John 21:23

23 Then this saying went abroad among the brethren, that that disciple should not die: yet Jesus said not to him, He shall not die; but, if I will that he shall tarry till I come, what [is that] to thee?

John 21:23 Meaning and Commentary

John 21:23

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.

John 21:23 In-Context

21 Peter seeing him, saith to Jesus, Lord, and what [shall] this man [do]?

22 Jesus saith to him, If I will that he shall tarry till I come, what [is that] to thee? Follow thou me.

23 Then this saying went abroad among the brethren, that that disciple should not die: yet Jesus said not to him, He shall not die; but, if I will that he shall tarry till I come, what [is that] to thee?

24 This is the disciple who testifieth of these things, and wrote these things: and we know that his testimony is true.

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