NIV Life Application Study Bible, Third Edition - Flipbook - Page 75
page 1851
21:15
pLk 12:32
21:16
qMt 2:6; Ac 20:28;
1Pe 5:2,3
21:17
rJn 13:38
sJn 16:30
tver 16
21:19
12:33; 18:32
1:14
uJn
v2Pe
21:20
wver 7; Jn 13:23
xJn 13:25
21:22
yMt 16:27; 1Co 4:5;
Rev 2:25
zver 19
21:23
1:16
aAc
21:24
bJn 15:27
cJn 19:35
21:25
20:30
dJn
•
J ohn 2 1 : 2 5
Jesus said, “Feed my lambs.” p
16 Again Jesus said, “Simon son of John, do you love me?”
He answered, “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.”
Jesus said, “Take care of my sheep.” q
17 The third time he said to him, “Simon son of John, do you love me?”
Peter was hurt because Jesus asked him the third time, “Do you love me?” r He said,
“Lord, you know all things; s you know that I love you.”
Jesus said, “Feed my s heep. t 18Very truly I tell you, when you were younger you d
ressed
yourself and went where you wanted; but when you are old you will stretch out your
hands, and someone else will dress you and lead you where you do not want to go.”
19 Jesus said this to indicate the kind of death u by which Peter would glorify God. v Then
he said to him, “Follow me!”
20 Peter turned and saw that the disciple whom J
esus l oved w was following them. (This
was the one who had leaned back against Jesus at the supper and had said, “Lord, who
is going to betray you?”) x 21When Peter saw him, he asked, “Lord, what about him?”
22 Jesus answered, “If I want him to remain alive until I return, y what is that to you?
You must follow me.” z 23Because of this, the rumor s pread a
mong the believers a that
this disciple would not die. But Jesus did not say that he would not die; he only said, “If
I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you?”
24 This is the disciple who testifies to t hese things b and who wrote them down. We
know that his testimony is true. c
25 Jesus did many other things as well. d If every one of them were written down, I sup
pose that even the whole world would not have room for the books that would be written.
c hanged—he was forgiven, and he finally understood the significance
of Jesus’ words about his death and resurrection.
21:15-17 Jesus asked Peter three times if he loved him. The first
time, Jesus said, “Do you love [Greek agape: volitional, self-sacrificial
love] me more than these?” The second time, Jesus focused on Peter
alone and still used the word translated into Greek as agape. The third
time, Jesus used the word translated into Greek as phileo (signifying
affection, affinity, or brotherly love) and asked, in effect, “Are you even
my friend?” Each time Peter responded with the word translated into
Greek as phileo. Jesus doesn’t settle for quick, superficial answers. He
has a way of getting to the heart of the matter. Peter had to face his
true feelings and motives when Jesus confronted him. How would you
respond if Jesus asked you, “Do you love me? Do you really love me?
Are you even my friend?”
21:18-19 Jesus predicted Peter’s death by crucifixion. Tradition indicates
that Peter was crucified for his faith—upside down because he did not
feel worthy of dying as his Lord did. Despite what Peter’s future held,
Jesus told Peter to follow him. We may be uncertain and fearful about the
future. But if we know God is in control, we can confidently follow Jesus.
21:21-22 Peter asked Jesus how John would die. Jesus replied that
Peter should not concern himself with that. We tend to compare our lives
to the lives of others, whether to rationalize our own level of devotion
to Christ or to question God’s justice. Jesus responds to us as he did to
Peter: “What is that to you? You must follow me.”
21:23 Early church history reports that after John spent several years
as an exile on the island of Patmos, he returned to Ephesus, where he
died as an old man near the end of the first century.
21:25 John’s stated purpose for writing his Gospel was to show that
Jesus was the Son of God (20:31). He clearly and systematically presented
the evidence for Jesus’ claims. When evidence is presented in the courtroom, those who hear it must make a choice. Likewise, those who read
the Gospel of John must also make a c hoice—is Jesus the Son of God
or isn’t he? You are the jury. The evidence has been clearly presented.
You must decide. Read John’s Gospel and believe!