What Does John 21:21 Mean?
Peter, perceiving him, said to Jesus, "Lord, and this man, what will he do?"
Key words are shown with the Hebrew or Greek and what each word meant.
Selah Decoded Version The Selah Decoded Version renders what the Hebrew and Greek words meant to the people who first heard them.
King James wording
King James Version
Peter seeing him saith to Jesus, Lord, and what shall this man do?THE KEY
Peter’s question shows how quickly another person’s future can become the question occupying your attention.
THE MEANING
This verse speaks to the moment your attention turns from Jesus toward someone else’s path. Peter sees the other disciple and asks what is to become of him, while his own next step remains unspoken here. Jesus answers in the next verse by addressing Peter’s own following.
THE ROOT
ἰδών
idōn
GROWS FROM
εἰδ-/ἰδ- (eid-/id-, the seeing stem)
See, perceive; know by having seen.
“perceiving” in this verse is idōn. ἰδών (idōn, “having seen”) is an aorist form in the family of ὁράω (horaō, “see, perceive”). The related οἶδα (oida, “know”) historically means “have seen,” so this word family lets sight shade into knowing. Peter’s sight of the other disciple becomes a question about that disciple’s future.
ALSO GROWS
eîdos: Form, appearance; what is seen.
εἶδος
This branch names the visible form taken in by the eye, showing how seeing includes perceiving what stands before you.
oîda: Know; historically, “have seen.”
οἶδα
This branch carries sight into knowing, echoing the verse’s movement from Peter seeing the disciple to asking about his future.
THE PATTERN
Attention to another person’s path or place can become a question brought to Jesus.
Jesus said to him, "If I will that he stay until I come, what is that to you? As for you, follow me."But Martha was pulled around by much serving, and she came to him and said, Lord, does it not weigh on you that my sister has left me behind to serve alone? Tell her, therefore, to take hold with me.And he said to her, What do you want? She said to him, Say that these two sons of mine may sit, one at your right hand and one at your left, in your governance.THE THREAD
Jesus said to him, "If I will that he stay until I come, what is that to you? As for you, follow me."Jesus answers Peter’s question about the other disciple by naming Peter’s own path: “follow thou me.” The other disciple’s future remains open, while Peter’s next step is spoken directly.
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