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, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that 1 Isa. xl. 11. Jer. iii. 15. Ezek. xxxiv. 2-10. Acts xx. 28. 1 Pet. v. 2, 4. matter of much importance that we should ourselves know what is the effect of the dealings of divine providence on our hearts, and what is our present state of feeling towards the Lord Jesus Christ. Thou knowest that I love thee. Peter now made no pretensions to love superior to his brethren. His sad denial had convinced him of the folly of that claim. But still he could appeal to the Searcher of the heart, and say that he knew that he loved him. Here is the expression of an humbled soul, a soul made sensible of its weakness and need of strength, yet with evidence of true attachment to the Saviour. It is not the most confident pretensions that constitute the highest proof of love to Christ, and the happiest and best state of feeling is when we can with humility, yet with confidence, look to the Lord Jesus and say, "Thou knowest that I love thee." Feed my lambs. The word here rendered feed means the care afforded by furnishing nutriment for the flock. In the next verse there is a change in the Greek, and the word rendered feed denotes rather the care, guidance, and protection which a shepherd extends to his flock. By the use of both these words, it is supposed that our Saviour intended that a shepherd was both to offer the proper food for his flock and to govern it, or, as we express it, to exercise the office of a pastor. The expression is taken from the office of a shepherd, with which the office of the minister is frequently compared. It means, as a good shepherd provides for the wants of his flock, so the pastor in the church is to furnish food for the soul, or so to exhibit truth as that the faith may be strengthened, and the hope confirmed. My lambs. The church is often compared to a flock. See ch. x. 1-16. Here the expression, my lambs, undoubtedly refers to the tender and the young in the Chris tian church, to those who were young in years and in Christian experience. And the Lord Jesus saw, what has been confirmed in the experience of the church, that the success of the gospel among men depended on the care which the ministry would extend to those in early life. It is in obedience to this command that Sunday schools have been established, and no means of fulfilling the command of the Saviour have been found so effectual as to extend patronage to those schools. It is not merely, therefore, the privilege, it is the solemn duty of ministers of the gospel to countenance and patronize Sunday schools. 16. Feed my sheep. The word here rendered feed, as has been remarked, is different from the word in the previous verse. It has the sense of governing, and of protecting; the kind of faithful vigilance which a shepherd uses to guide his flock, and to make provision against their wants and dangers. It may be implied here that the care needed for the young in the church is to instruct them, and for those in advanced years both to instruct and govern them. My sheep. This term commonly denotes the church in general, without respect to age. Chap. x. 17. The third time. It is probable that Jesus proposed this question three times because Peter had thrice denied him. Thus he tenderly admonished him of his fault, reminded him of his sin, and solemnly charged him to be faithful, and vigilant in the discharge of the duties of the pastoral office. The reason why the Saviour addressed Peter in this manner was doubtless because he had just denied him, and given a most melancholy instance of the instability and weakness of his faith, and of his liability to fall. As he had thus been prominent in forsaking him, he took this occasion to give to him a special charge, and to secure his future unto him, Lord, thou 1 knowest all | shalt be old, thou shalt stretch forth things; thou knowest that I love thy hands, and another shall 3 gird thee. Jesus saith unto him, Feed thee, and carry thee whither thou my sheep. wouldest not. 18 Verily, verily, I say unto thee, When thou wast young, thou girdedst thyself, and walkedst whither thou wouldest: but when thou 1 Ch. xvi. 30. 3, 4. obedience. Hence he so administered the charge as to remind him of his fault; and he made him so prominent as to show the solicitude of the Saviour that henceforward he might not be left to dishonour his high calling. This same charge, in substance, he had on other occasions given to the apostles, Matt. xviii. 18, and there is not the slightest evidence here that Christ intended, as the Papists pretend, to give Peter any peculiar primacy, or eminence in the church. The charge to Peter arose manifestly from his prominent and melancholy act in denying him-and was the kind and tender means used by a faithful Saviour to keep him from similar acts in the future dangers and trials of life. It is worthy of remark that the admonition was effectual. Henceforward, Peter was one of the most firm, and unwavering of all the apostles, and thus fully justified the appellation of a rock, which the Saviour by anticipation had given him. See Note, Ch. i. 42. 18. When thou wast young. When in early life, thou didst gird thyself, &c. The Jews in walking, or running, girded their outer garments around them, that they might not be impeded. Thou girdedst. The expression here denotes freedom. He did as he pleased; he girded himself or not, he went or remained, as he chose. Perhaps the expression refers rather to that time than to the previous period of Peter's life: Thou being now young, or in the vigour of life, hast just girded thyself, and come freely to the shore. In either case, the Saviour intimates that at the end of his life he would not be thus free. When thou shalt be old. Ancient writers say that Peter was put to death about thirty-four years after this. His precise age at that time is not known. Thou shall stretch 19 This spake he, signifying by what death he should glorify God. And when he had spoken this, he saith unto him, Follow 5 me. 3 Ch. xii. 27, 28. Acts xxi. 11. 42 Pet. i. 14. 5 Ch. xii. 26. Num. xiv. 24. 1 Sam. xii. 20. Matt. xix. 28. forth thy hands. When Peter was put to death we are told that he requested that he might be crucified with his head downwards, saying, that he who had denied his Lord as he had done, was not worthy to die as he did. This expression of Christ may intimate the readiness of Peter thus to die. Though he was not at liberty as when he was young, though bound by others, yet he freely stretched out his hands on the cross, and was ready to give up his life. Another shall gird thee. Another shall bind thee. The limbs of persons crucified were often bound instead of being nailed, and even the body was sometimes girded to the cross. See Notes on Matt. xxvii. 35. Carry thee, &c. Shall bear thee, or shall compel thee to go to prison and to death. This is not said to intimate that Peter would be unwilling to suffer martyrdom, but it stands opposed to the freedom of his early life. Though willing when compelled to do it, yet he would not seek it; and though he would not needlessly expose himself to it, yet he would not shrink from it when it was the will of God. 19. By what death, &c. In these words two things are implied. 1. That Peter should die a violent death; and 2. That his death should be such as to honour God. The ancients say that Peter was crucified at Rome, about thirty-four years after this, with his head downwards. Clemens says that he was led to the crucifixion with his wife, and sustained her in her sufferings by exhorting her to remember the example of her Lord. He also adds, that he died, not as the philosophers did, but with a firm hope of heaven, and patiently endured the pangs of the cross Strom. vii. This declaration of the Saviour was doubtless continually before the 20 Then Peter, turning about, | what is that to thee? follow 2 seeth the disciple whom Jesus thou me. loved following; which also leaned on his breast at supper, and said, Lord, which is he that betrayeth thee? mind of Peter, and to the hour of his death, he maintained the utmost constancy and fidelity in his cause, thus justifying the appellation which the Lord Jesus gave him-a rock. 20. Who also leaned, &c. See chap. xiii. 24, 25. 21. What shall this man do? This question probably means, What death shall he die? But it is impossible to know why Peter asked this question. John was a favourite disciple; and perhaps Peter suspected that he would have a happier lot, and not be put to death in this manner. Peter was grieved at the question of Jesus; he was probably deeply affected with the account of his own approaching sufferings, and with perhaps a mixture of grief, and envy, he asked what would be John's lot. But it is possible that it was from kindness to John; a deep solicitude about him, and a wish that he might not die in the same manner as one who had denied his Lord. Whatever the motive was, it was a curiosity which the Lord Jesus did not choose to gratify. 22. That he tarry. That he live. The same word is used to express life in Phil. i. 24, 25. 1 Cor. xv. 6. Till I come. Some have supposed this to refer to the destruction of Jerusalem; others to the day of judgment; others to signify that he should not die a violent death. But the plain meaning is "if I will that he should not die at all, it is nothing to thee." In this way the apostles evidently understood it, and hence the report that John should not die. It is remarkable that John was the last of the apostles; that he lived to nearly the close of the first century, and then died a peaceful death | 23 Then went this saying abroad among the brethren, that that dis ciple should not die: yet Jesus said not unto him, He shall not die; but, If I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to thee? 24 This is the disciple which testifieth of these things, and wrote 9 Ver. 19. at Ephesus, being the only one, as is supposed, of the apostles who did not suffer martyrdom. The testimony of antiquity is clear on this point; and though there have been many idle conjectures about this passage, and about the fate of John, yet no fact of history is better attested than that John died, and was buried at Ephesus. What is that to thee? From this passage we learn, 1. That our main business is to follow and imitate the Lord Jesus Christ. 2. That there are many subjects of religion on which a vain and impertinent curiosity is exercised. such curiosity Jesus here reproves. 3. That All Jesus will take care of all his beloved disciples, and that we should not be unduly solicitous about them. should go forward to whatever he calls us, to persecution or death, not envying the lot of any other man, and anxious only to do the will of God. 4. That we 23. Then went this saying, &c. This mistake arose very naturally, 1. From the words of Jesus which might be easily misunderstood to mean that John should not die. And, 2. It was probably confirmed when it was seen that he survived all the other apostles, had escaped all the dangers of persecution, and was leading a peaceful life at Ephesus. This mistake John deemed it proper to correct before he died, and has thus left on record what Jesus said, and what he meant. 24. This is the disciple, &c. proves that the beloved disciple was John. This We know. That is, it is known; it is universally admitted. It was so decidedly his character that he always declared the truth, that it had become known, and was unquestioned, so that he himself might appeal to the universal testimony in his 1 these things and 1 we know that | which, if they should be written his testimony is true. 25 And there are also many other things which Jesus did, the 1 Ch. xix. 35. 3 John. 12. 2 Ch. xx. 30. behalf. In this case, therefore, we have the testimony of a man whose character for nearly a century was that of a man of truth; so much so, that it had become in a manner proverbial, and put beyond a question. It is impossible to believe that such a man would sit down deliberately to impose on mankind, or to write a book which was false. And if he could not, then this book is true, and that is the same as saying that Christianity is a religion from heaven. 25. Many other things. Many miracles. Ch. xx. 30. Many discourses delivered, &c. I suppose, &c. This is evidently the figure of speech called a hyperbole. It is a mode of speech where the words express more or less than is literally true. It is common among all writers; and as the sacred writers in recording a revelation to men used human language, it was proper that they should express themselves as men ordinarily do if they wish to be understood. This figure of speech is commonly the effect of surprise, or of having the mind full of some object, and not having words to express the ideas. At the same time the words convey no falsehood. The statement is to be taken as it would be understood among the persons to whom it is addressed; and as no one supposes that the author means to be understood literally, so there is no deception in the case, and consequently no impeachment of his veracity or inspiration. Thus when Longinus said of a man that "he was owner of a piece of ground not larger than a Lacedæmonian letter," no one understood him literally. He means evidently a very small piece of land, and no one would be deceived. So Virgil says of a man, "he was so tall as to reach the stars," and means only that he was very tall. So when John says that the world would not contain the books that should be written if all the deeds and sayings of Jesus were recorded, he clearly intends nothing more than that a great many 3 every one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that should be written. Amen. * Am. vii. 10. books would be required; or that it would be extremely difficult to record all that Jesus did and said, intimating that his life was active, that his discourses were numerous, and that he had not pretended to give them all, but only such as should go to establish the main point for which he wrote, that Jesus was the Messiah. Ch. xx. 30, 31. The figure which John uses here is not uncommon in the scriptures. Gen. xi. 4; xv. 5. Num. xiii. 33. Dan. iv. 20. This gospel contains in itself the clearest proof of inspiration. It is the work of a fisherman of Galilee, without any proof that he had any unusual advantages. It is a connected, clear, and satisfactory argument to establish the great truth that Jesus was the Messiah. It was written many years after the ascension of Jesus. It contains the record of the Saviour's profoundest discourses, of his most convincing arguments with the Jews, and of his declarations respecting himself and God. It contains the purest and most elevated views of God to be found any where, as far exceeding all the speculations of philosophers, as the sun does the blaze of a taper. It is in the highest degree absurd to suppose that an unlettered fisherman could have originated this book. Any one may be convinced of this by comparing it with what would be the production of a man in that rank of life now. But if John has preserved the record of what had occurred so many years before, then it shows that he was under the divine guidance, and is himself a proof, a full and standing proof of the fulfilment of the promise which he has recorded, that the Holy Spirit would guide the apostles into all truth. Ch. xiv. 26; xvi. 13. Of this book we may apply, in conclusion, the words spoken by John respecting his vision of the future events of the church. "Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this" book, "and keep those things which are written therein, for the time is at hand." Rev. i. 3. |