Who is the Greatest & Jesus Foretells Peter’s Denial

Find a quiet place, alone and apart from distractions. Be comfortably alert, still, and at peace. Say the Lord’s Prayer. Sing the Jesus Prayer. Pray for family, friends, neighbors, and yourself. Carefully read the passage of Scripture.

1.         Here very close to the crucifixion, Jesus’ disciples are arguing among themselves who is the greatest.

2.         Jesus, over hearing this, reminds them that this is what the kings of the Gentiles do, lord it over others.

3.         But this is not how it will be in His kingdom, indeed, just the reverse. His followers will be like the young people, these work and serve others. Jesus then points out that He Himself is a servant.

4.         He points out that the Twelve have stayed with Him through His trials, and they will be given a kingdom, the nature of which Jesus does not mention.

5.         The second section, Peter’s denial, follows the account above. In a startling fashion, Jesus tells Peter that Satan had asked for or begged that it might sift him like wheat. (This might be an instance of Jesus having the gift of knowledge as we find in 1 Corinthians 12:1–11.)

6.         Jesus tells Peter that He prayed for him, and that Peter would “turn” again, that is be the faithful follower that he was, and then Peter would do the same for “your brothers.”

7.         Peter boasts that he would follow Jesus through the worst of times, but Jesus straight away tells him that before the breaking of the morning sun, he would deny Him three times.