ing its truth and reality. That Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God. The evangelist wrote his Gospel to prove, by his miraculous evidences and divine instructions, that Jesus was the Messiah, expected by the Jews, and the Son of God, not God, or God the Son. He kept this object distinctly in view throughout, as will be seen by turning back to the narratives and discourses he has recorded. See chap. i. 29, 41, 49, iii. 17, 34, iv. 26, 29, 42, v. 19, vi. 69, and many others. -That believing ye might have life through his name, i. e. through or by him. This constitutes the second grand division of the apostle's object in writing his Gospel. It was a practical aim. It was to establish that faith in Christ, which is the great spring of the true life of the soul; the foundation and condition of all true, natural, and constant growth in holiness and love. May this noble end be promoted and attained by us in reading and studying the precious narrative of our Lord's life, instructions, death, and resurrection; otherwise our "money is spent for that which is not bread, and our labor for that which satisfieth not."

CHAPTER XXI.

The narrative contained in this chapter, is not found in either of the other Gospels. Grotius regarded it as an addition by the church of Ephesus, to which opinion Le Clerc, Hammond, and Priestley were also inclined. Hence, ver. 30, 31, of the last chapter were considered as the appropriate close of the book. But all the authorities are in support of the genuineness of this chapter, and the internal evidences, arising from the style and sentiments, are perfectly satisfactory, unless it be in the last part of ver. 24 and ver. 25, where the use of the first person plural, and other peculiarities, as certain words not elsewhere used by John, indicate, according to Clarke, Norton, and others, that the passage is an editorial note, early introduced at Ephesus, and found in all the copies.

2. Nathanael. John uniformly gives this name to him, who is supposed to be elsewhere the same as Bartholomew. Chap. i. 45-49.

3. That night. The night is mentioned by ancient writers, as the best time to catch some kinds of fishes. The apostles had gone to Galilee,

probable, though Cellerier intimates the latter. Great fishes. Fishes weighing thirty pounds have been found in this lake, in modern times. A hundred and fifty and three. The specification of the exact number, marks the writer as an eye-witness. 12. Dine. Take food. As it was early in the morning, ver. 4, the more proper, though familiar, word would be breakfast. — Durst ask him. Better, ventured. They were naturally awed at seeing one before them, who had arisen from the dead, and therefore hesitated to speak to him with their previous freedom and familiarity.

13. Jesus then cometh, and taketh bread, &c. He approached them, and helped them to the refreshments as of old, and no doubt partook himself. He did this to "prove the reality of his body, give them leisure to survey him attentively, and he proceeded to instruct them when their awe was abated."

14. The third time. Referring to the number of times related in this Gospel at which Jesus had appeared to the apostles. Chap. xx. 19, 26. The whole number of appearances, as we learn by comparing all the accounts together, was eleven. (1.) Our Lord was seen by Mary Magdalene, Mark xvi. 9, John xx. 15, 16; (2.) by the other women, Mat. xxviii. 9; (3.) by the two disciples, on their way to Emmaus, Luke xxiv. 13-31; (4.) by

Peter, Luke xxiv. 34, 1 Cor. xv. 5; (5.) by the ten disciples, John xx. 19, 24; (6.) by the eleven, John xx. 26; (7.) by the seven disciples, mentioned in this passage, ver. 2; (8.) by the eleven on a mountain in Galilee, Mat. xxviii. 16; (9.) by more than five hundred disciples at once, probably in Galilee. 1 Cor. xv. 6; (10.) by James, 1 Cor. xv. 7; (11.) by all the apostles at the time of his ascension, Mark xvi. 19, 20, Luke xxiv. 50-53, Acts i. 3-11, 1 Cor. xv. 7. It should be observed, however, that the 8th and 9th may be the same occasion; also, the 5th or 6th, and the 10th, though probably not. Christ appeared, likewise, after his ascension to Paul, 1 Cor. xv. 8, and, as some suppose, to Stephen. Acts vii. 55, 56. These numerous instances, taken in connexion with the number of persons, the circumstances and places, furnish the strongest possible evidence of the reality of the resurrection.

15. Dined. Or, eaten. - Simon son of Jonas. We not unfrequently pronounce the whole name, even of a

familiar friend, if we wish to address him with a strong emphasis. Lovest thou me more than these, i. e. the other disciples, to whom our Lord probably pointed. For Peter had before made the loudest professions of constancy. Mat. xxvi. 33, 35. It has not escaped the notice of the critics, that, through this dialogue,

Jesus is represented as using one Greek verb meaning to love, and Peter another, meaning the same, though the reason of it is not known.

Thou knowest, &c. Peter mod estly professes his own love, without now comparing himself with others. He humbly appeals also to his Master's knowledge, rather than to his own assured convictions; for he had learned, by bitter experience, to trust himself less, and Jesus more. How exquisitely true to nature is this whole scene! How constantly is the past in reality referred to, constituting, as it does, the basis of the conversation! yet not one word is whispered of the events of the betrayal, desertion, and denial. - Feed my lambs, i. e. act the shepherd to the humblest and weakest of my followers. This was said to encourage the penitent apostle to take part in the ministry of Christ, and to intimate that the chief shepherd would intrust the lambs and sheep to his care without hesitation, though he had so recently denied him. Instead of any precedence being here ascribed to Peter, as the Papists contend, the whole scene conveys the simple idea of the restoration of the noble, but frail, apostle to the rank which he before held, and which the others had not forfeited by denying their Master. -To feed the lambs of Christ is the holy office of the Sabbath school teacher, as well as the

parent; and no work on earth is more in harmony with the spirit of him, who took little children in his arms, and laid his hands upon them, and blessed them.

16. Feed. This word in Greek is not the same as that used in the last verse. It means not only to feed, but to tend. The figure of the text was perhaps suggested by a flock feeding in sight of our Lord and his apostles under the care of a shepherd.

17. The third time. In reference, as we naturally suppose, to the three denials. Jesus would, by this conversation, at once humble and encourage Peter; assure him of his full forgiveness and renewed confidence, and teach him greater circumspection hereafter, and faith in his Master, while he also gave him an opportunity to express his affection.- Knowest all things. A general term, to be limited by the nature of the circumstances under which it was spoken. Mark xiii. 32. The apostle, in his grief at being suspected, used the strongest language, not, we may observe, to describe his own love and fidelity,- for that was the rock on which he split before,but his Lord's knowledge of his devotedness.

18. Girdedst. A figure, taken, probably, from the occurrence in ver. 7. The sense of the passage is, that in the activity of his youth and manhood, he would be free to go whither

19 thou wouldest not. should glorify God. 20 him, Follow me.

he pleased; but in his old age his liberty would be taken away from him, and he would fall a martyr in his apostolic office. - Stretch forth thy hands-carry thee, &c. Prophetic intimations of his death by violence; referring, perhaps, to the Roman method of confining the hands of a prisoner, and conducting him against his will to the place of crucifixion. - Another. For others. In the Scriptures, the singular is often used for the plural, and the plural for the singular.

19. Signifying by what death. The apostle explains the words of Jesus, as descriptive of the violent death of Peter; which had occurred, as is conjectured, before John wrote his Gospel, and which, therefore, shed light on the prophecy. He is said to have been crucified at Rome, in the reign of Nero, about 64 or 65 A. D. with his head downwards; taking this humble and painful posture out of respect to his Master, as if it were too great an honor to be crucified as he was, with the body erect. What 'a wonderful contrast between the Peter of that day and the Peter of our Lord's earlier ministry! "So, with his head in the dust, he closed his labors, his failings, his victories, his sufferings, and his life." - Glorify God. A phrase to express martyrdom. - Follow me. As if by an emblematic act of following his Mas

ter a few steps, to teach him that he must also submit to the same lot of persecution and death. He must take up his cross and follow his crucified Lord. Or, the sense may be, follow, i. e. be obedient to me, not meaning, follow me, literally. The former view, however, is preferable.

20, 21. The disciple whom Jesus loved, following. John also followed Jesus and Peter, as they took a circuit of probably a few steps. — Lord, and what shall this man do? Or, "But this man, what shall be to him?" He apparently wished to know what would be the lot of John. We discover here a little of" the old man" still clinging to Peter, new creature as in many respects he had become.

22. Tarry till I come, i. e. survive till the destruction of Jerusalem, which is signified in many places in Scripture by the phrase the coming of Christ. John did live for many years after that event, and died the latest of the twelve, and, unlike them, a natural death, in a full old age. Follow thou me. Jesus represses his idle curiosity, and bids him be faithful to him, whatever might be the conduct or fortune of others. It is our duty to follow Christ, whether other men obey or disobey him.

23. We see how liable they were to misunderstand our Lord's instructions.-That disciple should not die. Perhaps this expression arose from