What is That to You?

20 Then Peter, turning around, saw the disciple whom Jesus loved following, who also had leaned on His breast at the supper, and said, “Lord, who is the one who betrays You?” 21 Peter, seeing him, said to Jesus, “But Lord, what about this man?”  22 Jesus said to him, “ If I will that he remain till I come, what is that to you? You follow Me.” (John 21:20-22)

     It is interesting that the disciples did not know that it had been Judas who betrayed Jesus. They knew that he had come in and that had been accompanied by the soldiers in the garden and had kissed Christ to identify Him, but they apparently did not realize that it had been he who had turned Him over, and had given him up.

     What seems obvious to us apparently was not obvious to them. Of course we have the benefit of having things written out for us in plain form, and we cannot understate the benefit of that! Also, they were not privy to his conversations with the Scribes and Pharisees, nor did they know that he had gone out and hung himself as a result of his private despair. It is interesting what man can "not see" given the proper circumstances.

     Jesus' reply to Peter and verse 22 is very interesting: He tells him that the way He deals with the betrayer is not Peter's business! The only thing that is Peter's concern is that Peter follow after him!

     I think that that's a bit of advice that we can all do to follow. Not that we should never be concerned with looking around us and seeing if there are those who are dangerous to the cause of Christ. But I think we could all do with a little bit more of seeing to it that we are walking with the word and a little bit less of putting our nose in other peoples business.