Christ's Seventh Appearance—the Third to the Apostles (John xxi. t3).—In the account of this manifestation we have another exquisite picture, which we must not mar by a paraphrase. St John is this time the graphic narrator (xxi. 1-23), and we must refer the reader to his beautiful his tory. Many points will interest him. The manner in which the names are connected is remarkable (Stier). The highly-favoured Thomas, and the much-forgiven Peter, occur side by side, so that the two men who severally had had such especial experience of the love of their dear Master are united lovingly together in this scene—no longer one of probation, but of fruition. To them is added Nathanael, guileless from the very first, whose home in Cana would suggest the first miracle of the ministiy. John's mention of him self and his brother, in this place alone, as sons of Zebedee,' carries us back to a scene of like cir cumstance, when these faithful men, obedient to Christ's call, left their father (no doubt not unwill.
ing to be so left), and their all, to become fishers of men.' We before remarked on the sensation produced by the earlier miracle. \Vhat a tide of reminiscence must have now flowed in upon the memories of the seven by this recurrence of their Master's characteristic power and kindness ! As a mighty work designed to announce the return of the Lost One to life and to Galilee, could any means have answered the purpose better, on the shores of the Sea of Tiberias ? There is a myste rious grandeur in the manner of Christ's mani festation of himself' (St. John's phrase is very expressive, 401.41)cm-el, gmmov, xxi. 1; Napepth9a7 ver. 14. f' Id grandius sonat, quam apparuit,' says Bengel]) ; not to mention the mystic import of his loving supply to his toil ing and disappointed disciples of an abundant capture ; happy omen for them, when they, amidst so many cares and trials, should require his help in their endeavours to catch men. The apostle whom Jesus loved is the first to recognise the Lord, and yet (as we might indeed have expected) another is the first [in his characteristic ardour] to greet him. He, who on that very lake, and under circumstances strikingly similar, had be sought his holy Master to depart from one so sin stained (Luke v. 8), noxv casts himself into the water, and is the first to kneel at the divine feet'— Bishop Ellicott, Lectures, p. 4o6. After the mira culous draft of fishes, the Lord dedicates the first fruits of it to giving them another incontestible proof of the truth of his corporeal nature, by dining' with them upon the shore. After the meal, Christ, in one of the most interesting and significant scenes of this portion of his life, restores (or rather ratifies his former restoration of) St.
Peter to the eminent position from which he had fallen. We should remember that Peter's offence, which was given to all, and which corresponded to the public warning given before all, could be pro perly and fully forgiven only by a ;Subtle word of reconciliation' (Stier). Hence the significance of this reinvestiture of the apostle to the pastoral office, which he had forfeited. Thrice did the Lord request, and thrice did his earnest and heart smitten disciple reiterate, the confession of his love to the Master whom he had thrice denied. HOW affecting was the afflicted apostle's outburst at the last, when, finding his mouth fail for words, he appealed to his Master's own knowledge of all' his past and all' his present (litipte, cre, arcivra carts ! John xxi. 17) ; from the beginning thou hast known me and searched me—known me as the son of Jonas ; called me Peter ; drawn me to thee in patience ; kindled love in my soul ; warned my blindness ; foreseen and forgiven my fall ; looked both before and Since thy death into my bear]. with eyes of grace ; Lord, how shouldest thou not know all ? Having accepted Peter's genuine comession of his love, Christ prophetically assures him how great a demand he would make upon that love, for his life of apostolic service would be terminated with a martyr's death ! The scene ends with the Lord's removal from it, with the significant request to his disciple to follozo him' (circoXoael /hot, ver. 19). The world of meaning conveyed herein we will not attempt to unfold. Peter instantly obeyed, followed by the unbidden but always welcome St. John. Wishing to secure him as his dear companion, if it might only be in life and in death, the eager Peter, with a touch of his old forwardness, too curiously inquires about his future also. The Lord mildly reproves the curiosity by only half gratifying it. He recalls Peter to his own case, and again bids him with in creased emphasis to follow him (this time it is, /AN thcoNotaet, ver. 22). St. John ends his narrative with an exquisitely artless correction of a popular mistake which had gone abroad respecting his own supposed immunity from death, and with the voucher of his own personal knowledge of the facts which he has just described. We stay not to defend the genuineness of this beautiful record, which is contained in all the pi incipal MSS. of the fourth gospel, and of which the internal evidence shews it to be from St. John's pen as strongly as the external—but hasten to notice the next great event in this period of our Lord's career.