“If I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to thee?”
The full verse · John 21:23 · KJV
the , : unto , He ; , I that I , is that ?
Asked by
Jesus: the risen Lord, whose question to Peter is repeated here word for word by the writer of the Gospel (John 21:22-24)
Asked to
Peter: Simon Peter, who had asked Jesus what the disciple whom Jesus loved would do (John 21:21)
The Scene
After Jesus' words to Peter by the sea of Tiberias, a saying spreads among the brethren that the disciple whom Jesus loved would not die, and the writer of the Gospel sets the record straight (John 21:20-24).
Why It Was Asked
The purpose behind the questionHere Jesus' question appears a second time, not as a new conversation but as a quotation. The writer repeats Jesus' exact words to correct a rumor that "that disciple should not die." Barnes says "This mistake arose very naturally": Jesus' words could easily be misheard, and it was probably confirmed when John outlived the other apostles. Matthew Henry puts the faulty reasoning this way: "Because John must not die a martyr, they conclude he must not die at all." By quoting the question again, the writer lets Jesus' words stand without addition: John's future belonged to Jesus' will, and it was not Peter's concern.
The Response
What Scripture recordsNo one answers the question itself. Instead the verse answers the rumor it caused: "yet Jesus said not unto him, He shall not die" (John 21:23). The writer adds no explanation of "till I come." He simply repeats what Jesus said. Then he steps forward as the witness: "This is the disciple which testifieth of these things, and wrote these things: and we know that his testimony is true" (John 21:24).
Historical Context
The world behind the words"The brethren" are the believers, the brothers and sisters of the early church, and the saying "went abroad" among them, spreading from one to another.
In the Greek, Jesus' sentence begins with ean, "if," followed by thelo, "I will" or "I desire," in the subjunctive mood. It is a supposition, which is exactly what the writer points out: Jesus did not say "He shall not die."
Barnes notes that the rumor probably gained strength because John "survived all the other apostles, had escaped all the dangers of persecution, and was leading a peaceful life at Ephesus." Gill says these are "the words of John himself," correcting the false sense put on Christ's words.
The Bigger Picture
Where this fits in God's storyThe Gospel of John nearly ends by correcting a rumor among believers. That shows how much the writer cared about Jesus' exact words. Gill says John here gives a true account of Christ's words, "freeing them from the false sense that was put upon them," which shows "his integrity and love of truth." Matthew Henry adds that the error was easily corrected by going back to the words Christ actually used.
The writer has already told us why he wrote: "that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God" (John 20:31). A Gospel written to be believed is careful not to promise more than Jesus promised. Faith rests on what He said, not on what people wished He had said.
Look Closer
What rumor spread among the brethren?
Carry the question into prayer and conversation.
Lord, where have I heard a promise You did not make, and what have You actually said that I can rest on?
A prayer to carry into the day.
- Why do you think it is so easy to hear what we wish were true in what God says?
- Tell about a time when going back to the exact words of Scripture cleared up a misunderstanding for you or your group.
For you, a small group, a friend, or the dinner table.
Sayings about God can spread, even among believers, and some of them sound hopeful. Before you build on one, go back to what Jesus actually said. The writer of this Gospel did not argue with the rumor. He quoted Jesus and let His words do the work.
You can do the same with your own hopes and fears. If you have been told God promised something, look for the words. If they say "if," let them say "if."
This doesn't mean being suspicious of other believers. The rumor spread "among the brethren" (John 21:23), within the church. It means holding even good news up to the words of Jesus, the way the writer did.
Built from the biblical text and checked against trusted commentaries and lexicons. References & Sources