Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of John 13:24
Simon Peter therefore beckoned to him, that he should ask who it should be of whom he spake.
24. that he should ask spake ] The better reading gives, and saith to him, Say who it is of whom He speaketh. S. Peter thinks that the beloved disciple is sure to know. The received reading, besides being wanting in authority, contains an optative mood, which S. John never uses.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Peter, knowing the particular affection that Christ had for John, maketh a sign to him, to ask of Christ which of them he meant, when he said,
One of you shall betray me.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
Simon Peter therefore beckoned to him,…. Peter perhaps lay at a distance from Christ, or in some such position, that he could not whisper to him himself; and besides, knew that John might use more freedom, as he was admitted to more familiarity with him; and being at some distance also from him, he beckoned to him; which was usually done at meals, when they could not, by reason of their posture, discourse together: this being the case, , “they made signs”, by nodding to one another k; that is, as the gloss explains it, they pointed with their hands and fingers, and by nodding or beckoning; such a method Peter took, signifying his desire,
that he should ask who it should be of whom he spake: which he did not out of mere curiosity, but from an honest intention and pure zeal, that he, with the rest, might show their abhorrence of such a person, and avoid him; and do all that lay in their power to hinder him from putting his designs into execution, and that the innocent might be free from all suspicion.
k T. Bab. Beracot ib.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
Beckoneth (). Old verb to nod, in N.T. only here and Ac 24:10. They were all looking in surprise at each other.
Tell us who it is of whom he speaketh ( ). Second aorist active imperative with indirect question () and relative clause ( ). Peter was cautious, but could not contain his curiosity. John in front of Jesus was in a favourable position to have a whispered word with him.
Breast (). As in John 21:20; Luke 18:13 in place of (verse 23). This is the moment represented in Leonardo da Vinci’s “Last Supper,” only he shows the figures like the monks for whom he painted it.
Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament
Beckoneth [] . Literally, noddeth.
That he should ask who it should be [ ] . The best texts read, kai legei aujtw eijpe tiv ejstin, and saith unto him, Tell us who it is.
Fuente: Vincent’s Word Studies in the New Testament
(24) Simon Peter therefore beckoned to him.The tense in the original is present. Simon Peter therefore beckons, or, makes a sign. We have to remember that these Apostles were both members of the first group, who are from some special characteristics nearer to our Lord than the others. They had both been disciples of the Baptist (Joh. 1:40-41), and we may think of them in the earlier as in the later work as in a special sense companions and friends. (Comp. Joh. 20:2; Act. 3:1; Act. 4:13.)
That he should ask who it should be of whom he spake.The better reading is, and saith unto him, Say who it is of whom He speaketh. St. Peter supposes that the disciple whom Jesus loved is more than any other in the confidence of his Master, and that he knew who was here referred to, and makes a sign to him to tell what he knew.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
‘Simon Peter therefore gestured to him, and said to him, “Tell who it is he is speaking about”. He, leaning back as he was on Jesus’ breast, says to him, “Lord, who is it?” Jesus therefore answers, “He it is for whom I will dip the sop and give it to him.” So when he had dipped the sop he takes and gives it to Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot.’
At Jesus’ words it was typical of Peter that he rushed in when all others were silent. All were aware that something solemn was in the air, and they were dumbstruck. But not Peter. Yet even he kept it to a question put in privacy. He hinted to John by a signal that he should question further. It would seem that this episode was private between the three of them.
So John, leaning back as he was, close to Jesus (literally ‘on Jesus’ breast’), says to him, “Lord, who is it?” Then Jesus answers, “It is the one for whom I will dip the sop (broken bread with bitter herbs dipped in a sauce) and give it to him”. It is possible, in fact, that Peter assumed that Jesus had already told John who it was. But He had clearly not done so. Alternately his question may have been deliberately indirect because he did not want Jesus to think that he was asking Him or anyone else a direct question. It was an indirect suggestion that John ask Jesus evidenced by his hand signal. (This is a clear sign of an eyewitness account). Either way John gets the point and asks, ‘Lord, who is it?’
It is not accidental that all were now described as calling Jesus ‘Lord’. By it the writer wishes us to recognise that it was the Lord of glory with Whom the disciples were fellowshipping. While they may have been using a courtesy title which could be translated ‘lord’, it must have had a deeper meaning even then. Thus it bears a double meaning.
Jesus did not denounce the traitor openly. Now that Judas has delivered himself into Satan’s hands He wished him to carry out his evil deed. Thus while Jesus made known to John who it was, He did not bring home to him the importance of the betrayal in mind, and also kept the fact from the other disciples. (This must be so due to what immediately follows). John may well have been thinking that Jesus was referring to Judas’ misuse of the funds, especially when He immediately appeared to send Judas off to buy provisions. He may have thought that Jesus was ‘on to him’. So when Jesus quietly told him that it was the one to whom He would give a piece of dipped bread, John would have no cause to react and prevent Judas from going. He might well have thought that if he did so he would spoil Jesus’ plan.
Then Jesus dipped the bread into the mixture of bitter herbs, vinegar and salt (or alternately one of mashed fruit, water and vinegar), and gave it to Judas. Outwardly, as far as the rest were concerned, this was the final titbit at the end of the meal given to a favoured friend. John, aware that Jesus did not wish the matter known, and not realising how important it was, remained silent (he would not realise that the betrayal was to be fatal, nor that it would happen immediately. Indeed he would see Jesus’ calmness as indicating the opposite). But there was one other who knew, apart from Jesus, how deep was the betrayal, and that was Judas. This final offering of the titbit to Judas was a final chance for him to recognise Jesus’ goodwill towards him. It indicated that Jesus had not given up until there was no hope at all.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
24 Simon Peter therefore beckoned to him, that he should ask who it should be of whom he spake.
Ver. 24. Simon Peter therefore beckoned ] Peter, that heretofore could not think his heart so unsound as to deny his Master, now feareth the ugly monster of fearless betraying. In man’s heart, as in the sea, there is that Leviathan, therefore also creeping things innumerable, Psa 104:26 .
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
24 26. ] See note on Mat 26:23 . Peter characteristically imagines that John, as the beloved disciple, would know: but he, not knowing, asks of the Lord.
It is an argument for the reading in the text, that (Schulz) John never uses the optative .
Fuente: Henry Alford’s Greek Testament
beckoned = signed or nodded. Greek neuo. Only here and Act 24:10. that he should ask who it should be. L T Tr. A H R read, “and saith to him,`Say who it is ‘”.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
24-26.] See note on Mat 26:23. Peter characteristically imagines that John, as the beloved disciple, would know: but he, not knowing, asks of the Lord.
It is an argument for the reading in the text, that (Schulz) John never uses the optative.
Fuente: The Greek Testament
Joh 13:24. , intimates by signs [beckons]) from behind [at the back of] Jesus. The middle place was the seat of honour: Jesus was occupying it: above Him Peter, below Him John, seems to have had his place. There was a close intimacy between Peter and John, as appears from ch. Joh 20:2 [Mary Magdalene, after being at the empty tomb, cometh to Simon Peter, and to the other disciple whom Jesus loved]; Joh 21:7; Joh 21:20 [They are associated together at Jesus appearing to the disciples at the Sea of Tiberius; John saith to Peter, It is the Lord. Also after the dinner which followed, Peter asks as to John, Lord, and what shall this man do?] A silent intimation, rather than words, was here appropriate.-, that he should ask) The convenience, for the purpose, of the position with which John was favoured, admitted of this.
Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament
Joh 13:24
Joh 13:24
Simon Peter therefore beckoneth to him, and saith unto him, Tell us who it is of whom he speaketh.-Peter, always prompt and forward in every case that arose, beckoned to John to ask which it was that should betray him.
Fuente: Old and New Testaments Restoration Commentary
beckoned: Luk 1:22, Luk 5:7, Act 12:17, Act 13:16, Act 21:40
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
4
As John was nearest to Jesus, Peter made a sign to him that he should ask Jesus to point out the traitor.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
Joh 13:24. Simon Peter therefore beckoneth to this one, and saith unto him, Say who it is of whom he speaketh. Peter, as usual the first to act, is the spokesman of the rest. Nothing is said to explain why either he or any other of the apostolic band should have supposed that John would know what they themselves were ignorant of. It may have arisen simply from their having witnessed many tokens of love and confidence on the part of Jesus towards him.
Fuente: A Popular Commentary on the New Testament
Verse 24
Beckoned; made a signal.
Fuente: Abbott’s Illustrated New Testament
Evidently Peter was somewhere across the table from Jesus. He was unable to ask Jesus privately to identify the betrayer. John must have reclined on his left elbow immediately to Jesus’ right. By leaning back against Jesus’ chest John could have whispered his request quietly. Leonardo da Vinci’s The Last Supper is a masterful painting, but it does not represent the table arrangement as it would have existed in the upper room.