John 13:37 — Community Reflections

JOHN 13:37 — KING JAMES VERSION 0

“Peter said unto him, Lord, why cannot I follow thee now? I will lay down my life for thy sake.”

Peter said to him, 'Lord, why can I not follow you now? I will lay down my life for you' — Peter's protest is born of love and misunderstanding in equal measure; he thinks he can follow Jesus by the sheer force of his will and courage, willing himself into martyrdom. His declaration "I will lay down my life" echoes and anticipates Jesus' earlier declaration that he lays down his life for his friends; Peter wishes to reciprocate but does not yet understand that his death can be meaningful only as participation in Jesus' death, not as independent achievement. The passionate sincerity of Peter's offer contains the seed of his denial.

Church Fathers on John 13:37

Great is love, and stronger than fire; nothing can stop its course. Peter the most ardent of all, as soon as he hears our Lord say, Where I go you cannot follow Me now, asks, Lord, where do you go?
Chrysostom · 4th century

The disciple asks this, as if he were ready to follow. But our Lord saw his heart; Jesus answered him, Where I go, you cannot follow Me now; He checks his forwardness, but does not destroy his hope; nay, confirms it; But you shall follow Me afterwards. Why do you hasten, Peter? The Rock has not yet established you with His spirit. Be not lifted up with presumptions, you can not now; be not cast down with despair, you shall follow Me afterwards.
Augustine · 4th century

either as affirming, you shall lay down your life for My sake, but now through fear of the death of the body, you shall incur spiritual death: or as mocking; as if He said,
Bede · 8th century · Which sentence may be read in two ways

Read all 9 entries in the readerCatena Aurea · St. Thomas Aquinas, tr. J. H. Newman · public domain

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