Follow Me: The Restoration of Peter and the Call to Die

“‘Truly, truly, I say to you, when you were young, you used to dress yourself and walk wherever you wanted, but when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and another will dress you and carry you where you do not want to go.’ (This he said to show by what kind of death he was to glorify God.) And after saying this he said to him, ‘Follow me.’” (John 21:18-19)

Jesus has just finished calling Peter to “feed my sheep.” Three times Peter had denied Jesus, and three times Jesus had questioned him about his love. Now Peter, thoroughly embarrassed, recognizes what is going on. His previous transgression is forgiven, and he is restored. What he is called to is a life of service: ‘feed my sheep.’ In other words, take care of Christ’s people.

Now Jesus makes this promise to him – a prophecy of what will happen in the future. In the present, Peter can do whatever he wants. One day this will change, and others will make decisions for him to which he does not consent. “You will stretch out your hands” was telling language in the Roman world – the language of crucifixion. The prisoner’s arms would be tied to the crossbeam as he carried his cross to the place of execution – then he would be tied or nailed to this very crossbeam. It’s a prophecy that none of us would wish to have spoken about us.

As John relates this anecdote from the life of Jesus, the prophecy had probably already been accomplished. Peter did, indeed, die of crucifixion during the reign of Nero, if ancient traditions are to be believed. Such a death hardly seems desirable. But even in this grim prophecy, the words of Jesus implied hope – “This he said to show by what kind of death he was to glorify God.” And this makes the prophecy into good news.

Imagine if Jesus had given a prophecy that you would one day die as a martyr for his name. Few wish to die as martyrs, but such a prophecy implies that you would be faithful to the end. Peter, who was surely racked by the guilt of his threefold denial, must have taken great comfort from his promise. Yes, he would die for the Savior – but he would never again be faithless. Here would be encouragement that God would ultimately sustain him in the face of everything.

It’s important to recognize how important endings are, not just beginnings. You can live your whole life well, but erase all those years with a dishonorable death. Knowing that you will die well – as Peter was granted – is significant. We all have a secret wondering about our own deaths. None of us has ever died, and we know that death is gruesome. Martyrdom can seem particularly horrid. How will we handle the bitter end, the final hours? Jesus answers this question for Peter, and it must have been a source of great comfort.

The final words of the Master to the servant are “follow me.” It’s a call to Peter to be his disciple, to continue in discipleship. Peter isn’t able to sit back and relax because he knows how it will all end. His call remains the same: follow the Savior in obedience.

Here are lessons for those who are faithless, for those who have dishonored the Lord like Peter. Affirm again your faith in Jesus. Confess your love for him. Then, follow him. Just as Christ received Peter, so he is willing to receive us back again from our sin. But he wants those who are followers and disciples, not those who will flit back and forth between sin and the Savior.

“Peter turned and saw the disciple whom Jesus loved following them, the one who also had leaned back against him during the supper and had said, ‘Lord, who is it that is going to betray you?’ When Peter saw him, he said to Jesus, ‘Lord, what about this man?’ Jesus said to him, ‘If it is my will that he remain until I come, what is that to you? You follow me!’” (John 21:20-22)

At this point, Peter turns and sees the beloved disciple, John, following behind. It seems that Peter and Jesus were walking, and John has left the group of the other disciples to shadow them. Peter, seeing John, asks about the fate of this other disciple – “Lord, what about this man?” What will befall him?

We don’t know what prompts this question. Perhaps Peter is disappointed to learn of his future crucifixion, and he wants to know the fate of the other disciples. Or, knowing that John is the ‘beloved disciple,’ he wonders if his crucifixion is his fate for denying the Savior – as if he were being treated as a second-rate disciple. What happens to those who are beloved by the Savior?

The response of Jesus quells the question. “What is that to you?” It is of no worry for you. I am the king, and his fate is in my hands. There is no room in the kingdom for this comparing of ourselves with others. Even if John were (hypothetically) to never face death – why would that have any effect on Peter’s obedience? Instead, Peter is called again to “Follow me!” All that matters is that he obey the Savior, regardless of what benefits or challenges accrue to other disciples.

There is no room in the kingdom for comparing ourselves with others. Perhaps God has blessed someone else with certain gifts that you don’t have. So what? “What is that to you?” It has no effect on your personal walk with Christ. You aren’t ranked as a disciple based on what God has or hasn’t given to you. Your commission remains the same: follow Jesus.

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