and God is glorified in him. [32] If God is glorified in him, God will also glorify him in himself and will glorify him at once. [33] Little children, I am with you a little while longer. You will look for me, and just as I told the Jews, so now I tell you, 'Where I am going, you cannot come.' [34] "I give you a new command: Love one another. Just as I have loved you, you are also to love one another. [35] By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another." [36] "Lord," Simon Peter said to him, "where are you going?" Jesus answered, "Where I am going you cannot follow me now, but you will follow later." [37] "Lord," Peter asked, "why can't I follow you now? I will lay down my life for you." [38] Jesus replied, "Will you lay down your life for me? Truly I tell you, a rooster will not crow until you have denied me three times.
You Will Follow Later
Have you ever had a big test coming up? Maybe it was a math test in school where you studied hard and felt ready, yet your heart still tightened at the thought of it. It could be a medical test to see if your greatest fears are about to be realized or relieved. Sometimes it seems like life is a series of constant tests—from surviving peer pressure in our youth to the trials of adulthood—and they never truly end.
Then there are people like Peter who do not yet realize their own weakness. In their hearts, they are certain they will pass, but when failure actually comes, they are utterly distraught. Jesus had to warn Peter that he would not pass his upcoming test. He would not lay down his life to protect Jesus; instead, he would deny Him not just once, but three times.
These verses occur right after Judas has stepped into the night, leaving his companions and the One he used to call Lord behind. As Jesus is speaking these words, Judas is already on his way to betray Him. This brings up a vital question: What is the difference between these two men? Both Peter and Judas would find themselves distraught over their failures. However, the difference lies in the heart. Peter had a willing mind and a deep desire to follow Jesus anywhere, but his flesh was weak. When confronted, fear temporarily engulfed him. Judas, conversely, did not have a willing mind; his heart was set on a different path entirely.
I do not judge Peter, because as I review my own past, I find moments where I too have denied the Lord. If we are honest, we do it more than we think. But here is the beauty of the Gospel: just as Jesus prayed and interceded for Peter, He also intercedes for us. As believers, we have the promise of forgiveness.
Jesus knew His time had come. His own ultimate test was at hand. He says something here that pricks the ear: not only can those who do not know Him not follow where He is going, but even His beloved followers cannot come yet. Jesus is showing that His death is imminent. He is about to remove the earthly restraints of His current body and return to His glory. To His dearest friends, He essentially says, “I am going to a place where you cannot come.”
While they could not follow Him into death just yet, Jesus gave them a “New Command” to bridge the gap. He told them to love one another just as He had loved them. This wasn’t just a suggestion; it was to be their identity. Jesus explained that the world would recognize His followers not by their strength or their ability to pass every test, but by the way they loved each other.
His disciples had a mission to complete first. They were to go out into the world and testify about Him, fueled by this sacrificial love. There would eventually be a time when they would join their Lord in glory, and there is a time when we will join Him, too. But for now, we remain here to carry out that same mission—walking in the footprints of the One who loved us “to the end.”
Reflection Questions
- When has a “tightening of the heart” revealed a weakness in your faith that you didn’t know was there? How did Jesus meet you in that failure?
- Jesus calls us to love “just as I have loved you.” This is a sacrificial, foot-washing kind of love. Who in your life is the hardest to love with that specific kind of humility?
- Jesus told Peter he would “follow later.” How does the promise of a future home in glory change the way you handle the “tests” of your life today?
Prayer
Father,
I thank You that Your love is not dependent on my ability to pass every test. I confess that, like Peter, I often overstate my strength and underestimate my weakness. Thank You for Jesus, who intercedes for me even when I fail. Help me to take up the mission You have given us—to love others just as You have loved me—so that the world might know I am Yours. Keep my eyes on the promise that I will follow You into glory in Your perfect timing.
Amen.
