John Calvin Commentary Luke 22:31

"Simon, Simon, behold, Satan asked to have you, that he might sift you as wheat:" — Luke 22:31 (ASV)

Look, Satan has desired. The other two Evangelists relate more briefly and simply that our Lord foretold to His disciples their fall.

But the words of Luke contain more abundant instruction, for Christ does not speak of the future trouble in a narrative way but expressly declares that they will have a contest with Satan and, at the same time, promises them victory.

It is a highly useful admonition, whenever we meet with anything that causes us to stumble, to always keep before our eyes the snares of Satan; as Paul also teaches:

we wrestle not with flesh and blood, but with spiritual armies (Ephesians 6:12).

The meaning of the words therefore is: “When, shortly, you will see Me oppressed, know that Satan uses these weapons to fight against you, and that this is a convenient opportunity for destroying your faith.”

I have said that this is a useful doctrine, because it frequently happens that, from lack of consideration, we are overcome by disregarding temptations, which we would consider formidable if we reflected that they are the fiery darts (Ephesians 6:16) of a vigorous and powerful enemy.

And though He now speaks of that singularly fierce attack by which the disciples, at one time, received dreadful shocks, so that their faith was almost extinguished, yet He clearly conveys a more extensive doctrine: that Satan continually goes about, roaring for his prey.

Since he is driven by such furious madness to destroy us, it is utterly unreasonable for us to surrender to drowsiness.

Before there is an apparent need to fight, let us prepare ourselves beforehand, for we know that Satan desires our destruction and with great skill and diligence seizes every method of harming us.

And when we enter the conflict, let us recognize that all temptations, from wherever they come, were forged in the workshop of that enemy.

That he may sift you as wheat. The metaphor of sifting is not applicable in every respect, for we have elsewhere seen that the Gospel is compared to a winnowing-fan or sieve, by which the wheat is purified from the chaff (Matthew 3:12); but here it simply means to toss up and down, or to shake with violence, because the apostles were driven about with unusual severity by the death of Christ.

This should be understood, because there is nothing in which Satan takes less delight than the purification of believers. Yet though it is for a different purpose that he shakes them, it is nevertheless true that they are driven and tossed about in every direction, just as the wheat is shaken by the winnowing-fan.

But we will soon see that an even more disastrous fulfillment of these words was experienced by the disciples. And this is what is meant by the words of our Lord, as related by Matthew and Mark: you will all be offended at me.

They mean that the disciples will not only be attacked, but will almost give way, because the ignominious treatment of Christ will completely overpower their minds.

For while it was their duty to advance steadily with their Master to the cross, fear kept them back. Their weakness is thus shown to them, so that by prayers and groans they may turn to God’s holy protection.