After identifying the beloved disciple as the one who testifies and writes, John 21:24 adds, "and we know that his testimony is true."
Jesus in Context
We Know That His Testimony Is True
The closing testimony shifts briefly into the first-person plural—'we know'—as the Gospel affirms the truthfulness of the beloved disciple's witness.
Introduction
Historical and Cultural Context
The shift from "this is the disciple" to "we know" has generated several explanations. It may represent a community or group affirming the disciple's testimony, an editorial voice, or a rhetorical plural. The verse itself does not identify the members of the "we," so greater precision would exceed the evidence supplied by the text.
What is explicit is the affirmation: the testimony associated with the beloved disciple is presented as trustworthy.
Why It Matters
The unresolved identity of the "we" should not obscure the purpose of the sentence. The Gospel ends by affirming the reliability of the testimony on which its account rests while leaving some details of its literary formation unstated.