Simon, Simon! Indeed, Satan has asked for you, that he may sift you as wheat

 

 And the Lord said, "Simon, Simon!  Indeed, Satan has asked for you, that he may sift you as wheat.  But I have prayed for you, that your faith should not fail; and when you have returned to Me, strengthen your brethren."  But he said to Him, "Lord, I am ready to go with You, both to prison and to death."  Then He said, "I tell you, Peter, the rooster shall not crow this day before you will deny three times that you know Me."  

 

And He said to them, "When I sent you without money bag, knapsack, and sandals, did you lack anything?"  So they said, "Nothing."  Then He said to them, "But now, he who has a money bag, let him take it, and likewise a knapsack; and he who has no sword, let him sell his garment and buy one.  For I say to you that this which is written much still be accomplished in Me:  'And He was numbered with the transgressors.'  For the things concerning Me have an end."  So they said, "Lord, look, here are two swords."  And He said to them, "It is enough."

 

- Luke 22:31–38 

 

Yesterday we read that there was also a dispute among the disciples, as to which of them should be considered the greatest.  And Jesus said to them, "The kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship over them, and those who exercise authority over them are called 'benefactors.'  But not so among you; on the contrary, he who is greatest among you, let him be as the younger, and he who governs as he who serves.  For who is greater, he who sits at the table, or he who serves?  Is it not he who sits at the table?  Yet I am among you as the One who serves.  "But you are those who have continued with Me in My trials.  And I bestow upon you a kingdom, just as My Father bestowed one upon Me, that you may eat and drink at My table in My kingdom, and sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel."

 

  And the Lord said, "Simon, Simon!  Indeed, Satan has asked for you, that he may sift you as wheat.  But I have prayed for you, that your faith should not fail; and when you have returned to Me, strengthen your brethren."  But he said to Him, "Lord, I am ready to go with You, both to prison and to death."  Then He said, "I tell you, Peter, the rooster shall not crow this day before you will deny three times that you know Me."   My study Bible tells us that when Jesus says, "Satan has asked for you, that he may sift you as wheat," the form of you in Greek is plural, indicating that Satan has asks for all the disciples.  But when He says, "But I have prayed for you, that your faith should not fail; and when you have returned to Me, strengthen your brethren," the form of you used in this verse is singular, meaning that Jesus prays especially for Simon Peter.  My study Bible explains that because Peter's faith was the strongest, he would be tested the most.  Regarding Christ's words to St. Peter, "When you have returned to Me," see John 21:15-17.  "Strengthen your brethren" refers not only to the other disciples, but even to all the faithful until Christ returns.  

 

 And He said to them, "When I sent you without money bag, knapsack, and sandals, did you lack anything?"  So they said, "Nothing."  Then He said to them, "But now, he who has a money bag, let him take it, and likewise a knapsack; and he who has no sword, let him sell his garment and buy one.  For I say to you that this which is written much still be accomplished in Me:  'And He was numbered with the transgressors.'  For the things concerning Me have an end."  So they said, "Lord, look, here are two swords."  And He said to them, "It is enough."  My study Bible comments here that the sword is not to be understood literally (compare to verses 49-51), but refers to the living word of God in the battle against sin (Ephesians 6:17; Hebrews 4:12).  There is an additional meaning added by St. Ambrose of Milan, who says that giving up one's garment and buying a sword represents surrendering the body to the sword of martyrdom.  Because the disciples were thinking literally of swords, Jesus ends the discussion abruptly, with the words, "It is enough," or better translated, "Enough of this!" (see Deuteronomy 3:26; Mark 14:41).  Jesus quotes from Isaiah 53:12.

 

In today's reading, Jesus gives the disciples a sort of preview of the life to come as we await His return, even the life that we live today until the end of the age when He will judge in the fullness of the Resurrection.   For we do have still Satan at work in the world, seeking to sift as wheat those who love God.  This is why Jesus begins to prepare the disciples for the persecutions and difficulties and tribulations to come.  It is why we still need to be aware of spiritual battle, and to put on, in the words of St. Paul, "the whole armor of God" (see Ephesians 6:10-18 for St. Paul's full description of what that is).  We may wonder why, if Satan is indeed defeated, as Jesus has indicated (Luke 10:18), believers continue to do battle "against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places" (Ephesians 6:12).  It is St. Peter himself who writes of this time that we await Christ's return and Judgment, "But, beloved, do not forget this one thing, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.  The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance" (2 Peter 3:8-9; see also Psalm 90:4).  But certainly throughout this age in which we await Christ's return, our own participation in this spiritual battle as faithful is important in the sight of God, for otherwise it would not have been so to start with.  What we can conclude is that God's love for us is so strong that, although of course God needs nothing from us, we are invited in to this "good fight" as St. Paul calls it in 2 Timothy 4:7.  Just as God works through God's holy angels, so God also invites us, those faithful who struggle in this way, to be a part of God's "forces" and works in the world.  For we human beings, God's creatures as are the angels, are those whom God would also like to work through and share His power and authority with, as indicated in so many places in the Gospels, and throughout the Scriptures.  Repeatedly we are told that we, also, may become "sons of God" by adoption, a phrase which indeed is also used for the spiritual beings, the angels of all ranks, who serve God.  In John 10:34, Jesus replies to the religious leaders, "Is it not written in your law, 'I said, "You are gods" '?"  He quotes from Psalm 82:6.  These "gods" also refer to angelic beings, God speaking to human beings and our own capacity to become like angels as Christ tells the Sadducees in describing the Resurrection (see Luke 20:35-36).  It is this process, playing out in this world and in this age as we await His return, into which we are all born with Christ's words in today's reading to His disciples.  Ultimately, as Jesus indicates to Peter, this is a battle for faith.  So let us be prepared, and take up His charge and commission to follow Him in the way we are taught, and knowing the spiritual landscape into which we go forward.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

For the things concerning Me have an end

 

 And the Lord said, "Simon, Simon!  Indeed, Satan has asked for you, that he may sift you as wheat.  But I have prayed for you, that your faith should not fail; and when you have returned to Me, strengthen your brethren."  But he said to Him, "Lord, I am ready to go with You, both to prison and to death."  Then He said, "I tell you, Peter, the rooster shall not crow this day before you will deny three times that you know Me."  

And He said to them, "When I sent you without money bag, knapsack, and sandals, did you lack anything?"  So they said, "Nothing."  Then He said to them, "But now, he who has a money bag, let him take it, and likewise a knapsack; and he who has no sword, let him sell his garment and buy one.  For I say to you that this which is written must still be accomplished in Me:  'And He was numbered with the transgressors.'  For the things concerning Me have an end."  So they said, "Lord, look, here are two swords."  And He said to them, "It is enough."

 

- Luke 22:31–38 

 

Yesterday we read that, when the hour had come, Jesus sat down, and the twelve apostles with Him.  Then He said to them, "With fervent desire I have desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer; for I say to you, I will no longer eat of it until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God."  Then He took the cup, and gave thanks, and said, "Take this and divide it among yourselves; for I say to you, I will not drink of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes."  And He took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, "This is My body which is given for you; do this in remembrance of Me."  Likewise He also took the cup after supper, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in My blood, which is shed for you.  But behold, the hand of My betrayer is with Me on the table.  And truly the Son of Man goes as it has been determined, but woe to that man by whom He is betrayed!"  Then they began to question among themselves, which of them it was who would do this thing.  Now there was also a dispute among them, as to which of them should be considered the greatest.  And He said to them, "The king of the Gentiles exercise lordship over them, and those who exercise authority over them are called 'benefactors.'  But not so among you; on the contrary, he who is greatest among you, let him be as the younger, and he who governs as he who serves.  For who is greater, he who sits at the table, or he who serves?  Is it not he who sits at the table?  Yet I am among you as the One who serves.  But you are those who have continued with Me in My trials.  And I bestow upon you a kingdom, just as My Father bestowed one upon Me, that you may eat and drink at My table in My kingdom, and sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel."

 

 And the Lord said, "Simon, Simon!  Indeed, Satan has asked for you, that he may sift you as wheat.  But I have prayed for you, that your faith should not fail; and when you have returned to Me, strengthen your brethren."  But he said to Him, "Lord, I am ready to go with You, both to prison and to death."  Then He said, "I tell you, Peter, the rooster shall not crow this day before you will deny three times that you know Me."  In the first verse in today's reading, when Jesus says, "Indeed, Satan has asked for you, that he may sift you as wheat," this you is plural, an indication that Satan has asked for all the disciples.  But in the next verse ("But I have prayed for you, that your faith should not fail; and when you have returned to Me, strengthen your brethren"), the you is singular here, which indicates that Jesus prayed particularly for Simon Peter.  My study Bible comments that because Peter's faith was the strongest, he would be tested the most.   Regarding Jesus' word to Peter, "When you have returned to Me,"  See John 21:15-17.  My study Bible says that Jesus' command "strengthen your brethren" refers not simply to the other disciples, but to all the faithful until He returns.  

 

And He said to them, "When I sent you without money bag, knapsack, and sandals, did you lack anything?"  So they said, "Nothing."  Then He said to them, "But now, he who has a money bag, let him take it, and likewise a knapsack; and he who has no sword, let him sell his garment and buy one.  For I say to you that this which is written must still be accomplished in Me:  'And He was numbered with the transgressors.'  For the things concerning Me have an end."  So they said, "Lord, look, here are two swords."  And He said to them, "It is enough."  My study Bible comments that the word sword (in "he who has no sword") is not to be understood literally (compare to verses 49-51, which will be in this Monday's reading).  Here "sword" refers to the living word of God in the battle against sin (Ephesians 6:17; Hebrews 4:12).  Also, my study Bible cites the commentary of St. Ambrose, who adds an additional meaning.  He says that giving up one's garment and buying a sword is a reference to surrendering the body to the sword of martyrdom.  Because the disciples were thinking of swords literally, Jesus abruptly ends the discussion with the words, "It is enough."  My study Bible comments that this phrase is better translated, "Enough of this!" (see Deuteronomy 3:26; Mark 14:41). 

Jesus asks the disciples, "When I sent you without money bag, knapsack, and sandals, did you lack anything?"  So they said, "Nothing."  Then He said to them, "But now, he who has a money bag, let him take it, and likewise a knapsack; and he who has no sword, let him sell his garment and buy one.  For I say to you that this which is written must still be accomplished in Me:  'And He was numbered with the transgressors.'  For the thing concerning Me have an end."  In His question, we can see that Jesus is preparing the disciples for the time to come, as He is about to be betrayed and given over to the Romans.  He has said, "As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world" (John 9:5).  But this Light is not going to be with the disciples as the human Jesus for very much longer.  Now they will need to care for themselves in a different way, He's saying to them. They will need to prepare for a different time in the world when He is no longer with them and guiding them as His disciples in the same way.  Jesus quotes from the prophesy of Isaiah 53:12, and so indicating what end will be fulfilled in Him.  He has also taught them, "Remember the word that I said to you, ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you. If they kept My word, they will keep yours also" (John 15:20).  What is coming for Jesus will be the beginning of persecutions for those who follow Him.  Therefore Jesus is now preparing the ones who follow Him, His disciples, for the time that is at hand, and how they will have to live in the world without Him in the flesh.  There is a great component revealed earlier, when Jesus addressed St. Peter, saying, "Simon, Simon!  Satan has asked for you, that he may sift you as wheat."  As indicated above, this "you" is plural, meaning that although Jesus addresses Simon (and with a double exclamation of his name, so truly grabbing his attention), He does so as Simon Peter so often represents and speaks for all of the disciples.  With the coming of the Cross, the fulfillment of the prophecy from Isaiah, Satan seeks to sift them all as wheat.  But it is Simon whom Jesus also calls upon -- despite his coming denial of Christ -- to return and to strengthen the brethren in this new period of difficulties and persecution that is coming. Many have noted that the Old Testament verse which is most frequently quoted in the New Testament is Psalm 110:1, "The Lord said to my Lord, "Sit at My right hand, till I make Your enemies Your footstool."  Jesus quotes this verse when He poses a kind of riddle to the religious leaders in the temple (see last Friday's reading).  This verse is important because it leads to the inevitable conclusion that the Messiah is both human (a son of David) and God (the only One whom King David would call "My Lord").  Yet we must go to the verse that follows to understand something important about the time for which Jesus is preparing the disciples as He is about to go to betrayal and the Cross.  "The Lord shall send the rod of Your strength out of Zion. Rule in the midst of Your enemies!" (Psalm 110:2).  To rule in the midst of one's enemies is a strange condition indeed.  How does a King do this?  Well, if the "LORD" (God the Father) is addressing King David's "Lord," the Son and Messiah, then what is being said is that Christ will rule by His rod of strength out of Zion, even in the midst of His enemies in this world.  We know who Christ is, and that He came into the world to depose the devil, Satan, the "prince of this world."  But clearly, Christ rules in the midst of His enemies, for the time in which we live now is the same era for which Christ is preparing the disciples.  It remains a period in which we know the Kingdom, and the King, and we also know that the Spirit of God is at work in the world.  But at the same time, we are aware that this is a time of spiritual battle, even of persecutions and hatred.  St. John writes in his first Epistle, "By this you know the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of God, and every spirit that does not confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is not of God. And this is the spirit of the Antichrist, which you have heard was coming, and is now already in the world" (1 John 4:2-3).  The spirit of the Antichrist remains in the world, and so Christ "rules in the midst of His enemies."  And this is the state in which we find ourselves in the Church.  Just as Christ warns the disciples, this is the period in which we live, and so we should not be surprised to find adversities of any and various kinds, even frightful news about horrific militias, betrayals, and those who would seek even to call themselves Christian even as they support such fearsome forces at work against Christian communities.  Let us consider, at this time, that Christ nonetheless continues to rule in the midst of His enemies, and that He has commanded us simply to endure as the faithful.  Like St. Peter, we must be prepared to be called on to strengthen our brothers and sisters who are persecuted, even as there are Christ's disciples whom Satan still desires to sift as wheat.  It is our faith that is our greatest weapon of strength, and for this Christ has prayed.  Let us remember to follow Him as He said, and endure in that faith as our true weapon given by God, the living word by which we live (Hebrews 4:12). 

And He was numbered with the transgressors

 

 And they brought Him to the place Golgotha, which is translated, Place of a Skull.  Then they gave Him wine mingled with myrrh to drink, but He did not take it.  And when they crucified Him, they divided His garments, casting lots for them to determine what every man should take.  Now it was the third hour, and they crucified Him.  And the inscription of His accusation was written above:

THE KING OF THE JEWS.

With Him they also crucified two robbers, one of His right and the other on His left.  So the Scripture was fulfilled which says, "And He was numbered with the transgressors."  And those who passed by blasphemed Him, wagging their heads and saying, "Aha!  You who destroy the temple and build it in three days, save Yourself, and come down from the cross!"  Likewise the chief priests also, mocking among themselves with the scribes, said, "He saved others; Himself He cannot save.  Let the Christ, the King of Israel, descend now from the cross, that we may see and believe."  Even those who were crucified with Him reviled Him. 

 

- Mark 15:22–32 

 

 Yesterday we read that, as the crowd demanded the prisoner Barabbas be released to them, Pilate answered and said to them again, "What then do you want me to do with Him whom you call the King of the Jews?"  So they cried out again, "Crucify Him!"  Then Pilate said to them, "Why, what evil has He done?"  But they cried out all the more, "Crucify Him!"  So Pilate, wanting to gratify the crowd, released Barabbas to them; and he delivered Jesus, after he had scourged Him, to be crucified. Then the soldiers led Him away into the hall called Praetorium, and they called together the whole garrison.  And they clothed Him with purple; and they twisted a crown of thorns, put it on His head, and began to salute Him, "Hail, King of the Jews!"  Then they struck Him on the head with a reed and spat on Him; and bowing the knee, they worshiped Him.  And when they had mocked Him, they took the purple off Him, put His own clothes on Him, and led Him out to crucify Him.  Then they compelled a certain man, Simon a Cyrenian, the father of Alexander and Rufus, as he was coming out of the country and passing by, to bear His cross.

 

And they brought Him to the place Golgotha, which is translated, Place of a Skull.  Then they gave Him wine mingled with myrrh to drink, but He did not take it.  And when they crucified Him, they divided His garments, casting lots for them to determine what every man should take.  Now it was the third hour, and they crucified Him.  And the inscription of His accusation was written above:  THE KING OF THE JEWS.  My study Bible comments here on the inscription of His accusation that what was intended as an accusation and a mockery became instead a triumphant symbol.  Pilate's act is, in fact, prophetic, showing that those who rejected Him had risen against their own King, and the cross was the means by which Christ established His Kingdom.  The third hour is about 9:00 in the morning.

 

 With Him they also crucified two robbers, one of His right and the other on His left.  So the Scripture was fulfilled which says, "And He was numbered with the transgressors."  And those who passed by blasphemed Him, wagging their heads and saying, "Aha!  You who destroy the temple and build it in three days, save Yourself, and come down from the cross!"  Likewise the chief priests also, mocking among themselves with the scribes, said, "He saved others; Himself He cannot save.  Let the Christ, the King of Israel, descend now from the cross, that we may see and believe."  Even those who were crucified with Him reviled Him.  My study Bible notes that Christ being crucified between two robbers is not only a fulfillment of the Scripture (verse 28; Isaiah 53:12), but it shows also that He is completely identifying with sinful humanity.

We look at this scene of Christ crucified, and we cannot bear to see Him suffer.  We want to turn away from the mocking and the derision, from the taunts of those who pass by and blaspheme, and from even the chief priests and scribes.  They continue to demand proofs, even as Christ is on the Cross:  "He saved others; Himself He cannot save.  Let the Christ, the King of Israel, descend now from the cross, that we may see and believe."  So low has Christ been made, the text tells us, that even those who were crucified with Him reviled Him.  Christ is now taunted even by the others who are crucified with Him.  This is in a certain sense the great scandal.  For how can God be brought this low in human terms?  How can God be so humiliated, driven in pain and torture on the Cross, and reviled by all, even challenged by those who yet taunt Him by demanding proofs about Him?  At the same time, this scandal is the uniqueness of the Christian faith, for by observing His suffering, on all these levels of pain and humiliation, we also observe what my study Bible notes, that He has completely identified with sinful humanity.  Whatever we go through, He experiences here.  He has done nothing worthy of such treatment, but He experiences all of it, and with us.  For that is, ultimately, our God.  If we suffer in this world from effects of evil, so God also suffers with us, and has chosen to do so voluntarily.  So, we're left with the question, how can God suffer like us?  Or perhaps, why would God suffer like us, and with us?  Aside from these questions, we are given a conundrum:  why would God tolerate evil and suffering to exist at all?  In John's Gospel, we are given one clear answer written in Scripture for us, given as the word of Jesus Himself:  "And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up,  that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life. For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved" (John 3:14-17).  If we neither know nor understand anything else, we are to understand God's love, that through Christ's suffering God calls us into communion with God, for an "everlasting" life with God.  This everlasting description is meant to describe a quality of life, not a quantity or a time-period.  It teaches us about the life that remains after all else has passed, of a substance that outweighs all else, like Christ's words that will remain even though heaven and earth may pass away.  God calls us to a communion of life that is unsurpassed by anything else, because in suffering with us, so He also calls us to live fully in Him, to participate in Christ's life, even as He is also risen.  In His suffering, death, and eternal life, Christ is truly the Alpha and the Omega of all things, and there He calls us to be with Him as well.  In Revelation 22:13, Christ says, "I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End, the First and the Last."  For as He suffers with us, He also calls us to live with Him.  If the story of our first ancestors tell us that, without proper preparation, they eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, and so suffer -- then the story of Christ is the call toward the fullness of this knowledge in Him and shared with us in that sense of the eternal, that which surpasses all things, a kind of final proper destiny which Christ, our Door, opens to us.  For He is the King of all who would be saved, the One who shares life with us even to the Cross, and offers us everything in return.  For He is, above all, the God who is love.

For the things concerning Me have an end

 

 And the Lord said, "Simon, Simon!  Indeed, Satan has asked for you, that he may sift you as wheat.  But I have prayed for you, that your faith should not fail; and when you have returned to Me, strengthen your brethren."  But he said to Him, "Lord, I am ready to go with You, both to prison and to death."  Then He said, "I tell you, Peter, the rooster shall not crow this day before you will deny three times that you know Me."

And He said to them, "When I sent you without money bag, knapsack, and sandals, did you lack anything?"  So they said, "Nothing."  Then He said to them, "But now, he who has a money bag, let him take it, and likewise a knapsack; and he who has no sword, let him sell his garment and buy one.  For I say to you that this which is written must still be accomplished in Me:  'And He was numbered with the transgressors.'  For the things concerning Me have an end."  So they said, "Lord, look, here are two swords."  And He said to them, "It is enough."

 

- Luke 22:31–38 

 

Yesterday we read that, at the Last Supper, there was also a dispute among the disciples, as to which of them should be considered the greatest.  And He said to them, "The kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship over them, and those who exercise authority over them are called 'benefactors.'  But not so among you; on the contrary, he who is greatest among you, let him be as the younger, and he who governs as he who serves.  For who is greater, he who sits at the table, or he who serves?  Is it not he who sits at the table?  Yet I am among you as the One who serves.  But you are those who have continued with Me in My trials.  And I bestow upon you a kingdom, just as My Father bestowed one upon Me, that you may eat and drink at My table in My kingdom, and sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel." 

 

 And the Lord said, "Simon, Simon!  Indeed, Satan has asked for you, that he may sift you as wheat.  But I have prayed for you, that your faith should not fail; and when you have returned to Me, strengthen your brethren."  But he said to Him, "Lord, I am ready to go with You, both to prison and to death."  Then He said, "I tell you, Peter, the rooster shall not crow this day before you will deny three times that you know Me."   My study Bible asks us to note that when Jesus says to Simon Peter, "Satan has asked for you, that he may sift you as wheat," He is using the plural form of "you" (in the Greek of the text).  That is, Satan has asked for all the disciples.  But in the following verse ("But I have prayed for you, that your faith should not fail; and when you have returned to Me, strengthen your brethren"), this form of you is singular, indicating that Jesus prayed especially for Simon Peter.   My study Bible comments that because Peter's faith was the strongest, he would be tested the most.  Note that Jesus also says, ". . . when you have returned to Me" -- see John 21:15-17.  Moreover, Jesus tells Simon Peter to "strengthen your brethren."  My study Bible comments that this refers not only to the other disciples, but to all the faithful until Christ returns.  

And He said to them, "When I sent you without money bag, knapsack, and sandals, did you lack anything?"  So they said, "Nothing."  Then He said to them, "But now, he who has a money bag, let him take it, and likewise a knapsack; and he who has no sword, let him sell his garment and buy one.  For I say to you that this which is written must still be accomplished in Me:  'And He was numbered with the transgressors.'  For the things concerning Me have an end."  So they said, "Lord, look, here are two swords."  And He said to them, "It is enough."  My study Bible comments here that the sword mentioned by Jesus is not to be understood literally (compare this to verses 49-51).  Rather, this "sword" refers to the living word of God in the battle against sin (Ephesians 6:17; Hebrews 4:12).  According to St. Ambrose, my study Bible notes, this has an additional meaning, in that giving up one's garment and buying a sword refers to surrendering the body to the sword of martyrdom.  As the disciples are thinking of swords literally, Jesus abruptly ends the discussion with the words, "It is enough."  My study Bible says these words are better translated, "Enough of this!"  (see Deuteronomy 3:26; Mark 14:41).

In today's reading, Jesus says, somewhat mysteriously to the disciples, " For the things concerning Me have an end."   In the reading from this past Saturday, we discussed the meaning of the Greek τέλος/telos.  This is the word that Jesus uses, which is translated as "end."  But τέλος/telos has a kind of differentiated sense of "ending" than does the English word "end."  It doesn't simply mean the cut off point of something, or the finishing off of something.  But telos denotes a sense of fullness also, as if whatever the subject is has a point of fullness -- its ultimate final state.  This is not simply an end, in the sense in which we understand "end."  It is, in fact, almost its opposite.  It is the fullest point to which something can be continued.  Hence we uses the word "teleology" for "end times," which means much more than simply that things are over.  Our "end times" are the fullness of the present age in which we live, the culmination of all of the possible outcomes of something begun by Christ.  Here, Jesus speaks of the fullness of the "things concerning Me."  And in so doing, He speaks of prophesy:  "And He was numbered with the transgressors."  This comes from Isaiah 53:12, and in this case, Christ's "ending" is not simply a finish, but in fact the fulfillment of this prophesy.  The transgressors can also be translated, the "lawless."  That is, the Author of the Law Himself will be numbered among the lawless, and hung upon a Cross, the punishment reserved for the worst offenders.  It is the fulfillment of this prophecy to which He's referring when He says, "For I say to you that this which is written must still be accomplished in Me."  In Luke 9:1-6, we can read about Jesus sending out the Twelve on their first apostolic mission.  He says tells them, "Take nothing for the journey, neither staffs nor bag nor bread nor money; and do not have two tunics apiece."  At this time, He tells them, in contrast, "But now, he who has a money bag, let him take it, and likewise a knapsack; and he who has no sword, let him sell his garment and buy one."  If we are not to understand a literal teaching about buying a sword, what are we to make of this?  Certainly the commentary from my study Bible is true.  But we recall also that Jesus has said, "A disciple is not above his teacher, but everyone who is perfectly trained will be like his teacher" (Luke 6:40).  In John's Gospel, at the Last Supper, Jesus explains:  "Remember the word that I said to you, 'A servant is not greater than his master.' If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you. If they kept My word, they will keep yours also. But all these things they will do to you for My name’s sake, because they do not know Him who sent Me" (John 15:20-21).  So, another way that we can understand Christ's teaching here is by way of explaining to them that this begins the period of tribulation.  That, in other words, with the birth of the Church is also going to come persecution -- not just for Christ, but for His followers also.  In Matthew 10, Jesus sends out the Twelve on their first mission, but with admonitions about the persecution that will come:  "Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves. Therefore be wise as serpents and harmless as doves" (verse 16).  In fact, nearly the whole of chapter 10 is a discourse on the dangers that His followers will face (especially verses 16-42).  In this section of Matthew we find again this teaching:  "A disciple is not above his teacher, nor a servant above his master" (verse 24).  So, if we are to take Christ's words appropriately, we should understand that ours is not a faith that promises a life in which we have no struggles.  Indeed, in some sense what we are given is a life in which we know our Lord had to deal with conflict and opposition, and so will we.  In living our faith, we might also find at times we feel like sheep in the midst of wolves.  But to suffer with Christ is to be His follower, as St. Paul writes that "if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together" (Romans 8:17).  If we mistakenly believe that our faith is a work of a kind of "magic" that automatically means the whole world loves us, or that we won't have to struggle at all, then we're sadly mistaken.  Faith is in the power of acceptance, of both the glory and joys of Christ, but yet also His struggle in the world.  In Psalm 110, God says to God's appointed, the Messiah, "The Lord shall send the rod of Your strength out of Zion.  Rule in the midst of Your enemies!"  Christ yet rules in the midst of enemies, and we live in a world where our greatest joys and beauty dwell together with unhappy things, and destructive influence.  Yet we persist and endure, and God is present with us always.  Let us rejoice and give thanks for the gift of Christ's blessed way of life.

Simon, Simon! Indeed, Satan has asked for you, that he may sift you as wheat. But I have prayed for you, that your faith should not fail; and when you have returned to Me, strengthen your brethren

 

 And the Lord said, "Simon, Simon!  Indeed, Satan has asked for you, that he may sift you as wheat.  But I have prayed for you, that your faith should not fail; and when you have returned to Me, strengthen your brethren."  But he said to Him, "Lord, I am ready to go with You, both to prison and to death."  Then He said, "I tell you, Peter, the rooster shall not crow this day before you will deny three times that you know Me."

And He said to them, "When I sent you without money bag, knapsack, and sandals, did you lack anything?"  So they said, "Nothing."  Then He said to them, "But now, he who has a money bag, let him take it, and likewise a knapsack; and he who has no sword, let him sell his garment and buy one.  For I say to you that this which is written must still be accomplished in Me:  'And He was numbered with the transgressors.'  For the things concerning Me have an end."  So they said, "Lord, look, here are two swords."  And He said to them, "It is enough."

 

- Luke 22:31–38 

 

Yesterday we read that, at the Last Supper, Christ's final Passover meal with His disciples, there was also a dispute among the disciples, as to which of them should be considered the greatest.  And He said to them, "The kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship over them, and those who exercise authority over them are called 'benefactors.'  But not so among you; on the contrary, he who is greatest among you, let him be as the younger, and he who governs as he who serves.  For who is greater, he who sits at the table, or he who serves?  Is it not he who sits at the table?  Yet I am among you as the One who serves.  But you are those who have continued with Me in My trials.  And I bestow upon you a kingdom, just as My Father bestowed one upon Me, that you may eat and drink at My table in My kingdom, and sit on thrones judging the twelves tribes of Israel."

 

  And the Lord said, "Simon, Simon!  Indeed, Satan has asked for you, that he may sift you as wheat.  But I have prayed for you, that your faith should not fail; and when you have returned to Me, strengthen your brethren."  But he said to Him, "Lord, I am ready to go with You, both to prison and to death."  Then He said, "I tell you, Peter, the rooster shall not crow this day before you will deny three times that you know Me."   Just as we have observed over the course of the past few readings, beginning with Tuesday's, the Gospel does not tell us that the ultimate source of the evil events surrounding Jesus' Passion are simply the work of men.  Rather, the square blame is placed upon spiritual sources of evil, under the name of Satan, whom elsewhere is called the prince or ruler of this world (John 12:31, 14:30).  As we've seen, from the beginning of the synoptic Gospels and Jesus' temptations by Satan in the wilderness, and through the recent readings, Satan works through the weaknesses and especially the passions of human beings.  We've remarked upon the envy of the religious leaders toward Jesus, the greed of Judas, and the disputes among the disciples as to who would be the greatest among them.  Here, Jesus warns Simon Peter that it is not only he whom Satan has asked for, but all the disciples, as you in the first verse is plural (in Satan has asked for you).  But you in the following verse (in when you have returned to Me) is singular, which my study Bible says indicates that Jesus prayed especially for Simon Peter.  It says that because Peter's faith was the strongest, he would be tested the most.  Regarding Christ's words, "When you have returned to Me," see John 21:15-17.  Strengthen your brethren, my study Bible says, refers not only to the other disciples, but to all the faithful until Christ returns. 

 

And He said to them, "When I sent you without money bag, knapsack, and sandals, did you lack anything?"  So they said, "Nothing."  Then He said to them, "But now, he who has a money bag, let him take it, and likewise a knapsack; and he who has no sword, let him sell his garment and buy one.  For I say to you that this which is written must still be accomplished in Me:  'And He was numbered with the transgressors.'  For the things concerning Me have an end."  So they said, "Lord, look, here are two swords."  And He said to them, "It is enough."  Jesus warns the disciples again about what is coming, and that this is a time of evil intent.   He reminds them of the prophecy concerning Him and this time of opposition:  "And He was numbered with the transgressors" (see Isaiah 53:12).  Regarding the sword, my study Bible tells us that we are not to understand this literally (compare to Luke 22:49-51, in which Christ heals the ear of the servant of the high priest).  Rather, it refers to the living word of God in the battle against sin (Ephesians 6:17, Hebrews 4:12).   My study Bible also cites St. Ambrose, who gives an additional meaning to this text.  St. Ambrose comments that giving up one's garment and buying a sword refers to surrendering the body to the sword of martyrdom.  Because the disciples were thinking of swords literally, Jesus abruptly ends the discussion with the words, "It is enough" -- which are better translated, "Enough of this!"  (See Deuteronomy 3:26, Mark 14:41.)

As we have seen in the readings of this past week, and as indicated above, the Gospel assigns a particular root cause of the complicated machinations against Christ to spiritual forces of evil.  Satan works through human beings, on vulnerabilities and weaknesses, manifest in our passions.  The religious leadership is vulnerable to evil through envy; Judas is vulnerable through greed; and the disciples themselves have just engaged in a very petty and out-of-place dispute over which one of them would be the greatest in Christ's kingdom.  Let us understand that the disciples themselves have no idea what that Kingdom will be or will look like.  They only know they have come into Jerusalem in a Triumphal Entry, Christ has been teaching in the temple daily, and Christ's mysterious prophecies about what is going to happen in Jerusalem have not been things they can completely grasp.   Although they have been warned several times by Jesus, the events that are about to unfold are simply unthinkable to them.  At this point Jesus gives an explicit warning to Peter, but on behalf of all of the apostles, as the you is plural in the Greek:  "Satan has asked for you, that he may sift you as wheat."  In other words, Satan wishes to destroy this movement of the followers of Christ.  Jesus then adds (with you in the singular this time, directed toward Peter specifically), "But I have prayed for you, that your faith should not fail; and when you have returned to Me, strengthen your brethren."    As the one with the strongest faith, Peter will be tempted with denial in the courtyard of the home of the high priest (Luke 22:54-62), and at the same time Christ entrusts him with the job of strengthening his fellow apostles, and by extension all of us in turn.  Over the course of the past week, in these events in which great spiritual evil is at work (according to our text), we observe some things about spiritual opposition to Christ.  It works, first of all, through temptation, and secondly, it does so by playing on the weaknesses of human beings -- and specifically what are called in traditional spiritual language our passions.  That is, the things we lust for, things of which we make idols of some sort.  This should give us pause to think for a moment that the Gospels do not teach us that we are all to be superheroes who are without a single weakness or flaw.  On the contrary, even Peter, whose faith is arguably the strongest of all of the apostles, will display a weakness upon which temptation plays successfully, even when a servant girl confronts him as one of Christ's followers.  The text tells us that all of the disciples have succumbed to a truly petty and deeply inappropriate dispute about who would be greatest among them.  In other words, to be a human being is to have vulnerabilities and weaknesses.  We should not despair that we are not super human, or do not measure up to the sinlessness of Jesus Christ, who resisted every temptation put His way by Satan (see Luke 4:1-13), and completed His mission in the world with the fullness of perfection.  What the Gospels tell us, on the contrary, is about how much we need Christ, and how this help is always available to us.  Not only are we given examples which teach us why it is so important to understand our own passions and vulnerabilities and weaknesses (and to do something about them; see Matthew 18:6-9), but the Gospels teach us that we have strength and help through the Lord, and the whole host of the saints, which include the angels.  St. Paul writes of his own struggle with what he called a "thorn in the flesh":  "And He said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.' Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me" (2 Corinthians 12:9).  We needn't despair over our state as human beings, because the story of Christ and especially His Passion is all about God working through even the worst of our times, the deepest of our struggles, and in the midst of difficulties.  Our power is in humility, in knowing ourselves and our dependency upon God, and especially this spiritual place from which true strength comes.  This is what we rely on, and what we know we need.

 

 

Simon, Simon! Indeed, Satan has asked for you, that he may sift you as wheat. But I have prayed for you, that your faith should not fail; and when you have returned to Me, strengthen your brethren

 And the Lord said, "Simon, Simon!  Indeed, Satan has asked for you, that he may sift you as wheat.  But I have prayed for you, that your faith should not fail; and when you have returned to Me, strengthen your brethren."  But he said to Him, "Lord, I am ready to go with You, both to prison and to death."  Then He said, "I tell you, Peter, the rooster shall not crow this day before you will deny three times that you know Me."

And He said to them, "When I sent you without money bag, knapsack, and sandals, did you lack anything?"  So they said, "Nothing."  Then He said to them, "But now, he who has a money bag, let him take it, and likewise a knapsack; and he who has no sword, let him sell his garment and buy one.  For I say to you that this which is written must still be accomplished in Me:  'And He was numbered with the transgressors.'  For the things concerning Me have an end."  So they said, "Lord, look, here are two swords."  And He said to them, "It is enough."

- Luke 22:31-38

Yesterday we read that when the hour had come for the Passover supper in the upper room, Jesus sat down, and the twelve apostles with Him.  Then He said to them, "With fervent desire I have desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer; for I say to you, I will no longer eat of it until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God."  Then He took the cup, and gave thanks, and said, "Take this and divide it among yourselves; for I say to you, I will not drink of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes."  And He took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, "This is My body which is given for you; do this in remembrance of Me."  Likewise He also took the cup after supper, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in My blood, which is shed for you.  But behold, the hand of My betrayer is with Me on the table.  And truly the Son of Man goes as it has been determined, but woe to that man by whom He is betrayed!"  Then they began to question among themselves, which of them it was who would do this this thing.  Now there was also a dispute among them, as to which of them should be considered the greatest.  And He said to them, "The kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship over them, and those who exercise authority over them are called 'benefactors.'  But not so among you; on the contrary, he who is greatest among you, let him be as the younger, and he who governs as he who serves.  For who is greater, he who sits at the table, or he who serves?  Is it not he who sits at the table?  Yet I am among you as the One who serves.  But you are those who have continued with Me in My trials.  And I bestow upon you a kingdom, just as My Father bestowed one upon Me, that you may eat and drink at My table in My kingdom, and sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel."

And the Lord said, "Simon, Simon!  Indeed, Satan has asked for you, that he may sift you as wheat.  But I have prayed for you, that your faith should not fail; and when you have returned to Me, strengthen your brethren."  But he said to Him, "Lord, I am ready to go with You, both to prison and to death."  Then He said, "I tell you, Peter, the rooster shall not crow this day before you will deny three times that you know Me."  Jesus addresses Simon Peter in the beginning of this statement.  But when He says Satan has asked for you, that "you" is plural, indicating all the disciples.  Jesus' statement to Peter, I have prayed for you, however, is singular, meaning that Jesus has prayed particularly for Simon Peter.  My study bible notes that because Peter's faith was the strongest, he would be tested the most.  Strengthen your brethren echoes Christ's words to Peter in John's Gospel, after the time referred to here in the prophecy of Peter's denial of Christ three times (see John 21:15-17).  Jesus will tell Peter, "Feed My lambs."  It is a reference not simply to the other disciples, but for all the faithful until Christ returns.

And He said to them, "When I sent you without money bag, knapsack, and sandals, did you lack anything?"  So they said, "Nothing."  Then He said to them, "But now, he who has a money bag, let him take it, and likewise a knapsack; and he who has no sword, let him sell his garment and buy one.  For I say to you that this which is written must still be accomplished in Me:  'And He was numbered with the transgressors.'  For the things concerning Me have an end."  So they said, "Lord, look, here are two swords."  And He said to them, "It is enough."  Jesus' ominous words summon up the new time of persecution, beginning with the treatment of their Leader (see John 15:20-21).  He quotes from Isaiah 53:12, referring to the Suffering Servant of God.  My study bible comments that the sword is not to be understood literally (compare to verses 49-51), but refers to the living word of God in the battle against sin (Ephesians 6:17; Hebrews 4:12).  St. Ambrose also is cited here, who adds an additional meaning.  He comments that to give up one's garment and buy a sword refers to surrendering the body to the sword of martyrdom.  As the disciples are thinking of swords literally, Jesus immediately ends the discussion with the words, "It is enough," which is better translated, "Enough of this!" (see Deuteronomy 3:26; Mark 14:41). 

What are the effects of betrayal?  Somehow, like the act of temptation and betrayal of God's loving word in the Garden (Genesis 3), it opens up a kind of Pandora's box, unleashing all sorts of unwarranted and unforeseen evils and subsequent betrayals that accompany it.  One act opens up all the possibilities of the others, exposes vulnerabilities and other temptations, weaknesses, betrayals, and potential for harm.  The injustice in one circumstance opens up all the possibilities of the others.  One may think that is a bit simplistic, or overblown.  But if we take a good look at how life and circumstances unfold in our world, we may find that we can't underestimate the possible effects of a single act.  One considers abuse in childhood and what that can inflict, and conditions it may create for further harm to others in the future.  At the very least, such actions create obstacles for the child to overcome, lasting full well throughout adulthood.  It's no secret that the temptations such abuse opens up for the victim in his or her future life range from the self-destructive to that which causes grave harm to others.  Every new hurt opens up scars from the past and the accompanying need for understanding choice, self-control, and seeking the grace of God for all things.  That is one simple example, but we can consider Judas' act of betrayal and what it opens up for all of the apostles.  Our Lord is the Suffering Servant, the One who is sacrificed for all of us.  He endures more than physical suffering, pain, and death, but undergoes also the betrayal of all of those whom He loves, the people for whom He's been sent.  He will be spat upon and "numbered with the transgressors," treated to a horrific death by crucifixion like the worst criminals of the Roman Empire.  All of this forms a scandal, a stumbling block, that asks those of us whose faith is caught up in this story of our suffering Messiah to choose for Him, for His way through this world in which there are so many temptations for betrayal.  It is Christ to whom we turn for the way through it all, and the saints -- particularly His mother, Mary the God-bearer -- to whom we turn in the pain we, too, may experience through betrayal of one sort or another.  Let us consider what that word betrayal implies.  It's more than a specific act of one friend with another.  Rather, it applies to all conditions and circumstances in which trust is broken, and the love of God and God's teachings that may be involved in that trust.  A child trusts a parent to care for them, a spouse depends upon a marriage partner, a friend to a friend, and the faithful look to their Church and its members for faithful adherence to the love of God and God's teachings about how to live that love.  Betrayal will continue to come to us in all kinds of ways, and so does temptation.  Our job is not to exterminate temptations and betrayals from the world, for this task is impossible.  Rather, Christ shows us the way:  our task is faith and fidelity.  We look to our own loyalty and love of Christ, to the things He teaches us, to carry our own crosses as He's taught, and to do so with the one greatest weapon we have:  humility.  In this is the world saved, and not in endless efforts to eradicate all potentials for evil -- for by our own example and acts of love and faith we create potential for the good to spring up out of it, possibilities of the fruits of the Spirit with which we build up God's people and life in this world in potentials for good that supersede all those for evil.  In fact, the Cross itself teaches just that:  that the good may transfigure acts of harm and evil in this world, producing Resurrection and eternal life and all of life's possibilities even from the most heinous and monstrous of evil acts.  Let us consider, then, the power of the Cross and what it teaches us:  that life must spring forth through faith even out of evil circumstances we're given, and continue in that faith.  Christ and His saints know our suffering, for they've all been there before us.  Let us find their way to contribute to the love of the world.

And He was numbered with the transgressors

 And they brought Him to the place Golgotha, which is translated, Place of a Skull.  Then they gave Him wine mingled with myrrh to drink, but He did not take it.  And when they crucified Him, they divided His garments, casting lots for them to determine what every man should take.  Now it was the third hour, and they crucified Him.  And the inscription of His accusation was written above:

THE KING OF THE JEWS.

With Him they also crucified two robbers, one on His right and the other on His left.  So the Scripture was fulfilled which says, "And He was numbered with the transgressors."  And those who passed by blasphemed Him, wagging their heads and saying, "Aha!  You who destroy the temple and build it in three days, save Yourself, and come down from the cross!"  Likewise the chief priests also, mocking among themselves with the scribes, said, "He saved others; Himself He cannot save.  Let the Christ, the King of Israel, descend now from the cross, that we may see and believe."  Even those who were crucified with Him reviled Him. 

- Matthew 15:22-32

Yesterday we read that Pilate answered and said to the crowd again, "What then do you want me to do with Him whom you call the King of the Jews?"  So they cried out again, "Crucify Him!" Then Pilate said to them, "Why, what evil has He done?"  But they cried out all the more, "Crucify Him!"  So Pilate, wanting to gratify the crowd, released Barabbas to them; and he delivered Jesus, after he had scourged Him, to be crucified.  Then the soldiers led Him away into the hall called Praetorium, and they called together the whole garrison.  And they clothed Him with purple; and they twisted a crown of thorns, put it on His head, and began to salute Him, "Hail, King of the Jews!"  Then they struck Him on the head with a reed and spat on Him; and bowing the knee, they worshiped Him.  And when they had mocked Him, they took the purple off Him, put His own clothes on Him, and led Him out to crucify Him.  Then they compelled a certain man, Simon a Cyrenian, the father of Alexander and Rufus, as he was coming out of the country and passing by, to bear His cross.

 And they brought Him to the place Golgotha, which is translated, Place of a Skull.  Then they gave Him wine mingled with myrrh to drink, but He did not take it.  And when they crucified Him, they divided His garments, casting lots for them to determine what every man should take.  Now it was the third hour, and they crucified Him.  And the inscription of His accusation was written above:  THE KING OF THE JEWS.  This accusation (and mockery) becomes instead a triumphant symbol of Christ.  In yet another inadvertently prophetic act in the story of Christ, Pilate's inscription of Jesus' accusation above the Cross becomes a title, and shows that the people had risen against their own King, and that the cross was the means by which Christ established His Kingdom.  The third hour is nine o'clock in the morning. 

 With Him they also crucified two robbers, one on His right and the other on His left.  So the Scripture was fulfilled which says, "And He was numbered with the transgressors."  And those who passed by blasphemed Him, wagging their heads and saying, "Aha!  You who destroy the temple and build it in three days, save Yourself, and come down from the cross!"  Likewise the chief priests also, mocking among themselves with the scribes, said, "He saved others; Himself He cannot save.  Let the Christ, the King of Israel, descend now from the cross, that we may see and believe."  Even those who were crucified with Him reviled Him.  That Christ was crucified between two robbers not only fulfills the Scripture (Isaiah 53:12), but it also shows that He is completely identifying with sinful humanity.  As the prophetic verse from Isaiah reads, He is in the unique position to make "intercession for the transgressors" and to be Judge.  We observe His humiliation and the shame imposed upon Him, all of which He bears as "the sin of many."  It is a comment on this scene that even those who were crucified with Him reviled Him:  He is considered lower than the robbers.

When we consider Christ as sole Judge, we must consider what we see here in this scene in today's reading:  the innocent man, crucified, with all the sins and shame of the world piled onto Him.  He is the "lowest of the low," in the worldly sense of that phrase, where even those crucified with Him revile Him.  It is a telling scene that in our world this can take place.  It is something that must make us aware of ourselves, of our own tendency to project our sinfulness onto someone else, our capacity for denial and derision in an attempt to mirror onto others things we need to examine within ourselves.  Jesus serves permanently as Savior not only because He liberates all of us from sin, but because He serves as this One who has been lifted onto the Cross in order to lift us all with Him.  This is the act that breaks the barrier of death for each of us, because death and sin are intertwined in meaning and effect -- and because His life is stronger than the death that is imposed upon Him (see Luke 11:20-23).  It is that life that transcends all things that Jesus shares with us by voluntarily going upon that Cross, and accepting the mission that has been given to Him.  He is uniquely the One who is able to Judge because of the completeness of this mission.  The Creator becomes the creature, and experiences the evils which can be put upon us by that which seeks to enslave through lies, thus defeating death.  If this is a strange thing to grasp, consider what He asks of us in following Him.  We are each to take up our own crosses.  What that means is that whatever burdens we may come up against in life, our crosses also belong to Him and to His experience, and that we follow Him in giving over that burden to Him in exchange for the ways in which He teaches us to bear it, or not.  Jesus tells us, "Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.  For My yoke is easy and My burden is light" (Matthew 11:28-30).  To bear our cross with Him is to follow His way, to find the light of the Spirit to lead us and be active in our lives, to learn who we are and what we can become in bearing fruit He asks of us.  In this transcendent way, the "prince of this world" is defeated, because we participate in His victory, His way.  The "death of death" is what we witness here at the Cross, although to our worldly sight it appears to be something quite different.  It is a lesson to all of us that seeing is not necessarily believing, that what we think we see isn't always going to be correct, and may in fact be entirely missing the mark.  It's the truth of the heart in Christ we seek, and His meaning that we need to give what we see and seek in life.  There are those who see only a "loser" to spit on and ridicule here.  What do you see?  And how does He see you?

Simon, Simon! Indeed, Satan has asked for you, that he may sift you as wheat. But I have prayed for you, that your faith should not fail; and when you have returned to Me, strengthen your brethren

 And the Lord said, "Simon, Simon!  Indeed, Satan has asked for you, that he may sift you as wheat.  But I have prayed for you, that your faith should not fail; and when you have returned to Me, strengthen your brethren."  But he said to Him, "Lord, I am ready to go with You, both to prison and to death."  Then He said, "I tell you, Peter, the rooster shall not crow this day before you will deny three times that you know Me."

And He said to them, "When I sent you without money bag, knapsack, and sandals, did you lack anything?"  So they said, "Nothing."  Then He said to them, "But now, he who has a money bag, let him take it, and likewise a knapsack; and he who has no sword, let him sell his garment and buy one.  For I say to you that this which is written must still be accomplished in Me:  'And He was numbered with the transgressors.'  For the things concerning Me have an end."  So they said, "Lord, look, here are two swords."  And He said to them, "It is enough." 

- Luke 22:31-38

 Yesterday, we read that at the Last Supper, after Jesus instituted the Eucharist, there was also a dispute among them, as to which of them should be considered the greatest.  And He said to them, "The kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship over them, and those who exercise authority over them are called 'benefactors.'  But not so among you; on the contrary, he who is greatest among you, let him be as the younger, and he who governs as he who serves.  For who is greater, he who sits at the table, or he who serves?  Is it not he who sits at the table?  Yet I am among you as the One who serves.  But you are those who have continued with Me in My trials.  And I bestow upon you a kingdom, just as My Father bestowed one upon Me, that you may eat and drink at My table in My kingdom, and sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel."

And the Lord said, "Simon, Simon!  Indeed, Satan has asked for you, that he may sift you as wheat.  But I have prayed for you, that your faith should not fail; and when you have returned to Me, strengthen your brethren."  But he said to Him, "Lord, I am ready to go with You, both to prison and to death."  Then He said, "I tell you, Peter, the rooster shall not crow this day before you will deny three times that you know Me."   When Jesus says, "Satan has asked for you," this you is in the plural form, meaning that Satan has asked for all the disciples.  In the next verse, in Jesus' statement, "I have prayed for you," you is in the singular -- meaning that Jesus has prayed especially for Simon Peter.  Because Simon Peter's faith was the strongest, my study bible says, he would be tested the most.  "When you have returned to Me" -- see John 21:15-17.   That Peter is told, "Strengthen your brethren," refers not just to the other disciples, but rather to all the faithful until Christ's return.

And He said to them, "When I sent you without money bag, knapsack, and sandals, did you lack anything?"  So they said, "Nothing."  Then He said to them, "But now, he who has a money bag, let him take it, and likewise a knapsack; and he who has no sword, let him sell his garment and buy one.  For I say to you that this which is written must still be accomplished in Me:  'And He was numbered with the transgressors.'  For the things concerning Me have an end."  So they said, "Lord, look, here are two swords."  And He said to them, "It is enough."  My study bible says that Jesus' mention of a sword is not meant to be understood literally.  It refers, it says, to the living word of God in the battle against sin (Ephesians 6:17, Hebrews 4:12).  St. Ambrose gives us yet another meaning:  that to give up one's garment and buy a sword refers to surrendering the body to the sword of martyrdom.  Because, as with so many passages in the Gospels, the disciples misunderstand -- interpreting the words literally and beginning to speak of swords, Jesus abruptly ends the discussion.  "It is enough" is better translated as "Enough of this!" or "That's enough!"  (see Deuteronomy 3:26, Mark 14:41). 

In Jesus' words there is a sense conveyed to the disciples of imminent danger.  He warns them all that "Satan has asked for you, that he may sift you as wheat."   He tells them that now, in contrast to the time they were sent out on their first mission, "he who has a money bag, let him take it, and likewise a knapsack; and he who has no sword, let him sell his garment and buy one.  For I say to you that this which is written must still be accomplished in Me:  'And He was numbered with the transgressors.'  For the things concerning Me have an end."    Jesus quotes from the prophesy of Isaiah 53:12 -- "Therefore I will divide Him a portion with the great, and He shall divide the spoil with the strong, because He poured out His soul unto death, and He was numbered with the transgressors, and He bore the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors."  Jesus becomes One who is numbered with the transgressors, an enemy of the state and of the people.  But in so doing, He also becomes intercessor for all those seen in the same light, the outcasts, the transgressors.  Since "a disciple is not above his teacher, but everyone who is perfectly trained will be like his teacher" (6:40) and "If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you" (John 15:18), then Jesus is now teaching them about the time that is at hand, the time of the initiation of the present age, in which conflict becomes the norm.  Persecution and hatred are all a part of the work of the judgment.  To stand up for the truth -- to use that sword of which He speaks -- is also to encounter hatred and dissension and betrayal.  He warns the disciples several times in various places in the Gospels that this is the reality that is now theirs, the time that has come to be and will be initiated through His Passion, death, and Resurrection.  We, as followers of Christ, can take His words to heart that He tells to Peter:  "Strengthen your brethren."  This is the call to those of faith; we must help one another to remain strong in the ways He has taught, in the things He has taught us.  We must help one another as disciples, and we shore up that Kingdom that is both within us and among us.  It's not that we can, of ourselves, withstand all the assaults both spiritual and worldly that will come to test us.  But we can help one another.   At the very end of John's Gospel, Jesus tells Peter, "Feed My lambs."  Repeatedly asking him, "Do you love Me?" the answer comes from Christ:  if we love Him, we will feed His lambs, feed His sheep.  And that is what we can do through all things.  We must seek to feed one another with the good things of faith, to strengthen one another in love and joy and peace and truth.   This is the word He gives us as faithful, and it is what we must do for Him and for one another if we love Him.

Simon, Simon! Indeed, Satan has asked for you, that he may sift you as wheat

 And the Lord said, "Simon, Simon!  Indeed, Satan has asked for you, that he may sift you as wheat.  But I have prayed for you, that your faith should not fail; and when you have returned to Me, strengthen your brethren."  But he said to Him, "Lord, I am ready to go with You, both to prison and to death."  Then He said, "I tell you, Peter, the rooster shall not crow this day before you will deny three times that you know Me."

And He said to them, "When I sent you without money bag, knapsack, and sandals, did you lack anything?"  So they said, "Nothing."  Then He said to them, "But now, he who has a money bag, let him take it, and likewise a  knapsack; and he who has no sword, let him sell his garment and buy one.  For I say to you that this which is written must still be accomplished in Me:  'And He was numbered with the transgressors.'  For the things concerning Me have an end."  So they said, "Lord, look, here are two swords."  And He said to them, "It is enough."

- Luke 22:31-38

Yesterday we read that when the hour had come for the Passover supper, He sat down, and the twelve apostles with Him.  Then He said to them, "With fervent desire I have desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer; for I say to you, I will no longer eat of it until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God."  Then He took the cup, and gave thanks, and said, "Take this and divide it among yourselves; for I say to you, I will not drink of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes."  And He took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, "This is My body which is given for you; do this in remembrance of Me."  Likewise He also took the cup after supper, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in My blood, which is shed for you.  But behold, the hand of My betrayer is with Me on the table.  And truly the Son of Man goes as it has been determined, but woe to that man by whom He is betrayed!"  Then they began to question among themselves, which of them it was who would do this thing.   Now there was also a dispute among them, as to which of them should be considered the greatest.  And He said to them, "The kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship over them, and those who exercise authority over them are called 'benefactors.'  But not so among you; on the contrary, he who is greatest among you, let him be as the younger, and he who governs as he who serves.  For who is greater, he who sits at the table, or he who serves?  Is it not he who sits at the table?  Yet I am among you as the One who serves.  But you are those who have continued with Me in My trials.  And I bestow upon you a kingdom, just as My Father bestowed one upon Me, that you may eat and drink at My table in My kingdom, and sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel."

And the Lord said, "Simon, Simon!  Indeed, Satan has asked for you, that he may sift you as wheat.  But I have prayed for you, that your faith should not fail; and when you have returned to Me, strengthen your brethren."  But he said to Him, "Lord, I am ready to go with You, both to prison and to death."  Then He said, "I tell you, Peter, the rooster shall not crow this day before you will deny three times that you know Me."  In the first verse ("Indeed, Satan has asked for you . . ."), you is plural.  It indicates all the disciples.   But in the second verse ("I have prayed for you . . ."), you is singular, meaning that Jesus has prayed especially for Simon Peter.   My study bible says that because Peter's faith was the strongest, he would be tested the most.  For that which takes place "when you have returned to Me" see John 21:15-17.   Jesus tells Peter, "Strengthen your brethren," referring not only to the other disciples, but to all faithful until the Return of Christ.

And He said to them, "When I sent you without money bag, knapsack, and sandals, did you lack anything?"  So they said, "Nothing."  Then He said to them, "But now, he who has a money bag, let him take it, and likewise a  knapsack; and he who has no sword, let him sell his garment and buy one.  For I say to you that this which is written must still be accomplished in Me:  'And He was numbered with the transgressors.'  For the things concerning Me have an end."  So they said, "Lord, look, here are two swords."  And He said to them, "It is enough."  My study bible tells us that the sword is not to be understood literally, but rather refers to the living word of God in the battle against sin (Ephesians 6:17; Hebrews 4:12).  St. Ambrose views giving up one's garment and buying a sword as surrendering the body to the sword of martyrdom.  In both cases, sword is connected to the truth of the word of God, martyr being the Greek word for "witness."  But the disciples were thinking of swords literally, and Jesus abruptly ends the discussion when it's reported He says, "It is enough."  My study bible says this would be better translated, "Enough of this!" (see Deuteronomy 3:26, Mark 14:41).  The prophecy ("And He was numbered with the transgressors") is from Isaiah 53:12.

However we are to understand Jesus' use of the word sword, it is clear from today's reading that a great evil is coming.  Jesus is warning about the time that is imminent, about to come.  It's a time of betrayal and of the power of forces that will be fighting His Church, His faith, His ministry, His word.  He warns St. Peter:  Satan has asked for you, that he may sift you as wheat.   Jesus' warnings about taking a money bag, and knapsack, and selling a garment to buy a sword intentionally remind the disciples of their first missionary journey, in which they went out in humility and poverty preaching the kingdom of God (see Luke 9:1-6).  His words teach them that now the kind of opposition that will come is much stronger than what they experienced before.  Betrayal is about to come, and He will be crucified.  He has already warned them about the persecution that is to come to the Church.  But there's a kind of depth to His warning, and it's one that is also deeply personal.  He tells St. Peter that Satan has asked for him, and desires to sift him as wheat.  This is a kind of threat that has to do with internal struggle, with temptation and weakness.  It's important to understand the nature of such a struggle with our own weak points and vulnerabilities to manipulation, half-truths, and assaults on our faith.  This can be a time of testing that really has to do with where we can be subject to the very things that try us the most, having to do with our particular vulnerabilities.  The worst temptations aren't necessarily the obvious, but the subtle.  Peter will fail his own test in front of a servant girl, denying Christ this very night, although he swears he would go to prison and die with Christ.   But Jesus "will be numbered among the transgressors," and they will all be subject to every kind of pressure, to opposition of all they know and trust, their very identities in question, their deepest loyalties laid bare and challenged.  It is the power of the internal trial that evil uses against us, and where we're vulnerable.  This is why strength is needed that comes through grace,  why faith practices like prayer and fasting have always been relied upon.  Times that test who we are will demand our deepest humility, our willingness to sacrifice the things to which we're attached, our capacity to give up false hope, and find it only where it can be truly rooted.  These are internal struggles, such as that exemplified by Peter, exacerbated by external circumstances.  This depth of inner struggle for faith is what is known as "spiritual battle" -- all our vulnerable points are tried. What Peter's example must teach us is that our own weakness is not in itself evil, not grounds for any decision that we're not fit for our faith.  He will return to His brethren, and be their strength.  It is love that conquers everything -- even the worst of times.  It is the capacity for grace to allow us to go through the difficulties and challenges, to return to Christ, to find our way.  The Cross becomes the way:  we go through our struggles, with Him, and come to the other side of them, through repentance and growth in faith.  This is the work of salvation, the true building of the Church, stone by stone.

He was numbered with the transgressors

 And the Lord said, "Simon, Simon!  Indeed, Satan has asked for you, that he may sift you as wheat.  But I have prayed for you, that your faith should not fail, and when you have returned to Me, strengthen your brethren."  But he said to Him, "Lord, I am ready to go with You, both to prison and to death."  Then He said, "I tell you, Peter, the rooster shall not crow this day before you will deny three times that you know Me."

And He said to them, "When I sent you without money bag, knapsack, and sandals, did you lack anything?"  So they said, "Nothing."  Then He said to them, "But now, he who has a money bag, let him take it, and likewise a knapsack; and he who has no sword, let him sell his garment and buy one.  For I say to you that this which is written must still be accomplished in Me:  'And He was numbered with the transgressors.'  For the things concerning Me have an end."  So they said, "Lord, look, here are two swords."  And He said to them, "It is enough."

- Luke 22:31-38

In the Gospel of Luke, we are in Holy Week.  Jesus is speaking at the Last Supper, the Passover meal.  He has initiated the Eucharist, telling the disciples, "Do this in remembrance of Me."  In yesterday's reading, Luke tells us that there was also a dispute among the disciples, as to which of them should be considered the greatest.  And He said to them, "The kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship over them, and those who exercise authority over them are called benefactors.  But not so among you; on the contrary, he who is greatest among you, let him be as the younger, and he who governs as he who serves.  For who is greater, he who sits at the table, or he who serves?  Is it not he who sits at the table?  Yet I am among you as the One who serves.  But you are those who have continued with Me in My trials.  And I bestow upon you a kingdom, just as My Father bestowed one upon Me, that you may eat and drink at My table in My kingdom, and sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel."

  And the Lord said, "Simon, Simon!  Indeed, Satan has asked for you, that he may sift you as wheat.  But I have prayed for you, that your faith should not fail, and when you have returned to Me, strengthen your brethren."  But he said to Him, "Lord, I am ready to go with You, both to prison and to death."  Then He said, "I tell you, Peter, the rooster shall not crow this day before you will deny three times that you know Me."  My study bible tells us that "Jesus sees Simon Peter's denial as a violent attack by Satan, which Peter endures through Jesus' intercessory prayer.  After his tearful repentance and the experience of the Resurrection, Peter indeed returned to Christ and was able to strengthen the early Church as one of its leaders."  Here again we're also given an example of Jesus' acute prescience, right down to the details, something we've been given already in Luke's Gospel twice during this week in Jerusalem (see here and here, events in which apostles were sent to make preparations for important events, and given detailed instructions on what was to happen).  Here His prescience is used again in a "preparation" for an apostle, only this time it is as a warning to Peter.

And He said to them, "When I sent you without money bag, knapsack, and sandals, did you lack anything?"  So they said, "Nothing."  Then He said to them, "But now, he who has a money bag, let him take it, and likewise a knapsack; and he who has no sword, let him sell his garment and buy one."   Again, we read into these verses a theme of preparation for His apostles.  My study bible notes:  "In view of the coming death of Christ and the persecutions against the disciples, Jesus instructs them to be ready for anything.  The sword suggests resistance against the evil one (Eph. 6:17)." 

For I say to you that this which is written must still be accomplished in Me:  'And He was numbered with the transgressors.'  For the things concerning Me have an end."  A note tells us that "the transgressors were the two criminals crucified with Jesus.  Have an end means come to fulfillment."

So they said, "Lord, look, here are two swords."  And He said to them, "It is enough."  A note reads:  "It is enough does not signify approval.  The expression, according to most interpreters, is either ironical -- two swords would hardly suffice as a means of defense -- or an abrupt censure by Jesus, meaning, "Enough of this!"

A kind of irony pervades today's reading.  Jesus tells Peter quite literally what is to come in his temptations, and alludes to the work of the adversary, the evil one, Satan, in Peter's stumbling.  Preparing the disciples as a whole, Jesus gives them a warning also about what is to come:  let them be prepared.  In vivid images, He tells them about the change in circumstances.  But in both cases, the responses of the apostles show they get it all wrong, somehow.  They don't quite know what He's talking about yet.  Peter swears his allegiance, and the impossibility that his faith should fail at all.  The disciples search literally for weapons, and find two -- but they've missed the full point of the warning.  They've missed the understanding of the times to come to which Jesus was alluding.  And so the Gospels go, giving us a picture of ourselves in the humanity of the apostles, in their perceptions which are limited, in the fullness of Christ's vision and His words and teachings.  He's preparing them for the times ahead, when His mission, and theirs, will face adversity and hardship and the devastation of the Cross, and Jesus "being numbered among the transgressors."  We can't really ponder this ministry, nor our own life in the world, without understanding this adversity -- the fact of this adversity.  It's very important that we not simply see failure in circumstances that may be complex, like the world, and in a setting where spiritual struggle goes on all the time.  Peter will battle with his own cowardice, the apostles will be scattered and later persecuted, and there will be the Cross:  an unjust trial and suffering and death, with Jesus "numbered among the transgressors."  What we should be prepared for, therefore, is that everything in life is not going to go our way just because of our faith.  Indeed, what Christ promises is that because of our faith we may in fact experience adversity:  temptations to lack of faith in ourselves, and other forms of obstacles in our paths.  To face spiritual struggle and difficulty becomes a part of the life that we expect.  In this context, we're not to be defeated by setbacks, by our own failures, and particularly by circumstances that look hostile and menacing or difficult.  I think there are times when all of us can respond to Peter's struggle and temptation.  There are times when adversity just doesn't seem to let up, when we'll question every single decision we've made in faith because of difficulties we'll go through.  We may second-guess all our choices.  There always seem to be more practical considerations than where our faith may take us.  Everybody in the world doesn't always want to honor what's righteous or just, or what takes moral courage to choose over other considerations of material gain or a simpler or easier life.  Love isn't always welcome, and neither is truth.  Innocence may indeed be just that narrow gate in the middle of a wide and broad field.  It's those times when we have to understand that adversity is a part of our world, a part of spiritual struggle:  both within ourselves and in our lives.  Why the Cross? we might ask.  But the Cross teaches us about our lives in the world, that we stand up for something, that we want to bring something into the world, and that our Teacher gave us the great example so that we learn from Him.  We may face obstacles, misunderstandings, our own failures.  Our difficulties or defeats, and our Resurrections in faith, may not be so dramatic as our Master's, but He has set the example. He has shown us the Way.  He has warned us about the struggle and our need for watchfulness.  Let us remember that it is this struggle, lived very fully and with as much awareness as we can bring to it, that makes us fully alive and truly engaging in our lives, making the best decisions we can, and bringing something into the world that makes a difference.  What do you choose to bring to the world in His name?