The Perfect Ending to John's Gospel… John 21:22-25

We come to the final verses of the Gospel of John.

Last time, we read about Jesus having a personal conversation with Peter. After restoring him, Jesus gave Peter a simple but life-changing command: "Follow Me."

That same command is for us today. As much as the world tries to distract us, Jesus continues to say, "Follow Me."

Jesus then revealed that one day Peter would glorify God through his death. He wasn't telling Peter this to fill him with fear, but to prepare him and strengthen him for the road ahead. Yet almost immediately after hearing this, Peter did the very thing Jesus was teaching him not to do.

Peter turned and saw John following behind them and asked, "Lord, what about this man?" (John 21:21).

Instead of keeping his eyes on Jesus, Peter's attention shifted to someone else's journey.

• How often do we do the same?

God calls us to follow Him, yet we become distracted by comparing our lives with others. We wonder why someone else's path seems easier, why they have different blessings, different gifts, or a different calling. We begin asking, "What about them?" instead of asking, "Lord, how do You want me to follow You?"

Jesus answered Peter,

"If it is my will that he remain until I come, what is that to you? You follow me!" (John 21:22).

Jesus gently reminded Peter that another person's calling was not his concern. Peter's responsibility was simply to follow Jesus faithfully. The same is true for us.

We don't need to understand God's plan for everyone else. We don't need to compare our lives, ministries, families, or circumstances. Jesus simply calls us to keep our eyes fixed on Him and remain faithful where He has placed us.

We are exactly where He wants us to be.

With that in mind, let us read the final verses of John's Gospel together…

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John 21:23-25

²³ So the saying spread abroad among the brothers^[a] that this disciple was not to die; yet Jesus did not say to him that he was not to die, but, “If it is my will that he remain until I come, what is that to you?”

²⁴ This is the disciple who is bearing witness about these things, and who has written these things, and we know that his testimony is true.

²⁵ Now there are also many other things that Jesus did. Were every one of them to be written, I suppose that the world itself could not contain the books that would be written.

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Vs 23…^”So the saying spread abroad among the brothers^[a] that this disciple was not to die; yet Jesus did not say to him that he was not to die, but, “If it is my will that he remain until I come, what is that to you?”

After hearing Jesus' words to Peter, a rumor quickly spread among the believers that John would never die. But John lovingly corrects that misunderstanding.

He writes, "Jesus did not say that he was not to die."

Instead, Jesus said, "IF it is my will that he remain until I come, what is that to you?"

Jesus wasn't making a prophecy about John's death. He was speaking hypothetically to redirect Peter's attention. His point wasn't about John's future—it was about Peter's obedience. He was not promising that John would never die. He was simply reminding Peter that John's future was in His hands, not Peter's concern. 

• Could Jesus have kept John alive until His return if He had chosen to?

Absolutely! Jesus is fully God and fully man. Nothing is impossible for Him.

But that wasn't what Jesus said.

John understood how easily people could misunderstand Jesus’s words, so he corrected the rumor before it continued spreading.

There is a valuable lesson here for us. We should never build our beliefs on assumptions, rumors, traditions, or what we think God meant. Instead, we should seek to understand what He actually said. That is why studying Scripture in its proper context is so important. Without context, it becomes easy to misunderstand God's Word or even twist it into something He never intended. This is why we should always pray and ask the Holy Spirit to give us wisdom and understanding as we read His Word. 

For example, let's look at the Pharisees. Over time, they created traditions alongside God’s commandments. In doing so, they often missed the truth concerning Jesus or even the very heart of God’s message.

Another example is found in Paul’s word:

"God loves a cheerful giver." (2 Corinthians 9:7)

Some have taken that verse to mean that giving away money earns God's favor or even salvation. But that isn't what Scripture teaches. Paul is speaking about the attitude of our giving, not purchasing our salvation. The Bible is clear that we are saved by God's grace through faith in Jesus Christ, not by our works or our generosity.

The same is true when watching Bible-based shows like The Chosen. 

They can be wonderful tools that help us visualize the world of the Bible and encourage us to open God's Word. But they are dramatizations, not Scripture. Conversations, scenes, and details are often added to tell the story. If we're not careful, we can begin remembering those additions as though they were written in the Bible.

Our faith should always be rooted in God's Word—not in television, movies, traditions, or popular opinions.

Read the Scriptures for yourself.

We really need to seek Him to understand the context.

The Bible also gives us a beautiful example in the Bereans:

"Now these Jews were more noble than those in Thessalonica; they received the word with all eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see if these things were so." (Acts 17:11).

Notice that they didn't simply accept what they heard because someone taught it. They eagerly listened, then searched the Scriptures for themselves to make sure it was true. That should be our example as well. 

We should read God's Word.

Pray for wisdom.

Ask questions.

Compare everything we hear with what God has actually revealed.

If we isolate verses or fill in the gaps with our own understanding, we can end up believing something God never said.

 John gives us a beautiful example of humility. When he saw that people had misunderstood Jesus' words, he didn't allow the rumor to continue. Instead, he lovingly corrected it. May we have that same humility. When we discover that we've misunderstood Scripture, may we be willing to set aside our assumptions and gladly embrace God's truth as He has revealed it. 

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Vs 24…This is the disciple who is bearing witness about these things, and who has written these things, and we know that his testimony is true. 

John identifies himself as the disciple who witnessed these events firsthand.

He isn't writing stories he heard from others or passing along rumors. He is writing as an eyewitness to Jesus' life, ministry, death, resurrection, and the many things He taught and did.

• Why does John emphasize that he is bearing witness?

Because he wants us to know that these events truly happened.

His testimony is not based on imagination or legend—it is based on what he personally saw and experienced. John is assuring his readers that they can trust what has been written.

This is one of the reasons the Gospel of John is so powerful. It isn't simply a collection of inspiring stories; it is the eyewitness testimony of someone who walked with Jesus, listened to His teaching, watched Him perform miracles, stood at the foot of His cross, saw the empty tomb, and encountered the risen Christ.

John's purpose has remained the same throughout his Gospel—to lead us to faith in Jesus.

Earlier, he wrote:

"Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name." (John 20:30–31).

John didn't write merely to inform us.

He wrote so that we would believe.

His testimony invites every reader to place their trust in Jesus Christ, knowing that what he has written is true. He is confirming it!! It happened!!

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Vs 25…. Now there are also many other things that Jesus did. Were every one of them to be written, I suppose that the world itself could not contain the books that would be written.  

Although we are given only a portion of what Jesus did, there were many more miracles, teachings, and acts of compassion that were never recorded. In fact, John tells us there are not enough books in the world to contain everything Jesus did.

And I believe that is still true today.

Jesus is still at work. He is still changing lives, transforming hearts, healing the broken, answering prayers, and calling people to follow Him. The story of His work did not end when John finished writing his Gospel. It continues to this very day.

Yet, in His wisdom, God has given us exactly what we need in Scripture—to know Jesus, trust Him, believe in Him, and follow Him.

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What a beautiful way to end John's Gospel.

In just a few verses, John leaves us with three powerful reminders:

First, be careful not to misunderstand Jesus' words. Don't fill in the gaps with assumptions, rumors, or traditions. Read His Word carefully, seeking to understand it in its proper context.

Second, you can trust what has been written. John wasn't passing along stories he heard from others. He was an eyewitness to Jesus' life, death, resurrection, and ministry. His testimony is true, giving us confidence that our faith is built on reliable eyewitness testimony, not myths or speculation.

Third, John reminds us that there are countless other things Jesus did that were never written down. No collection of books could fully capture the greatness, love, power, wisdom, and glory of Jesus. Yet, God has graciously given us everything we need to know in the Bible. We may never know everything Jesus has done or is doing. But, we can trust that He is still working. 

Jesus Himself said,

"My Father is working until now, and I am working." (John 5:17).

He is still fulfilling His promises.

He is still transforming hearts.

He is still drawing people to Himself.

And He is still calling each one of us with the same invitation He gave Peter:

"Follow Me."

Thank you for reading. If this encouraged you, deepened your understanding of God's Word, or helped you see something in a new way, feel free to share it with someone who may be encouraged as well.