John 21:19

19 Now he said this, signifying by what kind of death he would glorify God. When he had said this, he said to him, "Follow me."

John 21:19 Meaning and Commentary

John 21:19

This spake he
These are the words of the evangelist, explaining the meaning of Christ in like manner, as in ( John 12:33 )

signifying by what death he should glorify God;
for by the above words Christ not only intimated that Peter should die, not a natural, but a violent death, or that he should die a martyr in his cause, but the very kind of death he should die, namely, by crucifixion; and that Peter was crucified at Rome, ecclesiastical history confirms ^F6, when Christ was magnified, and God was glorified by his zeal and courage, faith and patience, constancy and perseverance to the end:

and when he had spoken this:
concerning the usage and treatment he should meet with, the sufferings he should undergo, and death he should die for his sake, for the present trial of him:

he saith unto him, follow me:
which may be understood literally, Jesus now rising up, and ordering him to come after him; and yet as a sign of his following him, in a spiritual sense, exercising every grace upon him, discharging every duty towards him, faithfully and constantly performing his work and office, as an apostle and preacher of the Gospel, in which he had now reinstated and confirmed him, and patiently bearing and suffering all kind of reproach, persecution, and death, for his name's sake.

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FOOTNOTES:

F6 Euseb. Eccl. Hist. l. 2. c 25.

John 21:19 In-Context

17 He said to him the third time, "Shim`on, son of Yonah, do you have affection for me?" Kefa was grieved because he asked him the third time, "Do you have affection for me?" He said to him, "Lord, you know everything. You know that I have affection for you." Yeshua said to him, "Feed my sheep.

18 Most assuredly I tell you, when you were young, you dressed yourself, and walked where you wanted to. But when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and another will dress you, and carry you where you don't want to go."

19 Now he said this, signifying by what kind of death he would glorify God. When he had said this, he said to him, "Follow me."

20 Then Kefa, turning around, saw a talmid following. This was the talmid whom Yeshua sincerely loved, the one who had also leaned on Yeshua' breast at the supper and asked, "Lord, who is going to betray You?"

21 Kefa seeing him, said to Yeshua, "Lord, what about this man?"