Significance of Luke 22:31-32

[rlvaughn]

Luke 22:30-32 contains a shift between second person singular and plural pronouns (you) that is easy to miss. In the King James, which has a distinction between second person singular and plural, it reads like this (I'll use bold to designate plural and underline to designate singular:

Luke 22:30-32 (KJV) 30 that ye may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom, and sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel. 31 And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat: 32 but I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren.

It's somewhat easier to miss in certain versions that don't distinguish singular and plural in any way, but still easy to miss even in the KJV that does, because of the way it starts in verse 31 with a direct address to Simon Peter, and simply the way we tend to read over words like "you".

Here's how it appears in ESV, which does not distinguish the singular and plural, but has this footnote, "The Greek word for you (twice in this verse) is plural; in verse 32, all four instances are singular."

Luke 22:30-32 (ESV) 30 that you may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom and sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel. 31 “Simon, Simon, behold, Satan demanded to have you, that he might sift you like wheat, 32 but I have prayed for you that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned again, strengthen your brothers.”

The NIV signals it by using "all of you" in verse 31 (some versions have "each of you"):

Luke 22:30-32 (NIV) 30 so that you may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom and sit on thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. 31 “Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift all of you as wheat. 32 But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers.”

That is a rather lengthy setup to ask this question: Understanding that Jesus is directly addressing Peter but saying that Satan desired to sift each of them, what is the significance of praying only for Peter (singular)?

Thanks.

 

[Martin Marprelate]

I think the answer is that Satan desired to sift all of them, but Peter's sifting was going to come that very night. When he came through that trial, he would be in a position to help the others in their time of sifting.

I'm open to other explanations.

 

[rlvaughn]

Martin, that seems biblical and sensible to me. I could see Roman Catholics putting a different "spin" on it, of the popish sort.

 

[Van]

Peter was the leader of all the disciples, thus the representative of the disciples. Satan desired to sift all of them, starting with Peter. By sifting as grain, Satan hopes to pick apart Peter and render him worthless as the leader of the disciples. But as John 21 makes crystal, Jesus is going to have none of it.