³⁶ Simon Peter said to Him, “Lord, where are You going?” Jesus answered, “Where I go, you cannot follow Me now; but you will follow later.”

All the talk of love seemed to miss Peter, the consensus spokesperson for the twelve. Praise God for this character in the story that gives divine Authorial opportunity to address very natural human concerns and foibles. Apparently there was only so much they could take in, but the most pressing issue needing clarification was not the love commandment, but the “Where I am going, you cannot come” comment (vs. 33). They had turned their backs, burned their bridges to follow Jesus. Earlier, “Peter said to Him, ‘Behold, we have left everything and followed You; what then will there be for us?’ ” (Mt 19:27). There was no turning back. If Jesus left them, they would be completely lost. Another time, when the vast majority of “disciples withdrew and were not walking with Him anymore” (John 6:66), Peter confessed, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have words of eternal life” (John 6:68). They had stuck their proverbial necks out, gone beyond the point of no return. Was everyone else right and these eleven fools for continuing to follow Christ?

“No way,” we project in Peter’s mind. He, for one, was not going to give up easily. Still calling Him Lord, Peter (dare we presume to read his mind) begins to suspect that maybe Jesus thinks he doesn’t measure up or isn’t loyal enough to Him and His cause. But not willing to sit around and guess, he ventures a clarification question: “Lord, where are you going?” If Jesus wouldn’t take them along, then fine, Peter would find his own way.

Jesus essentially repeats Himself, “Where I go, you cannot follow Me…” But graciously He adds, “… now; but you will follow later.” In other words, this is only a temporary hiatus in their physical proximity. There was a place where Jesus had to go it alone, and something that Jesus had to accomplish solo. But Peter (and by implication the others) would later be able to rejoin Him. There would be a day when they too would follow Him in death!

This teaching would later become a great source of comfort to all believers. Although Jesus did reunite with them for a little while after the resurrection, He left again at His ascension. The expectation of His return is what keeps us encouraged in His absence. Most would die and also follow Jesus in resurrection. But there are some who will be “… caught up to meet the Lord in the air, and so we shall always be with the Lord. Therefore comfort one another with these words” (1 Thess 4:17-18). Whether we join Christ through death or in the rapture, praise God we will be joining Him where He has gone!

Lord, I am so looking forward to being reunited with You at Your coming.