18.01.19 Jn. 21:20-24
JOHN’S DEATH QUESTIONED
20 So Peter turned around and saw the disciple Jesus loved following them. That disciple was the one who had leaned back against Jesus at the supper and asked, “Lord, who is the one that’s going to betray You?” 21 When Peter saw him, he said to Jesus, “Lord — what about him?”
22 “If I want him to remain until I come,” Jesus answered, “what is that to you? As for you, follow Me.”
23 So this report spread to the brothers that this disciple would not die. Yet Jesus did not tell him that he would not die, but, “If I want him to remain until I come, what is that to you?”
24 This is the disciple who testifies to these things and who wrote them down. We know that his testimony is true.
“Until I come.” One of the greatest promises of Jesus is that He will return for His Church (Acts 3:20ff; 10:42; 27:31). Even though the specific date of His return is unknown, many speculators have made foolish predictions.
John, the disciple whom Jesus loved, presented the second conclusion to his gospel. He stated that he was the witness of these events that he described, and attests to the truthfulness of them. He then said there were so many more miracles that Jesus performed, that there are not enough books to record them all. These comments were made to underscore his basic theme: “that you might believe and have eternal life.”
“The disciple Jesus loved.” John used the phrase, “the disciple He loved” four times when referring to Himself as the disciple of Jesus.[1] It was an indirect way of identifying himself. In the Middle Eastern culture one does not directly speak of himself. Bragging is clearly out of order.
[1]. Jn. 13:23-25; 19:25-27; 20:2; and 21:20.