Really great tidbit! This post reminds me of one scholar’s advice that John “is his own best commentator.” I too have been challenged and continually edified by focusing on a literary approach to John. In fact, I’m working on a new series on deconstruction/reconstruction, and I will discuss John’s literary/narrative strategies as key means God has used in my own deconstruction/reconstruction journey.
If I may, while I see additional support for this way of reading Jesus “laying down his life,” I wonder about a potential counter-argument in Peter’s story. After the footwashing and betrayal discourse, Peter echoes Jesus’ language from ch. 10: τὴν ψυχήν μου ὑπὲρ σοῦ θήσω (13:37). Jesus counters that with a prediction of Peter’s threefold denial. But in 18:10 does Peter attempt to tithēmi his life for Jesus? Maybe from his mistaken understanding of the moment, but ironically, Jesus tells Peter to put his sword εἰς τὴν θήκην, “into the sheath,” and thēkē is etymologically related to tithēmi, ie, a place for something to be laid down and set aside. Later, after Jesus’ threefold command to “feed/tend my sheep,” Jesus predicts Peter’s death, which virtually all interpreters take to mean death on a cross. I think there is more to the metaphor/symbolism in 21:18, but 21:19 makes clear that Jesus foretold “by what kind of death Peter would glorify God.” So after telling Peter to feed and shepherd the flock, Peter is predicted to be a martyr; not to mention the fact that glorifying God echoes repeated Johannine language in which Jesus being glorified relates to his death on the cross. Maybe martyrdom is just an extreme of the general category of “risking one’s life for the sheep”? Or, an alternative I’ve considered but haven’t yet written about at length, I wonder if 21:18 connected to shepherding the flock echoes Jesus’ feeding his people through his very flesh via John 6. The every-day meaning would be, giving one’s life in service and care, whatever that looks like practically. The basic challenge, of course, is how to understand John’s metaphors and symbols combining and interacting. What a challenge that is!
Thanks for this comment! I'm excited to check out your new series.
You'd like the Hylen article. She does some more work on Peter's story (I don't personally follow everything there). One point she makes that I do agree with is her decentering of martyrdom. The pericope with Peter actually illustrates this, I think. Jesus's command to Peter is not "lay down your life for my flock" but "feed my lambs/sheep." In Peter's case, we also learn that his role as shepherd will lead to his death (like Jesus), but martyrdom isn't the goal, per se. So, I actually think the care-centered ethic is even more explicit in Peter's commissioning. Hylen notes that the contrast with the beloved disciple (who, rumor has it, may never die) also supports a non-martyrdom-oriented reading.
That said, I really like the idea of a connection to John 6!
On the point of Peter's desire to lay down his life for Jesus: I agree that the dialogue in ch.13 definitely echoes ch.10. But I think Peter has misunderstood the metaphor! When he says he'll lay down his life for Jesus, he's treating Jesus like a sheep, not like the shepherd. Hylen argues that in the garden, when Peter whips out his sword, he's actually getting it right: this is risking your life! She might be right. But I argue that Peter's swordplay is actually more like "risky self-protection" and therefore misses the point. That might be hairsplitting, but it gives context for Peter's "restoration" in 21. So when Jesus and Peter finally get to sit down and chat about it, I take Jesus's commission to feed the sheep as a corrective to these distorted ways of thinking about self-sacrifice.
All this is still a work in progress in my head tho -- what do you think?
Oh man, I have so many thoughts! I’ll try and keep them brief (but will probably fail, I’ve spent so much time on these threads in John and love talking about them). I’m with you in centering care and how risk is subordinated to that primary task. It’s a very good reframe. Also agree, and great point, that Peter treats Jesus like a sheep. The entire portrait of Peter in John is one of ironic misunderstanding. Peter does risk self-protection (viewing his swordplay and denials together, all are self-centered), but with John’s use of symbolism I see multiple layers of significance. Following Arthur Wright’s work on John 18-19, my forthcoming article on Peter’s violent use of the sword in 18:10 argues that Peter is ironically and subversively portrayed as an officer of empire (a la 18:3, 18:36). Additionally, the pervasive temple imagery in 18:1-10 (eg garden, Kidron, Judas/devil/serpent, Malchus servant of priest and his name means king) signify ironic misunderstanding in Peter attempting to cleanse the temple like Jesus in ch. 2, but unlike Jesus in using imperial violence. So, unlike most commentators who see Peter as generally having good intentions, I see John subversively critiquing the temptation for disciples of Jesus (esp. those in shepherding roles) to act more like “the Jews” and Romans, both of which mimic, in diabolical service to the ruler of the world, divine temple cleansing in their violence against the temple-presence of God in Jesus (eg 2:19; 10:22-42; 11:48; 19:19). I realize this stretches the imagination of what a straightforward narrative can convey, but I see John’s characters as representative/symbolic, so it’s not necessary to imagine all of that being in Peter’s motive (whether conscious or subconscious). A symbolic approach also opens up more of the connections and implications made in Peter’s restoration. As you point out, the care/protection commission is emphasized in the echoes of Ezekiel 34 in 21:15-17, which I explore in another linked post alongside allusions to Song of Songs and others, all of which direct Peter away from himself and toward Jesus and toward the flock. No pressure at all to read these, but sharing in case you’re interested:
Really great tidbit! This post reminds me of one scholar’s advice that John “is his own best commentator.” I too have been challenged and continually edified by focusing on a literary approach to John. In fact, I’m working on a new series on deconstruction/reconstruction, and I will discuss John’s literary/narrative strategies as key means God has used in my own deconstruction/reconstruction journey.
If I may, while I see additional support for this way of reading Jesus “laying down his life,” I wonder about a potential counter-argument in Peter’s story. After the footwashing and betrayal discourse, Peter echoes Jesus’ language from ch. 10: τὴν ψυχήν μου ὑπὲρ σοῦ θήσω (13:37). Jesus counters that with a prediction of Peter’s threefold denial. But in 18:10 does Peter attempt to tithēmi his life for Jesus? Maybe from his mistaken understanding of the moment, but ironically, Jesus tells Peter to put his sword εἰς τὴν θήκην, “into the sheath,” and thēkē is etymologically related to tithēmi, ie, a place for something to be laid down and set aside. Later, after Jesus’ threefold command to “feed/tend my sheep,” Jesus predicts Peter’s death, which virtually all interpreters take to mean death on a cross. I think there is more to the metaphor/symbolism in 21:18, but 21:19 makes clear that Jesus foretold “by what kind of death Peter would glorify God.” So after telling Peter to feed and shepherd the flock, Peter is predicted to be a martyr; not to mention the fact that glorifying God echoes repeated Johannine language in which Jesus being glorified relates to his death on the cross. Maybe martyrdom is just an extreme of the general category of “risking one’s life for the sheep”? Or, an alternative I’ve considered but haven’t yet written about at length, I wonder if 21:18 connected to shepherding the flock echoes Jesus’ feeding his people through his very flesh via John 6. The every-day meaning would be, giving one’s life in service and care, whatever that looks like practically. The basic challenge, of course, is how to understand John’s metaphors and symbols combining and interacting. What a challenge that is!
Thanks for this comment! I'm excited to check out your new series.
You'd like the Hylen article. She does some more work on Peter's story (I don't personally follow everything there). One point she makes that I do agree with is her decentering of martyrdom. The pericope with Peter actually illustrates this, I think. Jesus's command to Peter is not "lay down your life for my flock" but "feed my lambs/sheep." In Peter's case, we also learn that his role as shepherd will lead to his death (like Jesus), but martyrdom isn't the goal, per se. So, I actually think the care-centered ethic is even more explicit in Peter's commissioning. Hylen notes that the contrast with the beloved disciple (who, rumor has it, may never die) also supports a non-martyrdom-oriented reading.
That said, I really like the idea of a connection to John 6!
On the point of Peter's desire to lay down his life for Jesus: I agree that the dialogue in ch.13 definitely echoes ch.10. But I think Peter has misunderstood the metaphor! When he says he'll lay down his life for Jesus, he's treating Jesus like a sheep, not like the shepherd. Hylen argues that in the garden, when Peter whips out his sword, he's actually getting it right: this is risking your life! She might be right. But I argue that Peter's swordplay is actually more like "risky self-protection" and therefore misses the point. That might be hairsplitting, but it gives context for Peter's "restoration" in 21. So when Jesus and Peter finally get to sit down and chat about it, I take Jesus's commission to feed the sheep as a corrective to these distorted ways of thinking about self-sacrifice.
All this is still a work in progress in my head tho -- what do you think?
Oh man, I have so many thoughts! I’ll try and keep them brief (but will probably fail, I’ve spent so much time on these threads in John and love talking about them). I’m with you in centering care and how risk is subordinated to that primary task. It’s a very good reframe. Also agree, and great point, that Peter treats Jesus like a sheep. The entire portrait of Peter in John is one of ironic misunderstanding. Peter does risk self-protection (viewing his swordplay and denials together, all are self-centered), but with John’s use of symbolism I see multiple layers of significance. Following Arthur Wright’s work on John 18-19, my forthcoming article on Peter’s violent use of the sword in 18:10 argues that Peter is ironically and subversively portrayed as an officer of empire (a la 18:3, 18:36). Additionally, the pervasive temple imagery in 18:1-10 (eg garden, Kidron, Judas/devil/serpent, Malchus servant of priest and his name means king) signify ironic misunderstanding in Peter attempting to cleanse the temple like Jesus in ch. 2, but unlike Jesus in using imperial violence. So, unlike most commentators who see Peter as generally having good intentions, I see John subversively critiquing the temptation for disciples of Jesus (esp. those in shepherding roles) to act more like “the Jews” and Romans, both of which mimic, in diabolical service to the ruler of the world, divine temple cleansing in their violence against the temple-presence of God in Jesus (eg 2:19; 10:22-42; 11:48; 19:19). I realize this stretches the imagination of what a straightforward narrative can convey, but I see John’s characters as representative/symbolic, so it’s not necessary to imagine all of that being in Peter’s motive (whether conscious or subconscious). A symbolic approach also opens up more of the connections and implications made in Peter’s restoration. As you point out, the care/protection commission is emphasized in the echoes of Ezekiel 34 in 21:15-17, which I explore in another linked post alongside allusions to Song of Songs and others, all of which direct Peter away from himself and toward Jesus and toward the flock. No pressure at all to read these, but sharing in case you’re interested:
https://open.substack.com/pub/onceaweek/p/when-empire-comes-to-church-part-899?r=16589c&utm_medium=ios
https://open.substack.com/pub/onceaweek/p/the-truly-reformed-pastor?r=16589c&utm_medium=ios