“Lord, whither goest thou?”
The full verse · John 13:36 · KJV
unto , , thou? , I , thou ; thou shalt .
Asked by
Peter: Simon called Peter, one of the twelve apostles of Jesus, who had just heard Jesus say that where He was going they could not come (John 13:33)
Asked to
Jesus: the Son of God and promised Messiah, who had told His disciples, "Little children, yet a little while I am with you" (John 13:33)
The Scene
After Judas went out, Jesus told the eleven that He would be with them only "a little while," that where He was going they could not come, and gave them a new commandment to love one another (John 13:31-35).
Why It Was Asked
The purpose behind the questionPeter could not let go of Jesus' words about leaving. Jesus had just given the new commandment, "love one another" (John 13:34), but Peter's mind went straight back to "Whither I go, ye cannot come" (John 13:33). Gill says his mind "was uneasy about them, and very much wanted to know the meaning." Gill also thinks Peter imagined Jesus was going to some distant earthly place. Matthew Henry calls Peter's question "bold and blunt," and in his concise notes observes, "It is common to be more eager to know about secret things, which belong to God only, than about things revealed, which belong to us and our children."
The Response
What Scripture recordsJesus did not name the place yet. He answered, "Whither I go, thou canst not follow me now; but thou shalt follow me afterwards" (John 13:36). Peter pressed further, "Lord, why cannot I follow thee now?" (John 13:37). Jesus soon spoke more plainly: "In my Father's house are many mansions... I go to prepare a place for you" (John 14:2), and later, "I leave the world, and go to the Father" (John 16:28).
Historical Context
The world behind the wordsJesus had used almost the same words with the Jews at the feast of tabernacles: "where I am, thither ye cannot come" (John 7:34; compare John 8:21). Now He said the same to His disciples (John 13:33), but to Peter He added a promise: "thou shalt follow me afterwards."
Barnes explains that Jesus "was about to die and return to God," and that He consoled them with the assurance "that the separation would be only temporary, and that they should afterward follow him." Gill says Jesus was going to His Father in heaven, and that Peter could not follow yet because his own time to suffer and die had not come.
The Bigger Picture
Where this fits in God's storyThe same words, "ye cannot come," meant something very different for the disciples than for Jesus' opponents. To the unbelieving Jews He said, "ye shall seek me, and shall die in your sins: whither I go, ye cannot come" (John 8:21). To Peter He said he could not follow "now," and promised "afterwards." The separation was real, but it was not the end of the road.
Jesus' going was to the Father (John 16:28), and His going was for them: "I go to prepare a place for you" (John 14:2-3). The "afterwards" also reached into Peter's own life. After the resurrection, Jesus spoke of the death by which Peter would glorify God and then said, "Follow me" (John 21:18-19).
Look Closer
What had Jesus just commanded before Peter asked this question?
Carry the question into prayer and conversation.
Lord, when You say "not now" to something I long for, what do You want me to understand about Your "afterwards"?
A prayer to carry into the day.
- Peter skipped past the command to love and asked about where Jesus was going. What makes it easier for you to focus on what you do not know than on what Jesus has clearly said?
- Tell about a time when "not now" turned out to be part of God's good plan for you.
For you, a small group, a friend, or the dinner table.
It is natural to want to know where Jesus is leading. Peter's question was honest, and Jesus answered him. Bring your questions about the future to Him too.
But notice what Jesus had just said: "love one another; as I have loved you" (John 13:34). Some things about tomorrow are hidden for now. The command for today is clear. While you wait for answers about what is hidden, you can obey what is revealed.
When Jesus says "not now," it is not the same as "never." To Peter, He gave a promise: "thou shalt follow me afterwards."
Built from the biblical text and checked against trusted commentaries and lexicons. References & Sources
Keep questioning
“Lord, why cannot I follow thee now?”
“Wilt thou lay down thy life for my sake?”
“Lord, we know not whither thou goest; and how can we know the way?”
“None of you asketh me, Whither goest thou?”