Sifted Like Wheat

 June 17, 2024

Monday

Luke 22:31–32 (NASB 2020) ³¹ “Simon, Simon, behold, Satan has demanded to sift you men like wheat; ³² but I have prayed for you, that your faith will not fail; and you, when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers.”

While preparing a sermon, I copied these verses into the text. While reading them later, I thought there was a typo. The word "men" was added after "Satan has demanded to sift you." Why would it be there? I had always thought that Satan had demanded permission to sift Peter like wheat. But when I looked it up in the Greek text, I realized that the word "you" is plural. It is gender neutral so the translators of the NASB added "men" to make sure it is understood as plural. 

It struck me. Has Satan demanded to sift all the disciples like wheat or does this go beyond the disciples? Here is where application must be careful. It is easy to make a passage say what you want it to say. However, I have no agenda in interpreting it beyond the disciples. I must ask what Jesus' intention was in making this statement. Biblical interpretation is taking the words and testing them in context, in culture and in practice. In practice we must ask whether Jesus' immediate disciples are the only ones being sifted like wheat. I believe than anyone who wants to live a godly life will be sifted.

2 Timothy 3:12 (NASB 2020)¹² Indeed, all who want to live in a godly way in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.

It appears that all who devote themselves to walking in the Truth will be sifted. Maybe we should warn people of this before they make their commitment to Christ. 

In Peter's case, Jesus says He has prayed for him. The "you" in verse 32 is singular. It is clear that Jesus has said a specific prayer for Peter. So, what should we do?

We should pray that whatever we are going through will result in God's glory. We should pray that we are stronger because of it. We should pray that is produces endurance in us. And we should pray that He will enable to get to the other side of it.

We may all be sifted but we don't need to go through it without the Lord.