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* [21:15–23] This section constitutes Peter’s rehabilitation and emphasizes his role in the church.
* [21:15–17] In these three verses there is a
remarkable variety of synonyms: two di erent Greek verbs for love (see note on Jn 15:13); two verbs for feed/tend; two nouns for sheep; two verbs for know. But apparently there is no di erence of meaning. The threefold confession of Peter is meant to counteract his earlier threefold denial (Jn 18:17, 25, 27). The First Vatican Council cited these verses in de ning that Jesus after his resurrection gave Peter the jurisdiction of supreme shepherd and ruler over the whole ock.
* [21:15] More than these: probably “more than these disciples do” rather than “more than you love them” or “more than you love these things [ shing, etc.].”
* [21:18] Originally probably a proverb about old age, now used as a gurative reference to the cruci xion of Peter.
* [21:22] Until I come: a reference to the parousia.
* [21:23] This whole scene takes on more signi cance if the disciple is already dead. The
death of the apostolic generation caused problems in the church because of a belief that
Jesus was to have returned rst. Loss of faith sometimes resulted; cf. 2 Pt 3:4.
* [21:24] Who. . .has written them: this does not necessarily mean he wrote them with his own hand. The same expression is used in Jn 19:22 of Pilate, who certainly would not have written the inscription himself. We know: i.e., the Christian community; cf. Jn 1:14, 16.
JOHN 
Jesus and Peter.* 15When they had nished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter,* “Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?”* He said to him, “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.” He said to him, “Feed my lambs.” 16He then said to him a second time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.” He said to him, “Tend my sheep.” 17He said to him the third time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” Peter was distressed that he had said to him a third time, “Do you love me?” and he said to him, “Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you.” [Jesus] said to him, “Feed my sheep.i 18* Amen, amen, I say to you,j when you were younger, you used to dress yourself and go where you wanted; but when you grow old, you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will dress you and lead you where you do not want to go.” 19He said this signifying by what kind of death he would glorify God. And when he had said this, he said to him, “Follow me.”k
The Beloved Disciple. 20Peter turned and saw the disciple following whom Jesus loved, the one who had also reclined upon his chest during the supper and had said, “Master, who is the one who will betray you?”l 21When Peter saw him, he said to Jesus, “Lord, what about him?” 22Jesus said to him, “What if I want him to remain until I come?* What concern is it of yours? You follow me.”m 23* So the word spread among the brothers that that disciple would not die. But Jesus had not told him that he would not die, just “What if I want him to remain until I come? [What concern is it of yours?]”
Conclusion. 24It is this disciple who testi es to these things and has written them,* and we know that his testimony is true.n 25There are also many other things that Jesus did, but if these were to be described individually, I do not think the whole world would contain the books that would be written.o
At the end of Chapter 20
and at the end of Chapter
21, we get a glimpse into
the purpose of the Gospel narratives: not to tell everything there is to tell about Jesus, because “the whole world” could not contain it, but to tell the
story of Jesus so that we may believe, and thus “have life in his name” (20:31). Each of the four Gospel writers shares this goal, to help us to know Jesus and to follow him.
i. [21:17] 13:37–38; 18:15–18, 25–27; Mt 26:69–75; Mk 14:66–72; Lk 22:55–62.
j. [21:18] Acts 21:11, 14; 2 Pt 1:14.
k. [21:19] 13:36.
l. [21:20] 13:25.
m. [21:22] Mt 16:28.
n. [21:24] 19:35.
o. [21:25] 20:30.
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