John 13:24

Joh 13:24. Νεύει, intimates by signs [beckons]) from behind [at the back of] Jesus. The middle place was the seat of honour: Jesus was occupying it: above Him Peter, below Him John, seems to have had his place. There was a close intimacy between Peter and John, as appears from ch. Joh 20:2 [Mary Magdalene, after being at the empty tomb, “cometh to Simon Peter, and to the other disciple whom Jesus loved”]; Joh 21:7; Joh 21:20 [They are associated together at Jesus’ appearing to the disciples at the Sea of Tiberius; John saith to Peter, “It is the Lord.” Also after the dinner which followed, Peter asks as to John, “Lord, and what shall this man do?”] A silent intimation, rather than words, was here appropriate.—πύθεσθαι, that he should ask) The convenience, for the purpose, of the position with which John was favoured, admitted of this.

Bengel's Gnomon of the New Testament — English translation (T&T Clark, Edinburgh, 1860) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

(24) Simon Peter therefore beckoned to him.—The tense in the original is present. “Simon Peter therefore beckons,” or, makes a sign. We have to remember that these Apostles were both members of the first group, who are from some special characteristics nearer to our Lord than the others. They had both been disciples of the Baptist (Joh_1:40-41), and we may think of them in the earlier as in the later work as in a special sense companions and friends. (Comp. Joh_20:2; Act_3:1; Act_4:13.)

That he should ask who it should be of whom he spake.—The better reading is, and saith unto him, Say who it is of whom He speaketh. St. Peter supposes that the disciple whom Jesus loved is more than any other in the confidence of his Master, and that he knew who was here referred to, and makes a sign to him to tell what he knew.

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

24. that he should ask … spake] The better reading gives, and saith to him, Say who it is of whom He speaketh. S. Peter thinks that the beloved disciple is sure to know. The received reading, besides being wanting in authority, contains an optative mood, which S. John never uses.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Simon Peter therefore beckoned to him,.... Peter perhaps lay at a distance from Christ, or in some such position, that he could not whisper to him himself; and besides, knew that John might use more freedom, as he was admitted to more familiarity with him; and being at some distance also from him, he beckoned to him; which was usually done at meals, when they could not, by reason of their posture, discourse together: this being the case, , "they made signs", by nodding to one another (k); that is, as the gloss explains it, they pointed with their hands and fingers, and by nodding or beckoning; such a method Peter took, signifying his desire,

that he should ask who it should be of whom he spake: which he did not out of mere curiosity, but from an honest intention and pure zeal, that he, with the rest, might show their abhorrence of such a person, and avoid him; and do all that lay in their power to hinder him from putting his designs into execution, and that the innocent might be free from all suspicion.

(k) T. Bab. Beracot ib.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

24 Simon Peter therefore beckoned to him, that he should ask who it should be of whom he spake.

Ver. 24. Simon Peter therefore beckoned] Peter, that heretofore could not think his heart so unsound as to deny his Master, now feareth the ugly monster of fearless betraying. In man’s heart, as in the sea, there is that Leviathan, therefore also creeping things innumerable, Psa 104:26.

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Peter, knowing the particular affection that Christ had for John, maketh a sign to him, to ask of Christ which of them he meant, when he said,

One of you shall betray me.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

Simon Peter therefore beckoned to this (disciple), and saith to him. Wherefore he must have been far enough off to beckon, and near enough to speak. Westcott imagines that Peter was on the left side, in the place of real honor(?), though not in such proximity as, unobserved, to ask the question. Edersheim also speaks of the left side as the place of honor, but assigns no adequate reason for such a violation of universal usage and metaphor. The natural impetuosity of Peter would have induced him, if he had been so near, to have asked the question himself. It is more probable that Judas himself was there, judging from the language of Mat_26:23, and from the act which follows. Either with T.R., He spake to him, to ask who it might be; or, saith, Tell (us) who it is concerning whom he speaks; as though Peter had rushed to the conclusion that John knew. This is singularly like Peter, and John may tacitly have been supposed to be better acquainted than the rest with the mind of Jesus.

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Simon Peter - Behind Jesus, who lay between them.

John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.

24. καὶ λέγει αὐτῷ, Εἰπὲ τίς ἐστιν (BCLX) for πυθέσθαι τίς ἂν εἴη (AD). In א we have the two readings combined.

24. εἰπὲ τίς ἐστιν. S. Peter thinks that the beloved disciple is sure to know. The reading of T. R., πύθεσθαι τίς ἂν εἴη, is wanting in authority and contains an optative, which S. John never uses.

Cambridge Greek Testament for Schools and Colleges (Cambridge University Press, 1896; 21 vols, various authors incl. Carr, Maclear, Plummer, Farrar, Lumby, Moule, M. R. James, Simcox) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

24-26.] See note on Matt. ver. 23. Peter characteristically imagines that John, as the beloved disciple, would know: but he, not knowing, asks of the Lord.

It is an argument for the reading in the text, that (Schulz) John never uses the optative.

Henry Alford, The Greek Testament (1849–1861) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

24. νεύει οὖν τούτῳ Σίμων Πέτρος. “Simon Peter,” taking the initiative as usual, beckons to him, sc. to John. The text in the latter part of the verse is not quite certain.

(1) BCL and the Latin vss., followed by most modern editors, after Πέτρος read καὶ λέγει αὐτῷ Εἰπὲ τίς ἐστιν περὶ οὗ λέγει. But the verb νεύειν, “to make signs,” is not usually accompanied by an intimation that the person making signs also spoke.1 Again, εἰπέ is difficult to translate. The R.V. renders “tell us”; but why should Peter have expected John to answer out of his own knowledge? They were all puzzled, and John knew no more than the others. Abbott (Diat. 1359) takes εἰπέ as meaning “say,” sc. to Jesus, that is, “ask Him.” But why, then, do we not find ἐρώτησον? (a c f q add interroga).

(2) The other reading, νεύει οὖν τούτῳ Σίμων Πέτρος πυθέσθαι τίς ἂν εἴη, has in its favour that νεύειν is followed by an infinitive, as it is in the only other place where it occurs in the N.T. (Act 24:10), and that it does not represent Peter as making signs and speaking as well. It is supported by ADWΓΔΘ and the Syriac vss. (including the Sinai Syriac).2 πυθέσθαι is a Johannine word, occurring at 4:52. The only objection to this reading is that the optative mood (εἴη) is very rare in the N.T., as it was going out of use at this period, and that it never occurs again in Jn.

In any case, according to the Fourth Gospel, John is prompted by Peter to ask Jesus whom He had in mind. Mk., followed by Mt., represents all the disciples as asking “Is it I?” Lk. says that they questioned each other. Perhaps all these things happened, but it may at least be claimed that Jn.’s narrative is peculiarly vivid.

International Critical Commentary — older volumes (1896–1929), various authors — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Beckoneth [νευει] . Literally, noddeth.

That he should ask who it should be [πυθεσθαι τις αν ειη] . The best texts read, kai legei aujtw eijpe tiv ejstin, and saith unto him, Tell us who it is.

Marvin R. Vincent, Word Studies in the New Testament (1887–1900) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.