Each Following The Lord Ourselves.

EACH FOLLOWING THE LORD OURSELVES.

John 21:19-25.

Peter had once boasted that even if all men were to forsake Jesus, yet he would not be amongst them (cf. Matthew 26:33). However, of those disciples still living after the betrayal of Jesus (when most of His disciples fled at the first sign of trouble), Peter had taken the greatest fall. It is a mark of the grace of the Lord towards His erring children that, after such a public disgrace, Jesus singled out Peter for public restoration.

Even after all that had happened, Jesus still loved His own to the uttermost (cf. John 13:1). Just like when Jesus had first called some of those same disciples, He provided a miraculous catch of fish (John 21:6-8; cf. Luke 5:5-7). He also furnished their table with an equally miraculous fish meal (John 21:12-13).

Jesus restored Peter before six witnesses (John 21:15-17). He also signified by what means Peter would die, and glorify God (John 21:18-19). Then, just as He had called the fishermen on that previous occasion when they first forsook all their things and followed Him (cf. Luke 5:11), He said, “Follow me” (JOHN 21:19).

Evidently at this point they arose from the meal, and Peter looked round and saw John following. [Along with his brother James, John had once desired to sit beside Jesus in His kingdom ‘one on the right and one on the left’ (cf. Mark 10:37).] It seems that Peter was already distracted, even so soon after his wonderful restoration, and looking back he asked, “What about him?” (JOHN 21:20-21).

JOHN 21:22. Jesus’ answer was hypothetical: “IF I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to you?” Jesus WAS NOT saying that He expected to return before John died.

Jesus’ imperative “you follow me” was, in effect, ‘Mind your own business.’ We cannot minister to others if we are not following the Lord ourselves. It was not for Peter, having received a prophecy about his own death, to know what death John was going to suffer. In this respect, we are all to mind our own business.

JOHN 21:23. As the writer of this Gospel, the Apostle John was at pains to debunk a tradition that had arisen in the early church. The rumour had soon spread that John was not going to die. ‘But Jesus did not say that!’ argues John.

JOHN 21:24. The disciple whom Jesus and Peter were discussing in the last scene of this Gospel is now identified as the writer of this Gospel. John speaks in the first person plural, “we know,” (much as he does in 1 John 1:3 – ‘that which we have seen and heard’). This Gospel is a faithful and true account of the things which Jesus said and did, as witnessed by John.

JOHN 21:25. The statement in the final verse of the book assures us that - to use the words of the Queen of Sheba in 1 Kings 10:7 - ‘the half was not told us.’

“And there are also many other things which Jesus did, the which, if they should be written every one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books written. Amen.”