Decemeber 30, 2023
Fables And Theories
“Therefore this saying went out among the brethren that that disciple would not die; yet Jesus did not say to him that he would not die, but only, ‘If I want him to remain until I come, what is that to you?’” John 21:23 (NASB)
While in seminary, I took theories of Evolution and Creation. The textbook listed all of the fallacies of Evolution. A few years later, my wife and I went to Washington D. C. We visited the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History. The first floor was Evolution. They had forms of evolutionary man and reproductions. I walked and spoke to my wife about each stage. I remember saying loud enough, “This was disproved in 1932.” I remembered so much. After a while, I had enough. I told her, “Let’s go. I am aggravated.” I had enough of the lies. I remember the look on faces when I said which ones were blatant frauds, and which ones were disproved in court cases. I just felt the need to voice my opinion for the benefit of the truth. John does too.
“Therefore this saying went out among the brethren that that disciple would not die;” Because Peter or others misunderstood Jesus, John took the time to explain. Jesus offered a mild rebuke (in loving correction) to Peter’s curiosity. John took careful time to set the matter straight. For this to be addressed we have to ask why this question arose. Surely it was not a fictitious story. Surely, it had to be a real issue that arose from others. “Therefore this saying went out among the brethren…” “Lange says, “The above-mentioned tradition, which not even the Gospel has been able utterly to do away with… According to Baur, that tradition grew out of the Revelation; the statement is entirely without foundation. The tradition to the effect that John did but slumber in the grave and moved the earth with his breath, was a synthesis of the fact of his death and the precipitate apodictic interpretation of Christ’s word.”[1] History also records this from myths and fables hundreds of years later. “In virtue of this very tradition, three hundred years later it was said that the holy apostle was still sleeping in his tomb at Ephesus, and that the dust moved lightly on his heaving breast (Augustine, 'Tr. on John,' 124:2). Here was the beginning of a genuine myth, which, having no real root in fact, failed to establish itself. ‘John the Baptist is risen from the dead,’ exclaimed Herod Antipas, ‘and therefore mighty powers energize in him.’ But there was no life and no truth in the story, and even among the disciples of St. John Baptist it did not take any place as a supposed fact. It is interesting to see that here a myth was started without positively bad faith, and based itself upon a recorded saying of the Lord; but it perished! The aged apostle strikes the folly dead with one stroke of his pen.”[2]
Jesus’ words to Peter remained. No matter what was said, it didn’t matter. Lincoln leaves us with some thoughts, “The roles of Peter and the Beloved Disciple can be seen as two models for the continuation of Jesus’ mission through the lives of his followers. While the witness of Peter is characterized by his shepherding and his following of Jesus to death, the witness of the Beloved Disciple will be characterized by his foundational role in the passing on of authentic interpretation of the tradition about Jesus in this narrative. Martyrdom has always been a crucial model and in the global context of the church remains so… Disciples are to be faithful followers in whatever role the risen Lord assigns them.”[3]
[1] Lange, J. P., & Schaff, P. (2008). (p. 648). Logos Bible Software.
[2] https://biblehub.com/commentaries/john/21-23.htm.
[3] Lincoln, A. T. (2005). (p. 522). Continuum.