AN EXPOSITION
OF JOHN’S GOSPEL CHAPTER TWENTY ONE
By
ROBERT
GOVETT, M. A.
‘After
these things Jesus manifested Himself again to His
disciples at sea of Tiberias;
and it was in this
manner that He manifested Himself.’
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 know 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 to show
that 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 toil, 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 partners’ 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, 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
reaccept to communion one, who, under stress 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 word 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 nine-fold
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 thou 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.
[*The "hereafter"
also has an inference to the time of Christ’s
‘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 a 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 over-live
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 disciple of
that day
understood the Lord Jesus to mean that John should not die. They
believed and hoped that the Lord might come before their death, really
and in
person; and that is to be our hope too. 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
rapt into heaven before the
Great Tribulation, (Luke 21:
36)];
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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ANTHRAKIA *
By
F. E. BATSON
*
‘Anthrakia’
a ‘fire of coals’,
occurs twice: when Peter denied his
Lord (John 18: 18);
and when the
risen Saviour invites a group of His disciples, including Peter, to the
meal He
has prepared (John
21: 9).
No stern
rebuke nor withering
scorn
Could have
wrought so much that wondrous morn,
For as Peter
looked on the glowing coal,
shame and remorse
swept o’er his soul,
And thoughts piere’d and burnt,
like sword and fire,
As he gazed
upon this Anthrakia.*
For he saw himself yet once again
In the high
priest’s hall, of reputed fame,
Remember’d the oath,
the curse, the lie,
When there he
did his Lord deny,
As man and
maid would of him enquire
When he stood
with the crowd at Anthrakia
Yet, behold, what wondrous love return’d
By the One
whose name he had so spurn’d;
Those nail-piere’d hands could a
meal prepare,
And a tender
voice had called him there;
And a heart o’erflowing with
loving desire
Had kindled
for him this Anthrakia.
Beloved, in this cold world around,
Where trouble
and strife are everywhere found,
When friends
may deny us, and
loved ones forsake,
And foes look
upon us in envy and
hate,
To reflect
such grace, let us all aspire,
With the
warmth of our Saviour's Anthrakia.
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