Peter turned and saw the disciple following whom Jesus loved, the one who had also reclined upon his chest during the supper and had said, “Master, who is the one who will betray you?” 21 When Peter saw him, he said to Jesus, “Lord, what about him?” 22 Jesus said to him, “What if I want him to remain until I come? What concern is it of yours? You follow me.” 23 So the word spread among the brothers that that disciple would not die. But Jesus had not told him that he would not die, just “What if I want him to remain until I come? [What concern is it of yours?]”
24 It is this disciple who testifies to these things and has written them, and we know that his testimony is true. 25 There are also many other things that Jesus did, but if these were to be described individually, I do not think the whole world would contain the books that would be written.
Peter has just heard Jesus speak of the path that lies before him. His love for Christ will be shown by faithful care for Christ’s people, and his following of Jesus will eventually lead to his death (vv. 15-19). As Peter turns, he sees the disciple “whom Jesus loved,” the same disciple who had been close to Jesus at the Last Supper and had asked about the betrayer (v. 20; Jn. 13:23-25).
Peter asks, “Lord, what about him?” (v. 21). The question is natural. Peter has heard about his own future, and now he wonders about the future of the other disciple. Jesus answers by turning Peter back to his own calling: “You follow me” (v. 22). The future of the beloved disciple belongs to Jesus’ will. Peter’s task is to follow the Lord faithfully along the path given to him.
The same truth applies to every disciple. Christ calls each person to follow Him, but He does not give every person the same path. Peter is called to shepherd and to suffer. The beloved disciple is closely associated with witness, memory, and the written testimony of the Gospel. Both belong to Christ. Both serve His people. Each receives his mission from the Lord.
The phrase “until I come” refers to Christ’s return in glory (v. 22). Some early believers misunderstood Jesus’ words and thought the beloved disciple would remain alive until that day. The Gospel corrects the rumor by repeating Jesus’ actual words (v. 23). This mattered because the death of the apostolic generation could trouble some Christians who expected the Lord’s return very soon. A related concern appears in 2 Pt. 3:4, where scoffers ask, “Where is the promise of his coming?”
The correction protects the faithful from building their hope on a misunderstanding. Christian faith rests on Christ’s word, received truthfully and handed on faithfully. Jesus had placed the beloved disciple’s future within His own will: “What if I want him to remain until I come?” (v. 22). That was enough. The disciple’s life and death remained in the hands of the risen Lord.
The Gospel then turns from the destiny of the beloved disciple to his testimony. “It is this disciple who testifies to these things and has written them” (v. 24). The wording allows for the Gospel to rest on the beloved disciple’s testimony, even if others helped preserve, shape, or transmit that witness in written form. He saw, remembered, and testified to what Jesus did and taught. The community that received this testimony could say, “we know that his testimony is true” (v. 24). This echoes the earlier witness at the cross: “His testimony is true” (Jn. 19:35).
The beloved disciple’s witness joins the events of Jesus’ earthly life to later believers who read the Gospel. Those who did not see Jesus in the flesh are still given trustworthy testimony. This is why John earlier says that the signs of Jesus were written “that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that through this belief you may have life in his name” (Jn. 20:31).
The final verse reminds the reader that the written Gospel gives true witness, while the life and works of Christ are greater than any book can fully contain. Jesus did many other things, more than any book could fully contain (v. 25). The Gospel gives what we need for faith, while also pointing us beyond the written page to the living Lord Himself. The more a person comes to know Christ, the more he sees that there is always more to receive, more to understand, and more faithfully to follow.
Lord Jesus Christ, help us to follow the path You choose for us. Keep us from comparing our calling with another’s, and strengthen us to trust Your will, receive Your word faithfully, and bear true witness to You. Amen.
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Sources and References
- Aguilar Chiu, José Enrique, et al., eds. The Paulist Biblical Commentary. New York: Paulist Press, 2018, 1183-1184.
- Brown, Raymond E., Joseph A. Fitzmyer, and Roland E. Murphy, eds. The New Jerome Biblical Commentary. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall, 1990, 985, paras. 243-244.
- Collins, John J., Gina Hens-Piazza, Barbara Reid OP, and Donald Senior CP, eds. The Jerome Biblical Commentary for the Twenty-First Century. Third Fully Revised Edition, with a Foreword by Pope Francis, 1441-1442.
- Hahn, Scott, and Curtis Mitch. The Ignatius Catholic Study Bible: New Testament. San Francisco: Ignatius Press, 2010, 201.
- José María Casciaro, gen. ed. The Navarre Bible: New Testament, Expanded Edition. Dublin: Four Courts Press; New York: Scepter Publishers, 2008, 445-446.
- New American Bible, Revised Edition. John 21:20-25 and notes. Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, Inc.
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