X

30 And many other signs truly did Jesus in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in x ch. xxi. 25. this book:

31 But these are written, that ye might be- › Luke i. 4. lieve that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God;

and that believing ye might have life through ch. iii. 15, 16. his name.

& v. 24. 1 Pet. i. 8, 9.

faith, not by sight. Our faith may be the nobler, and win more favour from God.

30. "And many other signs truly did Jesus in the presence of his disciples, which," &c. From the words, " in the presence of his disciples," we gather that these signs were not the miracles before the Crucifixion, done in the presence of the multitude, but the ances after His Resurrection-as, for instance, that to the disciples on the way to Emmaus, and those mentioned by St. Paul as given to Cephas, to James, and to the five hundred.

appear

31. "But these are written, that ye might believe. . . life through His Name." It seems at first sight strange that all the great things recorded by this Apostle should be simply that we should believe that "Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God." But we must remember that to words or titles to which, in this unbelieving age, we attach the lowest significance, St. John would attach the highest; so that by the title "Christ," St. John would designate One anointed with the fulness of the Spirit, so that He should perfectly represent God, and perfectly fulfil all those prophecies of a Divine Being ruling amongst men, which abound in the Old Testament; and by the title "Son of God," St. John would mean a real Son, begotten from all eternity, inheriting with the Divine Nature of His Father all His attributes and perfections, Who came to assure us that the God of all flesh is a true Father, because He Himself is His true and only Son.

"And that believing ye might have life through his name." The believing is a means to an end, and that end is our having “life through His Name." By Life, St. John means the Resurrection Life of Christ to be the source of a new Life in our whole nature of body, soul, and spirit. The significance of the appearance of a Risen Christ is twofold-it assures us that He is that Son of God, which He claimed to be, and that He is now in a condition to impart to us that Life from Himself which He promised.

A

CHAP. XXI.

FTER these things Jesus shewed himself again to the disciples at the sea of Tiberias; and on this wise shewed he himself.

a ch. i. 45.

2 There were together Simon Peter, and Thomas called Didymus, and a Nathanael of Cana in Galilee, b Matt. iv. 21. and the sons of Zebedee, and two other of his

b

disciples.

1. "Shewed;" rather, manifested. So Alford and Revisers. Vulg., manifestarit.

1. "After these things Jesus shewed himself again to the disciples," &c. After these things, that is, after what had taken place on the Sunday of the Resurrection, and on the octave of that Sunday. The indication of time is so indefinite that it is impossible to say when during the great forty days the appearance of the Lord now about to be related occurred. Very probably soon after the second appearance to the assembled disciples just related. According to the Lord's express command, they would go to Galilee, and when there, inasmuch as they had no means of subsistence, would betake themselves to their former means of livelihood. It is certain that the appearance by the lake was prior to the appearance at the "mountain where Jesus had appointed them." Some think that it took place on the morning of the second Sunday after Easter, as they seem to have set out on the previous evening. If so the whole of the appearances to this time would have taken place on the Lord's Day. "Shewed," rather "manifested" Himself, the word betokening more of a supernatural revelation than "shewed."

2. "There were together Simon Peter," &c. Simon Peter here, and throughout, takes the lead: the rest are Thomas, who appears anxious to keep with the heads of the Apostolic company; Nathanael, in all probability Bartholomew, and two others supposed to be Andrew and Philip, as both had their homes on the lake. But, as their names are not mentioned, it is possible that the two last may not have been of the number of the Twelve.

3 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.

d

5 Then Jesus saith unto them, || Children, have ye any meat? They answered him, No.

е

6 And he said unto them, Cast the net on the right side of the ship, and ye shall find. They

ch. xx. 14.

d Luke xxiv.

41.

Or, Sirs.

e Luke v. 4,

6, 7.

3. "Immediately" omitted by N, B., C., D., L., Vulgate, Old Latin, and versions; retained by A., later Uncials, and almost all Cursives.

3. "Simon Peter saith unto them, I go a fishing." This does not, of course, mean that He intended to return to his old occupation; but, like St. Paul, he had worked at a trade and endeavoured to support himself by it when there was need. (Acts xviii. 3; xx. 34; 1 Cor. iv. 12.)

"They say unto him, We also go with thee." It is probable from this that all the seven lived on the shore, and were either fishermen by trade, or were accustomed to take part in it, for the presence of others who could render no assistance would have been a hindrance in the boat.

4. "But when the morning was now come . . . . knew not that it was Jesus." The remark, "it was morning," seems made to show that it was not because of the twilight that they did not recognize the Lord, but because their eyes were holden. All the appearances of the Risen Lord were supernatural, and depended on His own Will. So with men's recognition of Him. At times He was invisible, at times He was visible and not recognizable, and not till He willed it did men know Him.

5. "Then Jesus saith unto them, Children, have ye any meat?” "Children." In the margin it is "Sirs." In the notes by F. M. it is suggested that it should be "lads."

"Have ye any meat?" Something to eat with food to give it a relish. Here it is a name for "fish."

6. "And he said unto them, Cast the net on the right side of the ship," &c. No doubt He commanded them to do something

cast therefore, and now they were not able to draw it for the multitude of fishes.

fch. xiii. 23. & xx. 2.

f 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

unusual. They were, apparently, better able to see what fish there were about the ship than He could have been, but they felt that there was something in the command which gave them confidence that He could assist them, and so, having as yet been unsuccessful, 'they obeyed Him.

"They cast therefore, and now they were not able to draw it," &e. The whole account is so full of mystical and spiritual lessons that it will be best to draw attention to them as we proceed.

so now. so now.

Just then, as on the occasion of the former miracle (Luke v. 1-12), they had toiled all night and taken nothing," so it was now. Just as then they let down the net at the express command of the Lord, Just as then they enclosed a great multitude of fishes, Thus was it twice in the Sea of Galilee, and so it is at the present in the sea of human souls. The fishers of men toil and take nothing and yet it is their duty to toil on, even through darkness, and disappointment, and weariness; but sooner or later, perhaps when they least expect it, the reward will come. Even though it come not in their own lifetime, their toil will not have been in vain, even in the matter of their own joy of reward: they will in the unseen or future world, know of the success which has followed their labours. It will be with the fishers of souls as with the sowers of the good seed: as one soweth and another reapeth, and both rejoice together (iv. 36), so one will toil and another drag the multitudes of fish to shore; but at the last each man will "receive his own reward according to his own labour."

7. "Therefore that disciple whom Jesus loved saith . . . . It is the Lord." St. John first recognized Him, because his memory was the quickest to recall the former sign on the same lake. A stranger on the shore had bid them cast in the net again, the miraculous sweep followed close on, the weight of the net proved what a haul they had secured, and so the loving Apostle exclaimed, "It is the Lord." It is not to be supposed for a moment that St. John recognized the Lord by gazing towards the shore. But though

coat 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 as it were two hundred cubits,) dragging the net with fishes.

9 As soon 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.

8. "In a little ship;" rather, "in the boat; " Vulg., navigium.

the first in discovering, he was not the first in action. As Chrysostom remarks, "The disciples, Peter and John, again exhibit the peculiarities of their respective tempers. The one was more fervent, the other more lofty; the one more keen, the other more clear-sighted. On this account John first recognized Jesus, Peter first came to Him." And is not this acted over again in all ages of the Church? The contemplative discover the truth, the energetic act upon it. The reader will remember how in the preceding chapter, St. John is said to have "stooped and seen the linen clothes lie, but went he not in," so here he is the first to recognize the Lord, but St. Peter is the first to fall down at His feet.

"He girt his fisher's coat unto him, for he was naked." Theophylact says, "it was a linen cloak which the Phoenician and Tyrian fishermen wore, wrapping it around them when they were naked, or putting it over their other garments."

8. "And the other disciples came in a little ship," rather in the boat. The authorized version leaves it uncertain whether it was the same in which they had been all the night fishing.

"As it were two hundred cubits," &c., i.e., about one hundred yards. Within so short a distance they could easily have recognized the Lord at the first if it had been His Will.

"Dragging the net with fishes." Instead of, as before, lifting it with its contents into the ship, they dragged it to shore.

9, 10. "As soon then as they were come to land . . . which ye have now caught." This fire of coals, i.e., charcoal fire, with the fish on it, was there by the Divine power of Christ, whether prepared by angel hands, or by His own creative powers, it matters not, as in either case the supply was supernatural. The significance