Jesus Saith Unto Him, If I will That He Tarry Till I come, What Is That To Thee? Follow Thou Me.

WalterandDebbie · Sep 13, 2023

Wednesday 9-13-23 4th. Day Of The Weekly Cycle, Elul 27 5783, 85th. Summer Day

John 21

Christ Speaks To Peter

15 So when they had dined, Jesus saith to Simon Peter, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me more than these? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my lambs.

16 He saith to him again the second time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my sheep.

17 He saith unto him the third time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? Peter was grieved because he said unto him the third time, Lovest thou me? And he said unto him, Lord, thou knowest all things; thou knowest that I love thee. Jesus saith unto him, Feed my sheep.

18 Verily, verily, I say unto thee, When thou wast young, thou girdest thyself, and walkedst whither thou wouldest: but when thou shalt be old, thou shalt stretch forth thy hands, and another shall gird thee, and carry thee whither thou wouldest not.

19 This spake he, signifying by what death he should glorify God. And when he had spoken this, he saith unto him, Follow me.

20 Then Peter, turning about, seeth the disciple whom Jesus loved following; which also leaned on his breast at supper, and said, Lord, which is he that betrayeth thee?

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

22 Jesus saith unto him, If I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to thee? follow thou me.

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?

24 This is the disciple which 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, the which, if they should be written every one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that should be written. Amen.

John 21:22 Commentaries: Jesus said to him, "If I want him to remain until I come, what is that to you? You follow Me!"

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Love, Walter And Debbie

Arthur81 · Sep 16, 2023

WalterandDebbie said:
Wednesday 9-13-23 4th. Day Of The Weekly Cycle, Elul 27 5783, 85th. Summer Day

John 21

Christ Speaks To Peter

15 So when they had dined, Jesus saith to Simon Peter, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me more than these? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my lambs.

16 He saith to him again the second time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my sheep.

17 He saith unto him the third time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? Peter was grieved because he said unto him the third time, Lovest thou me? And he said unto him, Lord, thou knowest all things; thou knowest that I love thee. Jesus saith unto him, Feed my sheep.

18 Verily, verily, I say unto thee, When thou wast young, thou girdest thyself, and walkedst whither thou wouldest: but when thou shalt be old, thou shalt stretch forth thy hands, and another shall gird thee, and carry thee whither thou wouldest not.

19 This spake he, signifying by what death he should glorify God. And when he had spoken this, he saith unto him, Follow me.

20 Then Peter, turning about, seeth the disciple whom Jesus loved following; which also leaned on his breast at supper, and said, Lord, which is he that betrayeth thee?

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

22 Jesus saith unto him, If I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to thee? follow thou me.

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?

24 This is the disciple which 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, the which, if they should be written every one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that should be written. Amen.

John 21:22 Commentaries: Jesus said to him, "If I want him to remain until I come, what is that to you? You follow Me!"

biblehub.com

Love, Walter And Debbie

On this, there are a couple of points that strike a chord with me. It seems that in v22 when Jesus replies to Peter "what is that to thee", he is telling him it is none of his business. Before that reprimand, Jesus says 'If I will that he tarry till I come..." which speaks to the future from when he is speaking, to when He comes.

The second point I notice is, the brethren jump to the conclusion "that that disciple should not die". They read into Jesus' words out of their own minds, their pre-conceived notion of what was coming in the future.

To this, it is clearly stated " 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?" This was in spoken language, but I believe we have a warning to do the same with the written language of God -

"And these things, brethren, I have in a figure transferred to myself and to Apollos for your sakes; that ye might learn in us not to think of men above that which is written, that no one of you be puffed up for one against another." (1Cor 4:6, KJV)
or
"I have applied all this to myself and Apol′los for your benefit, brethren, that you may learn by us not to go beyond what is written, that none of you may be puffed up in favor of one against another." (1Cor 4:6, RSV)

In the context of this passage we can see what has happened in our day. The explosion of all the various groups claiming to be the true New Testament church. That cannot be on the major doctrines of the orthodox Christian faith, if we are abiding by this warning of Paul.

WalterandDebbie · Sep 16, 2023

Arthur81 said:
On this, there are a couple of points that strike a chord with me. It seems that in v22 when Jesus replies to Peter "what is that to thee", he is telling him it is none of his business. Before that reprimand, Jesus says 'If I will that he tarry till I come..." which speaks to the future from when he is speaking, to when He comes.

The second point I notice is, the brethren jump to the conclusion "that that disciple should not die". They read into Jesus' words out of their own minds, their pre-conceived notion of what was coming in the future.

To this, it is clearly stated " 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?" This was in spoken language, but I believe we have a warning to do the same with the written language of God -

"And these things, brethren, I have in a figure transferred to myself and to Apollos for your sakes; that ye might learn in us not to think of men above that which is written, that no one of you be puffed up for one against another." (1Cor 4:6, KJV)
or
"I have applied all this to myself and Apol′los for your benefit, brethren, that you may learn by us not to go beyond what is written, that none of you may be puffed up in favor of one against another." (1Cor 4:6, RSV)

In the context of this passage we can see what has happened in our day. The explosion of all the various groups claiming to be the true New Testament church. That cannot be on the major doctrines of the orthodox Christian faith, if we are abiding by this warning of Paul.

Hello Arthur, here are some other views:

John 21:22

Translations

King James Version (KJV)

Jesus said to him, If I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to you? follow you me.

American King James Version (AKJV)

Jesus said to him, If I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to you? follow you me.

American Standard Version (ASV)

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

Basic English Translation (BBE)

Jesus said to him, If it is my desire for him to be here till I come back, what is that to you? come yourself after me.

Webster's Revision

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

World English Bible

Jesus said to him, "If I desire that he stay until I come, what is that to you? You follow me."

English Revised Version (ERV)

Jesus saith unto him, If I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to thee? follow thou me.

Bible > John > John 21 > John 21:22

Clarke's John 21:22 Bible Commentary

If I will that he tarry till I come - There are several opinions concerning this: the following are the principal.

1. Some have concluded from these words that John should never die. Many eminent men, ancients and moderns, have been and are of this opinion.

2. Others thought that our Lord intimated that John should live till Christ came to judge and destroy Jerusalem. On this opinion it is observed that Peter, who was the oldest of the apostles, died in the year 67, which, says Calmet, was six years before the destruction of Jerusalem; and that John survived the ruin of that city about thirty years, he being the only one of the twelve who was alive when the above desolation took place.

3. St. Augustin, Bede, and others, understood the passage thus: If I will that he remain till I come and take him away by a natural death, what is that to thee? follow thou me to thy crucifixion. On this it may be observed, that all antiquity agrees that John, if he did die, was the only disciple who was taken away by a natural death.

4. Others imagine that our Lord was only now taking Peter aside to speak something to him in private, and that Peter, seeing John following, wished to know whether he should come along with them; and that our Lord's answer stated that John should remain in that place till Christ and Peter returned to him; and to this meaning of the passage many eminent critics incline. For neatly eighteen hundred years, the greatest men in the world have been puzzled with this passage. It mould appear intolerable in me to attempt to decide, where so many eminent doctors have disagreed, and do still disagree. I rather lean to the fourth opinion. See the conclusion of the Preface to this Gospel.

Barnes's John 21:22 Bible Commentary

That he tarry - That he live. The same word is used to express life in Philippians 1:24-25; 1 Corinthians 15:6.

Till I come - Some have supposed this to refer to the destruction of Jerusalem; others to the day of judgment; others to signify that he would not die a violent death; but the plain meaning is, "If I will that he should not die at all, it is nothing to thee." In this way the apostles evidently understood it, and hence raised a report that he would not die. It is remarkable that John was the last of the apostles; that he lived to nearly the close of the first century, and then died a peaceful death at Ephesus, being the only one, as is supposed, of the apostles who did not suffer martyrdom. The testimony of antiquity is clear on this point; and though there have been many idle conjectures about this passage and about the fate of John, yet no fact of history is better attested than that John died and was buried at Ephesus.

What is that to thee? - From this passage we learn:

1. that our main business is to follow the Lord Jesus Christ.

2. that there are many subjects of religion on which a vain and impertinent curiosity is exercised. All such curiosity Jesus here reproves.

3. that Jesus will take care of all his true disciples, and that we should not be unduly solicitous about them.

4. that we should go forward to whatever he calls us to persecution or death - not envying the lot of any other man, and anxious only to do the will of God.

Wesley's John 21:22 Bible Commentary

21:22 If I will that he tarry - Without dying, till I come - To judgment.Certainly he did tarry, till Christ came to destroy Jerusalem.And who can tell, when or how he died? What is that to thee? - Who art to follow me long before.

Love, Walter

JunChosen · Nov 8, 2023