The teaching highlights how Jesus revealed to Peter that his death would glorify God, demonstrating a broader principle for believers that both Old and New Testament narratives are filled with symbolic events to guide spiritual understanding and living. Christians are encouraged to interpret these biblical illustrations as spiritual lessons, evolving from Old Testament practices into ways of internal spiritual growth, such as viewing circumcision as a matter of the heart rather than a physical practice.
The New Testament narrative of Jesus Christ, including His life, death, and resurrection, serves as a multitude of spiritual illustrations, highlighting how events like raising Lazarus, Peter walking on water, and Jesus’ healings offer profound lessons on faith, overcoming obstacles, and spiritual renewal for believers today. These symbolic acts and Jesus' humble life demonstrate themes of trust, power, eternal priorities, and spiritual transformation, emphasizing that the Spirit is what matters and illustrating that following Jesus involves embracing a life aligned with divine purpose rather than worldly gains.
Jesus calls Peter to follow Him, signifying a deeper commitment that would ultimately lead to Peter's own crucifixion, emphasizing the notion of losing one's life to truly gain eternal life. The teaching highlights the foundation of faith built on the apostles and prophets, with Jesus as the cornerstone, illustrating a universal principle that true believers must be willing to sacrifice, whether through physical death or by letting go of personal prejudices and judgments, to fully embrace their faith.
To glorify God, believers must willingly crucify their sinful flesh, following Jesus' example of carrying the cross to Golgotha, a place of humble death. By allowing the death of our fleshly ways and strengths, we reveal God's power in our weaknesses and embrace a new life in Christ where all things are renewed, as emphasized in Romans 6:3 and Galatians 2:20.
Walk in the Spirit by crucifying the flesh and its desires through a process akin to being buried and resurrected with Christ in baptism; this symbolic rebirth signifies a life led by the Spirit, embracing suffering as a means to glorify God by trusting His will over fleshly temptations. Believers are called to follow Christ through personal sacrifice and sufferings, which are intrinsic to a godly life, highlighting patience, hope, and the enduring love granted by the Holy Spirit.
Jesus emphasizes His authority over the apostles and clarifies that if He wishes for John to remain until His return, it should not concern Peter, leading some to misunderstand that John would never die. John's testimony in his Gospel highlights his firsthand witness and asserts the truth of his account, underscoring that while there are many untold deeds of Jesus, the essential elements he provides are sufficient to inspire faith and understanding.
Shawn suggests reinterpreting John 21:25 to mean that if all the experiences and impacts of Jesus's actions in believers' lives were documented, the collective accounts would be innumerable and vast, potentially even exceeding the physical capacity of the world to contain them. He argues that every believer's personal stories of blessings, insights, and divine influence could collectively compose an immense volume of works that supports taking John's statement literally rather than as hyperbole.
The End of the Gospel of John
WELCOME
PRAYER
WORD TO MUSIC
SILENCE
And when we come back . . . the wrap-up of the Gospel of John picking it up in chapter 21 at verse 18.
Okay, Jesus has been having a q and a with Peter about Peter’s love for him and after so doing Jesus said in verse 18:
John 21:18 and the Prophecy of Peter's Death
John 21:18 Verily, verily, I say unto thee, When thou wast young, thou girdedst thyself, and walkedst whither thou wouldest: but when thou shalt be old, thou shalt stretch forth thy hands, and another shall gird thee, and carry thee whither thou wouldest not.
Last week we talked about how this was Jesus telling Peter how he would die – that it would be in a fashion where Peter would stretch his arms out, be bound, and be carried by others to a place he would not want to be carried.
Danny pointed out to me privately last week that if we go to Peter’s epistles we can actually read Peter referring to this at II Peter 1:14 where, as an older man, he wrote of himself: “Knowing that shortly I must put off this my tabernacle, even as our Lord Jesus Christ hath shewed me.”
I would strongly suggest that Peter, as an apostle, was aware that his own deathSeparation from God—now overcome. Physical death remains, but it no longer separates us from life with God. was approaching and was also fully aware of the signs of the times approaching the House of Israel.
Follow Me: Jesus' Call to Peter
Anyway, back to John 21. After telling Peter how he was going to die, John adds (at verse 19)
19 This spake he, signifying by what death he should glorify God. And when he had spoken this, he saith unto him, “Follow me.”
20 Then Peter, turning about, seeth the disciple whom Jesus loved following; which also leaned on his breast at supper, and said, Lord, which is he that betrayeth thee?
21 Peter seeing him saith to Jesus, Lord, and what shall this man do?
22 Jesus saith unto him, If I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to thee? follow thou me.
23 Then went this saying abroad among the brethren, that that disciple should not die: yet Jesus said not unto him, He shall not die; but, If I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to thee?
24 This is the disciple which testifieth of these things, and wrote these things: and we know that his testimony is true.
25 And there are also many other things which Jesus did, the which, if they should be written every one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that should be written. Amen.
The Spiritual Application of New Testament Narratives
Okay, back to verse 19. Jesus explained to Peter how Peter was going to die, and John added: 19 This spake he (Jesus), signifying by what death he should glorify God. And when he had spoken this, he saith unto him, “Follow me.” I find the line, “this he said signifying BY WHAT DEATH PETER SHOULD GLORIFY GOD” really applicable to our modern Christian walk.
Many believers recognize the fact that the Old Testament narrative were pictures and types for the Hebrew believers in New Testament times to see and understand the promised Messiah. The temple rites, the animal sacrifices, the sprinkled blood, the floating axe head, the woman’s only son raised by Elijah, a cruse of oil and cup of flour multiplied, Jonah in the belly of the great fish, Moses holding out his arms and the army prevailing, the brass serpent, the curse of thorns, the Nations of Israel camping around the temple in the shape of a cross, and on and on and on – all pictures for the Jews to recall, apply, and live by in seeing Jesus as the Messiah.
What many people do not always realize is that the New Testament narrative provides us with the same type of illustrations – to receive and understand and live as we follow Him. Were the Christians of the New Testament supposed to continue on applying the types and symbols that came from the Old Testament? Never. They were to take the imagery of the Old Testament symbols and apply them to themselves as early Christians who had come out of Jewry and embraced the King. A day of rest became rest in Him. Circumcision of “the unit” of males only became circumcision of the heart for male and female alike. Animal sacrifice became the sacrifice of Jesus, etc., etc.
Here’s what IS missed however – the fact that the New Testament instructions and insights have application to believers SPIRITUALLY.
Spiritual Lessons from the Life of Christ
The primary example of these illustrations is derived from the New Testament narrative of the Life, Death, and Resurrection of Christ and those early believers who followed Him. There are hundreds, if not thousands, of these spiritual lessons for us as readers of the Bible, with millions, if not trillions, of examples of how these apply to us in our modern lives.
Because we are so literal in ways, we often fail to recognize their spiritual application of the New Testament narrative and instead read the events as though they were events from the life of Jesus which ought to apply to us now. But look at anything He did – like crucifixion – and we can tell it cannot be literally applied to us today but that it certainly has spiritual application.
Examples from the New Testament
Let’s pick up on just some of them from the New Testament to illustrate what I mean. When Lazarus was raised from death to life, it was by the Word speaking Words that brought Him out of a dark tomb and into the light. So it is with us – we come to new life when the Word speaks Words to us. Very simple.
When Peter walked on water, he did something no other human has ever done – and he did it by fixing his eyes on Jesus and NOT on the waves below. A really clear picture. None of us are expected to walk on water. The event was a picture for us to understand how to overcome obstacles, fears, and trials that swirl around our feet threatening to hurt us.
The torrid genealogy of Jesus and the circumstances surrounding His mother’s pregnancy (and His actual birth in an animal stall) are symbolic of Him condescending below all things, which indirectly infers there is no sinMissing the mark of faith and love—no punishment, just lost growth or peace. or thing on earth He does not understand and cannot handle on our behalf. But the fact that wise men came bearing Him gifts also shows He is a King worthy to sit on the throne of our lives.
Symbolism in Christ's Actions
His healings of the various physical ailments are all applications for us to know that He will cause those who are spiritually “blind” to see, those who are deaf to the truth to hear, and those who are dead in sin to new life. His turning water to wine can be seen in a number of ways, including that when He is at the party, life gets sweeter and/or that He is not confined to time and space in His works (as pictured through the immediate fermentation) but can transcend such things to bring about His immediate will.
His life without means or a place to rest his head shows us that if our King would live this way (when all other kings typically live in opulence), then our home and rest are on high, and we are to keep a light touch on the things of this world. The fact that He was not possessing anything that men would desire of Him shows that it is the Spirit that matters to God and not our surrounding flesh which often serves so well in getting us to think we are all that.
His riding a donkey that had never been ridden, walking on storm seas, commanding demons to depart, and raising the dead show us that He is a proper and all-powerful King, and no other is worthy of our allegiance. His submission to the will of the Father, even though He wondered if there was another way, tells us this life is NOT about our will and ways but His.
And then there is all the symbolism of His submitting Himself to the Romans and their treatment of Him (and the treatment we receive at the hands of Governments), His bearing the cross and crucifixion (and our doing the same, taking it up and walking toward the place of the deaths we are to suffer to self-will), His death (and the death of our flesh that we as believers submit to in His name), His resurrection (and ours to new life in Him) – all types and pictures for us as followers to see in spiritual terms.
Lessons from Peter's Encounter
So, all that being said, after asking Peter three times if he loved Him, Jesus described his future as an old man, and John adds at verse:
“This spake he (Jesus), “signifying by what death he should glorify God.”
And when he had spoken this, he saith unto him, “Follow me.”
As we mentioned last week, Peter had returned to the nets where Jesus had years earlier pulled.
Spiritual Insights on Faith
“Follow me and I will make you fishers of men.” Jesus was back with the same message – but this time with a little more information for Peter – “You will stretch forth your hands, and men will bind you and take you were you do not want to go . . . follow me, Peter – but this time there’s an inference for Peter to follow Him all the way to his own crucifixion. There is a tremendous spiritual insight being presented here, folks. This book provides us with our Christian history. It details for us those whose lives have formed the foundation of our faith.
In Ephesians 2:19 Paul says
“Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God; and are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone.”
So what was the lot of the prophets who added to this foundation upon which we stand?
Biblical Narratives and Examples
Speaking to the Pharisees Jesus said in Luke 11:47 “Woe unto you! for ye build the sepulchres of the prophets, and your fathers killed them.” Their end was death – all the way up to John the Baptist – the last and greatest among prophets (according to Jesus) who did His part and then lost his life for doing it.
The apostles? Jesus just told Peter what His lot would be. The rest of them, according to tradition, and excepting John, were put to . . . that’s right – death.
The Chief Cornerstone Jesus Christ? Death.
And so in and from this example of those who form the foundation of our faith we have a common thread – they all experienced DEATH for the faith and then paradoxically, inherited eternal life. Jesus tapped into this paradox in Matthew 16:25 when He said:
“For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it.”
Universal Principles in Christianity
On the foundation of apostles and prophets with Jesus Christ as Chief cornerstone we have a universal principle established – Losing one life as a necessary prerequisite to finding ones life – life eternal. Again, the biblical narrative provides us with material examples of this. For believers today – and for the past several hundred years – it’s a rarity for Christians to have to forego the loss of physical lives (as the prophets and apostles and Jesus did) as a means to find eternal life. Yes, it happens in some communist or totalitarian countries and yes it occurs in some under Muslim control but in terms of numbers as a percent of population the percentages are very, very low.
Nevertheless, the demand remains as applicable today as it did back in the day – people have to be willing to lose their lives in order to find them. I would have made a remarkable John the Baptist because I would welcome martyrdom if it meant pleasing God. But ask me to give up my pet prejudices, or my ability to judge others in God’s name – that’s really difficult. I suppose we could say that IF a person is sold out to Christ, if they are “ALL IN” – a phrase I have adopted of late to describe the heart of truly committed believers, whatever demands are made – whether it be sacrificing the physical life for God or the life they enjoy in the flesh, it is a demand that would be met. Again, for Him.
In Peter’s case, we have a man who Jesus knows tried to be “all in” when it comes to Him. Like any sheep, Peter just needed some direction from the shepherd on how to continue in this direction. Think about this – we frequently call Peter’s behavior impetuousness – but he had a heart for the Lord – His Spirit was evidently willing, and yet at times his flesh was weak. While the apostles were sitting on the boat after a night of failure to catch fish and Jesus shows up, Peter went all in – All into the water. The others, no less of Christian, arrived at shore by a smaller dryer vessel, but Peter threw His entire being toward Him . . . and into the salty water.
When Jesus tells Peter the manner of death that he would die, we have to note that Jesus was telling Peter that he was going to be joining the “all-in” club by the time he is an old man. So leave these nets.
The Call to Glorify God
and follow Him.
John says that Jesus said this as a means “to signify by what death he would glorify God.” We know from scripture that the spiritual application remains for all believers today leaving each of us to ask: “By what death will we – you and I – glorify God?”
In Galatians 2:20 Paul wrote: “I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me. Listen – for Christ to live in us, we have to die. (We do?) Yes. He doesn’t share the throne. He either reigns or He doesn’t – our flesh wars against the Spirit of Christ, claiming and reclaiming it as our own, right?
So we, like Jesus, must pick up our cross and follow Him. Follow Him where? Well, where was He headed when He picked up His cross? That’s right – to Golgotha, the place of the skull – a place outside the city walls, a place where garbage was tossed and criminals, and lawbreakers were . . . THAT’s RIGHT – put to death. So we too take up OUR respective cross – whatever that particular item is, and we follow Jesus to the same place He went with His cross – to a place of humble death.
The Significance of the Cross
We willingly take our man or woman of flesh and the things that are strong in our flesh, and we allow them to be crucified with Christ. What does this do? “It SIGNIFIES by what death we will glorify God.” See, God is NOT glorified in our strengths – because our strengths are from Him. We don’t through our flesh prove God to be powerful. We prove Him to be who He is through weakness – including the death of those things which were formally strong in our members.
How is God glorified when we, who have a natural strength in an area, enhance it and capitalize on it – it’s a natural gift. But how greatly God is glorified when those who claim Him die to what they would formally do and appeal to to manage their lives. How much is God glorified when believers allow their fleshly ways to be crucified with Christ.
Embracing the New Life
Paul adds in Romans 6:6 “Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.” This is the death scripture is speaking of to us in how we glorify God – the death of our sinful flesh we allow to be crucified with Christ. What death will you willingly suffer to glorify God? (long beat)
You don’t need me to point it out – we all know – we are fully aware of the things that live in our flesh that do not glorify God while they are thriving and alive but would certainly glorify Him if we allowed them to suffer crucifixion. As I prepared this teaching I sat in a Fed Ex kinkos and took an inventory of things that I could give up for His glory but have not.
I counted eleven – and those could probably be doubled if God added His insights. I mean I harbor and feed and allow eleven major sins of my flesh to take up residence on the throne of my life and I justify all of them. They ought to die completely on a cross as completely as Christ’s flesh died when He gave up the ghost.
I allow them to live because I enjoy them and appeal to them over appealing to Him and His ways. No excuses. And there will be no excuses for them after this life. Thank God for His grace and longsuffering. But these do not eliminate the directives in scripture do they. Had I done an inventory of my fleshly positions prior to spiritual rebirth I would have spoken of hundreds – it would have been my whole person. So the fact that eleven remain isn’t too bad (in my eyes). But in His eyes He died to give me a NEW LIFE where ALL THINGS are new in Him.
See, once Jesus was crucified, what happened to Him? He was buried. So Paul said, speaking of baptism: Romans 6:3 “Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised
Walking in the Spirit
"Up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so (did you catch that) even so we also should walk in newness of life."
So like Jesus, we allow our flesh to be crucified WITH Christ, we are then buried with Him in baptism, and when we rise up and out of the water, we are symbolically walking in newness of life in the Spirit and not of the flesh. Referring to this Galatians 5:24-25 says:
"And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit."
Again, to walk in the Spirit and NOT after the flesh requires the flesh to be crucified – it has to DIE – our former selves have to die, and since we continue to live in this world IN flesh that has been crucified we EXPERIENCE suffering, and pain, and anguish as believers.
Suffering with Christ
What's the cause? Our flesh wanting to be in charge, but allowing it to stay in the grave. It's NOT appealing to our will but His – that is insufferable. It's NOT lashing out when people deserve a lashing. It's NOT getting revenge when people deserve it. It's loving when we believe we have every right to not. It's wanting to appeal to the flesh in any way but appealing to the Spirit of Christ, the Holy Spirit, instead.
These things I have just said are living examples of being crucified with Christ. The insufferable death of OUR flesh which suffering GLORIFIES God because in it WE are claiming to TRUST Him over our own will or the temptations of the evil one.
2nd Timothy 3:12 "Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution."
Romans 8:17 "And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together."
Philippians 1:29 "For unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for his sake."
Perseverance and Hope
Romans 5:3 "And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulationA real historical event fulfilled in 70 A.D.—not a future apocalyptic crisis. More worketh patience;" 4 "And patience, experience; and experience, hope:" 5 "And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us."
When Jesus said to Peter, Follow ME – He was telling the man that it was time to put everything behind Him now, feed the sheep, and perhaps most significantly, his doing this will lead Peter to the same end as it ended for all the prophets, all the apostles, Christ, and all of us . . . To death . . . and then life eternal.
But like all of us, Peter was still, at this point, nooooot fully cooked, as evidenced by what happens next. Remember, he (and he alone) has essentially been taken to school by Jesus as a means to make him more fruitful. And so we read at (verse 20)
20 "Then Peter, turning about, seeth the disciple whom Jesus loved following; (Jesus and Peter may have been walking together at this point) which (speaking of John) also leaned on his breast at supper (the last supper), and said, 'Lord, which is he that betrayeth thee?' (speaking of Judas) (verse 21)
21 Peter seeing him saith to 'Jesus, Lord, and what shall this man do?'
Lord, you have just told me what is going to happen to me, so what about John – this man – what will happen to him OR maybe, what 'death shall he die?'
Once again we are left to conjecture as to what caused Peter to ask this. It could be everything from John looking to Peter behind Jesus back and sort of signaling him to ask the Lord on John's behalf what his future held to Peter wanting to know if John's future would be the same OR maybe Peter was looking to take the focus off him (which had been on him for quite a while now) and so he tried to divert the focus on his friend. I mean, it could have been that Peter was really worried that John might get the same prediction on his life and wanted to know if he would be protected from such a fate.
We don't know. All we do know is Jesus wasn't going to give Peter what he wanted. (verse 22)
22 Jesus saith unto him, "If I will that he tarry till I come, what is that…"
Jesus and the Apostle John
“If I WILL that he tarry till I come . . .” clearly showing that He was in charge of the apostles, the church, and frankly we could use this to prove that all things had been put in His hands. In other words, He doesn’t say, “If the Father wants John to tarry . . .” He says, “If I.”
Secondly, we could read Jesus' words to John in a few different ways. Some, as proven by what John will say in the next few verses, have concluded that Jesus was speaking SUPERNATURALLY and that John the Beloved would or could remain alive until Jesus' second comingChrist’s return, fulfilled in 70 A.D., ending the old covenant—not the world.. If this is what He was saying, then we have to view his words as either reasonable, and to infer that his second coming would occur within a reasonable amount of time OR that Jesus was speaking uber supernaturally, and that John could have roamed the earth and never died – even to this day – since many believe Jesus' second coming remains an unfulfilled event.
In other words, IF Jesus' response to Peter was literal, and not just an example, then either John is still walking the earth or Jesus returned in 70 AD which was a reasonable amount of time that John could have walked the earth. But there is a much clearer meaning here to Jesus' exact words. I think He was saying to Peter, “Listen, if I will it that John the beloved should not die at all, it is nothing to thee." But because of this, some evidently understood Him to mean that John would not die. It is, however, remarkable that John was the last of the apostles to die and that he was one of the only apostles who did not suffer martyrdom.
John himself now tells us what happened as a result of Jesus saying this to Peter – and in my estimation, he clears the whole issue up saying:
23 Then went this saying abroad among the brethren, that that disciple should not die: yet Jesus said not unto him, “He shall not die;” but He said, “If I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to thee?”
The Testimony of John
And then John sort of steps back and provides us what we might consider the key passage of his whole Gospel, saying:
24 This is the disciple which testifieth of these things, and wrote these things: and we know that his testimony is true.
He is actually giving us a firsthand witness here. He is telling us that he is the disciple that Jesus was talking about, that he was a witness to all these things, he testified of these things and wrote them, then adds: “And we know that his testimony is true.” Some translators have suggested that John actually wrote I know but this is a fabrication. The Greek word Oidemen is plural and it means, “We.”
Why does he write this in the plural? In my opinion, it’s because he is speaking on behalf of the apostles, as a whole, and is saying that all of them know that what John has written is true. And here we are almost 2000 years later in July reading His words – I believe them. I believe His account and His witness of Jesus.
I am convinced that the essential elements of the story are enough to bring and lead us to faith and knowledge. I am also convinced that they do not represent the whole story – like the Genesis account does not include the whole story – nor the account of Noah and the Flood, Moses and the Exodus, or Matthew's account of Jesus' early life. But we have essentials – suitable enough to bring all of us closer to the King.
Conclusion of John's Gospel
John concludes his narrative with the following:
25 And there are also many other things which Jesus did, the which, if they should be written every one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that should be written. Amen.
And again, we have the choice to either assume that John was appealing to hyperbole when he said this or that what He said was actual and real. The Greek supports the idea that this language was used to show that in comparison to what John chose to write, there was a lot more that could be written to cover the things Jesus did. It is really an odd thing for me.
The Literal and Figurative Duality
To live in this head of mine because where most people – commentators, scholars, linguists, will take things literally I take them figuratively and where most take things figuratively or as hyperbole I see them as having the potential to be literal. I don’t try to think this way, it just happens. So all the commentators suggest that this is truly John appealing to hyperbole. But I think this line could be taken literally and here’s why.
John says:
25 And there are also many “other things” which Jesus did, the which, “if they should be written every one,” I suppose that even the “world itself” could not contain the books that should be written (all of the other translations say, “could not contain the books that would be written). Amen.
The Vast Impact of Jesus
Now, How long is a book? From John’s words he seems to infer that he has written a book – a Gospel – of the limited things Jesus did. His book is twenty one chapters, and if printed alone would be about 30 pages long. That’s one book, right? How many people could write similar books that have or will be affected by what Jesus did in their lives – since the beginning of time?
Remember, John says, “there ARE also MANY other things which Jesus did, the which IF THEY SHOULD BE WRITTEN EVERY ONE . . . the world itself could not contain them. That’s a LOT of land and sea area to be covered. But then again, all of us, everyday, if we had insight into what Jesus has done in our lives, could write a book – short or long – that would describe what He has done . . . on just that day – if we really think about it.
Insights and Acts
The insights he gives us, the blessings, the protection, the peace, the benevolence, the hope, the patience, the forgiveness, kindness, growth, love, on and on and on. So if all believers, past, present, and future, were composing books – call them 30 to fifty page books that describe what work HE is and has been doing in us – I wonder. Maybe John’s words here could be taken literally.
Add in a detailed account of the creation – which was at his hands – all the formula, all the activities, all the descriptions of the construction of the heavens, stars, planets, earths, solar systems, eco-systems, anatomies, constellations, and I think John was speaking literally in this last verse.
And with Him I too conclude this teaching with AMEN.
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