John Calvin Commentary John 21:22

"Jesus saith unto him, If I will that he tarry till I come, what [is that] to thee? Follow thou me." — John 21:22 (ASV)

If I will that he remain. It has been customary to take this sentence as detached, and to read the former clause affirmatively: I will that he tarry till I come. However, this interpretation arose from the ignorance of transcribers, not from a mistake by the translator. The translator could not have been mistaken about the Greek word, but a single letter might easily have crept into the Latin version, altering the whole meaning.

The whole sentence, therefore, is a question and ought to be read in immediate connection. Christ intended to put his hand on his disciple, in order to keep him within the limits of his calling. “It is no concern of yours,” he says, “and you have no right to inquire what becomes of your companion; leave that to my disposal; think only about yourself, and prepare to follow where you are called.”

This does not mean that all anxiety about fellow believers is uncalled for, but it ought to have some limit, so that it is anxiety, and not curiosity, that occupies our attention. Let every man, therefore, look to his neighbors, if by any means he may succeed in drawing them along with him to Christ, and let not the offenses of others hinder his own progress.