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Luk 22:32. Ἐδεήθην) A striking word. I have prayed, although thou, Peter, wert not aware of what was being done. Jesus prayed for His disciples: therefore Satan was not able by his seeking to get Him to deliver them up (ἐξητήσασθαι, Luk 22:31, to get Jesus to deliver them up from their spiritual place of safety).-ἵνα μὴ ἐχλείπῃ, that thy faith might not fail) He does not say, that thou mightest not be sifted. Even though Satan sifted Peter, yet he did not altogether wrest from him his faith. Satan sought to cause an ‘eclipse’[237] of faith in Peter: but the light of faith immediately shone out again in him after the strife [Luk 22:24] and after the subsequent denial. Peter, during that instability on his part, was, notwithstanding, in secret ‘Peter’ [“A rock”] truly still: just as James and John, although they had externally a nice and refined manner of speech, were notwithstanding truly “the sons of thunder” still.-[ἡ πίστις, thy faith) which pride is assailing, and which Satan is bringing into jeopardy.-V. g.] σὺ ποτὲ) ΠΟΤῈ (Joh 9:13, ΠΟΤῈ, “a while before was blind”) is even used of a short interval of time, as Eustathius shows us. In this passage it conveys an indefinite idea [“when (soever) thou art converted,” Engl. Ver.], at some time or other, whenever it may be, at a long or short interval hence.-ἐπιστρέψας στήριξον, in thy turn strengthen [confirm]) To make up for the fact that [according as] thy brethren are now put in peril through thee: the verb ἐπιστρέφω is to be resolved into an adverb [“vicissim,” in thy turn. But Engl. Ver. “When thou art converted”], as the Heb. שוּב. Comp. ἜΣΤΡΕΨΕ, Act 7:42.[238]-στήριξον, confirm, strengthen) What I now do to thee, that do thou to those like thee [those liable to fall as thou art], whom thou hast previously weakened (by the fall). Peter did so not long after, Acts 2, 3, 4, and in both of his Epistles, where this very word is often repeated; 1Pe 5:10; 2Pe 1:12; 2Pe 3:17; 2Pe 3:16; 2Pe 2:14. And often one may thus observe the words of Jesus subsequently employed by the apostles.-τοὺς ἀδελφούς σου) thy brethren, saith Jesus, not our brethren. For the footing on (the manner in) which Peter has his ‘brethren’ is one thing, that on (in) which the Lord has His brethren is quite another thing. The rest of the apostles were brethren of Peter, Mat 23:8 [“One is your Master, even Christ, and all ye are brethren”]: but inasmuch as these afterwards did not need the confirmation (strengthening) of Peter, it is to be understood of other believers of a feebler sort.
[237] Como ἐκλείπη, from which ‘eclipse’ is derived.-E. and T.
[238] “Then God turned and gave them up to worship the host of heaven.” Engl. Vers. Rather, “God in His turn, in righteous retribution, gave them up,” etc.-E. and T.