Jesus was rough on peter's curiosity

JESUS WAS ROUGH ON PETER'S CURIOSITY
EDITED BY GLENN PEASE
John 21:22 Jesus answered, "If I want him to remain
until I return, what is that to you? You followMe!"
BIBLEHUB RESOURCES
Curiosity Rebuked
John 21:21, 22
J.R. Thomson
Peterand John were the two among the twelve who were nearestto Christ,
and they were peculiarly intimate in their friendship and congenialin their
disposition. It was very natural that, when the risen Jesus had uttered so
explicit a prediction concerning the future of the apostle - viz., that he should
live to old age, and then should glorify God by enduring a martyr's death by
crucifixion - a generaldesire should be arousedin the breasts of the disciples
to know something of the future history and the end of John. Especiallyit was
very natural that Petershould put to the Lord the question here recorded. Yet
Jesus not merely declined to comply with this request, he even rebuked the
questioner for his curiosity.
I. THE CAUSES OF CURIOSITY.
1. Of these one is good, viz. the natural desire to know, with which is
conjoinedthat sympathy that transfers to another the feelings of interestfirst

belonging to one's self. A person utterly indifferent to the prospects of his
neighbors would be regarded as morally imperfect and defective.
2. On the other hand, there is something of evil in the springs of curiosity,
inasmuch as this habit of mind arises very much from the tendency to remove
attention from principles, and attach it to persons. He who thinks only of
principles is pedantic, and his pedantry is blamed; but he who thinks only of
persons and of what happens to them is curious, and his disposition is
condemned as trivial and prying. Peter's questionwas evidently regardedby
our Lord in this latter light.
II. THE MISCHIEF OF CURIOSITY. In two respects this mental habit is
injurious.
1. There is a greatdanger of the curious man's attention being drawn away
from what relates to himself and his own true welfare.
2. There is a further danger lestthe curious man should yield to the
temptation to indulge in gossip, and even in scandal. It is not easyto speculate
much about the circumstances and prospects ofothers without talking about
their affairs, and surmising with regardto matters upon which we have no
means of exactknowledge.
III. TRUE REBUKE AND CURE OF CURIOSITY. The language ofthe Lord
Jesus was very emphatic and very just.
1. Let every man remember his ownpersonal responsibility. "Follow thou
me," saidJesus to Peter. We are not accountable forour neighbors, but we
are accountable forourselves.
2. Let every man remember that, the ease ofothers is in the hands of Divine
wisdom and beneficence. "IfI will that he tarry till I come, what is that to
thee?" saidJesus;i.e. fear not; he is cared for equally with thyself; a good
hand is over him, and he shall not be forsaken. There is often goodreasonfor
us to bear in mind the somewhatsharpbut very needful rebuke of Christ,
"What is that to thee?" - T.

Biblical Illustrator
Peterseeing John saith to Jesus, Lord, what shall this man do?
John 21:21-23
The individuality of Christian life
E. L. Hull, B. A.
Christ had just foretold to Peterthat he should in his old age die a martyr,
and with that before him, the apostle left the thought of his ownsuffering and
inquired respecting the destiny of John.
1. It is not easyto determine the spirit of the question. Some suppose that
Peterargued from Christ's silence that John's course would be free from
fierce trouble, and inquired with a kind of envious dissatisfaction. Notso.
Peter's generous nature would prompt him to forgethis own troubles in
devotion to his friend, and remembering the recentincident it is hard to infer
discontent here. Mostprobably the question sprang from earnestanxiety.
Having learned the glory of his Saviour's cross, he was concernedlestJohn

should lose the honour. It is easierfor such impetuous souls to trust their own
lot to God than their brother's.
2. It is not easyto explain the reply. Some have emptied the words of all their
meaning by referring them to the moment of death. But Christ would "come"
as truly to Peteras to John. Rather are the words to be referred to the coming
of Christ at the fall of Jerusalem, when His kingdom beganits world-wide
supremacy. And that day in Patmos John saw visions of Christ's future
dominion. Learn that —
I. GOD APPOINTS A COURSE OF LIFE FOR EACH INDIVIDUAL
CHRISTIAN. No words could mark the difference which was now to mark
the paths of those two men who had as yet followedChrist side by side.
1. Taking their characters we find the Divine meaning of their separate
courses. Peter, the man of impulse and energy — first everywhere — his
training was to be labour crownedwith suffering. Unless he worked, he would
fall into depression. John, calm, loving, profound — his discipline yeas patient
waiting — a course not less hard, but how different.
2. Look at their work. Eachwas wanted in Christ's kingdom. Peteris the
apostle to the doubter, the sufferer; the earnestpreacherof fidelity and
supporter of the distressed. Would not the prospectof his own suffering
deepen his sympathy and kindle his zeal? John's mission was to declare Christ
the EternalKing, the foundation of the new earth and the new heaven.
Therefore he waitedtill the Temple was destroyed and the Jews scattered;
then amid the ruins of the old he saw the unchanging One.
3. So eachof us has our appointed course, and both experience of life and faith
in providence teachit. Our sorrows, temptations, work, are peculiarly our
own. We are eachof us souls to be trained — the practicallike Peter, the
contemplative like John. To one God sends actionand often crowns it with
suffering; to another God says, "Waitand watch!" Let not the one despise the
other.
II. BY WHAT LAW IS THAT COURSE FULFILLED? The answeris,
"Follow thou Me." Like Him, obey whenever God's will is clearand be

patient when it is dark. There are circumstances to which no other law
applies, under which no experiences ofother men can help us. Do the duty
that is nearestyou, and challenge results:"Although another shall gird thee,
&c., follow thou Me."
III. THE STRENGTHTHAT WILL HELD US TO FULFIL OUR COURSE.
"If I will." It is the will of Christ which gives us power, for it implies
knowledge and sympathy. Our deepestnature is only won by individual
sympathy. There are depths of powerin every soul which are unknown until it
is made to feelthat someone understands its joys and cares for its sorrows.
Hence one greatpurpose of the Incarnation. Christ's life abounds with proofs
that His love was personal. He has chosenour path and that fact alone is a
mighty impulse to obedience. Conclusion:Herein lies the grandeur of Our
Christian life. We are in a world of mystery. We dare not choosefor ourselves.
The meresttrifles affectour destiny. But the thought that Christ has bidden
us follow Him, and that by His grace we cando so clothes us with power
sublime.
(E. L. Hull, B. A.)
Individual responsibility
Homiletic Monthly.
Eachone must answerfor himself. The accountis kept betweenGod and each
individual. There must be no impertinent curiosity as to God's dealings with
others — the heathen, children — those possessing few privileges. In a sense
we are not our brother's keeper. Godcommunicates direct, seldomby the way
of other souls. He did not convey His message to John through Peter. Christ
wished to hold Peter's mind to his own sin and responsibility. See that you
follow Me, whateverJohn or others do. Yet this he was to do in a way that did
not prevent his seeking the welfare of others. The thrice-repeatedcommand of
Christ was still ringing in his ears — "FeedMy sheep;" "FeedMy lambs."
Observe —
1. What this individual responsibility is.

2. The sin of neglecting it.
3. Our only escape if we have neglectedit in the past, immediate repentance
and acceptanceofthe proffered pardon.
(Homiletic Monthly.)
Personalresponsibility
CalebMorris.
It is goodto know the principles of Christianity, it is better to practise them.
One of these is that the conduct of ethers towards Christ ought not to govern
our own. Peterfelt a greatinterest in John, and was anxious to know what
department he was to occupy in the new kingdom. Petermeant no wrong:but
Christ said, What is that to thee? Thy work is to echo My doctrine, to tread in
My steps. By "If I will" Christ intimates that we are not to be or do what we
like, but what Christ wills. The doctrine is, that it is important to think more
about Christ Himself than about any fellow-agents in spreading His religion.
Because—
I. CHRIST HAS A PERSONALAND ESSENTIALPRE-EMINENCE.
1. He is what others are not and cannotbe. If we want to come in contactwith
the most agreeable truths, let us rise above the agitation of the Church in its
present state of imperfection, and fix our minds on the RedeemerHimself.
2. He is the RevealerofGod to man, and I look at Him to see all I need.
3. He has a peculiar relation to me — Brother, Teacher, Priest, King. My all
depends on Him. My fellow-man may be very valuable, but I can and must do
without him; but I cannotlive without Christ.
II. OUR ENGAGEMENTSTO CHRIST ARE INDEPENDENTOF OUR
FELLOW-BEINGS.Anything they may or may not do cannotaffectour
individual obligationto Him. We perceive this if we considerthat every one
has his own work. The Church has its work, and it cannot be done by schools
of philosophy; and eachmember has his, and if he neglects it he will be

rebuked in the presence ofthe universe. But, you say, my ability is small and
my sphere contracted. Nevermind; God has calledyou to that; be faithful in
the least, and He will make you ruler over many things. Does the scholaror
business man say, Because sucha man is indolent I may be? I can love many
of my fellow agents, but I would not stand before the love of God in the place
of any one. "Eachmust give an accountto God," and "bearhis own burden."
III. BY THINKING OF JESUS WE CAN MAINTAIN AN EMINENT
STANDARD OF MORAL ACTION. There is a tendency in individuals and
churches to imitate one another, but since none is perfect this may be
injurious. It is right and safe, however, to imitate the perfectRedeemer. Then
imitate —
1. His cordiality in religion. WhateverChrist did He did with all His heart.
2. His wonderful triumphs over obstacles.It would be useful to be acquainted
with Christ's methods with His enemies as well as His friends.
3. His devotion.
(Caleb Morris.)
Misplacedanxiety
W. M. Taylor, D. D.
Our MasterencouragedHis followers to come to Him with all their
difficulties. But He exerciseda Divine discretion in the answers whichHe
gave. Sometimes, as in the case ofthe blind man, He gave a direct reply, which
removed error. Sometime, as after the parables, He entered into the fullest
explanation. But when their questions sprang out of curiosity, He turned them
aside either with quiet reproofor practicaladmonition, as when they asked
Him, "Are there few that be saved?" and"Lord, wilt Thou at this time
restore the kingdom to Israel?" Beneathall this class ofanswers is the
principle that we should not allow the difficulty of questions, for the solution
of which we are not responsible, to keepus from doing the plain duty that is at
our hands. In my student days I had a friend who was pro-eminently

successfulin gaining prizes by written competition. In generalwork he did not
appear to be any better than his neighbours. I askedhim to explain this, and
he said, "You take the questions in the paper as they come; hence, if the first
question is a very hard one, you spend, perhaps, the whole time upon that; but
I pick out those that I can answerat once, and then having disposedof them, I
go on to the harder ones." There was greatwisdomin the plan, and in the
college oflife more of us would come out prizemen if we were to let
speculationalone until we have performed plain duties. Much more does this
hold of those things which are insoluble by mere human reason. Take —
I. THE MYSTERIES THAT LIE OUTSIDE OF REVELATION
ALTOGETHER. Many of those things in revelationwhich perplex men have
already emergedin another form in nature and providence. There is —
1. That greatenigma, the existence ofevil under the government of a wise,
holy, and loving God. Revelationdid not make that; it found it; and while it
shows us a way of escape fromevil, it does not attempt to solve the mystery of
its existence. Neithercan we solve it. But then we are not askedto do so, and
we are not responsible for it. How it came is not our affair; but how we may
rid ourselves ofits defilement, that is for us the question of questions. Just
there, however, the Lord Jesus comes with His salvation. What madness, then,
to turn awayfrom the remedy to find out the origin of the disease!When you
have extinguished the fire, inquire the cause;but while it is blazing, "All
hands to the fire-engines!" When we have rescuedthe drowning man, we may
examine how he came to be in the water;but our presentduty is to throw him
a rope.
2. Akin to that greatdifficulty is the perplexity occasionedby the anomalies
presentedby God's providence — the prosperity of the wickedand the
adversity of the good. That old debate which waxed so hot betweenJob and
his friends has emergedin every successive generation. Yetvirtually they left
it where they found it. Jehovahappearedto them at the close, asking them to
leave the matter in His hands. And what farther can we get than that? We are
not responsible for the government of the world. Godwill take care of His
own honour. Meanwhile for us there is the lowlier province of working out
our own salvation, under the assurance that "it is God who workethin us, to

will and to do of His goodpleasure." To us the Saviourhas said, "Follow Me,"
and for the answerwe give to that we shall be responsible. We cannot unravel
the perplexities of providence, but we can see the way of life. Let us work in
the light we have, and as we follow it we shall be led to the fountain of light.
3. Very dark many occurrences aroundus seemto be. The vesselgoes to
pieces, and hundreds are hurried to a watery grave;the little child is battered
to death by a brutal ruffian; the devout worshippers in a crowdedchurch are
burned or trampled to death. "These things happen," we say, "under a God
of mercy and love and justice! Why do they occur?" And then there comes the
answer, "Whatis that to thee?" In the long run God will be "His own
interpreter, and He will make it plain"; meanwhile follow Christ.
II. THE MYSTERIES WHICH SPRING OUT OF REVELATION.
1. To the superficialthinker it seems anomalous that in a communication from
God there shall be any difficulties. But when we go deeper it will appearthat
mystery is inseparable from a revelation given by a higher to a lower
intelligence. Your child asks you for an explanation of something, and you
give him an answersuited to his comprehension;but your reply, perfectly
intelligible from your stand-point, starts in his mind a whole crop of new
perplexities. Now something like that occurs in our reception of the revelation
which God has given us. The cry of our humanity was, "How shall man be
just with God?" and in reply Godhas pointed us to Him whom He "hath set
forth to be a propitiation," &c. This is a precious declaration;but how many
new difficulties it has started! It brings us face to face with the mysteries of
the Trinity, the Incarnation, the innocent suffering for the guilty, and so
working out their redemption, &c.; and many caught in the meshes of the
perplexities which they have occasionedare to-day where they were years ago.
They have not "followedChrist," they have not joined His Church, they have
not begun to grow in nobility and holiness of character, becausetheyhave not
been able to thread their way through the labyrinth in which such
questionings have involved them.
2. Now, how shall we deal with such? In the spirit of the principle before us.
These questionings are not in our department. They have reference to matters

which belong to God. We are not responsible for them. It may be that it is just
as impossible for Godto make them plain to us, as it is for us to render
something which is incomprehensible to our child intelligible to him. It is not
required of us to understand the infinite. Only God can comprehend God.
What we are commanded to do is to follow Christ. That is within our power.
There is but one way out of a labyrinth, when we have become hopelessly
involved, and that is to put our hand in that of a guide, and follow his leading.
And there is only one way out of these spiritual perplexities, viz., taking all
that Christ says in childlike faith.
III. THE CONTINGENCIESOF THE FUTURE. We are all prone to pry into
the years to come. Sometimes we are solicitous aboutourselves. We cannot see
what is to become of us; and if we have no cause for apprehension, we torment
ourselves about our children, or our friends, or the Church, or the nation.
Now to all our misgivings we have but one answer. The future is not ours. The
present is. We are responsible for the present and not for the future, except
only as it shall be affectedby the present. Nay, we shall best serve the future,
and secure it from those evils which we fear, by doing with our might the
work of the present, and leaving the issue with God. "Follow Christ." In your
business "follow Christ," by conducting it on His maxims, and leave the result
with Him. In your household "follow Christ," by setting before them an
example of faith and charity. In the Church let your endeavourbe to adorn
the doctrine of God your Saviour, and do not distress yourselves about things
that have not yet occurred. The Philistines will not carry off God's ark, or if
they do, they will soonbe made as eagerto send it back as they were to take it
away. So with national affairs.
(W. M. Taylor, D. D.)
Our own duty and our brethren's welfare
W. A. Gray.
1. This is the last recordeddialogue betweenPeter and Christ, and it has
therefore a touching interest. How many and how varied these dialogues had

been! Had we no other fragments of Christ's life, we would still have a
tolerably full indication both of Christian doctrine and duty. And now the
interviews were to cease. Couldthere be a more fitting and consistentclose to
the whole? "Follow Me,"Christsaid three years before by the lakeside, and
now at the self-same spotHe reminds him that the omega ofhis life is the
same as its alpha, even the duty of personal discipleship, the word "Follow
me."
2. Peter's questionabout John is a common one, and the answerChrist gave is
fitting and final. There is nothing in it to discourage feeling for a brother's
welfare. Yet mark, it may be one thing to say, "Whatshall I do for this man?"
and another to ask, "Whatshall this man do?" Take the question as that of —
I. LOVING BUT OVER-ANXIOUS SOLICITUDE.
1. Perhaps, as in this case,the relation is that of friendship. You stand with a
neighbour at the outset of life. Your own track is laid down, be it attractive or
difficult. And no soonerhave you facedthe disclosure than your thoughts
revert to your friend, and the question starts up, "How shall life shape itself
for him?" You may fear for that future, or you may envy it. But if your
forecastofyour friend be such as to affect your own present, deranging its
plans or obscuring its claims, it is plain that you ask amiss. It is met with the
rebuke, "What is that unto thee? Follow thou Me."
2. Or the tie may be the closerone of family. What shall that future yield for
them? Some may be sick;shall it bring them health and long life? Some may
be thoughtless and easilyled; shall it give them wisdom and stability? Once
more comes the message, "Leave their future in My hands; and for your own
part, follow Me!"
3. Or, again, this question is askedby those who are burdened with the state
and the prospects of the Church. And no doubt an interest in the Church is
the tokenof a thriving Christian life. But there is a morbid apprehensiveness
which is totally different, unbefitting belief in the Church's destiny and loyalty
to its head. Mostcertainly these forebodings are amiss, if they are permitted
to interfere with attention to the Church's claims, and lead to the toleration of
a present evil on the score that a worse evil may follow its removal. Christ

answers, Leave the future of the Church with Another, and do thou follow
Me. And surely, if eachtook the lessonhome, the problem of the Church's
future would soonsolve itself. Forthe Church will be just what its members
are.
4. The question involves indirectly a care for oneself. It really meant much to
Peterwhat was to become of his partner. If John was about to depart, his
heart would be emptier, his life weaker, his path lonelier. And just so still.
John's track in due time did diverge. But Peter found a better and a stronger
by his side than his own loved John — even the Shepherd and the Bishop of
his soul. The future hides many paths to-day, but whateverthe paths, the
guidance and example are the same.
II. VAIN SPECULATION, which may sometimes be stirred by affectionto a
person, but often is curiosity towards facts. There are those whose present
state and future prospects, religiouslyspeaking, are matters of curious and
perplexing interest. They have so much of the practicalreligious spirit, while,
in point of saving religious doctrine, they diverge. May there not be fruitless
and unwarranted guessing here. One dare not lay down the amount of light
needed to make them Christians, and one cannot decide what light they
possess. "Whatis that," says the Saviour, "unto thee? You who have attained
to a clearerperception, are you acting up to it? You who have listened to a
richer gospel, are you communicating and adorning it?" Pray for those of
whose destiny you are doubtful; enlighten them as God gives you opportunity;
above all, make it plain that the more tenacious your hold is on doctrine, the
richer is your outcome in practice.
III. SELFISH DISCONTENT. Your own postin life seems a hard one; and, as
you brood on its burdens, you compare yourselves with others with whom
God has dealt otherwise. "Lord," is the question, "whatshall this man do? Is
he always to succeedwhile I must fail? If so, 'verily I have cleansedmy heart
in vain, and washedmy hands in innocency, for how cloth God know, and is
there knowledge in the MostHigh?'" The only answeris, "If I will that it be
so, what is that unto thee? Trust the God of the earth to do right. Follow thou
Me!"

IV. INTENDED CONFORMITY. Whatmany are keenestto settle is the mode
of their neighbour's service, the extent of his sacrifices, notthe question,
"What do my ownopportunities make possible, my ownindebtedness impose,
my Masterrequire?" But if the question, "What shall this man do?" is to
intrude on the sphere of our Christian principles, then farewellto the spirit of
true consecration. ForHe who presides in the Church, by whose will your
responsibilities are imposed, at whose bar your accountmust be rendered, is
saying, "What is that unto thee?" and what really is it? Art thou scanning thy
neighbour's conduct, waiting thy neighbour's lead? Nay, judge apart m these
matters, as apart thou shalt yet be judged. Be true to the light of thine
individual conscience andthine individual commands. Follow thou Christ.
Conclusion:
1. In matters of religious life — all the duties that pertain to discipleship —
one's own things come first. And to give them anything else than the first
place is to become practicalidolaters by the preference of a neighbour's claim
to God's.
2. This order is the bestone for the interests of your neighbour himself. It is
just this care for your personalsalvationand duty that will further his
prosperity, affording him the stimulus and allowing him the freedom he may
happen to require. Forthe building of the city of God is like the building of
Jerusalemin Nehemiah's time. They who wrought wrought eachat the
portion of the wallthat was opposite himself, and the issue was the steady
growth of the whole. And had any slackenedhis efforts to ask whathis
neighbour was doing, he might have been answeredin the spirit of the text:
"What is that unto thee? See that thine own task is done!" Or the Church is
like a battalion of soldiers, as they swarm a height, while the voice of their
captain is calling them and his figure is leading the way. One may ascendby
one path, another may ascendby another. Only let all hear the same ringing
summons, and push steadily toward the same goal. And as all do the best for
themselves, they will do the best for the troop, the successofits enterprise, the
glory of its leader. Say not, therefore, "Lord, what shall this man do?" From
the far heights above floats the answerof our Forerunner and King, "What is
that unto thee? Follow thou Me."

(W. A. Gray.)
Not to suffer a busybody
G. J. Brown, M. A.
It is noteworthy that the apostle so reproved here should afterwards write for
the instruction of the Church that excellent sentence, "Letnone of you
suffer... as a busybody in other men's matters."
(G. J. Brown, M. A.)
The proper attitude towards Divine mysteries
C. H. Spurgeon.
"Well," says one, "it is very important to know about predestinationand free
will, you know." Yes, yes, and if you do not do anything goodtill you perfectly
understand that, you have plenty of time to wait. "Yes, but how do those two
things meet? Or is one true and not the other?" Well, I really do not know,
and cannottell you for the life of me whether I am predestinatedto go to bed
to-night or not; but I will tell you to-morrow morning. I am of the mind of
poor Malachidown in Cornwall. A Wesleyanbrother owedhim some rent,
and he said, "Malachi, I owe you five pounds, but I shall not pay you till you
tell me if I am predestinatedto pay it." "Oh," said Malachi, "put the money
down there." With that Malachiput it in his pocket, and replied, "Yes, you
are." I believe that the wayto answerthese questions is just to bring them to
some practicaltest or other. But if any brother dwell upon that which angels
cannot fathom, I say to him — in the words of my text I sayto him — "What
is that to thee? Follow thou Me."
(C. H. Spurgeon.)
Curiosity and neglectof knowledge

W. Burkitt.
There are two great varieties in men with reference to knowledge.The one is a
neglectto know what it is our duty to know. The other is a curiosity to know
what it doth not belong to us to know.
(W. Burkitt.)
An Old Testamentparallel
Bp. Ryle.
I cannot help seeing a latent resemblance betweenthis place and the well-
known passageatthe end of Daniel's prophecy. "Then said I, O my Lord,
what shall be the end of these things? And He said, Go thy way, Daniel: for
the words are closedup and sealed till the time of the end." — "Go thou thy
way till the end be: for thou shalt rest, and stand in thy lot at the end of the
days." (Daniel 12:8, 9, 13).
(Bp. Ryle.)
Following Christ
C. H. Spurgeon.
1. Our children sometimes sing that they wish that they had seenJesus and
heard His gentle voice; and perhaps you and I have said "Amen!" But it
appears that the words of Jesus were not very impressive upon Peter. He had
said to him, "Follow Me,"and one would have thought Peterwould have done
nothing else;for there was a day in which his Masterhad to sayto him, "Thou
canstnot follow Me now, but thou shalt do so hereafter." But now we find
Peterforgetting the following, and turning round to indulge his curiosity. Do
not wonderthat our people forgetwhat we say, for even when Christ is the
sowerall the seeddoes not fall on goodsoil, and all goodsoil does not receive
the seed.

2. How easilypeople are diverted from the best of things. Peterat once began
to follow Christ; but he turned his head and caught a sight of John, and he
beganto ask questions. Our people do not attend when we preach as they
should. We are telling them a story which ought to hold them spellbound, and
yet some one faints in the gallery, and everybody looks round, and it takes a
long time to get them back again. Now, we must not be vexed, for it was so
even with the Saviour.
3. Since people are takenoff from serious thought by little things, do not you
be the cause oflittle things. Among the rest, never come in late and make
people turn round to see who is coming up the aisle.
4. Whateverdistractions there may be in worship, nothing must be allowedto
draw us off from duty. John was a greatfriend of Peter's, and it was most
natural that Petershould want to know what was to become of his friend. But
no love of friends may ever come in the way to prevent our doing what Christ
bids us.
I. THE MAIN BUSINESS OF OUR LIFE IS TO FOLLOW JESUS. We must
follow Christ —
1. By seeking from Him salvation. If you depart from Christ that is
destruction. I hear it saidthat to tell men to be earnestabout their own
salvationis practically to make them selfish;but if I had to save a man from
drowning, I should be selfish enoughto learn to swim. If I had to be a soldier,
I should be selfishenough to wish to be strong, that I might fight the battle
well. I was present once at a streetaccident, and I fetched the doctor, and I
noticed how very quietly and coollyhe came. I was running and out of breath,
I wanted to quicken his pace, but he said to me, "Why, if I put myself in a
bluster, as you have done, I could not do any goodat all." Was that
selfishness?
2. That done, the next thing is the fashioning of the characteraccording to the
mode of Christ. There is no following Christ except by endeavouring to be like
Him. Christ, though absolutelyperfect, is an imitable character. You could
not tell me what specialphase of characterChrist has. He is so goodall round.
It is all there, and nothing too much and nothing too little. Lives of Christ —

they are in the market everywhere. Write one yourselves in your ownlife. The
Church ought to be like those rooms where the whole of the walls are lined
with looking-glass.Standin the centre, and you see yourselfthere, there,
there, there. Christ is the centre, and all the saints so many looking-glasses,
showing Him from different points of view. Eachwill be different, yet all will
be the same, and Christ will be glorified. I saw a little motto hung up in our
infant school-room, "Whatwould Jesus do?" Now, in every case, whatever
Jesus would do in that case is what you and I should do.
3. Then the man saved and endeavouring to be conformedto Christ, must
follow in His life service. We are committed to the Lord. You do not belong to
yourselves, not a hair of your head. There is not one minute of your time that
you have a right to call your own. A person of New York when baptised
turned all the money he had into a certain form of scrip and had it all in his
pocket, for he wanted to dedicate the whole of his substance, as wellas
himself. I never receive a member without asking him, "What are you going
to do for the Saviour?" If he says he cannot do anything, I say, "Here is one
who belongs to Christ, and Christ cannot make anything of him. He is dead
stock." So the man begins to think, and, as a result, he finds there is
something or other that he ought to do. WhereverCook, the circumnavigator,
landed he was seento take little packets out of his pockets, throwing them out
of his hand and circulating them. He belted the whole world with English
flowers. Thatis how we ought to do — get some of the precious seedinto your
own soul, and carry it with you whereveryou go. Have it with you on the trip
to the seaside,for in this you will be following Christ, who "wentabout doing
good."
4. We are to follow Christ by exhibiting an intense love to Him. This is the
way to show that love — attentively listening to everything He has to say.
5. We must do all this —(1) Unreservedly. But some people have gotone little
reserve — some favourite sin, or thing.(2) Constantly — not sometimes. The
enlistment in the army of Christ is not for a time long or short. You are called
to eternal life. Not to the kind of life which, having lived six months or years,
you then go on furlough to serve yourself. I heard of one who said that he did
such and such a thing when he was off duty. Aye, a policeman may be off

duty; but never a Christian.(3) Heartily. I hate the miserable wayin which
some people serve Jesus. I illustrate it sometimes by the mumbler at the
prayer-meeting. I calledat his shop and heard him say, in loud tones, "John,
bring up that half hundred." I thought, "This is the man I cannot hear when
he prays." I stepped into a shop the other day, and I noticed the ledger. Oh
my! what a ledger! I thought of my own little pocketBible. Dear me, when the
ledgergets on the top of that, what a crush it is.
6. We must follow Christ in the vocationto which He has calledus. Some
think that if they follow Christ they must give up the shop. No — follow Him
there. Another says, "I shall go to a nunnery, and I shall follow Christ there."
You are better at hems with your children. Another thinks that to follow
Christ he must give up his employment and become a city missionary. It is a
greatpity to spoil a goodcarpenter to make a bad preacher. When Christ
rode the ass through Jerusalem, the ass did its best to carry Him, and it
succeeded. It did not take to flying. No, it was not such an ass as that.
II. TO EFFECTTHIS WE MUST AVOID ALL DISTRACTION, AND IF
WE ARE GOING TO FOLLOW CHRIST, WE MUST GO IN FOR IT. A
child was askedby a Sunday-schoolteacher, "Is your father a Christian?"
The girl said, "Yes, but he has not workedmuch at it lately." Often the reason
is because they have turned aside to do something else. Then —
1. Do not let distractions come in the form of reflections upon others. Peter
wants to know about John.(1) He might have said, "Perhaps John is going to
have a much easierpost than I am." In working for Christ have you ever said,
"Ah, ah, it is fine to be him. I wish I had his place;I could do something
there." "What is that to thee? Follow thou Me." Art thou the poorerbecause
he is the richer? Leave the Lord as He pleases to dealwith John, and let John
escape the edge of the sword, even if thou go to the cross.(2)Butsome will say,
as Petermight have said, though he did not, "Now look at that John. He is all
contemplation," "I cannot bear those mystics. They are no use." Martha says
of Mary, "Bid her come and help me." Oh, these Marys, what is to become of
them, always sitting there at Jesus'feet? Now, Martha, what is that to thee —
follow thou Me. What if one brother serve God one way and one in another?
You follow Christ, and let him follow Him in his ownway.(3) I heard say of a

certain goodsister, who does a good dealof work for Christ, by one who never
did anything to my knowledge,"She is such a crotchetty woman." Yes, and I
never met with anybody who did nothing that was not crotchetty. And if some
of the crochets iv God's people were takenawayit would take awayfrom
them their power. God has fashionedthem for His use. Now, the next time you
see a friend who is not made quite so perfect as yourself, do you hear the
Mastersay, "What is that to thee? Follow thou Me."(4)"Well," says one,
"but I know a man that I am sure is very much overvalued." So do I, but what
is that to thee? If the Lord is pleasedto use him, pray Godto use thee too.(5)
"Still," says one, "we must correctthe mistakes ofsome Christians." By all
means; and wheneveryou see a crookedstick in the Lord's bundle, tell it it is
crookedby being perfectly straight yourself. Get close alongside in loving
fellowship, and the thing is done directly. I pray that you and I may not be so
occupiedwith washing everybody else's doorstepthat we may allow filth to
accumulate in front of our own house.
2. Do not let us occupy our own minds about deep theologicalproblems.(1)
Some friends cannot save souls, becausethey do not know the origin of evil.
When a thief comes into your house at night, do not ring the bell for the
policeman — let him do exactlywhat he likes till you find out where he came
in. And if you are a drowning man, and the life-buoy is thrown to you, do not
touch it till you know who made it, and what it is made of.(2) "Well," says
one, "it is very important to know about predestination and free will." Yes,
and if you do not do anything goodtill you understand that, you have plenty
of time to wait. Let your servant-maid refuse to-morrow to get up to prepare
your meals, and say, "My dear sir, I cannot do it, for I cannot make out the
doctrine of election." You would say, "Mary, I never engagedyou for
that."(3) And do not let prophecy lead you astray. There are some who make
the coming of Christ an excuse for spending their time in speculationrather
than in holy active service for Christ. I dropped in upon a member of my
church some time ago, and I saw her upon the steps scrubbing the doorstep.
She blushed all manner of colours, and said, "Sir, if I had known you were
coming you would not have found me like this." I said, "But if my Lord was
coming to-morrow that is just how I should like Him to find me, at my work."
Follow thou me, whateveryou have to do tomorrow.(4)There are certain

terrible facts which I pray you never unduly to considerso as to be taken off
from the service ofChrist — e.g., the condition of lost spirits, of the world and
of the Church — and what is to become of it. Now look, if you are in a storm,
and are set to pull a rope, if you begin to take the whole state and condition of
the ship into consideration, all about the crew, the cargo, the compass, the
currents, the winds, and do not pull your rope, I tell you, you would do better
to know nothing about these things, and to go to your work. And I believe
some of God's servants need to be talked to about this. You getfretting about
the times being so bad. Well, you get and make them better. You were never
meant to do everything, and God never constructedyou to clean the world up.
It went on pretty well before you were born, and it is just possible that it may
after you are dead.(5) And sometimes the way of the Christian is so narrow, so
dark, that his only safetylies in the clutching the hand of his greatleader, as
with trembling he says, "Master, the abyss, the darkness, the horror of the
way!" He says, "Whatis that to thee? Follow thou Me."(6)Oh God, says a
poor soul, my own child, I am afraid he will be lost." The Saviour says in
reply, "Follow thou Me." Try to win him, bus look not at the dire possibilities,
so as to have thy mouth shut and thy tongue silent within thee.(7)"We ought
all to weepfor Jerusalem," sayyou. Yes, but even Christ that did it did not do
it every day.
3. Do not let us distract ourselves from our work with anything out of the line
of practicalreligion. You remember Carey's words about Eustace, his son.
"PoorEustace has drivelled into an ambassador." Wheneverybody else
thought it high promotion, he thought it degradationfor him to turn aside
from the one work of the ministry. Now, you who love the Lord, are all called
to some form of ministry, Stick to it. Betterbe poor and serve Christ than to
grow rich and give it up.
III. THE REASONS FOR THIS CONCENTRATION OF OUR LIFE. We are
to do one thing and not twenty things.
1. We have not any too much power, and if we do not use what we have for the
one thing we shall waste strength. When the miller has got only a certain
stream let him pour that all over one wheeland he will grind. But let him not

divert his waterinto many meandering streams, or else he will certainly waste
his power.
2. It is only by taking one object that you can ever become eminent in it.
3. We have not much time in which to do the little we are going to do; let us
pack it tight, getall into it that we can. Dr. Chalmers one night spent a very
happy evening with some friends. Among the rest a Gallic chieftain was
present, who was much amused with Chalmers' anecdotes andstories. They
went to bed, and in the middle of the night the chieftain was suddenly takenill
and died; and Chalmers, writing of it afterwards, says, "How differently they
would have talked if they had been aware ofwhat was about to happpen." Let
us live as though we knew that we might this evening finish our life.
(C. H. Spurgeon.)
Then went this saying
The tradition of St. John's immortality
DeanStanley.
The earliestrecordedtradition respecting St. John had apparently sprung up,
not like most of them after the Apostle's death, but during his lifetime, and
professedto be founded on an express prediction of our Lord that "St. John
should never die." In this case itwas possible to confront the traditionary
statementwith the historical, and this chapterwas added to the Gospel,
apparently, to state the true fact that "Jesus saidnot unto him," &c. Whether
a misunderstanding of our Lord's words was the sole origin of the tradition
may be questioned; it is, perhaps, most likely to have been in the first instance
occasionedpartly by the Apostle's great age, and partly by the general
expectationthat our Lord's coming was near. Nor was the opinion without
some ground of truth if we considerthat the language in which our Lord's
coming is identified, or at leastblended with the images which equally
describe the fall of Jerusalem. This lastfeeling, however, had evidently passed
awaybefore the time when the tradition assumedthe particular shape

specifiedin the text, and it now therefore took its ground on the supposed
saying there referred to. The "coming of the Lord" was now to them, what it
is to us, another expressionfor the end of all things; the next and natural
process consequentlywas to limit the words to the new view. Yet neither the
express caution of the Evangelist, nor the contradiction of the story by his
death was sufficient entirely to eradicate it. The story of his being not dead
but asleepin his grave at Ephesus was related to by persons who professedto
have witnessedthe motion of the dust by the supposed breath of the sleeper,
and the notion that he was still living not only became a fixed article of
popular belief in the Middle Ages, but has been revived from time to time by
later enthusiasts, and is still partially commemoratedin the Greek Church in
the Feastofthe Translationof the Body of St. John. Compare, amongstother
instances the well-knownstory of the apparition of St. John to Edward the
Confessorandthe Ludlow pilgrims, and again to James IV., at Linlithgow,
before the Battle of Flodden, the belief in PresterJohn in Central Asia, and
the ancientlegendary representations ofthe searchfor the body in the empty
tomb.
(DeanStanley.)
COMMENTARIES
Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers
(22) If I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to thee?—The answermust
be taken as reproving the spirit which would inquire into another’s life and
work, with the effect of weakening the force of its own. Here, as in all the
earlier details of St. Peter’s life, his characteris emotional, earnest, loving, but
wanting in depth, and not without self-confidence.The words “Follow Me,”
the meaning of which he has not missed, may well have led him to thoughts
and questions of what that path should be, and the truth may well have sunk
into the depth of his heart, there to germinate and burst forth in principle and

act. But he is at once takenup with other thoughts. He is told to follow, but is
ready to lead. He would know and guide his friend’s life rather than his own.
To him, and to all, there comes the truth that the Fatheris the husbandman,
and it is He who trains every branch of the vine. There is a spiritual
companionship which strengthens and helps all who join in it; there is a
spiritual guidance which is not without danger to the true strength of him that
is led, nor yet to that of him who leads.
The word rendered “tarry” is that which we have before had for “abide” (see
John 12:34, and comp. Philippians 1:25 and 1Corinthians 15:6). It is here
opposedto “Follow Me” (in the martyrdom), and means to abide in life.
The phrase, “If I will that he tarry till I come,” is one of those the meaning of
which cannot be ascertainedwith certainty, and to which, therefore, every
variety of meaning has been given. We have already seenthat the Coming of
the Lord was thought of in more than one sense. (Comp. especiallyNotes on
Matthew 16:28 and Matthew 24; and see also in this Gospel, Note on John
14:3.) The interpretation which has found most support is that which takes
the “coming of the Lord” to mean the destruction of Jerusalem, which St.
John, and perhaps he only of the Apostles, lived to see. But the context seems
to exclude this meaning, for the mistake of John 21:23 would surely have been
correctedby a reference to the fact that St. John had survived, and wrote the
Gospelafter, the “coming of the Lord.” The interpretation which the next
verse itself suggests is that our Lord made no statement, but expresseda
supposition, “If I will,” “If it even be that I will;” and this both gives the exact
meaning of the Greek, and corresponds with the remainder of our Lord’s
answer. He is directing St. Peterto think of his ownfuture. and not of his
friend’s; and He puts a supposition which, even if it were true, would not
make that friend’s life a subjectfor him then to think of. Had our Lord told
him that St. John should remain on earth until His coming, in any sense ofthe
word, then He would have given an answer, which He clearlydeclined to give.
Follow thou me.—The pronoun “thou” is strongly emphatic. “Thy brother’s
life is no matter for thy care. Thy work is for thyself to follow Me.”

BensonCommentary
John 21:22-23. Jesussaith, If I will that he tarry — Without dying; till I come
— With power and greatglory, to execute the judgment I have threatenedon
mine enemies. Till then he certainly did tarry, and who can saywhen or how
he died? What is that to thee — Or to any one else? Follow thou me — Mind
thou thine own duty, and endeavour to prepare for thine own sufferings, and
pry not, with a vain curiosity, into the secretevents which may befall him or
any other of thy brethren. Then — As this answerwas not rightly understood;
went this saying abroad among the brethren — That is, among the other
followers of Christ; (our Lord himself taught them to use that appellation,
John 20:17;) that that disciple should not die; and the advancedage to which
he lived gave some further colour for it; yet Jesus saidnot unto him — Or of
him; He shall not die — Not expressly. And St. John himself, at the time of
writing his gospel, seems notto have knownclearly whether he should die or
not; but, If I will, &c. — He only saidthe words expressedbefore, which, if St.
John understood, he did not think proper to explain.
Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary
21:20-24 Sufferings, pains, and death, will appear formidable even to the
experiencedChristian; but in the hope to glorify God, to leave a sinful world,
and to be present with his Lord, he becomes readyto obey the Redeemer's
call, and to follow Him through death to glory. It is the will of Christ that his
disciples should mind their own duty, and not be curious about future events,
either as to themselves or others. Many things we are apt to be anxious about,
which are nothing to us. Other people's affairs are nothing to us, to
intermeddle in; we must quietly work, and mind our own business. Many
curious questions are put about the counsels of God, and the state of the
unseen world, as to which we may say, What is this to us? And if we attend to
the duty of following Christ, we shall find neither heart nor time to meddle
with that which does not belong to us. How little are any unwritten traditions
to be relied upon! Let the Scripture be its owninterpreter, and explain itself;
as it is, in a great measure, its own evidence, and proves itself, for it is light.
See the easysetting right such mistakes by the word of Christ. Scripture
language is the safestchannel for Scripture truth; the words which the Holy

Ghostteaches, 1Co 2:13. Those who cannotagree in the same terms of art,
and the application of them, may yet agree in the same Scripture terms, and
to love one another.
Barnes'Notes on the Bible
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 supposedthis 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
raiseda 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 peacefuldeath at Ephesus, being the only one, as is supposed, of the
apostles who did not suffer martyrdom. The testimony of antiquity is clearon
this point; and though there have been many idle conjectures aboutthis
passageand 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 willtake care of all his true disciples, and that we should not be
unduly solicitous aboutthem.
4. that we should go forward to whateverhe calls us to persecutionor death -
not envying the lot of any other man, and anxious only to do the will of God.
Jamieson-Fausset-BrownBible Commentary
22, 23. Jesus saithto him, If I will that he tarry fill I come, whatis that to
thee? follow thou me—Fromthe fact that John alone of the Twelve survived
the destructionof Jerusalem, and so witnessedthe commencementof that

series ofevents which belongs to "the last days," many goodinterpreters
think that this is a virtual prediction of fact, and not a mere supposition. But
this is very doubtful, and it seems more natural to considerour Lord as
intending to give no positive indication of John's fate at all, but to signify that
this was a matter which belonged to the Masterofboth, who would disclose or
concealit as He thought proper, and that Peter's part was to mind his own
affairs. Accordingly, in "follow thou Me," the word "thou" is emphatic.
Observe the absolute disposalof human life which Christ claims: "If I will
that he tarry till I come," &c.
Matthew Poole's Commentary
Our Lord only checks the curiosity of Peter, and minds him to attend things
which himself was concernedin; telling him, he was not concernedwhat
became of John, whether he should die, or abide upon the earth until Christ’s
secondcoming: it was Peter’s concern, without regarding what others did, or
what became of them, himself to execute his Master’s command, and follow
his example.
Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible
Jesus saithunto him,.... Christ vouchsafes ananswerto Peter, but not a very
clearone, nor such an one as he wishedfor, and not without a rebuke to him:
if I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to thee? meaning, that if it was
his pleasure that he should live, not till his secondcoming to judge the quick
and dead at the last day, but till he should come in his powerand take
vengeance onthe Jewishnation, in the destruction of their city and temple by
the Romans, and in dispersing them through the nations of the world; till
which time John did live, and many years after; and was the only one of the
disciples that lived till that time, and who did not die a violent death; what
was that to Peter? it was no concernof his. The question was too curious,
improper, and impertinent; it became him to attend only to what concerned
himself, and he was bid to do:
follow thou me; whence it may be observed, that it becomes the saints to mind
their duty in following Christ, and not concernthemselves in things that do

not belong to them. Christ is to be followed by his people as their leader and
commander; as the shepherd of the flock; as a guide in the way, and the
forerunner that is gone before; as the light of the world; as the pattern and
example of the saints, and as their Lord and master; and that in the exercise
of every grace, as humility and meekness, love, zeal, patience, and resignation
to the will of God; and also in the discharge of duty, both with respectto
moral life and conversation, and instituted worship, as attendance on public
service, and submission to ordinances;and likewise in enduring sufferings
patiently and cheerfully for his sake. Saints are under obligationto follow
Christ; it is their interest so to do; it is honourable, safe, comfortable, and
pleasant, and ends in happiness here and hereafter.
Geneva Study Bible
Jesus saithunto him, If I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to thee?
follow thou me.
EXEGETICAL(ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)
Meyer's NT Commentary
John 21:22. Jesus gives, in virtue of His personalsovereigntyover the life and
death of His own (comp. Romans 14:9), to the unwarranted question, put by
Peter, too, not merely out of curiosity, but even from a certainjealousy
(Chrysostom, Erasmus, Wetstein, and severalothers import: out of particular
love to John),[289]the answer:that it does not at all concernhim, if He have
possibly allotted to John a more distant and happier goal, and leads him, who
had againso soonturned awayhis gaze from himself, immediately back to the
task of ἈΚΟΛΟΎΘΕΙΜΟΙ imposed upon him, John 21:19.
ΜΈΝΕΙΝ]Opposite of the ἈΚΟΛΟΥΘΕῖΝ, to be fulfilled by the death of
martyrdom; hence: be preserved in life. Comp. John 12:34; Php 1:25; 1
Corinthians 15:6; Kypke, I. p. 415 f. Olshausen(and so substantially even
Ewald) arbitrarily adds, after Augustine, the sense:“to tarry in quiet and
peacefullife.”[290]

ἕως ἔρχομαι]By this Jesus means, as the solemn and absolute ἜΡΧΟΜΑΙ
itself renders undoubted, His final historicalParousia, which He, according to
the apprehensionof all evangelists andapostles, has promised will take place
even before the passing awayof the generation(see note 3 after Matthew 24),
not the destruction of Jerusalem, which, moreover, John far outlived (τινὲς in
Theophylact, Wetstein, Lange, and severalothers, including Luthardt, who
sees in this destruction the beginning of the Parousia, in oppositionto the view
of the N. T. generally, and to John 21:23);not the world historicalconflict
betweenChrist and Rome, which beganunder Domitian (Hengstenberg);not
the carrying awayby a gentle death (Olshausen, Lange, Ewald, after the older
expositors, as Ruperti, Clarius, Zeger, Grotius, and severalothers); not the
leading out from Galilee (where John in the meanwhile was to remain) to the
scene ofApostolic activity (Theophylact); not the apocalyptic coming in the
visions of John’s revelation (Ebrard); not the coming at any place, where John
was to wait (Paulus)! See rather John 14:3; 1 John 2:28; 1 John 3:2. On ἕως
ἔρχομαι (as 1 Timothy 4:13), as long as until I come, see Buttmann, Neut. Gr.
p. 199 [E. T. p. 231]. In σύ μοι ἀκολ., σύ bears the emphasis, in oppositionto
the other disciples.
[289]Comp. Luthardt: “only loving interestfor his comrade,” to which,
however, the reproving τί πρὸς σέ, ver. 22, does not apply.
[290]Comp. Godet, who, strangelyenough, finds here an allusion to the fact
that John remained at restin the boat, and with his comrades (exceptPeter)
towedthe full net to land, where Jesus was. This allusion againincludes the
other, that John, in the history of the development of the founding of the
church, received“a calm and collectedpart.” And with this Godet finally
connects:At the greatgospeldraught of fishes in the Gentile world, where
Peterat the beginning stoodforemost, “Johnassistedthereatuntil the end of
the first century, a type of the whole history of the church, and here begins the
mystery—perhaps he is therewith associatedin an incomprehensible manner

until the end of the present economy, until the vesseltouches the shore of
eternity.” Thus, if we depart from the clear and certain sense ofthe words, we
fall into the habit of phantasy, so that we no longer expound, but invent and
create.
Expositor's Greek Testament
John 21:22. To which Jesus replies with a shade of rebuke, Ἐὰν … μοι. Peter,
in seeking evento know the future of another disciple, was stepping beyond
his province, τί πρός σε; σύ ἀκολούθει μοι. Your business is to follow me, not
to intermeddle with others. Cf. A Kempis’ description of the man who
“neglects his duty, musing on all that other men are bound to do”. De Imit.
Christi, ii. 3. Over-anxiety about any part of Christ’s Church is to forgetthat
there is a chief Shepherd who arranges forall. This part of the conversation
might not have been recorded, but for a misunderstanding which arose out of
it.
Cambridge Bible for Schools andColleges
22. If I will] Christ died and rose againthat He might become the Lord and
Masterboth of the dead and the living (Romans 14:9). He speaks here in full
consciousnessofthis sovereignty. Forthe use of ‘I will’ by Christ comp. John
17:24;Matthew 8:3 and parallels, Matthew 26:39. While the ‘I will’ asserts
the Divine authority, the ‘if’ keeps the decisionsecret.
that he tarry] Better, that he abide; it is S. John’s favourite word which we
have had so often (John 1:32-33;John 1:39-40, John2:12, John 3:36, John
4:40, &c., and twelve times in chap. 15)[16]. S. Peter’s lot was to suffer, S.
John’s to wait. For ‘abide’ in the sense ofremain in life comp. John 12:34;
Php 1:25; 1 Corinthians 15:6.
till I come] Literally, while I am coming. The words express rather the
interval of waiting than the end of it. Comp. John 9:4; Mark 6:45. This at
once seems to shew that it is unnecessaryto enquire whether Pentecost, orthe

destruction of Jerusalem, or the apocalyptic visions recordedin the
Revelation, or a natural death, or the SecondAdvent, is meant by Christ’s
‘coming’ in this verse. He is not giving an answerbut refusing one. The reply
is purposely hypothetical and perhaps purposely indefinite. But inasmuch as
the longerthe interval coveredby the words, the greaterthe indefiniteness,
the SecondAdvent is to be preferred as an interpretation, if a distinct
meaning is given to the ‘coming.’
what is that to thee?] The words are evidently a rebuke. There is a sense in
which ‘Am I my brother’s keeper?’is a safeguardagainstcuriosity and
presumption rather than a shirking of responsibility.
follow thou me] ‘Thou’ is emphatic, contrasting with the preceding ‘he,’
which is emphatic also.
Bengel's Gnomen
John 21:22. Λέγει, saith) The Divine counsels respecting believers are more
concealedthan respecting the ungodly. Comp. John 21:20, as to the traitor.—
ἐὰν, if) Never did the Lord give an unmixed repulse to His friends, however
unseasonable their question might be. For which reason, not even in this
instance does He repress Peterwith unmixed sternness, but intimates, under
the exteriorrepulse, something of kindness:even as also the αὐτὸν, he or him,
which is relative, is more gentle than if He had used τοῦτον, this person, which
is demonstrative, in His reply to him. Therefore there is an ambiguity both
weighty, and at the same time pleasing, in effect: Forthe conditional if does
not affirm, if Jesus’words are to be takenof the full completionof His second
advent: His words hold good, even absolutely, if they are taken of the first
beginnings of His advent. And, indeed, the brethren felt that the if was not
altogether, in its rigid strictness, employedby the Lord: although they ought
not to have setit aside wholly: John 21:23.—αὐτὸν, that He) So indicative of
what was about to happen to Him is given to John, who was less forwardto
ask the question (for even on the former occasionhe had not askeduntil he

was prompted [by Peter]to do so [ch. John 13:24], John 21:20), but who,
notwithstanding, wished to ask it. More is revealedto those who are less
disposedto pry curiously.—θέλω, I will) Implying the powerof Jesus as to the
life or death of His people: Romans 14:9, “To this end Christ both died, and
rose, and revived, that He might be Lord both of the dead and living.—μένειν,
remain, tarry) ‘remain’ on earth. 1 Corinthians 15:6, “The greaterpart
remain unto this present.” On the contrary, the dead are termed ἀπελθόντες,
those who have departed. Augustine interprets it expectare, “to await:”
expectationor awaiting no doubt follows as the consequenceofremaining: but
the notion of remaining continues without sacrifice of truth.—ἕως ἔρχομαι,
until I come)i.e. until I shall in very deed be coming in glory, and so John will
be able to testify of Me in this Present, BeholdHe cometh [Revelation1:7].
The time of the Lord’s coming succeedsimmediately after the destruction of
Jerusalem:Matthew 23:39; Matthew 24:29, note: which advent John obtained
the privilege of describing in the Apocalypse. The principal apostles ofthe
twelve were the two, Peter and John: the former, laid the foundation; the
latter, the crowning topstone:if a third is to be added, it is James, the first
martyr of them, who, moreover, was present also at this feast, rather than at
the conversation. The cross was promisedin this place, to Peter;to John was
promised in an enigmaticalmanner, that great Apocalypse. And as it were the
middle point betweenthis discourse ofthe Lord and the death of John, was
the martyrdom of Peter:the years 30, 67, and 98 of the receivedera, claiming
to themselves respectivelythese three important events. It is only in this point
of view that the antithesis is more fully to be perceived:Peter by death follows
Jesus in His departure out of the world: John 21:19, note: but John remains in
the world, until He, the same, comes. In truth, the ministry of John, in writing
and sending the Apocalypse, is equal [in point of patient suffering] to the cross
endured by Peter, by reasonof the very severe ordealof trials to be endured
by the former in the meanwhile: Revelation1:17; Revelation10:9-10. Norwas
the writing of the Apocalypse less profitable to the Church, than Peter’s
martyrdom. John, according to the prophecy, was about to remain in life,
after having outlived all dangers, until the fit time should arrive, when, almost
all his colleaguesbeing long ago dead, the Jewishstate overthrown, and the
Christian Church established, he was to be the minister of the Apocalypse, the
beginning and ending of which is that constantlyrecurring and solemn

expression, He cometh, I come, Come, ch. Revelation1:7, Revelation22:20,
etc. For it was becoming that the Apocalypse should not be published sooner,
and yet that it should be published by an apostle. Wherefore the promise
which was formerly given to John, in conjunction with others, Matthew 16:28,
(where see the note on the different successionsteps of the coming), is now in
this passageconfinedto John alone, in a remarkable, preeminent, and
unprecedented manner. Often a thing is said then to come to pass, whenit is
vividly presentedbefore us as about to be: see note on Acts 13:33. [God said
this at the time that the Psalmwas composed, speaking ofit as a thing then
present, because it was then representedas about to be]: for which reasonthe
Lord is said to come in that most vivid, prophetical, and apocalyptical
representation. And not only in vision, but in the eyes and feeling of John, and
thenceforwardafter that most solemndenunciation, and most especiallyat the
actualtime of John’s death, and subsequently, He is in actualfact rather
coming, than about to come. For whilst John remained, the fulfilment began
to come to pass, the trumpet having been given even to the seventh angel
himself, Revelation11:15, note. And just as all the forty days after the
Resurrectionwere days of Ascension(John 20:17, note), so at a very brief
interval after the Ascensionis the time of the Coming to judgment, inasmuch
as no other step interposedbetween, Acts 1:11 [wherein the secondcoming is
joined immediately with the Ascension]:For the sitting at God’s right hand
does not differ from the Ascension, exceptin so far as the actualstate differs
from the act. Therefore Christ expects, and is ready, Hebrews 10:13; 1 Peter
4:5. In the mention of His coming, all the events on this side of it which the
Apocalypse contains, are included. There is one last hour, upon which also the
coming of Antichrist falls, 1 John 2:18. Immediately after the Apocalypse,
John departed and died (Comp. Luke 2:26; Luke 2:29, Simeon), after great
afflictions, by a natural death; as Daniel did, ch. John 12:13; with whom John
had much in common. In fine, that sentiment, until John shall write the
Apocalypse, could be put forward in these words with as much truth and
literal strictness as characterizedJohn at the time when, in writing the
Apocalypse, he wrote that the Lord comes. Thus both the forerunners and
messengersofthe coming of the Lord, His first and His second, were of the
one name, John the Baptist and John the Apostle. The history of the Old
Testamentis arrangedby the lives of the patriarchs and kings, and by the

weeks ofDaniel:whilst the Apocalypse has predicted the periods of the New
Testamenthistory, which was about to follow after. The whole of the golden
chain is completed in the middle, first by the life of Jesus Christ, then next by
the remaining of John, who also alone of the Evangelists has recordedall the
Passovers andthe years intervening betweenthe baptism of Christ and the
time of this discourse:He alone of all has acted the part of a chronologerof all
the times of the New Testament. See how greatwas the dignity conferredon
the beloveddisciple.—τί πρός σε; what is that to thee?) This brings back the
curiosity of Peter to order; but at the same time it much more intimates, that
his course wouldbe already ended, whilst John was still doing his work, and
was subserving the advent of the Lord. The martyrdom of Peter was
consummated severalyears before the destruction of Jerusalem:that
destruction had the Lord’s advent subsequentto it.—σὺ, thou) A weighty and
merciful command.—ἀκολούθει μοι, follow Me)The future is contained in the
Imperative: Give all thy attention to that which belongs to thee: leave to him
(that disciple) what belongs to him. Similarly the Lord’s words concerning
John, intimated not only what the Lord wishes to be done, but what is about
to be.
Vincent's Word Studies
Till I come (ἕως ἔρχομαι)
Rather, while I am coming. Compare John 9:4; John 12:35, John 12:36;1
Timothy 4:13.
What is that to thee (τί πρός σε;)?
Literally, what as concerns thee?
PRECEPTAUSTIN RESOURCES

BRUCE HURT MD
John 21:22 Jesus saidto him, "If I want him to remain until I come, what is
that to you? You follow Me!":
If: Mt 16:27,28 24:3,27,4425:31 Mk 9:1 1Co 4:5 11:26 Rev 1:7 2:25 Rev 3:11
22:7,20
Follow:Jn 21:19
John 21 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries
JESUS'LAST WORDS
IN JOHN'S GOSPEL:
FOLLOW ME!
Jesus as so often answers a question with a question of His own. In essenceHe
is saying that Peter (and applicable to all believers)is not to worry about what
happens in the life of another believer, but instead is to persevere in following
Jesus!
If I want him to remain until I come - Jesus clearlypredicts His Second
Coming and with the phrase "if I want him to remain", He leaves openthe
possibility of returning in their lifetime. The early church lived in the light of
eagerexpectancyofChrist's return. It is also notable that approximately one
in every twenty verses in the NT alludes directly or indirectly to the return of
Christ. This is the believer's blessedhope and serves as a strong motivation to
live eachday for His glory, for we know not what day He may choose to
return. The apostle John puts it this way…
And now, little children, abide (present imperative = command to make this
your lifestyle, your daily practice - tarry with Jesus, walk with Him as your
best Friend, immerse yourself in His Word Jn 8:31, yield to His Spirit, make it
your ambition to live in a manner pleasing to Him) in Him, so that when He
appears, we may have confidence (parrhesia = literally "allspeech" = freedom

to say all, openness that stems from lack of fear [sins are confessed, you're
walking in the light], boldness)and not shrink awayfrom Him in shame at His
coming (parousia = in contextsignifies His SecondComing). (1Jn 2:28, cp
"love His appearing" in 2Ti 4:8-note, "eagerlywaitfor Him" in Heb 9:28-
note)
Follow Me - These are not the very last words of Jesus before His ascension
(see Acts 1:7, 8) but they are the last words of the Gospelof John. It is
interesting that Jesus issuedthe same command (Follow Me) at the beginning
of this Gospel(Jn 1:43). Clearly Jesus wants us to remember that being a
Christian is not just believing in a Personin an abstractsense, but that it
constitutes believing in the Personof Jesus to the point that we turn our back
on all else and seek to follow Him!
James MontgomeryBoice comments on "Follow Me"…
These… lastwords of Christ may be difficult to obey, as we will see. But they
are not difficult to interpret if for no other reasonthan that Jesus himself
supplies the interpretation in other places. The keypassage is Luke 9:23, 24,
25 (and the parallel, Mark 8:34, 35, 36, 37). (Boice, J. M. The Gospelof John:
An ExpositionalCommentary. Grand Rapids, Mich.: BakerBooks)
G Campbell Morgan…
"Follow Me." Thatis to say: When I first named My cross you shunned it;
you must come back to it, but "follow Me." You saw Me go to it; you lost
hope. You have seenMe alive again. "Follow Me." The man who comes to the
cross with Me comes to resurrectionwith Me. The man who comes along the
pathway of suffering in fellowshipfor the doing of My work comes to the hour
of absolute and assuredvictory with Me. The Lord challenges us still to follow
Him to the cross, but to follow Him to the cross is to follow Him to
resurrectionand to triumph (cp Php 3:10, 11-note). (G. Campbell Morgan-
My Lambs-My Sheep)
A C Gaebelein- The lastword John reports in His Gospel, coming from the
lips of our Lord, is "Follow thou me." And thus He speaks to all of His people.
Wonderful Gospelit is, this Gospelof the Sonof Godand the Eternal Life!

How full and rich eachportion of it! And oh! the Grace whichhas sought us,
savedus, made us one with Him, keeps us and which will soonbring us home
to the Father's house with its many mansions. May we follow Him in loving
obedience, till He comes.
In his first epistle Peterechoes Jesus'charge to follow Him writing…
For you have been called for this purpose, since Christ also suffered for you,
leaving you an example for you to follow in His steps, WHO COMMITTED
NO SIN, NOR WAS ANY DECEIT FOUND IN HIS MOUTH (We of course
cannot follow Him exactly in this manner, for He was sinless, but we can
imitate Him [enabled by His Spirit] in the description that follows);and while
being reviled, He did not revile in return; while suffering, He uttered no
threats, but kept entrusting Himself to Him who judges righteously (1Pe 2:21,
22, 23)
Peter's lot was to suffer, John's to wait.
John 21:23 Therefore this saying went out among the brethren that that
disciple would not die; yet Jesus did not sayto him that he would not die, but
only, "If I want him to remain until I come, what is that to you?":
what: Dt 29:29 Job 28:28 33:13 Da 4:35
John 21 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries
This saying - John was quick to counter the "saying" that he would not die. If
he did not, Jesus could be accusedofmaking a false prediction when John did
die.
Robert Wurtz - The words of Christ are clearwhen it comes to concerning
ourselves with God's business in other peoples lives; 'What is that to thee,
follow thou me.' (John 21:23) Justbecause you see someone else doing things
that are worse than what you may be doing does not justify your sin. This is
obviously not repentance. It is a self-defense/self-preservationmaneuver. (
SevenMyths of Repentance)

WILLIAM BARCLAY
21:20-24 Peterturned and saw the disciple whom Jesus loved following, the
disciple who at their meal reclined on Jesus'breastand said: "Lord, who is it
who is to betray you?" When Petersaw this disciple, he said to Jesus:"Lord,
what is going to happen to this man?" Jesus saidto him: "If I wish him to
remain till I come, what has that to do with you? Your job is to follow me." So
this report went out to the brethren, that this disciple would not die. But Jesus
did not say to him that he would not die. What he did saywas:"If I wish him
to remain till I come, what has that gotto do with you?" This is the disciple
who bears witness to these things, and who has written these things, and we
know that his witness is true.
This passagemakes itquite clearthat John must have lived to a very old age;
he must have lived on until the report went round that he was going to go on
living until Jesus came again. Now, just as the previous passageassignedto
Peterhis place in the scheme of things, this one assigns to John his place. It
was his function to be pre-eminently the witness to Christ. Again, people in
the early Church must have made their comparisons. Theymust have pointed
out how Paul went awayto the ends of the earth. They must have pointed out
how Peterwent here and there shepherding his people. And then they may
have wondered what was the function of John who had lived on in Ephesus
until he was so old that he was past all activity. Here is the answer:Paul might
be the pioneer of Christ, Petermight be the shepherd of Christ, but John was
the witness of Christ. He was the man who was able to say: "I saw these
things, and I know that they are true."
To this day the final argument for Christianity is Christian experience. To this
day the Christian is the man who can say: "I know Jesus Christ, and I know
that these things are true."
So, at the end, this gospeltakes two of the greatfigures of the Church, Peter
and John. To eachJesus had given his function. It was Peter's to shepherd the

sheepof Christ, and in the end to die for him. It was John's to witness to the
story of Christ, and to live to a great old age and to come to the end in peace.
That did not make them rivals in honour and prestige, nor make the one
greateror less than the other; it made them both servants of Christ.
Let a man serve Christ where Christ has sethim. As Jesus saidto Peter:
"Nevermind the task that is given to someone else. Yourjob is to follow me."
That is what he still says to eachone of us. Our glory is never in comparison
with other men; our glory is the service of Christ in whatever capacityhe has
allotted to us.
ALBERT BARNES
21:20-24 Peterturned and saw the disciple whom Jesus loved following, the
disciple who at their meal reclined on Jesus'breastand said: "Lord, who is it
who is to betray you?" When Petersaw this disciple, he said to Jesus:"Lord,
what is going to happen to this man?" Jesus saidto him: "If I wish him to
remain till I come, what has that to do with you? Your job is to follow me." So
this report went out to the brethren, that this disciple would not die. But Jesus
did not say to him that he would not die. What he did saywas:"If I wish him
to remain till I come, what has that gotto do with you?" This is the disciple
who bears witness to these things, and who has written these things, and we
know that his witness is true.
This passagemakes itquite clearthat John must have lived to a very old age;
he must have lived on until the report went round that he was going to go on
living until Jesus came again. Now, just as the previous passageassignedto
Peterhis place in the scheme of things, this one assigns to John his place. It
was his function to be pre-eminently the witness to Christ. Again, people in
the early Church must have made their comparisons. Theymust have pointed
out how Paul went awayto the ends of the earth. They must have pointed out
how Peterwent here and there shepherding his people. And then they may

have wondered what was the function of John who had lived on in Ephesus
until he was so old that he was past all activity. Here is the answer:Paul might
be the pioneer of Christ, Petermight be the shepherd of Christ, but John was
the witness of Christ. He was the man who was able to say: "I saw these
things, and I know that they are true."
To this day the final argument for Christianity is Christian experience. To this
day the Christian is the man who can say: "I know Jesus Christ, and I know
that these things are true."
So, at the end, this gospeltakes two of the greatfigures of the Church, Peter
and John. To eachJesus had given his function. It was Peter's to shepherd the
sheepof Christ, and in the end to die for him. It was John's to witness to the
story of Christ, and to live to a great old age and to come to the end in peace.
That did not make them rivals in honour and prestige, nor make the one
greateror less than the other; it made them both servants of Christ.
Let a man serve Christ where Christ has sethim. As Jesus saidto Peter:
"Nevermind the task that is given to someone else. Yourjob is to follow me."
That is what he still says to each one of us. Our glory is never in comparison
with other men; our glory is the service of Christ in whatever capacityhe has
allotted to us.
BRIAN BELL
PERSONALOBEDIENCEIS AN INDIVIDUAL MATTER!(20-23)A.
(20,21)Whatabout this man? - Petertakes his eyes off Jesus & focuses on
John. 1. Sounds like we already did this lesson? but we cando it again!
4
2. RememberPeter walking on wateruntil...“when he saw that the wind was
boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink he cried out, saying, “Lord,

save me!” And immediately Jesus stretchedout His hand and caughthim, and
said to him, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?” Mt.14:30,313. It’s
dangerous to look at others or look at circumstances, ratherthan look at
Christ! [Following Him, is much easierwhenyour eyes are focusedon Him!]
B. It is very clearfrom this that Jesus has a plan for not only our lives (what
He wants us to accomplish) but also in our deaths. 1. Peterplan(representing
trials & suffering) or John’s objective(naturalcauses)? 2. His arrangements
for us are carefully chosenin regards to the service we are to
render...ultimately, to bring Him Glory! C. Comparing brings confusion!1.
God doesn't deal with us on a comparative basis, but on an individual one. 2.
He redeems us individually. He rebukes us individually. He rewards us
individually.
D. (22) Follow Me - That’s the challenge Jesus put to Peter. Not to follow
John, or the restof the disciples or the majority, but ME! 1. And Peter
followedHim...right into the excitement of the book of Acts!
E. PersonalObedience is an Individual Matter!
STEVEN COLE
We can trust and follow the Lord for how and where we serve Him, without
being concernedabout how He uses others (21:20-22).
John 21:20-22:“Peter, turning around, saw the disciple whom Jesus loved
following them; the one who also had leaned back on His bosom at the supper
and said, ‘Lord, who is the one who betrays You?’ So Peterseeing him said to
Jesus, ‘Lord, and what about this man?’ Jesus saidto him, ‘If I want him to
remain until I come, what is that to you? You follow Me!’”
We don’t know whether Peteraskedout of curiosity or concernfor John or
the need to compare himself with John. But whatever his reason, Jesus in

effectreplies, “It’s none of your business what I do with John. Your business
is to follow Me!” We canlearn three practicallessons fromthese verses:
(1) Jesus is the rightful Lord of every personand He has the authority to
determine how eachone serves Him and how and when eachone dies. Jesus
bluntly tells Peter(John 21:22), “If I want him to remain until I come, what is
that to you? You follow Me!” He determined how Peterwould serve Him and
when and how Peterwould die. He did the same for John; and, He does that
for all who follow Him. And so one of the most important lessons to learn in
the Christian life is what Paul states (Rom. 12:1), “to present your bodies a
living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual [or,
rational] service of worship.” You can’t know God’s will for your life until
you first yield yourself totally to Him, being willing to do whatever He wants
you to do with your life.
(2) The Lord uses the different personalities of eachpersonfor His purpose
and glory. Peterand John had very different personalities, but God used them
both. Peterwas the natural leaderof the twelve. He often spoke when he
should have held his tongue and thought more carefully before he openedhis
mouth. On the Mount of Transfiguration, he felt the need to say something, so
he suggestedbuilding three tabernacles, only to have God say(Luke 9:35),
“This is My Son, My ChosenOne; listen to Him!” When Jesus washedthe
disciples’feet, Peterwas the one to protest. He was a man of action, again,
often without thinking carefully first. He whackedoff Malchus’ear without
considering that the Roman cohort there easilycould have taken off his head.
But that was Peter.
John, on the other hand, was more contemplative and introverted. Granted, at
first Jesus calledhim and his brother James the sons of thunder (Mark 3:17),
but he often referred to himself, as he does in our text, as “the disciple whom
Jesus loved.” He was close to Jesus in a more quiet manner than Peterwas.
We see these two men’s personalities when they went to the empty tomb. John
stoodoutside, peering in, but Peterbrushed by him and went inside. John saw
the grave clothes laying there and believed, whereas Peterwentaway
wondering about what he had seen. Then, when the risen Jesus provided the
miraculous catchof fish, John was the first to recognize Him, but Peter

impetuously jumped in the waterto get to shore first. So they were very
different men, but God was pleasedto use both men in His service.
While God sanctifies our personalities, knocking offthe rough edges as we
mature in Christ, He doesn’tchange our basic bent. Introverts grow into
godly introverts, extroverts grow into godly extroverts, and both are okay.
Before Paul met Christ, he was a zealous man of purpose, persecuting the
church. After he met Christ, he was a zealous man of purpose, boldly
preaching the gospel, evenafter he had been stoned or imprisoned. Paul’s
dedicatedzeal causedhim to rejectBarnabas’desire of giving Mark a second
chance. But later, Paul mellowedand said that Mark was useful to him for
service (2 Tim. 4:11). So you don’t have to deny your personality to serve the
Lord, but you do have to allow Him to build the fruit of the Spirit into your
personality as you grow in Him.
(3) While it’s helpful to learn from those who are different than we are, it’s
not profitable to compare our ministries to theirs. After the Lord told Peter
that he would die a martyr’s death, Peteraskedabout John, “What about this
man?” The Lord basicallysays, “That’s My business, not yours. You follow
Me!”
As a pastor, it’s easyto compare myself to other pastors and wonder, “Why
does God bless their ministries as He does, but not mine?” I’d love to have a
tenth of the impact that men like John MacArthur and John Piper have!
While I’ve learned much and can learn much more from these men and
others, including the greatpastors of past centuries, the bottom line is: I’m
not who they are. They have unique gifts and abilities that I lack. While I
rejoice at how God has used these men and I pray that He would use me, He is
sovereignoverwhom He uses and how He uses them.
Over 30 years ago, I had been reading the autobiography of the famous
British preacherCharles Spurgeon. As I was out jogging, I prayed, “Lord,
bless my ministry like You blessedSpurgeon’s!” Since Spurgeonis often held
to be the greatestpreacherof the 19th century, that was a “hail Mary” kind of
throw-for-the-goalline prayer! But as soonas I prayed that, the Lord put into

my mind, “Which Spurgeon? Charles, or John?” The thought hit me so
forcefully that I stopped jogging to let it sink in.
John Spurgeon was Charles’father. He was a godly, faithful pastor, but he
would have lived and died in obscurity, exceptthat he had a famous son. In
God’s purposes, the famous sonwas plagued with health problems and only
lived to be 57, whereas the obscure father outlived his son and died at 90. But
God used both men. The Lord was saying to me, “Your job is to be as faithful
as John Spurgeon. My prerogative is to use you as I see fit. Learn all you can
from Charles Spurgeon, but if I want to use you as I used John Spurgeon,
that’s My business!”
GreatTexts of the Bible
The Individuality of Duty
Jesus saithunto him, If I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to thee?
follow thou me.—John 21:22.
1. This is the last recordeddialogue betweenPeter and Christ, and it has a
specialand a touching interestfrom the fact that it is so. How many and how
varied these dialogues had been, and how rich and how vivid the instruction
they contain! They form a magazine of truth in themselves, and had we no
other fragments of Christ’s life handed down to us than the narrative of His
dealings with Peter, we should still have a tolerably full indication both of the
doctrine He intends us to believe and of the duty He commands us to practise.
And now the revelation was wound up, and the interviews themselves were to
cease. Whateverfurther talk the Lord had with Peter, “something sealedthe
lips of the evangelist”; for with these words before us his recordends.

Could there be a more fitting and consistentclose to the whole? It is the same
Peterwho speaks, tender-heartedand impulsive as ever, with a trace of the
old leavennot yet purged. It is the same Christ, too, who answers him, true to
the messageandunaltered in the characterHe had revealedfrom the very
first. “Follow me,” He said three years before by the lakeside where Peterwas
plying his toils, unaware of the destiny that awaitedhim. And now, after all
that had come and gone, whenfaith had been strengthened by experience, and
the cord of love that had first drawn the heart after Christ had become a fast
firm cable, wrought through long days of fellowship and common toil, there,
at the self-same spotwhere Christ calledHis disciple before, He calls him
again, reminding him, as He does so, that the omega of his life is the same as
its alpha, even the duty of personaldiscipleship, the word “Follow me.”
2. When Jesus had said “Follow me,” Peterturned about and saw the disciple
whom Jesus loved following. At once he put the question, “Lord, and what
shall this man do?” Christ’s answeris our text.
Now it is not easyto determine with any certainty the spirit in which that
question was asked, orthe meaning of the answerit received. Some have
imagined that Peter, fancying from Christ’s silence regarding the beloved
disciple, that his course would be free from those fiery troubles which had just
been foretold for himself, inquired, with a kind of envious dissatisfaction,
respecting the destiny of John. This explanation, however, seems incredible.
We must remember that the thrice-repeatedquestion, “Lovestthou me?” had
only just thrilled on his ear, awakening solemnmemories of his thrice-
repeateddenial. We must remember that Christ had suddenly revealedthe
future, and indicated a martyr’s death as his lot in the day of his old age. We
must bear in mind that Peterpossessedthat generous impulsive nature which
would prompt a man under excitementto forgethis own sorrows in unselfish
devotion to his friends. And then, remembering that from the recent
conversationwith Christ, his heart must have been quivering with the

emotions of love and sorrow, it is hard to conceive that one feeling of jealous
discontent could have suggestedthis inquiry.
Mostprobably the question sprang from earnestanxiety regarding John’s
destiny. It may even be that Peter, having at length learned the glory of
sharing the Saviour’s cross, was concernedlesthis brother disciple should not
have the honour of following so closelyin his Master’s sufferings as himself.
Mingled with that would be the anxious feeling which men of Peter’s ardent
and unselfish nature evercherish regarding the future of a friend. It is easier
for such impetuous souls to trust their own lot in God’s hands than that of
their brother; they can acceptsorrow more calmly for themselves than view
its advent for another. And in this spirit of unselfish devotion—rising even to
restless curiosityregarding the Divine plan—it probably was that, gazing on
the beloveddisciple Peterforgot the picture of his own martyrdom in his
solicitude for John.
3. Christ’s answercontains three statements—
I. The duty of following Him lies on every one of us—“Followthou me.”
II. The manner of the following rests upon His will and our
individuality—“If I will that he tarry till I come.”
III. We are warned againstneedless curiosityor anxiety—“What is
that to thee?”
I

Following is for All
“Follow thou me.”
This is the Lord’s command to eachof His disciples. We have heard His voice
saying “Come unto me,” and now He says, “Follow thoume.”
1. Notice how comprehensive is this command. It includes every other
requirement and precept of the Gospel, and it calls into actionevery power
and faculty of our renewedbeing.
(1) It means follow with the heart.—This is no mere external compliance, no
mere outward conformity to our blessedMaster’s will. It is the service of the
heart. The force that is brought to bear on the disciple is not that of
compulsion, but of attraction. “Draw me, we will run after thee” (Song of
Solomon1:4). No man can follow Christ whose hearthas not been won by
Him. “Whereasye were servants of sin, ye became obedient from the heart to
that form of teaching whereunto ye were delivered” (Romans 6:17, R.V.). It is
neither the terrors of the law nor the fearof a judgment to come that enables
us to respond to this command. It is the attractionof Divine love that is the
power. The Lord Himself must be the loadstone of our hearts.
Every question was among some of his friends an open question. Strauss and
Comte, Mill and Bentham, Coleridge, Carlyle, and Maurice appear as factors
againand againin the discussions ofthat time. But nothing seems to have
disturbed his balance;“his heart stoodfast.” His habit of obedience to his
mother, and his intense affection for her, had insensibly passedinto strict
obedience to conscience.Perhaps one of the chief lessons ofhis early life is that

this affectionate obedience is the soil in which faith flourishes.1 [Note:
Frederick Temple, Archbishop of Canterbury, i. 54.]
(2) It means follow in faith.—Following is often like stepping out on the
unseen. It is often like walking on the water. We could never venture out
without a Divine warrant. But He who granted it to Peter when He said
“Come!” gives us the same warrant when through the darkness and the trial
He says, “Follow thou me.” This needs the courage offaith. Without faith we
could not take a single step, for it is an impossible walk exceptto him that
believeth. The stepping-stones offaith are the promises of God. “But
supposing I have no faith,” says one; “whatam I to do?” Don’t think of
believing at all. Think of Him who bids you follow Him. Hearkento His voice.
In other words, listen to His written Word: “Faith comethby hearing, and
hearing by the word of God” (Romans 10:17).
Can you picture it at all? The church is built by the natives—walls ofnipa
palm spines, and thatched roof of palm leaves, floor of bark—two doorways
on eachside, and one at eachend, and plenty of square openings for windows.
We have no church members here yet, but we think of the Moffats, and feel
encouraged. Theywere fifteen years working at one station and not one
member, and yet she askeda friend to send her a communion service, and
directly after it arrived they neededit.1 [Note: James Chalmers, 337.]
(3) It means follow with the will—Our wills must be in this following, or it
means nothing. All true obedience begins, not in the outward action, but in the
inward spring of all activity; that is, in the will. We must will to do His will, if
we would follow Christ. We become obedient within, before we are obedient
in the outward act. The moment for action may not have arrived, but the time
for willing to be obedient is always present.2 [Note:E. H. Hopkins.]

The wish to disobey is already disobedience;and although at this time I was
really doing a greatmany things I did not like, to please my parents, I have
not now one self-approving thought or consolationin having done so, so much
did its sullenness and maimedness pollute the meagre sacrifice.3[Note:
Ruskin, Praeterita, i. 424.]
2. Notice how difficult it is. Against us are the efforts of our greatspiritual
adversary. He is constantlyon the watch with a view to hindering God’s
children in their progress. But this, let us never forget, is not without God’s
permission. It is His will that our following of Him should be, not apart from
obstacles,but in the midst of them, in spite of them.
The Christian ideal has not been tried and found wanting. It has been found
difficult; and left untried.1 [Note: G. K. Chesterton, What’s Wrong with the
World.]
(1) There are alluring attractions—earthlyobjects and pursuits that appeal to
our natural inclinations. Some of them are perfectly harmless in themselves,
but when they are yielded to, we discoverafterwards that they have lowered
our spiritual tone, and robbed us of our strength. And so we have been
impeded in our progress.
Progressis marked by stations left behind. If we follow Jesus, we go
somewhere, whichmeans leaving some place. Journeying with the breastto
the Eastmeans with the back to the West. The disciples left their boats and
nets when they followedJesus. Whathas our following costus? What selfish
plans, worldly projects, doubtful amusements, dangerous companionships, are
behind us for the King’s and the kingdom’s sake?We sing, “Jesus, Imy cross
have taken, all to leave and follow Thee,” but another hymn brings the

thought to a sharp point, “Have I left aught for Thee?”2 [Note:M. D.
Babcock, Thoughts for Every-Day Living, 25.]
“As for the pleasures ofthis Life, and outward Business, letthat be upon the
bye. Be above all these things, by Faith in Christ; and then you shall have the
true use and comfort of them,—and not otherwise.”How true is this; equal in
its obsolete dialect, to the highest that man has yet attained to, in any dialect
old or new!3 [Note: Carlyle, Cromwell’s Letters and Speeches, ii. 136.]
(2) Then there are perplexing problems.—Perhaps we are troubled as we look
around upon the sufferings of our fellow-creatures.We think of the
multitudes living in darkness and degradation, not only in heathen lands, but
in our own Christian England. We are unable to fathom the mysteries these
questions suggest. Or, it may be, we are perplexed by the objections of sceptics
to the truth of Holy Scripture. We are unable to find an answerto these
things. What is the remedy? Look to the Master, who says, “What is that to
thee? Follow thou me.” We must rest in His wisdom, we must confide in His
faithfulness, and, without waiting to question or to speculate, we must be
prompt in our obedience, and follow Him.
All the greatmysteries are simple as well as unfathomably deep; and they are
common to all men. Every Christian feels them less or more.1 [Note: Memoir
of John Duncan, 403.]
(3) Then there are distracting cares—the things that belong to the ordinary
business of daily life. Some of these are very common matters, and perhaps
very trivial, but God’s children, when they carry them, find them a serious
hindrance to their progress. It is quite possible to be so overburdened by care
that we cease to follow Christ. We must learn the secretofcommitting all into

His hands daily if we would know what it is to follow the Lord fully.2 [Note:
E. H. Hopkins.]
“Acts of obedience are not perfect, and therefore yield not perfect Grace.
Faith, as an act, yields it not; but ‘only’ as it carries us into Him, who is our
perfect restand peace;in whom we are accountedof, and receivedby, the
Father,—evenas Christ Himself. This is our high calling. Restwe here, and
here only.” Even so, my noble one! The noble soul will, one day, againcome to
understand these old words of yours.3 [Note:Carlyle, Cromwell’s Letters and
Speeches,iii. 190.]
There is a beautiful old tradition, done finely into verse by one of our poets,
that, during the demon-raging fury of the Neronic persecution, Peter, visiting
the harried flock at Rome, who nevertheless were undaunted in their brave
stand for the Name of Christ, was one day waited upon by the threatened
Christians, who urged him to leave the city of death, that he might continue,
in less dangerous places, to carry on his apostolic work.
Not in yon streaming shambles must thou die;
We counsel, we entreat, we charge thee, fly!
The Apostle protests that his place is the place of danger, and that, come what
may, in Rome he will remain. One by one they plead—for the sake of
multitudes who will be as sheepwithout a shepherd, for the Kingdom’s sake,
for Christ’s sake—thatPeter, though for himself not caring, yet, as caring for
others, may seek safetyin flight. At lasthe yields—yields to their importunity.
He goes forth, in the night-time, through the Capuan gate. Stealthily, swiftly,
he pursued his way

To the Campania glimmering wide and still,
And strove to think he did his Master’s will.
But he fights with pursuing doubts. Is his flight cowardice?oris it for the sake
of longer-continued testimony? Is he still true to the voice which said, “Follow
thou me”? Soonshall he have his answer. What is that vision of the night?
Lo, on the darkness brake a wandering ray:
A vision flashedalong the Appian Way.
Divinely in the pagannight it shone—
A mournful Face—aFigure hurrying on—
Though haggardand dishevelled, frail and worn,
A King, of David’s lineage, crownedwith thorn.
“Lord, whither farest?” Peter, wondering cried.

Jesus was rough on peter's curiosity

Jesus was rough on peter's curiosity

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