John 21:19

“This spake he, etc.] These are the words of the evangelist, explaining the meaning of Christ in like manner, as in (<431233>John 12:33) signifying by what death he should glorify God; for by the above words Christ not only intimated that Peter should die, not a natural, but a violent death, or that he should die a martyr in his cause, but the very kind of death he should die, namely, by crucifixion; and that Peter was crucified at Rome, ecclesiastical history confirms f805, when Christ was magnified, and God was glorified by his zeal and courage, faith and patience, constancy and perseverance to the end: and when he had spoken this: concerning the usage and treatment he should meet with, the…”

“This spake he, signifying by what death he should glorify God--not, therefore, a mere prediction of the manner of his death, but of the honor to be conferred upon him by dying for his Master. And, indeed, beyond doubt, this prediction was intended to follow up his triple restoration:--"Yes, Simon, thou shall not only feed My lambs, and feed My sheep, but after a long career of such service, shalt be counted worthy to die for the name of the Lord Jesus." And when he had spoken this, he saith unto him, Follow me--By thus connecting the utterance of this prediction with the invitation to follow Him, the Evangelist would indicate the deeper sense in which the call was understood, not merely to…”

“By what death ... - In these words two things are implied: 1.That Peter would die a violent death; and, 2.That his death would be such as to honor God. The ancients say that Peter was crucified at Rome, about 34 years after this, with his head downward. Clemens says that he was led to the crucifixion with his wife, and sustained her in her sufferings by exhorting her to remember the example of her Lord. He also adds that he died, not as the philosophers did, but with a firm hope of heaven, and patiently endured the pangs of the cross (Strom. vii.). This declaration of the Saviour was doubtless continually before the mind of Peter, and to the hour of his death he maintained the utmost…”

“By what death he should glorify God - It is not only by acting, but chiefly by suffering, that the saints glorify God. Follow me - Showing hereby likewise what death he should die. John 21:20”

“21:19 The rest of Peter’s life was a ministry tending the flock of God, and his martyrdom was a kind of death that glorifies God. • Follow me: This might require suffering and death (see 13:16; 15:18-21).”

“by: Phi 1:20; Pe1 4:11-14; Pe2 1:14 Follow: Joh 21:22, Joh 12:26, Joh 13:36, Joh 13:37; Num 14:24; Sa1 12:20; Mat 10:38, Mat 16:21-25, Mat 19:28; Mar 8:33-38; Luk 9:22-26 John 21:20”