John 21:19-24
19 This He spoke, signifying by what death he would glorify God. And when He had spoken this, He said to him, “Follow Me.”
20 Then Peter, turning around, saw the disciple whom Jesus loved following, who also had leaned on His breast at the supper, and said, “Lord, who is the one who betrays You?” 21 Peter, seeing him, said to Jesus, “But Lord, what about this man?”
22 Jesus said to him, “If I will that he remain till I come, what is that to you? You follow Me.”
23 Then this saying went out among the brethren that this disciple would not die. Yet Jesus did not say to him that he would not die, but, “If I will that he remain till I come, what is that to you?”
24 This is the disciple who testifies of these things, and wrote these things; and we know that his testimony is true.
Today we commemorate St. John the evangelist. He writes his Gospel account of Christ much later (c AD 90) than the other Gospels were written (Mt c AD 50, Mk c AD 50-60, Lk c AD 55-60). Writing between 30 and 40 years later, John is able to focus on events and sayings of Jesus that are not contained in the other Gospels. With Paul Harvey, one might say that John’s Gospel is “the rest of the story.” For example, John spends four whole chapters (13-16) telling us what Jesus told His disciples in the upper room but leaves out the institution of the Lord’s supper. Why? Most likely because it was already covered in the other three Gospel accounts.
One other thing that John seems keen on, in our text today, is dispelling the rumor that John would never die. “22 Jesus said to him [Peter], ‘If I will that he [John] remain till I come, what is that to you? You follow Me.’ 23 Then this saying went out among the brethren that this disciple [John] would not die. Yet Jesus did not say to him that he would not die, but, ‘If I will that he remain till I come, what is that to you?’”
Now, of course, Jesus can do whatever He wants—“for nothing will be impossible with God.” However, we base our hopes and expectations on the clear Word of God. Since we have no clear Word from God that John would live forever, but we actually have this clarification in our text, we do not “believe, teach, and confess” that John is still physically alive, walking this earth. Would it surprise you to know that there are actually people who believe he is? Probably not. Would it surprise you that 7% of all adult Americans actually believe that chocolate milk comes from brown cows? It’s true; just Google it.
What a blessing then for us, that we are not left to our own ignorance or gullibility, but given a sure and certain Word from God, as inspired by the Holy Spirit, and recorded for us by God’s servants like St. John.
Let us pray: Almighty God, grant that the new birth of your only Son in the flesh may set us free from our old slavery under sin; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
