[Photograph
above: from a painting inside a ‘Care
Home’ at
John 21: 1. ‘After these things
Jesus manifested Himself again to His disciples at the
Jesus
is said to manifest Himself now; because, while He was aware of their
movements, they could not see Him, unless He was pleased to show Himself to
them. This was suited to His new
resurrection-life, and preparatory to His ascent, which, however, John names
not. He manifests Himself. Who
is John? or who is Peter? in
presence of His so great majesty He shows Himself in wisdom and power, superior
far to theirs.
This
appendix to John’s Gospel confirms the authenticity of the addition to Mark’s. Both are genuine. This is in the style of
John. It carries its own evidence of
reality with it, in its simplicity, power, and the Divine wisdom and grace,
with which the difficult task of restoring Peter after his fall is handled. No writer of fiction would ever have so
treated the matter. Why was it added? Many reasons, doubtless, there were in the
mind of God. But one strong reason, as
it seems to the writer, was, that it was intended to refute
by facts the Gnostic idea - that Jesus after resurrection was not the same
being of divine wisdom and power that He was before His death. And here He is seen, not indeed partaking of
food, but providing it for disciples - aye, even animal food, to the errorists
peculiarly obnoxious.
2, 3. ‘There were together
Simon Peter, and Thomas called Didymus, and Nathanael of Cana in
The
sacred number seven here re-appears among the disciples. The eighth person is the Risen One; eight
being the number of resurrection. Thomas
the doubter is there, but he doubts no more. Peter is there, and now he is to be restored
to his lost place and spirit. There are
also James and John, the sons of Zebedee. Here alone they are called so. But it serves John’s purpose, thus to withdraw
his own name from prominence. They have
left
Peter has the leader’s spirit. It is not, ‘Shall we
go fishing?’ He has already
decided it, and his energy draws others after him. Jesus does not rebuke this turning to their
nets and boats. For it
was excused by His word (Luke 22: 36).
‘He that hath
a purse let him take it, and likewise a scrip.’ But by this event
He would put an end to the catching of fish: henceforth the apostles were to take men. Now, too, the catching was to be followed by partaking. John,
with his usual modesty, puts himself and his brother last of the apostles who
are named.
4-6. ‘But when morning had already come, Jesus stood
on the beach; but the disciples knew not that it was Jesus. Saith therefore to them Jesus, “Little children,
have ye any thing to eat?” They answered
Him, “No!” But He said unto them, “Cast
the net on the right side of the ship, and ye shall find.” They cast, therefore, and now they were not
able to drag it up, because of the multitude of the fishes.’
After
His resurrection Jesus is no longer ever by their side as before, but He comes
and goes at unexpected times. He knows
their need, and is about to supply it. But
it is not in
Jesus
is on the land: He is on the firm element of eternity. He does not now sit on board their barks as
before. They are fishing now; it is
their time of labour in this unquiet world.
They
were unable to lift up on deck out of the waters the vast weight of fish. But they were able to draw it through the
water - a much less difficult operation. The net is the same as before, the lake and the fishermen are the same; the difference lies
in the blessing given of God. In their vain
toil we see the inefficiency of man left to himself.
In their success,
the power of God. Jesus has
Himself to complain (in Isaiah
49.) of
His unsuccess.
The
miracle in Luke was preparatory to the call of Peter, James, and John. This later one was designed to show they were to bid adieu to their earthly calling, and
devote themselves to the apostleship, and its nobler work. There is a stranger on the beach at early
morn. Who it is they
know not, but He will discover Himself by His word and work.
His
address is simple: such as any stranger might use. ‘Lads! have you any provision on board?’
Christ would attract their attention to
their previous toll, and its want of success. Those who go out in their own wisdom, and
relying on their own strength, have oft to learn their feebleness and
inability; and the Most High would lead us to note it.
But
now a blessing is to come upon obedience.
The voice of the Son of Man enters into
their unfavourable circumstances, to supply all their wants. They obey
the stranger’s advice, and great is the
reward. In place of their many vain
casts, this one brings a great haul.
Let
us now compare the present incident with the earlier one related by Luke. The Saviour after preaching to the multitude,
bids Peter launch out into the deep, and let down the nets for a draught. Peter replies, ‘Teacher, we have been labouring through all
the night, and have caught nothing, but at Thy word I will let down the net.’
Observe the blended good humour
and unbelief of Peter! The Teacher had
bid them let down all their nets. Peter
will cast one of them. Jesus bids him
let them down for a take of fish. Peter has no
idea of such a thing. ‘What! After toiling
all the proper time for fishing, and taking naught, are we to try in the hot
sun, and close to shore? What will other
fishermen say of so foolish a proceeding? This man may be a very excellent
teacher, but what can He know about fishing? We know this water well; were brought up to it
from boys. However, I will let down one of
the nets, just to please Him; and then He will learn by the practical results
what a foolish idea His was!’ He
does. And the result amazes him. Had the other nets been cast, they had taken
in part the strain from off this one; now the stress is so great, that the net
keeps rending all along. Now they want all their partner’s help to secure the fish. They are so filled, that they are laden to the
water’s edge. See, then, how Peter’s
thoughts are overturned! In this book-learned
man, who knows nothing about fishing, he has found One
who knows and can do vastly more than himself. He blames himself sorely, then, for his
unbelief Who is this that does such things? ‘Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, 0 Lord.’
How soon can the Lord change
discouragement into joy! We look to the
ordinary current of things, and imagine that all must run its usual course, and
maintain the average level. But the Christian’s eye should be on Him who is
able at a moment to alter all for good, and so to revive his work, that
there shall not be power to overtake all the results of good.
7, 8. ‘Saith
therefore that disciple whom Jesus loved to Peter, “It is the Lord.” Simon Peter,
therefore, hearing that it is the Lord, girt round him his fisher’s coat, for
he was naked, and cast himself into the sea. But the other disciples came in the little
vessel, for they were not far from the land, but about two hundred cubits off,
dragging the net with the fishes through the water.’
John
is the first to discover Jesus by the instinct of love. He gives Him His title of ‘the Lord.’ This may answer in Hebrew to one of two words
(1) Adonai, or (2) Jehovah. The Saviour was discovering Himself as the Son
of Man exalted over all things, specially over the
fish of ‘the sea,
and whatsoever passeth through the paths of the seas.’ Peter at once
displays himself as the man of directness and action. He will not wait for the slow punting of the
vessel to land. He will dash through the
water to the Lord. Thus Peter is not
supreme in discernment, but in energy; he is led by John. God
gives different gifts to different disciples at His pleasure.
But
here is great advance. Peter has fallen, since the miracle narrated by Luke; and has displayed
that he is ‘a
sinful man’ beyond what he
thought. But he has learned, too, that
this Teacher of his early thoughts is the Lord of Grace, who ‘receiveth sinners and
eateth with them.’ He does not
ask Jesus, then, to depart from him; on the contrary, he will overcome all obstacles to join Him.
But
he is found naked and feels that he must not present himself thus to the Lord
of all. He clothes himself, therefore,
with his fisherman’s smock-frock, and swims ashore. This may remind us of Paul’s word – ‘If at least being clothed
[with our resurrection-body] we shall not be found
naked’ [of good works].
The
other disciples follow Peter more slowly to the land in their vessel in the
ordinary mode, and are at so little distance from the beach that they arrive at
it almost as soon as Peter, although they have to drag the net with its weight
of fish.
9-11. ‘When then they had come away to the land they
see a fire of coals laid, and a fish lying thereon, and bread. Saith to them Jesus – “Bring some of the fish
which ye have now caught.” Simon Peter
then went up and drew the net on to the land, full of great fishes, an hundred
and fifty-three; and although they were so many, the net was not torn.’
‘They see.’ The result is before them; but the hands that had laid
it, they saw not. There is much untold,
much not to be known here. John had told
us before of the feeding of the multitude in
Whence
came that fire of coals, that fish, and that bread? We cannot say: we can only guess that it was
by the ministry of angels, at the word of the Lord of all. They ministered to Him in the days of His
flesh: much more are they at His beck now.
Jesus
calls them ‘the fish
which they had then taken.’ The Saviour will gladly own His people’s co-operation
with Him in the work, although the power and blessing come from Himself. Yet He bids
us look on to the day, when the sowers and the
reapers shall rejoice together, over the fruit gathered in to life eternal.
The
disciples had fed Him before, on the first day of His resurrection, on a piece
of broiled fish and a honey-comb. He now
feeds them in return. He has been aware of their want of success,
their fatigue, their discouragement, and their hunger; and lo, unexpectedly
their wants are supplied, and their souls encouraged. Poor Christian! Around
you may be no visible supply of your need. But you serve a Master who has all hearts and
means at His disposal; and who can furnish a table and provisions on the
sea-beach! Christian in difficulty! you are discouraged by previous disappointment; perhaps, because
you have left the Lord out of the matter, thinking it too small an affair to
bring to the Great Master of all. Look up now to the Lord your Shepherd! See here His goodness and power!
The
Apostles shall help to furnish the table. The Lord could do all alone. But in His grace he will have us to be co-workers
with Him. They had now caught a wealth
of fish, who before had been so cast down by failure.
Here
is something to be done. And Peter,
despite his dripping clothes, is the man to do it. It would seem as if he did it alone. The net has been left just at the edge of the
water. He draws it up on the land, and
throws out and counts the fishes. ‘Great fishes’ - filling the net - ‘a hundred-and-fifty-three.’ Why is the
number given? It is not easily said. But there is some meaning in it. The number given is a part of the book of God,
and of the Gospel of His grace; and there is nothing idle there. Some suggest, that it was because it was a
general idea of those times, that the number of the nations of the world was a
hundred-and-fifty-three; and that this haul of fish was intended to typify the
salvation of some out of every tribe and tongue. Though there were so many, the net now does
not rend. Perhaps it was typical of the
day, when, after Jesus’ reappearing, Israelite messengers shall be sent to the
nations to lead them to
12. ‘Saith to them,
Jesus, “Come and breakfast!” Now none of
the disciples dared ask Him – “Who art Thou?” - knowing that it is the Lord.’
This
scene shows us that the God of the Old Testament and the God of the New are
one; that the God of creation is also the God of the Gospel: a truth quite
contrary to Gnostic speculations. After the long night of Gospel toil, Jesus
shall meet His workmen on the firm land of the promised heritage,
and on the glorious morn of resurrection.
13, 14. ‘Jesus cometh, and
taketh the bread and giveth to them, and the fish likewise. This is already the third time that Jesus was
manifested to the disciples after His resurrection from the dead.’
It
seems to have been a silent meal. None
doubted, or durst ask, who was the stranger that spread the feast? It was the Lord! His hand was on the fish. He supplied, as Jehovah, the table, in the
midst of His foes.
Jesus
takes the first place. He is the host,
and they His guests, to whom He distributes. It is not said, that on this occasion He
partook with them. He would let us know, that while the Risen One can eat [food],
He is not now, as those who are in their animal state, dependent on the supply
of food. But against the deceits abroad in
the latter day, He sanctions anew the
use of animal food. On this question
– food - Satan at first overthrew men; he will again, at this point, make a new
breach, and enter in. ‘What right have you to kill, and feed upon the dead? How cruel and unwarrantable, to take away a
life you cannot give! No wonder man is
so savage and cruel, when he lives on flesh! Are not the fruits of the earth sufficient,
that you must go down to the sea, and peril your own life upon that treacherous
element, in order to take away the lives of the creatures that disport
themselves there?’ What is to be
our anchor, against this new wind of doctrine? The Scripture! God’s grant of animals for food in Noah’s day,
and the Saviour’s continual sanction of it, and of the use of fish especially - before His death,
and after His resurrection!
15. ‘When, therefore,
they had breakfasted, Jesus saith to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou Me more than these?” He saith unto Him, “Yea, Lord, thou knowest
that I have a friendship for Thee.” He saith unto him, “Feed My lambs.”
Divine
wisdom and grace shine forth in the Saviour’s treatment of the penitent
apostle. Most men would have felt, that all further
intercourse was cut off between Jesus and him who had, after warning, denied
all knowledge of Him with oaths and curses. The Lord would restore Him in
grace. He does not then reproach him. He does not separate him from His company, and from the company of his fellow-apostles, as is
commanded in cases of flagrant sin. ‘With such an
one no, not to eat.’ He seats him at the board which he has spread. He does not allude to the past, till the meal
was ended. The like would never occur
again in the apostle’s life. He would
die a martyr. But still it was not wise,
that no notice should be taken of so heavy a fall; a fall both personal and
official. The offence had been public,
and now Jesus touches the root of the matter; the apostle’s too high thoughts of himself and his powers. How much of trouble and mischief would have
been spared to the ancient churches of Christ in the days of the Roman
heathenism, if they had taken this as their model of dealing with a fallen
brother! Many refused ever to re-accept to communion one, who, under stress of
persecution, had sacrificed to heathen gods, to save his life.
Our
Lord addresses him now by his old name of nature. ‘Simon, son of Jonas.’ He
had shown himself not to be the ‘Rock’ in his
late encounter with Satan. He is called,
then, by the name of his earthly father. And the Master questions his love to Him. There is a remarkable change and play of words
in this narrative, which is difficult to render into exactly equivalent
English. Jesus uses one word to express
love. Peter uses one implying a less
degree; which might best, I think, be translated by, ‘I have a friendship for Thee.’
‘Lovest thou Me more than these?’ In
the concluding words of this sentence the Saviour alludes to Peter’s boastful
words of unbelief. Jesus had said, ‘All ye shall be stumbled
because of Me this night.’ Peter answered
and said, ‘Though
all
should be stumbled because of Thee, yet will I never be stumbled,’ Matt. 26: 31-33. He had
thus proudly taken a stand above the other disciples, only to fall far worse
than they: Jesus, then, touches his too high thoughts of himself, and the
unjust assumption of a height of love above that of his fellow-apostles.
But
his fall has done him good; has abated
his high ideas of his superior love and steadfastness. He will
not now affirm any superiority over others. He will only assert to Christ his friendship;
resting for proof now, not on his own asseveration, but on His knowledge to Whom all hearts were open.
Jesus
bids him, ‘Feed My lambs.’ They would
need gentle dealing; and Peter’s sense of his weakness would be a good internal
preparation for intercourse with the young and infirm in the faith. Inasmuch as he fell, being tempted, he was prepared
to speak in grace to those weak and
tempted. He was, then, accredited by
Christ with this charge. When a man has
been ejected from his land, and is by law reinstated, a sheriff’s officer puts
into his hand a sod of the land, in token that the property is legally his once
more. So Jesus puts into Peter’s hand
this service to youthful Christians. It
is so connected with love to Christ in the Saviour’s first question, as to hint
to us the important truth, that such
service can only be undertaken, and executed aright through the love of Christ
as its motive. In the Saviour’s case
we see how the firmness of love can be combined with its gentleness.
16. ‘He saith again the
second time, “Simon, son of Jonas, lovest Thou Me?” He saith to him, “Yea, Lord, Thou knowest I
have a friendship for Thee.” He saith
unto him, “Shepherd My sheep.”
Peter’s
denials had brought his love into public question therefore, though the Saviour
knew his heart, He again enquires as one not fully satisfied. Peter answers as before, substituting a word
of less feeling than that of our Lord, as marking his sentiments towards
Christ. The Saviour makes this
profession the occasion of restoring to him his place over the elders of the
flock. He says, ‘My sheep.’ ‘My lambs.’
The flock is not Peter’s, but Christ’s. Nor
does Peter ever assert it; whatever use some may make of Peter’s supposed
rights. He speaks of Christ as ‘the chief Shepherd,’ and of himself as only ‘fellow-elder,’ and ‘under-shepherd’ (1 Pet. 5:
1-9).
Here,
Jesus takes the place of Jehovah. Even
the earthly flock of
17. ‘Jesus saith to him
the third time, “Simon, son of Jonas, hast thou a friendship for Me?” Peter was
grieved because He said to him the third time, “Hast thou a friendship for Me?” and he said unto Him, “Lord, Thou knowest all things;
Thou knowest that I have a friendship for Thee.” Jesus saith unto him, “Feed My
sheep.” ’
This
third time of calling Peter’s love in question is most manifestly in allusion
to Jesus’ threefold warning of his fall, and to Peter’s
ninefold denials - three for each warning. Christ still calls him by his name as a child
of Adam. This third time grieves Peter. Doubtless it was saddening to have even his
asserted friendship for Christ questioned, and that before the other apostles. Doubtless it touched him the more closely,
that it brought back to memory the hour of his self-confidence, and of his
fall. But it was a wound with a view to
heal. And it was effectual. Even with the martyr’s death in its most
cruel form before him, Peter denied no more. But he now asserts Jesus’ omniscience, which
before he had questioned, when on that night the Lord had foretold Peter’s
fall.
He
appeals now not to his own feelings - as if Christ could not be aware of their
depth and sincerity, or he never would have spoken of Him as he had done - but
he appeals to Christ, as the reader of all hearts, that he had the sentiments
which he had asserted. Here is Gospel
grace. The Lord restores after a fall. How unlike to the treatment of Eli
under Law!
This
profession again, is met on our Lord’s part by a committing to him His sheep! This was not constituting
Peter supreme over the other apostles; as, for instance, - over John. These three commissions were not so much to
Peter’s credit, as a reminding him of his sin. The absence of them was a glory to John. Jesus never thus questions John’s love. But, for the third time we have it intimated
to us, that love
to Christ is the alone true and stable foundation of service to Christ’s flock.
He is no shepherd owned of Christ, who,
however consecrated by men, has neither faith nor love to Christ.
Again,
we learn that Jesus is the true and central object of love to all His people. Thus once more He tacitly asserts His Godhead.
For who, save
our Creator and Preserver, may challenge our undivided love as the principle of our
service? ‘Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all
thy heart.’
18. ‘Verily, verily, I
say unto thee, when thou wert younger, thou usedst to gird thyself, and
walkedst where thou wouldest, but when thou shalt become old, thou shalt
stretch forth thy hands, and another shall gird thee, and bear thee whither
thou wouldest not.’
Jesus
in resurrection shows Himself the same person in look, in speech, in power, as
before His death. Here we have His
characteristic – ‘Verily, verily, I say.’ He now discovers Himself as the Prophet.
Though Peter had once denied Him, his faith at last would be so firm as to
stand the sorest shock. The Lord had
already said – ‘Whither I go, thou canst not follow Me now, but thon shalt follow Me hereafter.’ This
He expands. At the close of his service
for Christ and His Church, Peter would endure the martyr’s death. He would suffer even the kind of death endured
by our Lord. The Saviour speaks of it,
in contrast with his youthful energy and independence. There is an allusion to his previously
described conduct in this miraculous draught of fishes. There we read of Peter’s girding himself, and plunging into the sea alone of the
apostles. But in his old age, he would
be arrested, and bound, and carried, probably on some vehicle (as we read of Polycarp), to execution. His stretching forth his hands, and his
helplessness, allude to his arms thrown and nailed apart in crucifixion. Where and when did this take place? There is variety of testimony, and nothing
certain.
‘Whither thou wouldest not.’ How wise and
temperate the Scripture! It is not – ‘Thou shalt go joyfully to death.’ Even where
the spirit quells the flesh, the martyr’s death, specially
by crucifixion, must give the soul a shock. We see in the Lord Himself a moment’s pause.
19. ‘This He said,
hinting by what kind of death He would glorify God. And when He had spoken this, He said – ‘Follow
Me.’
Death
to those in Christ is now no longer the dread penalty of the Law inflicted on
the guilty culprit. It is a falling
asleep in Christ; which opens to the departed a new world and a vision of
Christ, which is very far better than this life. What the mode of death of each of the saints
shall be, we know not. But borne with
faith, it glorifies God. We may be
thankful that its time and mode are arranged by our Father on high. Peter’s was a cruel death, but it glorified
God. It showed how firm his faith, how
strong his hope and confidence in Christ.
‘The blood of the martyrs is the seed of the
Church.’ ‘If we with Him suffer, we shall with Him reign.’
The
Saviour’s last words to Peter and to us are – ‘Follow Me!’ Our great
Captain of salvation has gone first, and it is ours to tread in His steps. With Him the Father was ever well pleased. And all that God desires is summed up in a
following of Christ. This, in relation
to Peter’s case, more definitely foretold His death by crucifixion. The tradition is that Peter declared himself
to his persecutors unworthy to die as his Lord and Master had done; and hence
he begged them to crucify him with his head downward. His request, it is said, was complied with. Thus again he glorified God.
20-22. ‘Peter having turned, seeth the disciple whom
Jesus loved following, (who also reclined on His breast at the supper, and
said, “Lord, who is it that betrayeth Thee?”) Peter, on seeing him, saith to Jesus, “Lord,
and what of him?” Saith to him Jesus, “If
I wish him to remain till I come, what is that to thee? Do thou follow me.” ’
Peter
having a peculiar friendship for John, and knowing also Jesus’ love for John,
desired to learn of our Lord as a prophet what end should befall John, their
mutual friend? John’s description of
himself, here fuller than elsewhere, points to the mutual love which reigned
between him and our Lord. At Peter’s request,
John had asked the Lord - Who was the betrayer? and
had obtained a reply. Peter now asks for
John, but gets no direct reply. This
does not, then, manifest Peter’s superiority but the reverse. The Saviour’s
answer is in part rebuke. It is the
reply of a Sovereign, who does not
narrate to every one his counsels. He
assumes, that all
shall be regulated by His will. Here
again, the Divine Majesty shines out. ‘My counsel shall stand,
and I will do all My pleasure.’ Our own path is of prime importance to us. How
many turn aside to look at others instead of minding their own work! Of ourselves
we shall give account.
But
what did Jesus mean by John’s abiding till He came? Strange and untrue guesses are uttered
concerning it. (1) ‘It meant that John would overlive
the destruction of
(2)
Some make it John’s writing the Apocalypse concerning our Lord’s advent. (3) Some, more strangely still, make it the
believer’s death. Now that is his going
to be with Christ,* but not Christ’s coming,
which takes effect once for all on His people, both the living and the dead. That idea is the more unsuited, because the
next verse tells us, that the disciples of that day understood the Lord Jesus
to mean, that John should not die.
[* See Psalm 139: 8.]
They
believed and hoped, that the Lord might come before
their death, really and in person; and that is to be our hope. It is the Scripture hope, set before the whole
Church; and it has not altered, in spite of passing centuries of the Lord’s
tarrying.
Jesus
prophesied to Paul and Peter of their individual death. But our hope is the being caught away to
Christ without death. The verse which
immediately follows was probably added after John’s death, to obviate the stumbling
of some, as if our Lord’s word had failed.
That
the two next verses are from the hands of some uninspired person, I make no
doubt; convinced both by internal and external evidence. They are of no more value than the notes at
the end of Epistles; such as the subscription to Titus. ‘Written to Titus,
ordained the, first bishop of the church of the Cretans, from Nicopolis, of
The
general lesson derivable from the concluding verses of this Gospel is, that the Saviour’s disciples are distributable into two
classes, with reference to their end. Either
we shall fall asleep before Christ comes; or we shall be alive on earth at His
advent. In which of these classes shall
we be found? We do not know. It is not designed we should. We are to
watch and follow Christ!
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