Some time ago, I made a surprising discovery in the Greek text of John’s Gospel.
In its final chapter, Jesus says to Peter:
“Truly, truly, I say to you, when you were young, you girded yourself and walked where you would; but when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and another will gird you and carry you where you do not wish to go.”
(This he said to show by what death he was to glorify God.) And after this he said to him, “Follow me” [John 21:18-19].
The surprising thing is in the parenthetical remark by John: “This he [Jesus] said to show by what death he [Peter] was to glorify God.”
Standard English translations render the final verbal phrase in the past tense (“was to glorify,” RSV, ESV) or with the subjunctive mood (“should/would glorify,” KJV, Douay).
But the Greek doesn’t have either a past tense or the subjunctive mood. Instead, the Greek verb is doksasei, which is in the future tense and the indicative mood.
You could translate the remark, “This he said to show by what death he will glorify God.”
I’ve done some checking on this translation–including checking with one of the best-known scholars of New Testament Greek today–and it’s legitimate. While you could translate the phrase the way it is normally rendered in English versions, the straightforward, future tense translation is also legitimate.
As far as I have been able to tell, the standard translation is motivated by the common belief that John’s Gospel was written late–e.g., in the A.D. 90s–long after Peter’s death in the A.D. 60s.
However, if you go with the straightforward, future tense translation then it suggests the opposite–that John’s Gospel was written early, before Peter’s death (likely in A.D. 67). The same is suggested by other things in the Gospel, which contains clues that it was written before the fall of Jerusalem in A.D. 70.
My ears perked up, therefore, when the readings for the fifth Sunday of Lent caused something to click for me that hadn’t before.
They contained this passage, also from John:
“And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all men to myself.”
He said this to show by what death he was to die [John 12:32-33].
Notice how similar this is to the passage in which Jesus’ predicts the manner of Peter’s death. The two passages are so close that it would be hard not to see them as deliberate parallels on the part of the Evangelist: First he shows Jesus signifying the means of his own death, then he shows Jesus signifying the means of Peter’s death, and he makes strikingly similar parenthetical remarks to point out the significance of the two statements to the reader.
The two aren’t just similar in English. They are also close in Greek. But what I immediately wanted to know was: What was the Greek tense of the final verbal phrase in John 12:33?
If it was in the future tense then, since the Gospel was obviously written after Jesus’ death (which it records) then that would count as evidence that the later passage was also written after Peter’s death.
But if it wasn’t future tense then it could indicate that there was a difference about the relationship between when the Gospel was written and when the two deaths occurred.
As it turns out, the Greek phrase is ēmellen apothnēskein (“was/was about to die”), and the verb ēmellen (“he was about to”) is in the imperfect tense, which deals with past time (apothnēskein is an infinitive; “to die”).
This does not prove that the passage regarding Peter’s death was written before that event occurred, but it is another data point that is consistent with the idea that John was written before Peter’s death.
You always give us interesting nuggets. Thanks Jimmy!
Certainly clarifies these passages. Thanks…
This is indeed very interesting. I never realised it before. Thank you for sharing it.
I remember that moment in Mass, reading when Jesus stated,
“And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all men to myself.”
He said this to show by what death he was to die [John 12:32-33].
In that moment I contemplated how He draws us to Him, and invites us to suffer along with Him in His death, then glory in His ascension. And my next thought was: He gave us so many signs (that we see now) about how He would die. And yet the apostles did not comprehend His words right away.
Now to read your discovery- which is significant because things must get lost in translation- He showed us yet another sign in speaking of the manner of Peter’s death. It is quite awesome I think. Thank you Jimmy, for realizing that. I love to see the signs of Jesus. And you just found another one.
Hi Jimmy.
1) It’s stated: I am the alpha and the omega, the beginning and the end the first and the last. the one who was, who is and who is to come.
The Alpha and the omega are the A, first letter of the alphabet and the Z, last letter of the alphabet in the English language. The beginning and the end are the life and the death, life is the beginning and death is the end. the first and the last are the 1 and the 0 meaning the ten numbers also know in the prophecies as ten horns and ten crowns, ten horns because they can be use for evil and ten crowns because of the value each and every one of them possess.
Let’s just start with the A and the Z the alpha and the omega.
Because at that time the main language that were used to write scripture was the Greek, it’s staete the alpha and the omega but this in actual principal world language which is English represent the A and the Z and no only each and every word that is between this two characters but also each and every other single language on this planet.
Try to rationalize this, use common sense and logica so you can comprehend the meaning of this message, which is: you can not go here or go there to see and find out what this or that text says in this language and what this or that text says in other languages. You should be able and capable of comprehen God’s word one time and in one language other ways what you are doing is trying to confuse yourself more.
Again; the Alpha and the omega is the word of God on any place and on any language on this planet. therefore the word of God is like a double edged sword {WORD/SWORD}, why is this? because one side of the word of God is good to save yourself and the other edge of the sword is bad to condemn yourself to eternal damnation for the second time.
Understand this: Absolutely each and every single scripture on this planet considered sacred holy and divine is the word of God and is inspired by the Holy Spirit , which was revealed to many different people of many different background in many different ages and generations.
Let’s pick the bible for example: The bible is regarded to be the word of God and inspired by or through the Holy Spirit.
Therefore: If the bible is the word of God and is inspired by or through the Holy Spirit, then, the only way possible for any human person to know what in the bible is written or the real meaning of the scriptures is to talk to God and ask Him what is written on the bible and what is the real meaning of it, and/or speak talk or be illuminated by the Holy Spirit and that the Holy Spirit reveal to this person the real meaning of the Holy scriptures. Any other way which is not this, all the person is doing is wrongfully thinking, imaging, assuming, be-lie-ving, accepting, saying and preaching that they know what the holy scriptures say and the real meaning of them.
Now, if a person do not talk to God and/or this person is not illuminated by the Holy Spirit is not way possible no heaven nor in hell for this person to know the Word Will and Wisdom of God which is what the Holy scriptures content. By of way:
God’s Word Will And Wisdom = The Holy Spirit.
God’s Word Will And Wisdom = 21/3 = {777}. Also known as:
The Seal of The Living God = 21/3 = {777}.
The Way The Truth The Life = 21/3 = {777}.
Book of Life of Lamb of God = 21/3 = {777}.
Then again, when and/or if a person talks to God or this person is inspired and illuminated by The Holy Spirit, this person will possess all of God’s Word Will And Wisdom inside him/her and therefore each and every single scripture on this planet considered sacred Holy and Divine is obsolete and irrelevant. because this person will be getting God’s Word Will And Wisdom from the horse’s mouth. Get it? Here is an example:
1) All written religion = 18/3 = (666).
2) 6 6 Books Bible = 12 = (3) = (666).
3) Sixty-six Books Bible = 18/3 = (666).
5) Old and New Testament = 18/3 = (666).
4) The Mark Of The Dragon = 18/3 = (666).
6) 6 6 + 15 (6) Deuteronomy’s Books = (666).
Remember it’s the name and or the the number of it’s name, also the image name and number, which is the image people are imaging on their minds to know anything when in reality they do not know jack.
IMAGE NAME AND NUMBER = 18/3 = (666).
And the seven seals are:
1- The Creator, 2- Moses Law, 3- The Prophets, 4- The writings, 5- The Gospel, 6- Paul Letters, and 7- The Revelation.
Creator Law Prophets Writings Gospel Letters Revelation = 49/7 = {7777777}.
Thank you, again, Jimmy.
Blessings.
Jennifer
look forward to receiving e-mail.
I will read John’s gospel again.
Thank you very much . I am Egyptian , and when I revised the arabic translations ( 2 translations made by society of Jesus and one made by Smith and Van Dyke ) I have found the same result you concluded . Thank you very much .
Thank you for sharing this insight. I never would have found it on my own.