Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of John 21:23
Then went this saying abroad among the brethren, that that disciple should not die: yet Jesus said not unto him, He shall not die; but, If I will that he tarry till I come, what [is that] to thee?
23. Then went this saying ] This saying therefore went.
abroad among ] Literally, forth unto: comp. Mat 9:26; Mar 1:28; Rom 10:8.
the brethren ] This phrase, common in the Acts (Joh 9:30, Joh 11:1; Joh 11:29, Joh 15:1; Joh 15:3; Joh 15:22-23, &c.), is not used elsewhere in the Gospels for believers generally; but we see the way prepared for it in the Lord’s words to the disciples (Mat 23:8), to S. Peter (Luk 22:32), and to Mary Magdalene (Joh 20:17).
should not die ] Literally, doth not die; so also ‘shall not die’ in the next clause. The mistake points to a time when Christians generally expected that the Second Advent would take place in their own time; and the correction of the mistake points to a time when the Apostle was still living. If this chapter was added by another hand after the Apostle’s death it would have been natural to mention his death, as the simplest and most complete answer to the misunderstanding. The cautious character of the answer given, merely pointing out the hypothetical form of Christ’s language, without pretending to explain it, shews that the question had not yet been solved in fact. Thus we are once more forced back within the limits of the first century for the date of this Gospel.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Then went this saying … – This mistake arose very naturally:
- From the words of Jesus, which might be easily misunderstood to mean that he should not die; and,
- It was probably confirmed when it was seen that John survived all the other apostles, had escaped all the dangers of persecution, and was leading a peaceful life at Ephesus. This mistake John deemed it proper to correct before he died, and has thus left on record what Jesus said and what he meant.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
But the disciples, knowing the particular kindness our Saviour had for John, upon these words, not duly attended to, concluded John should abide upon the earth to the second coming of Christ.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
23. Then went this saying abroadamong the brethren, that that disciple should not dieintowhich they the more easily fell from the prevalent expectation thatChrist’s second coming was then near at hand.
yet Jesus said not unto him,He shall not dieThe Evangelist is jealous for His Master’shonor, which his death might be thought to compromise if such amisunderstanding should not be corrected.
Joh 21:24;Joh 21:25. FINALCLOSE OF THISGOSPEL.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
Then went this saying abroad among the brethren,…. It not being rightly understood by some one or more of the disciples present: it was divulged with a wrong sense annexed to it among other persons; who, though not of the eleven, yet were followers of Christ, children of God, that belonged to the same family, and were, in a spiritual relation, brethren to each other, and to the apostles:
that that disciple should not die; but should remain till the second coming of Christ, and be found among them that shall be then alive, and be changed. And such a notion not only was among the ancients; but Beza, in his notes on this text, tells us of a strolling wicked fellow, that gave out that he was the Apostle John; and was encouraged by some, particularly Postellus, a Sorbonic doctor, but was afterwards burnt at Tholouse.
Yet Jesus said not unto him he shall not die, but if I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to thee? These are the words of John himself, the disciple spoken of, who gives a true and just account of Christ’s words, freeing them from the false sense that was put upon them; which shows his ingenuous disposition, his integrity and love of truth; being unwilling that such an error should obtain among the disciples, and pass in the world for truth.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
That that disciple should not die ( ) (present active indicative), because Peter or others misunderstood what Jesus meant as John now carefully explains. He was rebuking Peter’s curiosity, not affirming that John would live on till the Master returned. John is anxious to set this matter right.
Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament
Should not die [ ] . Literally, dieth not.
24, 25. Many interpreters think that these two verses were written by some other hand than John’s. Some ascribe vv. 24 and 25 to two different writers. The entire chapter, though bearing unmistakable marks of John’s authorship in its style and language, was probably composed subsequently to the completion of the Gospel.
Fuente: Vincent’s Word Studies in the New Testament
1) “Then went this saying abroad among the brethren,” (ekselthen oun houtos ho logos eis tou adelphous) “Then this word went forth to the brethren,” apparently overheard by the six disciples gathered around the fish-fire camp, Joh 21:7-14. Then they changed our Lord’s statement to report.
2) “That that disciple should not die:” (hoti ho mathetes ekeinos ouk apothneskei) “That that disciple (John) would not die,” 1Co 15:51; 1Th 4:15; 1Th 4:17.
3) “Yet Jesus said not unto him,” (ouk eipen de auto ho lesous) “Yet Jesus did not say to him or tell him,” what they had conjectured, or supposed, and circulated as an inaccurate rumor. And John did not help circulate it, for he knew the context in which Jesus had made the statement.
4) “He shall not die;” (hoti ouk apothneskei) “That he shall not come to die,” Heb 9:27; Ecc 9:5.
5) “But, if I will that he tarry till I come,” (all’ ean auton thelo menein heos erchomai) “But if I will, with a priority of choice, that he remain until I come,” come or return, an hypothetical use of the language, which as Lord or Master He could have done.
6) “What is that to thee?” (ti pros se) “What business is that of yours?”
TRADITIONS OF DEATHS OF THE APOSTLES
1. Matthew is supposed to have suffered martyrdom or was slain with the sword, at a city of Ethiopia.
2. Mark was dragged through the streets of Alexandria, in Egypt, till he expired.
3. Luke was hanged on an olive tree in Greece.
4. John was put into a cauldron of boiling oil at Rome, and escaped death. He afterwards died a natural death at Ephesus, in Asia.
5. James the Great was beheaded at Jerusalem.
6. James the Less was thrown from a pinnacle or wing of the Temple, and then beaten to death with a fuller’s club.
7. Philip was hanged up against a pillar, at Heirapolis, a city of Phrygia.
8. Bartholomew was flayed alive by the command of a barbarous king.
9. Andrew was bound to a cross, when he preached to the people till he expired.
10. Thomas was run through the body with a lance at Coromandel in the East Indies.
11. Jude was shot to death with arrows.
12. Simon Zelotes was crucified in Persia.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
23. Then this saying went forth. The Evangelist relates that, from misunderstanding Christ’s words, an error arose among the disciples, that John would never die. He means those who were present at that conversation, that is, the Apostles; not that the name brethren belongs to them alone, but that they were the first-fruits, as it were, of that holy union. It is also possible, that, besides the eleven, he refers to others who were at that time in company with them; and by the expression, went forth, he means that this error was spread in all directions; yet probably it was not of long duration, but subsisted among them, until, being enlightened by the Holy Spirit, they formed purer and more correct views of the kingdom of Christ, having laid aside carnal and foolish imaginations. (238)
What John relates about the Apostles happens every day, and we ought not to wonder at it; for if Christ’s disciples, who belonged to his family and were intimately acquainted with him, were so egregiously mistaken, how much more are they liable to fall into mistakes, who have not been so familiarly instructed in the school of Christ? But let us also observe whence this fault arises. The teaching of Christ is useful, and for edification; that is, it is plain; but we obscure the light by our wicked inventions, which we bring to it from our own views. Christ had not intended to pronounce any thing certain or definite about John, but only to affirm that he had full power to decide about his life and death; so that the doctrine is simple and useful in itself, but the disciples imagine and contrive more than had been told them. Accordingly, in order that we may be safe from this danger, let us learn to be wise and to think soberly. But such is the wantonness of the human understanding, that it rushes with all its force into foolishness. The consequence was, that this very error, against which the Evangelist had expressly warned them to be on their guard, continued notwithstanding to gain currency in the world; for a fable has been contrived, that he ordered a ditch to be digged for him, and went down into it, and that next day it was found empty. We see, therefore, that we shall never cease to err, unless we unreservedly receive what the Lord hath taught us, and reject all inventions of men.
(238) “ Toutes imaginations charnelles et extravagantes rejettees.”
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(23) Then (better, therefore) went this saying abroad among the brethren.For the word brethren comp. Notes on Mat. 23:8 and Act. 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 Lords own words to Mary Magdalene (Joh. 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 said as a supposition, and understood it in the then current belief that the Second Advent would come in their own generation. (Comp. 1Co. 15:51-52; 1Th. 4:17.)
The mistake and its correction are both interesting in their bearing upon the date of the Gospel, and they furnish that kind of evidence which is perfectly natural as a growth, but which cannot possibly be made.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
23. That that disciple should not die Many in the apostolic Church put upon Jesus’s words the first meaning, namely, his living to the Second Advent; which was the true and yet the mistaken meaning. True, because it truly was not Peter’s concern if that result really took place; and mistaken, because that result did not take place. Thus John’s contemporaries are left by him to interpret the words upon their own responsibilities. They inferred that for John to live to the Advent was to escape death completely. But John, as if to disclaim all false pretensions, and dissipate all false conceptions, publishes the words just as they were uttered, and declines all interpretation. He gives the text and refuses to give any commentary. And that there may be no responsibility on his shoulder, he takes care to repeat the very identical words, and leave the matter with the reader. Did John know? His inspiration is no proof that he did know; for inspiration is as truly, though not as narrowly, limited as natural knowledge. Inspiration only knows so far as is revealed; and who knows that the meaning of these words was revealed to John? Whatever he expected, he lived peacefully at Ephesus until about the close of the first century, nearly if not quite a century old. He was buried in that city, and some of the Fathers profess to have seen his tomb. Many in Augustine’s day fancied that John lived in his own tomb, and that the earth above him heaved with his respiration. Stier tells us that the celebrated Lavater professed to have revelation of the fact, that John still lives on earth!
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
‘This saying went forth therefore among the brethren that that disciple would not die. Yet Jesus did not say to him that he would not die, but ‘if I will that he tarry until I come what is that to you’.’
As a ressult of this an incorrect assumption arose among some Christians (‘the brethren’) that the second coming would occur before John died. This assumption the writer now corrects by pointing out what Jesus actually did say. How important it is that we are not slipshod in interpreting the word of God.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
Joh 21:23 . Hence there went forth (comp. Mat 9:26 ), in consequence of this answer of Jesus, the following legend [291] among the brethren (Christians): that disciple dies not (but remains in life until the Parousia, whereupon he experiences, not death, but change, 1Th 4:17 ; 1Co 15:51-52 ).
The legend, which correctly took in the solemn sense of Maranatha (1Co 16:22 ), would with reason have inferred its from the word of Christ, had the latter run categorically: . From the manner, however, in which Jesus expressed Himself, a categorical judgment was derived from the conditional sentence, and consequently the case supposed by Jesus, the occurrence of which is to be left to the judgment of experience ( , not ), was proclaimed as an actually existing relation. This John exposes as an overstepping of the words of Jesus, and hence his observation intimates, that it was straightway asserted, but without reason, on the ground of that saying: this disciple dies not, that rather the possible occurrence of the case supposed by must be left over to the experience of the future, without asserting by way of anticipation either the or the opposite. Considering the expected nearness of the Parousia, it is conceivable enough how John himself does not in a general way declare the saying, which was in circulation about him, to be incorrect, and does not refute it (it might in truth be verified through the impending Parousia), but only refers to its conditional character (“leaves it therefore to hang in doubt,” Luther), and places it merely in its historical light, with verbally exact repetition of its source. According to others (see especially Heumann, B. Crusius, Hengstenberg), John would indicate that there is yet another coming of Jesus than that which is to take place at the close of history. But this other the expositors have here first invented, see on Joh 21:22 .
After the death of the apostle, the legend was further expanded, to the effect that he slumbered in the grave, and by his breath moved the earth. See Introd . 1, and generally Ittig, sel. capita hist. eccl . sec. I. p. 441 ff.
[291] Which therefore did not originate from the Apocalypse (Baur, Hilgenfeld).
Fuente: Heinrich August Wilhelm Meyer’s New Testament Commentary
23 Then went this saying abroad among the brethren, that that disciple should not die: yet Jesus said not unto him, He shall not die; but, If I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to thee?
Ver. 23. Among the brethren ] So are all Christians. Sanctior est copula cordis quam corporis.
That that disciple should not die ] Some to this day deny that he is dead. Beza tells us of a certain impostor in his remembrance, that gave out at Paris that he was John the Evangelist, and was afterward burnt at Toulouse. Some have fabled, that after he had commanded his grave to be made, and had laid himself down in it, the next day it was found empty, and he raptured up alive into Paradise, whence he shall come together with Enoch and Elias at the last day to confound Antichrist. O quantum est in rebus inane! It is not for us to “follow cunningly devised fables,”2Pe 1:162Pe 1:16 , but to attend to that sure word of truth, as unto a light shining, &c.,Joh 21:19Joh 21:19 , accounting every particle of it precious, since the change of one letter may breed so much error and cause so much contention.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
23. ] is an expression of later date than any usually occurring in the Gospels. It is however frequent in the Acts. see reff.
. (see reff.) is more in the manner of the other Gospels.
. ] This is much in John’s manner, see ch. Joh 16:32 ; not meaning but , rather, and yet.
The following words are to me a proof that this chapter was written during John’s lifetime. If written by another person after John’s death, we should certainly, in the refutation of this error, have read, , , as in Act 2:29 .
This notion of John’s not having died, was prevalent in the early Church, so that Augustine himself seems almost to credit the story of the earth of John’s tomb heaving with his breath. Tract. cxxiv. 2. “The English sect of the ‘seekers’ under Cromwell expected the reappearance of the Apostle as the forerunner of the coming of Christ,” Tholuck. See Trench on the Miracles, edn. 2, p. 467 note. The simple recapitulation of the words of the Lord shews that their sense remained dark to the writer, who ventured on no explanation of them; merely setting his own side of the apostolic duty over against that of Peter, who probably had already by following his Master through the Cross, glorified God, whereas the beloved disciple was, whatever that meant, to tarry till He came.
Fuente: Henry Alford’s Greek Testament
Joh 21:23 . ; “There went forth this saying among the brethren, that that disciple should not die”. John himself, however, has no such belief, because he remembers with exactness the hypothetical form of the Lord’s words, Another instance of the precision with which John recalled some, at least, of the words of Jesus.
In Joh 21:24 , the writer of the gospel is identified with the disciple whom Jesus loved, and a certificate of his truth is added. The whole verse has a strong resemblance to Joh 19:35 , and it seems impossible to say with certainty whether they were or were not written by the evangelist himself. The might seem to imply that several united in this certificate. But who in John’s old age were there, who could so certify the truth of the gospel? They could have no personal, direct knowledge of the facts; and could merely affirm the habitual truthfulness of John. Cf. too the of Joh 21:25 where a return to the singular is made; but this may be because in the former clause the writer speaks in the name of several others, while in the latter he speaks in his own name. Who these others were, disciples, Ephesian presbyters, friends, Apostles, it is vain to conjecture. and refer to the whole gospel, including chap. 21. Besides the things narrated . The verse re-affirms the statement of Joh 20:30 , adding a hyperbolical estimate of the space required to recount all that Jesus did, if each detail were separately told, .
Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson
saying. Greek. logos. See on Mar 9:32.
among = unto. Greek eis. App-104.
that. Greek. ekeinos.
should not die = is not dying: i.e. is not going to die.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
23.] is an expression of later date than any usually occurring in the Gospels. It is however frequent in the Acts. see reff.
. (see reff.) is more in the manner of the other Gospels.
.] This is much in Johns manner, see ch. Joh 16:32; not meaning but,-rather, and yet.
The following words are to me a proof that this chapter was written during Johns lifetime. If written by another person after Johns death, we should certainly, in the refutation of this error, have read, , , as in Act 2:29.
This notion of Johns not having died, was prevalent in the early Church,-so that Augustine himself seems almost to credit the story of the earth of Johns tomb heaving with his breath. Tract. cxxiv. 2. The English sect of the seekers under Cromwell expected the reappearance of the Apostle as the forerunner of the coming of Christ, Tholuck. See Trench on the Miracles, edn. 2, p. 467 note. The simple recapitulation of the words of the Lord shews that their sense remained dark to the writer, who ventured on no explanation of them; merely setting his own side of the apostolic duty over against that of Peter, who probably had already by following his Master through the Cross, glorified God, whereas the beloved disciple was, whatever that meant, to tarry till He came.
Fuente: The Greek Testament
Joh 21:23. , the saying) See how much more trustworthy is the written letter than a saying. The saying, even among the brethren, was without any fraudulent intention, interpolated: the hand (writing) of the apostles, applies the remedy, and the benefit of it is preserved to us even to the present day. The patrons of traditions are themselves at war both with the ancient and new books of Scripture.-, brethren) viz. those Seven mentioned in Joh 21:2, and the remaining brethren of that age, or rather those who were living when John wrote. Otherwise there would have been no need to refute the error at so late a period [as when the apostle wrote this Gospel]: the error seems to be confirmed by the fact of the apostles continuing to live so long. They learned the appellation, Brethren, from ch. Joh 20:17.-, that disciple) This pronoun has the effect of amplifying (giving distinction or eminence to one).- , doth not die) They substitute this for different words, omitting , , if-until, and extending (straining) too much the antithesis between the following (Follow) and the remaining (tarry). However they recognised the fact, that at the actual coming of the Lord, all mortality shall be abolished. This affords a specimen of the weakness of understanding which remained in the disciples before the coming of the Paraclete; nay more, a specimen of the universal want of dexterity, on the part of men, in understanding the words of Christ, especially those in the Apocalypse, of which there is given in this place a contraction.- , and not) John carefully obviates the explanation, as foreign to the purpose and erroneous, lest an utterance should be attributed to Christ, which was not really His. For when John was dead, one thing might seem to have been foretold to him by the Lord, and a different thing to have come to pass. In the Divine words, all the points are to be precisely held fast; and we must especially guard against making any addition to them: Rev 22:18. [For by a very slight change of the words, and such a change as may seem to be of no consequence, the genuine sense may be wrested.-V. g.] Such care did John and the other Evangelists employ in reporting the words of Christ, They have not reported all things in just so many and identically the same words; but yet altogether according to the mind (sentiment) of the Lord, so that they may be and ought to be regarded exactly the same as if they had employed just so many and identically the same words.
Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament
Joh 21:23
Joh 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?-From this indefinite answer they drew the conclusion that John would not die, but remain till Jesus comes again. [John corrected the error that had spread among the disciples without accusing any one of lying. It is a pity that such a spirit does not prevail among brethren today.]
Fuente: Old and New Testaments Restoration Commentary
what: Deu 29:29, Job 28:28, Job 33:13, Dan 4:35
Reciprocal: Mar 9:1 – the kingdom Luk 9:27 – some Rev 2:25 – till
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
3
This verse gives a clear example of the disposition of men to formulate rumors with no truth as a basis. Jesus only asked Peter a hypothetical question by way of rebuking him for his meddlesome attitude. Then the gossiping spirit of the disciples made an affirmation out of it, and. made Jesus say that John was promised that he would live to see the second coming of Christ.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
Joh 21:23. This word therefore went forth among the brethren, That disciple dieth not. Yet Jesus said not unto him, He dieth not; but, If I will that he abide till I come, what is that to thee? Having reported the answer of Jesus, the Evangelist is constrained to correct a misapprehension of its meaning which had prevailed in the Church. At the same time his giving again the words of Jesus in the same form as before shows the great importance which he attached to them, and leads to the belief that something in them had for him a peculiar charm. If so, the words that attracted him could only be till I come. It is the thought of this Second Coming that John finds to be the prominent point in the words of his Master. He beholds in them the assurance that there was an end fixed for all toil and suffering incurred in the task of witnessing for Jesus, when the Redeemer whom he loved will come again and take His disciples to Himself, that where He is there they also may be (chap. Joh 14:3).
Fuente: A Popular Commentary on the New Testament
Observe here, how strangely our Saviour’s words were mistaken and misunderstood by his own disciples; they apprehend presently that John should not die, and so it passed current among them.
From hence we may note, how much the wisdom of God is, and ought to be admired, in giving us a written word, and tying us to it, when we see erroneous traditions so soon on foot in the world, and our Saviour’s own speeches so much mistaken, and that by wise and holy men themselves in the purest times. Much more may the words of others be misreported, and wrested contrary to their sense and meaning. How great then is the vanity and uncertainty of oral tradition! Men are naturally prone to mistake, to mistake themselves, and to mistake one another. The more to be admired is their over-daring ignorance, who think they cannot err. Such a haughty opinion of a man’s self, concludes him to be neither good nor wise.
Fuente: Expository Notes with Practical Observations on the New Testament
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 been faithful to His promise to return. Others might conclude that John’s Gospel was not trustworthy. However, Jesus had spoken of a hypothetical possibility. He had not given a promise.
"In view of the fact that in this Gospel slight variations when statements are repeated are almost universal, it is noteworthy that here the statement is repeated exactly from Joh 21:22. The precise words used are significant, and the writer is at pains to be accurate." [Note: Morris, p. 775.]
"The author’s explanation of Jesus’ announcement may be taken as evidence that the disciple was still living at the time this Gospel was written and that he was the source of its content. Obviously, if he had died early, the rumor would have had no credence." [Note: Tenney, "John," p. 203.]
It is interesting and significant that the last words of Jesus that John recorded were about His return. This is the great hope of His believing disciples.