John 21:23

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - John 21:22-23

John 21:22-23. Jesus saith, If I will that he tarry Without dying; till I come With power and great glory, to execute the judgment I have threatened on mine enemies. Till then he certainly did tarry, and who can say when or how he died? What is that to thee Or to any one else? Follow thou me Mind thou thine own duty, and endeavour to prepare for thine own sufferings, and pry not, with a vain curiosity, into the secret events which may befall him or any other of thy brethren. Then As... read more

Donald C. Fleming

Bridgeway Bible Commentary - John 21:1-25

165. At the Sea of Tiberias (John 21:1-25)The disciples then returned to Galilee to wait for Jesus as they had been instructed (see Matthew 26:32; Matthew 28:10). Seven of them had spent an unsuccessful night fishing on Lake Galilee (the Sea of Tiberias) when Jesus appeared at the shore. He called out some directions to them, and although they did not recognize him they did as he said. As a result they caught a large number of fish (John 21:1-6).No doubt some of the disciples recalled a similar... read more

E.W. Bullinger

E.W. Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes - John 21:23

saying . Greek. logos. See on Mark 9:32 . among = unto. Greek eis. App-104 . that . Greek. ekeinos. should not die = is not dying: i.e. is not going to die. read more

James Burton Coffman

Coffman Commentaries on the Bible - John 21:23

This saying therefore went forth among the brethren, that that disciple should not die: yet Jesus said not unto him, that he should not die; but, If I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to thee?Thus, John laid to rest the tradition that had developed to the effect that the Lord would return in John's lifetime (the propositions being equivalent). At the time he wrote John, the apostle was very old; and it was apparent to him and others that the days of his pilgrimage were drawing to a... read more

Thomas Coke

Thomas Coke Commentary on the Holy Bible - John 21:22-23

John 21:22-23. If I will that he tarry, &c.— "If it is my pleasure that he should live till my coming [in judgment upon Jerusalem], what is that to thee?" So the word μενειν signifies, being elliptical for the words μενειν εν τη σαρκι, to abide in the flesh. We have both the elliptical and complete phrase, Philippians 1:24-25. The brethren, it seems, understood, by Christ's coming, his coming to future judgment; and upon this foundation they grounded their notion that John should not die:... read more

Robert Jamieson; A. R. Fausset; David Brown

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible - John 21:23

23. Then went this saying abroad among the brethren, that that disciple should not die—into which they the more easily fell from the prevalent expectation that Christ's second coming was then near at hand. yet Jesus said not unto him, He shall not die—The Evangelist is jealous for His Master's honor, which his death might be thought to compromise if such a misunderstanding should not be corrected. John 21:24; John 21:25. FINAL CLOSE OF THIS GOSPEL. read more

Thomas Constable

Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable - John 21:15-23

B. Jesus’ teachings about motivation for service 21:15-23Jesus now proceeded to use the miracle that He had just performed as the background for important instruction. John presented Jesus doing this many times in this Gospel. The repetition of this pattern in the epilogue is evidence that the epilogue was an original part of the Gospel. Jesus focused His teaching on Peter, but clearly He wanted all disciples to view Peter as their representative. read more

Thomas Constable

Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable - John 21:23

Jesus’ statement here led to a rumor that John would not die before Jesus returned. This is one of the earliest instances of people setting a date for the Lord’s return. All such attempts to identify exactly when Jesus will return go beyond Scriptural revelation.John clarified what Jesus really did say to squelch the rumor, which was evidently circulating when he wrote this Gospel. The clarification was important because when John died some people might have falsely concluded that Jesus had not... read more

John Dummelow

John Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible - John 21:1-25

Supplementary1-25. Appendix. The Gospel is brought to a definite close, its contents are reviewed, and its purpose stated in John 20:30, John 20:31. The present chapter is therefore probably an appendix added at a later time, but (since all MSS and versions contain it) before the Gospel had been extensively copied, or had passed into general circulation. There is good reason for supposing that it is by the same author as the Gospel. For (1) the style is identical. For example, there is a... read more

Charles John Ellicott

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers - John 21:23

(23) Then (better, therefore) went this saying abroad among the brethren.—For the word “brethren” comp. Notes on Matthew 23:8 and Acts 9:30. As a general name for the disciples, it is not elsewhere found in the Gospels, but we have the key to it in our Lord’s own words to Mary Magdalene (John 20:17).Jesus said not unto him, He shall not die; but, If. . . .—The mistake of the brethren arose from their not attending to the force of the conditional particle. They took as a statement what had been... read more

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