Commentary on the Gospel of John

                                  Chapter Thirteen

                                                                                                                                              Verses 36-38

After Jesus had taught His disciples about the basic doctrines of the Church, and He had commanded them to love one another, He demonstrated His love for them by washing their feet. By doing that, Jesus symbolized that the members of His Church should always show love and forgiveness for each other just as He had forgiven them. Everything Jesus taught His disciples also applies to His Church.

Peter asked Jesus where He was going. Jesus replied that Peter would not ascend with Him to Heaven, but Peter would follow Him to Heaven after his physical death. The Church understands this better than Peter did. Peter did not quite understand what Jesus meant, but the Church understands. Jesus clearly taught His Church that their souls and spirits would go directly to Heaven following their physical deaths. Since spirit is the same as consciousness, then the souls and spirits of believers in Heaven will be conscious. II Corinthians 5:6-8.

Peter answered Jesus not in faith but with a prideful display of his own manly courage. Peter thought he was man enough to die with Jesus. Jesus taught Peter that manly courage can fail when He told Peter that he would deny Him three times before the cock crowed. The Church understands that Jesus taught Peter that true faith means having complete trust in the power of Christ to save by His grace and no confidence at all in anything that weak humans can do to save themselves. Peter actually told Jesus that he thought his strength was equal to Jesus', but Peter had no idea that there was no way that he could suffer and die the way Jesus did.