Christ said to Peter you are to Follow me ?

To understand this, you must keep it in the context of the event.

The scene begins with Peter and other fishing. Jesus appears on the beach. When the disciples realize who it is, they begin rowing for shore. Peter, however, swims! He is too excited to wait.

They eat and then Jesus confronts Peter.

"Peter, do you love me more than these?"

"Yes, Lord. You know that I love you."

"Then feed my lambs."

"Peter, do you love me?"

"Yes, Lord. You know that I love you."

"Then feed my sheep."

"Peter, do you love me?"

Now, Peter gets upset. "Lord, you know all things. You know that I love you."

"Then feed my sheep."

Next, Jesus tells Peter how he will die. He concludes this with the statement, "Follow me."

Next, Peter asks about the other disciple. Jesus command to "follow me" was not in response to Peter's question.

Apparently, after Jesus asked the series of questions to Peter, He told Peter to walk with him. Notice that Peter turns and sees this other disciple "following". You can only follow another so that the other has to turn to see you if you are both traveling.

So you see, Jesus simply told Peter to walk with him. It might be important to note that when Jesus said, "Follow me", scripture indicates that He was speaking to Peter. And yet, it seems that at least one other disciple followed as they walked.

Now comes the part you asked about. Peter asks Jesus, "What is he suppoed to do", speaking of the other disciple. Jesus responed, "What is that to you?" In other words, "That is none of your business. Just follow me".

Here, Jesus is telling Peter to keep his eyes on Him. He had just told Peter what was going to happen as the end of his life approaches. He was telling him that he would have to focus on Jesus in order to handle things. His life was not going to be easy. Peter's job was to feed Jesus' followers. And, in the end, others would decide what happens to Peter. He indicated that Peter would be inprisoned. But, through it all, all he needed to concern himself with was following Jesus.

I hope you find this helpful.

Terry

In Mt. 16:13-23, Jesus, first asks the Apostles, "who do men say that the Son of man is? Then, he asks Peter; "Who do say that I am?" Peter replies: v. 17 "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God." And Jesus answered him: "Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jona. For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven." Then Jesus promises to established His Church on Peter. After, Jesus says in v. 21 "that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things.." Peter says: "God forbid Lord! This will never happen..." But Jesus said to Peter: "Get behind me, Satan!

You are a hindrance to me..."

Jesus is pointing out that Satan is talking through Peter now, trying to oppose the perfect will of God. By using the "eyes of men" Peter is blind to the reality of the situation. Jesus is not truly saying that Peter is Satan. In v. 17 Jesus said that the Father was speaking through Peter. That would mean that the Father was speaking through Satan! READ John 21:15-19 substituting Satan for Peter:

v. 15, "Jesus said to Satan , "Satan, ..., do you love me more than these?"

What does it matter :)) If a being like Jesus told us to do something how could you refuse.

Presumably Jesus knew the exact time to instruct Peter.

This si about St. Peter's martydom, the fact hat he woudl be lifted up against his will -- crucified as jessus. OnlySt. peter requested to be crucified upside down.

Jesus Picekd St. Peter for this honor to be the first lead His kingdom on earth and to follwo him in curcification, before the beigining of time.

John 21

1Later on, Jesus revealed himself again to the disciples. It was by the Sea of Tiberias, and it happened like this:

2 Simon Peter, Thomas called the Twin, Nathanael from Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee and two more of his disciples were together.

3 Simon Peter said, 'I'm going fishing.' They replied, 'We'll come with you.' They went out and got into the boat but caught nothing that night.

4 When it was already light, there stood Jesus on the shore, though the disciples did not realise that it was Jesus.

5 Jesus called out, 'Haven't you caught anything, friends?' And when they answered, 'No,'

6 he said, 'Throw the net out to starboard and you'll find something.' So they threw the net out and could not haul it in because of the quantity of fish.

7 The disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, 'It is the Lord.' At these words, 'It is the Lord,' Simon Peter tied his outer garment round him (for he had nothing on) and jumped into the water.

8 The other disciples came on in the boat, towing the net with the fish; they were only about a hundred yards from land.

9 As soon as they came ashore they saw that there was some bread there and a charcoal fire with fish cooking on it.

10 Jesus said, 'Bring some of the fish you have just caught.'

11 Simon Peter went aboard and dragged the net ashore, full of big fish, one hundred and fifty-three of them; and in spite of there being so many the net was not broken.

12 Jesus said to them, 'Come and have breakfast.' None of the disciples was bold enough to ask, 'Who are you?'. They knew quite well it was the Lord.

13 Jesus then stepped forward, took the bread and gave it to them, and the same with the fish.

14 This was the third time that Jesus revealed himself to the disciples after rising from the dead.

15 When they had eaten, Jesus said to Simon Peter, 'Simon son of John, do you love me more than these others do?' He answered, 'Yes, Lord, you know I love you.' Jesus said to him, 'Feed my lambs.'

16 A second time he said to him, 'Simon son of John, do you love me?' He replied, 'Yes, Lord, you know I love you.' Jesus said to him, 'Look after my sheep.'

17 Then he said to him a third time, 'Simon son of John, do you love me?' Peter was hurt that he asked him a third time, 'Do you love me?' and said, 'Lord, you know everything; you know I love you.' Jesus said to him, 'Feed my sheep.

18 In all truth I tell you, when you were young you put on your own belt and walked where you liked; but when you grow old you will stretch out your hands, and somebody else will put a belt round you and take you where you would rather not go.'

19 In these words he indicated the kind of death by which Peter would give glory to God. After this he said, 'Follow me.'

20 Peter turned and saw the disciple whom Jesus loved following them -- the one who had leant back close to his chest at the supper and had said to him, 'Lord, who is it that will betray you?'

21 Seeing him, Peter said to Jesus, 'What about him, Lord?'

22 Jesus answered, 'If I want him to stay behind till I come, what does it matter to you? You are to follow me.'

23 The rumour then went out among the brothers that this disciple would not die. Yet Jesus had not said to Peter, 'He will not die,' but, 'If I want him to stay behind till I come.'

24 This disciple is the one who vouches for these things and has written them down, and we know that his testimony is true.

25 There was much else that Jesus did; if it were written down in detail, I do not suppose the world itself would hold all the books that would be written.

Jesus does the will of His Father and so he also chooses who so ever He will.

Jesus was simply saying that our concern is to follow, not to fret about others' calling.

It is both. God calls us and we choose to accept His call. But God knows all things before hand so He knows who will accept and follow Him and who will not.