What Does John 21:4 Mean in the King James?
But when the morning was now come, Jesus stood on the shore: but the disciples knew not that it was Jesus.
The analysis reads the King James wording.
King James Version The King James Version, first published in 1611. Selah Verse shows the standard text.
THE KEY
Jesus is already standing in the disciples’ scene before they recognize who is there.
THE MEANING
Jesus is present before the disciples can identify him. Not recognizing who stands before you does not make that presence unreal. The verse holds presence and perception apart, a gap the reader can know in the present too.
WHAT THIS UNDOES
It undoes the belief that failing to recognize Jesus means he is absent.
THE ROOT
ᾔδεισαν
ēdeisan
GROWS FROM
εἰδ-/ἰδ- (eid-/id-)
See, perceive; by extension, know.
“knew” in this verse is ēdeisan. English “know” can sound like having information, but this Greek word family carries the sense of seeing and perceiving. The disciples’ recognition has not arrived yet; Jesus is already there.
ALSO GROWS
eîdon: Saw or perceived.
εἶδον
This form brings the root’s sense of seeing into the verse’s language of knowing.
eîdos: What is seen: a visible form or appearance.
εἶδος
It links knowing with perception of what is present before the eyes.
THE PATTERN
Presence can precede recognition: what is real may be here before it is perceived.
And Jacob awaked out of his sleep, and he said, Surely the LORD is in this place; and I knew it not.But their eyes were holden that they should not know him.And when she had thus said, she turned herself back, and saw Jesus standing, and knew not that it was Jesus.THE THREAD
Jesus saith unto them, Come and dine. And none of the disciples durst ask him, Who art thou? knowing that it was the Lord.The verse shifts from ᾔδεισαν (ēdeisan, “they knew”) in 21:4 to εἰδότες (eidotes, “knowing”) in 21:12, two forms of οἶδα (oida, “know” or “perceive”). The shoreline scene moves from not recognizing Jesus to knowing him, while his presence remains constant.
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