John 21:18-19 18“Truly, truly, I say to you, when you were young, you were dressing yourself and walking wherever you wanted; but when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and another will dress you and carry you where you do not want to go.” 19Now this he said indicating by what kind of death he would glorify God. And after saying this, he said to him, “Follow me.”
Jesus gives his last truly, truly statement of John’s Gospel, making clear an important statement for Peter to remember. Jesus’ response has a proverbial quality to it by referring to natural human development. When a person is young, that person is independent and self-sufficient. Old age makes a person dependent like a small child. The “nursing home” of the first century was typically the family home where younger generations took care of older ones. Many countries are like that today. Once a person gets old, he or she can no longer see or hear well and may require assistance even in eating and getting dressed. Those who have worked in geriatrics have experienced this dependency.
Jesus makes specific application to Peter in verse 19. A time was coming when Peter would be like the old person needing care. The connection between the way Peter died and verse 18 is not clear. Peter was condemned and executed in Rome around the years AD 64 or 68, with the exact date unknown. The apocryphal Acts of Peter recounts the tradition of Peter’s death by being crucified upside down. The reliability of this source has been questioned. Eusebius of Caesarea, in his work Ecclesiastical History, draws upon early traditions and mentions how Peter was martyred in Rome. The date of when the Gospel of John was written was likely after Peter’s death, but that does not necessarily make these verses a historical commentary on a past event. John could still have accurately recounted what Jesus said, and this saying could have been known for the decades of Peter’s life.
What is clearer from verse 19 is the effect Peter’s death would have. His death would somehow bring glory to God. There would come a point in Peter’s life when his freedom would be taken away and he would rely on others. He likely experienced that type of situation minimally in while in Roman prison. He may have been able to testify about the gospel before Roman leaders. Interestingly, his death has been honored throughout history with the building of St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome, which has been used to glorify God through worship. Jesus told Peter clearly that he would face a difficult time in the future. Jesus’ last words in this verse are a call to commitment. Was Peter willing to follow Jesus even if it mean suffering and even death? As they were walking along the shore of the Sea of Galilee, Peter had to re-evaluate his priorities and recommit his faith. This passage fits in well and provides a commentary on Peter’s confession of Jesus found in Mark 8:27-38. His perspective had changed as he needed to follow the path to his own cross and the new life that was promised to him there.
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