Luke 22:31-34 NLT
“Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift each of you like wheat. But I have pleaded in prayer for you, Simon, that your faith should not fail. So when you have repented and turned to me again, strengthen your brothers.” Peter said, “Lord, I am ready to go to prison with you, and even to die with you.” But Jesus said, “Peter, let me tell you something. Before the rooster crows tomorrow morning, you will deny three times that you even know me.”
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Satan wants to have a go with Jesus disciples. Satan requires Jesus' permission. The image Jesus used to describe Satan's goal and method, is the sifting of wheat to separate the kernel from the chaff. This processes reminds me of Psalm 1(pasted below the Matthew Henry's Luke commentary passage). In Psalm 1 the contrast is between the fruitful vibrant tree planted by a stream and the worthless waste product of life, chaff blown away so they get to the thing of value.
Satan wanted to show that Jesus' ministry was fruitless. Satan had been allowed to have Judas and apparently thought he might have all of Jesus' disciples. Jesus knows the disciples are fruitful or at least will be. So he allows Satan to 'sift' all the disciples. Strangely some versions of the Bible do not translate the object of Satan's sifting as plural. But the original language is indeed plural and Jesus is referring to all the disciples. And I believe it is important because of Jesus intent for Peter.
Jesus pleads in prayer for Simon's faith.
And Jesus prays Simon's faith will not fail when Satan 'sifts' him. Although Satan's goal is to show Jesus as fruitless, it is interesting that the process not only will show fruit (faith) but will also get rid of chaff.
Might Jesus allow you to be sifted? Will your faith remain?
So Jesus prays faith will remain and that faith will bring repentance and a turning back to Jesus.
This is not the end goal of Jesus. And neither should it be ours.
Listen now!
The purpose of allowing Satan to sift, the purpose of Jesus' pleading in prayer for faith to remain, and the purpose of Simon's repentance and return to Jesus, was to strengthen the other disciples; Presumably, so they too would repent, turn to Jesus, and have faith that remains. And so all the disciples could strengthen others who would have faith, repent and turn to Jesus.
We can not do it on our own. Like Peter, we'll deny Jesus. Like Peter we may be sifted. But like Peter, Jesus is praying for us.
John 17:20“I am praying not only for these disciples but also for all who will ever believe in me through their message. 21 I pray that they will all be one, just as you and I are one—as you are in me, Father, and I am in you. And may they be in us so that the world will believe you sent me. (NLT)
I'm not sure why you thought it would be easy. It will not be easy. I'm not sure why you thought you'd always win, stand strong, and never deny Jesus. I'm not sure why you thought Satan could not try and uncover your fruitless faithlessness. Probably God will allow you to face temptations and trials. Jesus did. You are following Jesus! Aren't you? Satan tried to get Jesus to worship him. The Holy Spirit led him to face Satan. Jesus let Satan have a go at his disciples.
Aren't you in the same rank and file? Aren't you following Jesus and God disciples?
Then believe me this will happen to you. And Jesus prays for you. And Jesus wants your faith to remain. He wants you to repent. He wants you to strengthen others.
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Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary
Luke 22:21-38 How unbecoming is the worldly ambition of being the greatest, to the character of a follower of Jesus, who took upon him the form of a servant, and humbled himself to the death of the cross! In the way to eternal happiness, we must expect to be assaulted and sifted by Satan. If he cannot destroy, he will try to disgrace or distress us. Nothing more certainly forebodes a fall, in a professed follower of Christ, than self-confidence, with disregard to warnings, and contempt of danger. Unless we watch and pray always, we may be drawn in the course of the day into those sins which we were in the morning most resolved against. If believers were left to themselves, they would fall; but they are kept by the power of God, and the prayer of Christ. Our Lord gave notice of a very great change of circumstances now approaching. The disciples must not expect that their friends would be kind to them as they had been. Therefore, he that has a purse, let him take it, for he may need it. They must now expect that their enemies would be more fierce than they had been, and they would need weapons. At the time the apostles understood Christ to mean real weapons, but he spake only of the weapons of the spiritual warfare. The sword of the Spirit is the sword with which the disciples of Christ must furnish themselves.
Book One (Psalms 1–41)
psalm 1
1 Oh, the joys of those who do not
follow the advice of the wicked,
or stand around with sinners,
or join in with mockers.
2 But they delight in the law of the Lord,
meditating on it day and night.
3 They are like trees planted along the riverbank,
bearing fruit each season.
Their leaves never wither,
and they prosper in all they do.
4 But not the wicked!
They are like worthless chaff, scattered by the wind.
5 They will be condemned at the time of judgment.
Sinners will have no place among the godly.
6 For the Lord watches over the path of the godly,
but the path of the wicked leads to destruction. (NLT)
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