I know THE WORDS DON'T MATCH WHAT YOU BELIEVE. Sorry. Maybe we could get God to rip that page out for you. (Makes me laugh just as much as the first time I ever read that)n
YOU are correct. HE DID NOT USE THOSE EXACT WORDS. Words close to them but not exact. Words that lead in the exact same direction.
The conversation had 2000 years ago.
HOPEFULLY WE BOTH AGREE CHRIST JESUS IS IN HEAVEN RIGHT NOW and has been this entire time and will only be leaving for the day of vengeance.
I sure hope you will do this for me in the same manner to SEE wherein the problem lies.
John 13:31 Therefore, when he was gone out, Jesus said, Now is the Son of man glorified, and God is glorified in him.
32 If God be glorified in him, God shall also glorify him in himself, and shall straightway glorify him.
33 Little children, yet a little while I am with you. Ye shall seek me: and as I said unto the Jews, Whither I go, ye cannot come; so now I say to you.
That generation of VIpERS will never be going to where He is going
34 A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.
35 By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.
36 Simon Peter said unto him, Lord, whither goest thou? Jesus answered him, Whither I go, thou canst not follow me now; but thou shalt follow me afterwards.
Christ is going to HEAVEN where HE will be until HIS RETURN for the Day of vengeance/Day of the Lord. What word is used?
Follow. Not wait. Not wait for my return. Not wait till I go and come back but FOLLOW ME. Remember follow the leader? Where the leader went you followed. So the direction is SET.
Christ tells him 'not now' but afterwards. EVEN THAT DOES NOT CHANGE THE DIRECTION. THE ONLY WAY FOR THE DIRECTION TO BE CHANGED IS BY THE DOCTRINES OF MEN MAKING VOID THE WORDS OF GOD.
We know why, but Peter did not. So he is going to ask more questions. Peter had been following Jesus for a few years and is by no means ready to part ways and quit following.
37 Peter said unto him, Lord, why cannot I follow thee now? I will lay down my life for thy sake.
AGAIN, GODS WORDS set the direction for us. Question is RIGHT NOW, do you believe them? If you believe what is written, then you have NO CHOICE BUT TO ACCEPT THEM AS TRUTH. NO MATTER WHAT HAPPENS TO ALL THE REST OF YOUR BELIEFS FROM THAT POINT ON. It isn't a 'trick' question. It isn't written in a hard to follow manner. There are not figures of speech employed. No idioms. Just straight up conversation.
38 Jesus answered him, Wilt thou lay down thy life for my sake? Verily, verily, I say unto thee, The cock shall not crow, till thou hast denied me thrice.
1 Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in Me.
Christ is going to explain where He is going and what it's like
2 In my Father's house are many mansions if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.
Direction is SET YET AGAIN. GO. And where He is going is where a place is being prepared FOR PETER.
3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.
a. of Christ's invisible return from heaven, i. e. of the power which through the Holy Spirit he will exert in the souls of his disciples: John 14:18, 23;
of his invisible advent in the death of believers, by which be takes them to himself into heaven, John 14:3.
You do realize that IF THIS WERE ANY OTHER SUBJECT IN THE WHOLE WORLD YOU WOULD BE VERY UPSET THAT I was doing this right now, right?
1. We know Christ is going to Heaven and will not be leaving until the day of vengeance.
2. We know this is about 2000 years ago.
3. We know Peter is asking about following
4. We know Christ is preparing a place for him
5. We know Christ wants him to be where He is.
6. We know that Christ will personally receive Peter.
7. We know Christ can't LEAVE heaven so Peter is going to have to be raised up to Christ and so that is where Christ will meet him.
4 And whither I go ye know, and the way ye know
Direction SET YET AGAIN. That is 3 witnesses. I agree, there is no time written but the direction is most certainly.
5 Thomas saith unto him, Lord, we know not whither thou goest; and how can we know the way?
Now Thomas jumps in to let us know THIS ISN'T JUST ABOUT PETER, BUT 'WE'/US AND ALL THE SAVED TO FOLLOW AFTER THEM. This is not Metaphorically but actually.
6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by Me.
God is in heaven AND 'cometh unto' IS A DIRECTION YET AGAIN.
18 I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you.
In the way of the Holy Spirit. But this is SPEAKING OF WHILE YET ALIVE, He will come. Previous is AFTERWARDS. AFTER THIS LIFE. Notice no 'following' or 'be where I am' or cometh but leave you
19 Yet a little while, and the world seeth me no more; but ye see me: because I live, ye shall live also.
Christ Jesus ALIVE IN HEAVEN, Peter ALIVE IN HEAVEN. (if the dead don't rise then Christ isn't risen)
20 At that day ye shall know that I am in my Father, and ye in me, and I in you.
At the day you receive the Holy Spirit you know. And only peace follows because you also know you will never die
21 He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him.