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c ch. xx. 14.

d Luke xxiv. 41.

e Luke v. 4, 6,7.

fch. xiii. 23: XX. 2.

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disciples. Simon Peter saith unto them, I go a fishing.
They say unto him, We also go with thee. They went
forth, and entered into a ship immediately; and that
night they caught nothing. 4 But when the morning
was now come, Jesus stood on the shore: but the disciples
knew not that it was Jesus. 5 Then Jesus saith unto
them, Children, have ye any meat? They answered
6 And he said unto them, e Cast the net on the
him, No.
right side of the ship, and ye shall find. They cast there-
fore, and now they were not able to draw it for the multi-
tude of fishes. 7 Therefore that disciple whom Jesus.
loved saith unto Peter, It is the Lord. Now when Simon
Peter heard that it was the Lord, he girt his fisher's coat
k unto him, (for he was naked,) and did cast himself into
the sea.
8 And the other disciples came in a little ship;
(for they were not far from land, but 1, as it were two
hundred cubits,) dragging the net with h fishes. 9 As soon

e render, come.

g render, fish: see note.

f render, the.

h render, the fishes.

i render, Simon Peter then hearing that it was the Lord, girt. krender, about him. render, about two hundred cubits off.

1

occurred before: see Luke v. 1 ff.
two other of his disciples] Who these were
does not appear. Probably (as Luthardt)
some two not named in the Gospel, and
therefore not specified in its appendix.
3.] The disciples returned to their occu-
pation of fishing, probably as a means of
livelihood, during the time which the Lord
had appointed them in Galilee between
the feasts of the Passover and Pentecost.
This seems to be the first proposal of so
employing themselves. They went
forth from the house where they were
together. they caught nothing] as
before, Luke v. 5. The correspondence of
this account with that is very remarkable
-as is also their entire distinctness in the
midst of that correspondence. The dis-
ciples must have been powerfully reminded
of that their former and probably last fish-
ing together. And after the "fishers of
men" of that other occasion, the whole
could not but bear to them a spiritual
meaning in reference to their apostolic
commission:-their powerlessness without
Christ, their success when they let down
the net at His word. Their present part
was not to go fishing of themselves, but
"to wait for the promise of the Father,"
Acts i. 4 (Luthardt). 4.] stood on
the shore-the preposition rendered by on

is here, as in ch. xx. 19, one of motion-
He came and stood on the shore. A sudden
appearance is indicated by the words.
5. Children] In ch. xiii. 33 we have the
similar expression, "little children."
have ye any fish?] This substantive is said
to signify any thing eaten as an additament
to bread, but especially fish. So that here
the best rendering is as in margin.
6.] See Luke v. 6. 7.] The therefore
here seems distinctly to allude to that for-
mer occasion in Luke v. 1 ff.-the similarity
of the incident having led the beloved
Apostle to scrutinize more closely the
person of Him who spoke to them. "John
is the more keen-sighted, Peter the more
ardent. So John recognizes Him before
Peter; but Peter goes forth to Him before
John." Euthymius. He put on his
fisher's coat or shirt for decorum: he bound
it round him, to facilitate his swimming.

for he was naked] i. e. he was stripped for his fisher's work;-some say, only without his upper garment. Some take it literally, that he was absolutely naked, which is more probable, and understand the putting on of the coat as above. Theophylact explains the word rendered "fisher's coat" to be "a linen cloth which the Phoenicians and Syrians gird round them." 8.] 200 cubits = 100 yards. The

then as they were come to land, they saw a fire of coals there, and fish laid thereon, and bread. 10 Jesus saith unto them, Bring of the fish which ye have now caught. 11 m Simon Peter went up, and drew the net to land full of great fishes, an hundred and fifty and three and for all there were so many, yet was not the net broken. 12 Jesus saith unto them, Come and P dine. And none of the g Acts x. 41. disciples durst ask him, Who art thou? knowing that

it was the Lord. 13 Jesus [¶ then] cometh, and taketh

r bread, and giveth them, and fish likewise. 14 This is

h

19, 26.

now the third time that Jesus tshewed himself to his h see ch. xx. disciples, after that he was risen from the dead.

m read, So Simon.

render, rent.

qomit.

s render, the fish.

lake was about five miles broad, according to Josephus: according to Stanley, six in the widest part: according to Dr. Thomson, nine. 9-14.] The significant meal: see below, on ver. 14. 9.] The rationalist and semi-rationalist interpreters have taken great offence at the idea of a miracle being here intended. But is it possible to understand the incident otherwise? As Stier says, let any child reading the chapter be the judge. And what difficulty is there in such a fire and fish being provided, either by the Lord Himself, or by the ministry of angels at His bidding?

11.] went aboard into the boat, which apparently was now on the beach, in the shallow water. an hundred and fifty and three] This enumeration is singular, and not to be accounted for by any mystical significance of the number, but as betokening the careful counting which took place after the event, and in which the narrator took a part. not the net rent: herein differing from what happened Luke v. 6, when it was broken.

was

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their fear, and their knowledge that it was
no other than He himself, hindered them."
The verb rendered ask signifies
more:-to question or prove Him.
13.] cometh, from the spot where they
had seen Him standing, to the fire of
coals. The words taketh bread, and giveth
them, bear evident trace of the same words
used on another occasion, (Matt. xxvi. 26
and parallels,) and remind us of the similar
occurrence at Emmaus, Luke xxiv. 30.
14. This is now the third time] The
number here is clearly not that of all ap-
pearances of Jesus up to this time, for that
to Mary Magdalene is not reckoned; but
only those to the disciples,-i. e. any con-
siderable number of them together. This
one internal trait of consistency speaks
much for the authenticity and genuineness
of the addition. Without agreeing with
all the allegorical interpretations of the
Fathers, I cannot but see much depth and
richness of meaning in this whole narrative.
The Lord appears to His disciples, busied
about their occupation for their daily bread;
speaks and acts in a manner wonderfully
similar to His words and actions on a
former memorable occasion, when we know
that by their toiling long and taking
nothing, but at his word enclosing a mul-
titude of fishes, was set forth what should
befall them as fishers of men. Can we
miss that application at this far more im-
portant epoch of their apostolic mission?
Besides, He graciously provides for their
present wants, and invites them to be His
guests: why, but to shew them that in
their work hereafter they should never

15 So when they had P dined, Jesus saith to Simon Peter, Simon [u son] of Jonas, 7 lovest thou me more than these? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my lambs. 16 He saith to him again the second time, Simon [a son] 1 Pet. ii. 25: of Jonas, y lovest thou me? iHe saith unto him,

i Acts xx. 28. Heb. xiii. 20.

v. 2, 4.

P literally, breakfasted: see note.

not expressed in the original. × Many ancient authorities read here, and in ch. i. 43, John, instead of Jonas.

See note on the two words thus rendered.

want but He would provide? And as connected with the parable, Matt. xiii. 47 ff., has the net enclosing a great multitude and yet not rent, no meaning? Has the 'taking the bread and giving to them, and the fish likewise' no meaning, which so closely binds together the miraculous feeding, and the institution of the Lord's Supper, with their future meetings in His Name and round His Table? Any one who recognizes the teaching character of the acts of the Lord, can hardly cast all such applications from him;-and those who do not, have yet the first rudiments of the Gospels to learn. 15-23.] The calling, and its prospect. 15. So when they had dined] There appears to have been nothing said during the meal. Surely every word would have been recorded. One great object of this appearance, observes Stier, certainly was the confirmation, and encouragement of the 'fisher of men,' in his apostolic office.

Simon son of Jonas] A reminiscence probably of his own name and parentage, as distinguished from his apostolic name of honour, Cephas, or Peter, see ch. i. 43. Thus we have the same address, Matt. xvi. 17, connected with the mention of his natural state of flesh and blood, which had not revealed to him the great truth just confessed and Luke xxii. 31, Simon, Simon,' when he is reminded of his natural weakness. See also Mark xiv. 37, and Matt. xvii. 25, where the significance is not so plain. more than these] more than these thy fellow-disciples, compare Matt. xxvi. 33; Mark xiv. 29, Though all should be offended, yet not I.' That St. John does not record this saying, makes no difficulty here; nor does it tell against the genuineness of this appendix to the Gospel. The narrator tells that which he heard the Lord say, and tells it faithfully and literally. That it coincides with what Peter is related to have said elsewhere, is a proof of the

two accounts.

authenticity, not of the connexion, of the The word these has been strangely enough understood (Whitby, and others) of the fish, or the employment and furniture of a fisherman.'-Olshausen sees a reference to the pre-eminence given to Peter, Matt. xvi. 19,-and regards the words as implying that on that account he really did love Jesus more than the rest;-but surely this is most improbable, and the other explanation the only likely or true one. Perhaps there is also a slight reference to his present just-shewn zeal, in leaping from the ship first to meet the Lord. Has thy past conduct to Me truly borne out thy former and present warmth of love to Me above these thy fellows?" "Wonderful is the wisdom of Christ, who in so few words makes Peter render account to Him whom He had denied, and to his brother-apostles, to whom he had made himself superior in love ;-thus giving us an example for the exercise of church discipline." Grotius. Peter's answer

shews that he understood the question as above. He says nothing of the more than these but dropping all comparison of himself with others, humbly refers to the Searcher of hearts the genuineness of his love, however the past may seem to have called it in question. We may note that two Greek verbs, both signifying to love, are used in this conversation. The one (agapain) is applied to the ordinary love which men have to one another, or to the reverential love which is borne towards God and man by the child of God: the other (philein) to the closer love of a man for his own friend or his dearest relatives. The former word is used in ch. xi. 5, where it is said "Jesus loved Martha and her sister, and Lazarus:" the latter by the Jews in ch. xi. 37, when judging by the tears of Jesus for Lazarus, they exclaimed, "See how he loved him." Now in observing this conversation in the original, we notice, that the Lord's two

Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my a sheep. 17 He saith unto him the third time, Simon [son] of Jonas, y lovest thou me? Peter was grieved because he said unto him the third time, Lovest thou me? And he said unto him, Lord, k thou knowest all things; thou knowest that I love kch. ii. 24, 25: thee. Jesus saith unto him, Feed my a sheep. 181 Verily, 1 ch. xiii. 36. verily, I say unto thee, When thou wast young, thou girdedst thyself, and walkedst whither thou wouldest; but

z render, Keep.

first questions contain the former word, while Peter's answers have the latter and warmer one-whereas, the third time the question and answer both have the warmer word (philein). This does not look like accident. Peter in his two answers uses a less exalted word, and one implying a consciousness of his own weakness, but a persuasion and deep feeling of personal love. Then in the third question, the Lord adopts the word of Peter's answer, the closer to press the meaning of it home to him.

The answer, thou knowest, the two first times, seems to refer to the Lord's personal knowledge of Peter's heart-in His having given him that name, ch. i. 43, Matt. xvi. 17; Luke xxii. 31, and the announcement of his denial of Him. The last time, he widens this assertion Thou knowest me,' into 'Thou knowest all things,' being grieved at the repetition of a question which brought this Omniscience so painfully to his mind.

Feed my lambs]

This, and the following answers of the Lord, can hardly be regarded as the reinstating of Peter in his apostolic office, for there is no record of his ever having lost it but as a further and higher setting forth of it than that first one, Matt. iv. 18 ff.-both as belonging to all of them on the present occasion, and as tending to comfort Peter's own mind after his fall, and reassure him of his holding the same place among the Apostles as before, owing to the gracious forgiveness of his Lord.

Our Lord's three injunctions differ in their mode of expression. The first is, Feed my lambs. The second, Keep, tend, or shepherd (the same word is used in Acts xx. 28: 1 Pet. v. 2) my sheep. The third, Feed my sheep, but with this difference, that the word sheep is the diminutive, expressive of affection. Perhaps the feeding of the lambs was the furnishing the apostolic testimony of the Resurrection, and facts of the Lord's life on earth, to the

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xvi. 30.

Acts xii. 3, 4.

first converts; the shepherding or ruling
the sheep, the subsequent government of
the Church, as shewn forth in the early part
of the Acts: the feeding of the sheep (dimi-
nutive, the choicest, the loved of the flock),
the furnishing the now maturer Church of
Christ with the wholesome food of the
doctrine contained in his Epistles. The
notice of these distinctions, which only the
cold and undiscerning will attempt to
deny, may serve to shew the English
reader, how entirely inadequate even the
best version must be to represent the
sense of Holy Scripture. For our lan-
guage is quite unable to express its minute
beauties and differences. But those must
strangely miss the whole sense, who
dream of an exclusive primatial power here
granted or confirmed to this Apostle. A
sufficient refutation of this silly idea, if it
needed any other than the fact, that Peter
was grieved at the question leading to the
commission, is found in the "fellow-elder"
(so in the original) of 1 Pet. v. 1, where he
refers apparently to this very charge; see
note on Matt. xvi. 17 ff.
17. Peter

was grieved] not merely on account of the
repetition of the question, but because of
its being asked the third time, answering
to the number of his own denials of Christ.

thou knowest all things] See above.

18.] The end of his pastoral office is announced to him:-a proof of the knowledge of all things which he had just confessed to be in his Lord;-a contrast to the denial of which he had just been reminded;—a proof to be hereafter given of the here recognized genuineness of that love which he had been professing. When thou wast young] This may be said merely in contrast to when thou shalt be old. Or it perhaps includes his life up to the time prophesied of. thou girdedst thyself] As in ver. 7, he had girt his fisher's coat to him: but not confined in its reference to that girding alone,—' thou

when thou shalt be old, thou shalt stretch forth thy hands, and another shall gird thee, and carry thee whither thou m 2 Pet. i. 14. Wouldest not. 19 This spake he, signifying m by b what death he should glorify God. And when he had spoken this, he saith unto him, Follow me. 20 [ Then] Peter, nch. xii. 23, turning about, seeth the disciple" whom Jesus loved following; which also leaned on his breast at supper, and said, Lord, which is he that betrayeth thee? 21 d Peter

25: XX. 2.

o Matt. xvi. 27, seeing him saith to Jesus, Lord, and what shall this man

28: xxv. 31.

xi. 26. Rev.

1 Cor. iv. 5: do? 22 Jesus saith unto him, If I will that he tarry ° till 51: I come, what is that to thee? follow thou me.

xxii. 7, 20.

b render, what manner of death.

d

read, Peter then.

comit.

e literally, this man, what? i. e. how shall this man fare?

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girdedst thyself up for My work, and wentest hither and thither-but hereafter there shall be a service for thee harder and more strictly confined.' thou shalt

stretch forth thy hands] but not as just now, in swimming;-in a more painful manner, on the transverse beam of the cross; and another-the executioner-shall gird thee, with the cords binding to the cross.' Such is the traditionary account of the death of Peter. Jerome says, that "he was crowned with martyrdom under Nero, being crucified with his head downwards and his feet upwards, because he alleged himself to be unworthy of being crucified in the same manner as his Lord."

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shall carry thee] viz. in the lifting up after the fastening to the cross-or perhaps in making thee go the way to death, bearing thy cross. whither thou wouldest not] For," says Augustine, "who wishes to die? Truly no one: and so universal is this feeling, that it was said to St. Peter, Another shall gird thee and carry thee whither thou wouldst not."

19. Follow me] Not to be understood, I think, of any present gesture of the Lord calling Peter aside;-but, from the next verse, followed perhaps by a motion of Peter towards Him, in which John joined. The words seem to be a plain reference to ch. xiii. 36;-and the following,-a following through the Cross to glory; see Matt. xvi. 24; Mark x. 21. Now, however, "taking up the cross" is omitted. He had made this so plain, that it needed not expressing. There was also a forcible reminding Peter of the first time when he had heard this command on

23 f Then

the same shore, Matt. iv. 19.
20.] The details necessary to complete
the narrative are obscure, and only hinted
at in the background. It seems that
Peter either was at the time of the fore-
going conversation walking with Jesus,
and turned round and saw John follow-
ing, or that he moved towards Him on
the termination of it (but certainly not
from a misunderstanding of the words
"Follow Me," see ver. 21). I can hardly
conceive Him moving away on uttering
these words, and summoning Peter away
in private. It seems in the highest degree
unnatural. This description and identifica-
tion of the disciple whom Jesus loved is
evidently inserted to justify his following,
and is a strong token of St. John's hand
having written this chapter; see ch. xiii.
23.. 21] Peter's question shews that
he had rightly understood the Lord's pro-
phecy respecting him. He now wishes to
know what should befall his friend and
colleague,-"giving him a return (for his
similar service in ch. xiii. 23 just referred
to), and, in the idea that he too might
be desirous to ask about himself, but might
lack the courage, Peter took up the
enquiry." Chrysostom. This was not
mere idle curiosity, but that longing which
we all feel for our friends. Is he not to
follow Thee too? is he not to go the same
way of death with us?" Euthymius.
22.] The words what is that to thee?
imply a rebukes-not perhaps however so
sharp a one as has been sometimes seen in
them. They remind Peter of the distinct-
ness of each man's position and duty before
the Lord; and the subsequent command,

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