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John Chapter 21

John Chapter 21

(Underlining marks a quotation/allusion. [Brackets] mark a textual variant.fnWhen two (or more) different copies of an original manuscript disagree on any given word or phrase — addition, omission, word order, etc. — the disagreement is called a "textual variant". ~99% of existing textual variants are either minor (like spelling), obviously not original (often appearing only in a few late manuscripts), or don't affect meaning (like "Jesus Christ" vs. "Christ Jesus"). The ~1% that remain do not affect any central doctrine of Christianity. The BOS Bible only marks significant textual variants that affect the meaning; smaller variants that do not affect meaning won't be marked for readability.  "Love" with a caret ("^love") is agapé.fn"agapé" The Greek words ἀγάπη (agapé, noun), and ἀγαπάω (agapaó; verb) are typically translated "love".  However, unlike our English word "love" – which primarily speaks of affection and feelings — agapé centers on choice and behavior.  It’s the "love" based on will, choice, behavior, and action; not feelings.  (Feelings-based love is the Greek word φιλέω (phileó), which properly means "brotherly love/affection".)  Thus, you could hate someone passionately and still treat him with "agapé".  Agapé "love" is best understood as the pursuit of what is most beneficial to someone or something, regardless of the cost to yourself or the type of response received from the person or thing.  It can also indicate a preference for someone or something over other things. An asterisk (*) indicates a verb in the Greek perfect tense.fnThe Greek perfect tense signifies a completed action in the past with a result and/or an ongoing state that extends into the present. For example, Hebrews 12:2 says in part: "He *sat down at the right hand of the throne of God"; the verb for "sat" is in the perfect tense, indicating that He sat down once (completed action in the past), and also that He remains seated until the present moment (ongoing state).)

Glossary

Note: this glossary is currently a work in progress; entries that do not expand will be added as time permits

Ages/of ages
“ages” and “of ages” are the Greek words “αἰών” (aión, noun form) and “αἰώνιος” (aiónios, adjective form) respectively.  The adjective form is typically translated “eternal”, as in “eternal life”. The noun form refers to a whole time period, (Keizer, “Life Time Entirety”) such as a person’s lifetime (an older Greek sense), an age/epoch (e.g., 2 Cor 4:4), or even time in its entirety, making its meaning similar to “forever” (e.g., John 14:16). The adjective form is similarly context-dependent, and the New Testament context often dictates a meaning similar to “forever” (but not always: e.g. 2 Tim 1:9).  Alternately or additionally, it can indicate the quality of a time period — indicating greatness/severity — like the English idiom “of ages” (e.g. “battle of the ages”). Thus, “of ages” was chosen for the adjective form so that both the time and quality senses remain visible.

Clean/unclean

Covenant

Faith

Flesh

Forgive/forgiveness

Grace
The Greek word is “χάρις” (charis), most often translated “grace”, “gift”, or “thanks”. It was a technical term in the 1st century, referring to the Patronage system in place. The Patron (from “pater” = “father”) would give gifts or do favors (both called a charis). A charis was always given/done freely to anyone who would be grateful for it, and this person then became a “client” of the patron. The clients were expected to reciprocate by telling everyone what the patron had done, and offering their services to the patron whenever the patron needed them. This reciprocal act was also called “charis”, and the ones who reciprocated were “being faithful” by giving thanks in this way. Both were done out of gratitude, not legal obligation. A client who wasn’t faithful and grateful probably wouldn’t receive any more charis from his patron, or any other patrons. The patron was responsible for taking care of all his clients, and making sure their needs were met. New Testament usage typically casts God the Father as a Heavenly Patron, to whom Christians should be grateful and faithful because of the gifts He has given us. (e.g. salvation, provision, protection, etc.)

Holy

Justification

Law (Torah)

Make purification

Pure/Impure

Purification offering
In the Old Testament, this is typically the Hebrew “חַטָּ֖את” (khat-tat); in the New Testament, it’s typically “περὶ ἁμαρτίας” (peri hamartias), which is what the Septuagint (an ancient translation of the Old Testament into Greek) used to translate the Hebrew. It’s traditionally translated “sin offering”, but that translation has less support in high-level scholarship. The Hebrew word can mean “sin”, but it can also mean “purification” (e.g. Numbers 8:7). This offering was used to purify uncleanness, whether or not a sin was committed. Thus, it was required even when no sin was committed, such as after childbirth (Leviticus 12:1-8), for certain diseases (Leviticus 14), etc. High-level, peer-reviewed scholarship dedicated to the field (e.g. Milgrom, Levine, Gane, Sklar, Wright, Gorman, etc.) is largely united on the “purification offering” understanding. The BOS Bible has aligned itself with that high-level, peer-reviewed scholarship in its translation.

Ransom

Redemption

Repent/repentance

Righteous/righteousness

Salvation/save

Soul
“soul” is the Greek word “ψυχή/psuché” and Hebrew word “נֶפֶשׁ/nephesh”. The BOS Bible translates these words as “soul” for consistency, and so the full meaning of “soul” isn’t obscured by different translations in different places. They closely overlap in meaning and are typically translated “soul” or “life”. They refer to the animating force of a living thing, and thus can also refer to its life, or to the whole of any person or creature, including animals (e.g. fish in Revelation 8:9 and Genesis 1). They are frequently used as an emphatic reference to a person’s whole self, including longings, deep emotions, and inner life. (e.g. Ps 42:11) Note: while “soul” has significant overlap in meaning with “spirit”, the words have distinct meanings and usages throughout scripture. For example, lions tear apart a soul in Psalm 7:2, and a “dead soul” is mentioned in Leviticus 21:11; “spirit” has no analogous usages, and it returns to God at death (Ecc 12:7; Acts 7:59). The adjective forms of soul and spirit are contrasted in 1 Corinthians 2:14-15; see also: Hebrews 4:12; 1 Thessalonians 5:23.

Sin

Click to Collapse the Glossary
The 3rd appearance of Jesus
  1. After these things, Jesus revealed Himself to the disciples again at the Sea of Tiberias, and He revealed Himself this way:
  2. Simon Peter, and Thomas (the man called “Didymus”fn“Didymus” means “twin”, making it likely that he had a twin), and Nathanael the man from Cana of Galilee, and the sons of Zebedee, and two others from His disciples were together.
  3. Simon Peter tells them: “I’m going to fish.”  They say to him: “We’re also coming with you.”  They went out and embarked into the boat, and they caught nothing on that night.
  4. And it having become morning already, Jesus stood at the shore, yet the disciples hadn’t known that it’s Jesus.
  5. So Jesus says to them: “Children, don’t you have any fish?”  They answered Him: “No.”
  6. And He told them: “Throw the net to the right side of the boat, and you will find fish.”  So they threw it, and they were no longer able to drag it in from the plethora of fish.
  7. So that disciple whom Jesus ^loved says to Peter: “It’s the Lord!”  So having heard that it’s the Lord, Simon Peter put on his outer tunic (for he was stripped for work) and threw himself into the sea.
  8. And the other disciples in the boat came dragging the net with the fish, for they weren’t far from the land, but about 200 cubitsfn“cubits”, the plural of “cubit”, which is about 18 inches, or about 46 centimeters.  Thus, 200 cubits is about 300 feet. away.
  9. So when they disembarked onto the land, they see a coal-fire lying there, and fish placed on it, and bread.
  10. Jesus tells them: “Bring some of the fish which you caught just now.”
  11. So Simon Peter went up into the boat and pulled the net full of large fish to the land; 153 fish, and despite being so many, the net wasn’t torn.
  12. Jesus tells them: “Come, eat breakfast.” But none of the disciples dared to ask Him “Who are you?”, *knowing that it’s the Lord.
  13. Jesus comes and takes the bread and gives it to them, and He does likewise with the fish.
  14. This was already the third time Jesus was revealed to the disciples after having been raised from the dead.
Jesus, Peter, and John
  1. So when they had eaten breakfast, Jesus says to Simon Peter: “Simon son of John,fn“John” many manuscripts say “Jonah” here, and Matthew 16:17 supports “Jonah” as well. However, the difference might be due to translation or a nickname do you ^love Me more than these men?”  He tells Him: “Yes Lord, you *know that I lovefn“love” The Greek word here is “φιλέω” (phileó), and it denotes warm feelings of affection, friendship and kinship, or a great fondness for someone or something.  The contrast with “ἀγαπάω” (agapaó) used earlier in this verse can be adequately understood as a heart/head difference.  Thus, agapaó is the “love” based on the will, choice and the mind; whereas phileó is the “love” based on emotions, feelings, and the heart. you.”  He says to him: “Feed My lambs.”
  2. He says to him again for a second time: “Simon son of John,fn“John” see note on verse 15 do you ^love Me?”  He tells Him: “Yes Lord, you *know that I love you.”  He says to him: “Shepherd My sheep.”
  3. He says to him the third time: “Simon son of John,fn“John” see note on verse 15 do you love Me?”  Peter was grieved because the third time He said to him: “Do you love Me?”  And he said to Him: “Lord, you *know all things. You know that I love you.”  Jesus tells him: “Feed My sheep.
  4. “Amen, amen I tell you: when you were younger, you were girding yourselffn“girding yourself” is a cultural reference, referring to the process of tying a belt or rope around the waist to gather their long robes and prevent them from getting in the way of work.  It can also carry the connotation of clothing yourself.  It figuratively came to mean getting ready for action or work. and were walking where you were wanting.  But when you grow old, you will reach out your hands and another will gird you and will bring you where you don’t desire.
  5. And He said this, signifying by what kind of death he will glorify God.  And having said this, He tells him: “Follow Me.”
  6. Having turned, Peter sees the disciple whom Jesus ^loved following (who also reclined at the supper on His chest and said: “Lord, who is the man betraying you?”)
  7. So having seen that man, Peter says to Jesus: “Lord, and what about this man?”
  8. Jesus tells him: “If I want him to remain until I come, what is that to you?  You follow Me.”
  9. So this saying went out among the brothers, that this disciple doesn’t die.  But Jesus didn’t tell him that he doesn’t die, but only: “If I want him to remain until I come, what is that to you?”
  10. This is the disciple testifying about these things, and the man who wrote these things, and we *know that his testimony is true.
  11. Now, there are also many other things that Jesus did, which if every one would be written, I think not even the world itself would have space for the books that would be written.

 

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