“Lord, which is he that betrayeth thee?”
The full verse · John 21:20 · KJV
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Asked by
Beloved Disciple: the disciple whom Jesus loved, who leaned on His breast at supper and is here seen following Jesus and Peter on the shore (John 13:23; John 21:20)
Asked to
Jesus: the Lord, who at the Last Supper had said that one of the disciples would betray Him (John 13:21)
The Scene
After Jesus tells Peter, "Follow me," Peter turns and sees the disciple whom Jesus loved following them (John 21:19-20). John identifies that disciple by recalling the night of the Last Supper, when he leaned on Jesus' breast and asked this question (John 13:23-25).
Why It Was Asked
The purpose behind the questionThis verse looks back. At the Last Supper Jesus said, "one of you shall betray me" (John 13:21). Simon Peter beckoned to the disciple leaning on Jesus' bosom to ask who it was, and he asked (John 13:24-25). The disciples "looked one on another, doubting of whom he spake" (John 13:22), and he asked at Peter's prompting, being close enough to Jesus to do so. Gill explains that he was "admitted to great nearness and freedom with him." Here in John 21:20 the old question is recalled to identify this disciple beyond doubt.
The Response
What Scripture recordsAt the supper Jesus answered, "He it is, to whom I shall give a sop, when I have dipped it," and He gave the sop to Judas Iscariot (John 13:26). Judas "went immediately out: and it was night" (John 13:30). In John 21 the question is remembered to point out the disciple following Jesus. Seeing him, Peter asked, "Lord, and what shall this man do?" (John 21:21).
Historical Context
The world behind the wordsJohn never names this disciple in his Gospel. He calls him "the disciple whom Jesus loved" (John 13:23; John 20:2; John 21:7, 20), and at the end says he is the one "which testifieth of these things, and wrote these things" (John 21:24). Gill, Barnes, and Matthew Henry all identify him as the apostle John. Gill reasons from the details here and from John 21:2 and John 21:24 that this leaves "without any doubt, that it was the Apostle John."
The ESV renders the KJV's "leaned on his breast at supper" as "had leaned back against him during the supper."
The Bigger Picture
Where this fits in God's storyIn the last scene of his Gospel, John describes himself not by his name or office but by his closeness to Jesus. Gill says this disciple "had a peculiar share in the love of Christ, as man." The question from that night recalls a disciple near enough to Jesus to ask Him anything.
It also recalls a dark night. The question was about a betrayer, and that same night Peter would deny Jesus (John 13:38). Now, after Peter's restoration, the beloved disciple is seen following, just as Jesus had told Peter, "Follow me" (John 21:19-20).
Look Closer
Why does John recall this old question here?
Carry the question into prayer and conversation.
Lord Jesus, the disciple You loved stayed near enough to ask You anything; what keeps me from drawing that close to You?
A prayer to carry into the day.
- John described himself by Jesus' love for him rather than by his own name. How would you describe yourself if you started with God's love for you?
- Tell about a time you brought a hard question straight to Jesus. What happened?
For you, a small group, a friend, or the dinner table.
John described himself as the disciple whom Jesus loved (John 21:20). Your identity can rest there too, not on your name, role, or record.
Closeness to Jesus also made John free to ask a hard question. You do not have to hide your questions from Him.
This does not mean closeness spares you from hard answers. The answer to John's question was painful: one of their own would betray Jesus (John 13:26). Being near Him means hearing the truth, even when it hurts.
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