1._After these things Jesus manifested himself again. _The Evangelist still labors to prove the resurrection of Christ, and relates, that he appeared to seven disciples, among whom he mentions _Thomas, _not out of respect to him, so much as because his testimony ought to be the more readily believed... [ Continue Reading ]
3._I am going to fish. _That Peter gave his attention to _fishing, _ought not to be regarded as inconsistent with his office. By _breathing on _him, Jesus had ordained him to be an Apostle, as we saw a little before; but he abstained from the exercise of the apostleship for a short time, till he sho... [ Continue Reading ]
6._Cast the net on the right side of the ship. _Christ does not command with authority and power as _Master _and _Lord, _but gives advice like one of the people; and the disciples, being at a loss what to do, readily obey him, though they did not know who he was. If, before the first _casting of the... [ Continue Reading ]
7._Therefore the disciple whom Jesus loved saith to Peter. _The Evangelist shows, by his example, that it is our duty to raise our hearts to God, whenever we succeed in any thing beyond our expectation; because we ought instantly to remember that this act of kindness has flowed from the favor of Him... [ Continue Reading ]
10._Bring some of the fishes which you have now caught. _Though the net was filled in a moment, without any great labor on their part yet the taking of them is not ascribed by Christ to the disciples, thus, we call the bread which we daily eat, OUR _bread, _and yet, by asking that it may be _given _... [ Continue Reading ]
12._And not one of his disciples dared to ask him. _It may be inquired, What hindered them? Was it shame arising from reverence, or was it any thing else? But if Christ saw that they were in a state of uncertainty, he ought to remove their doubt, as he had done on many other occasions. I reply, ther... [ Continue Reading ]
14._The third time. _The number _three _refers to the distance of time. Christ had already appeared to his disciples more than _seven _times, but all that had been transacted in one day is included in one manifestation. The Evangelist, therefore, means that Christ had been seen by the disciples at i... [ Continue Reading ]
15._When, therefore, they had dined. _The Evangelist now relates in what manner Peter was restored to that rank of honor from which he had fallen. That treacherous denial, which has been formerly described, had, undoubtedly, rendered him unworthy of the apostleship; for how could he be capable of in... [ Continue Reading ]
16._Feed my sheep. _Christ does not give to Peter and others the office _of feeding _all sorts of persons, but only _his sheep _or _his lambs. _He elsewhere describes who they are whom he reckons to belong to his flock. My sheep, says he, hear my voice, and follow me; they hear not the voice of a s... [ Continue Reading ]
17._Peter was grieved. _Peter undoubtedly did not perceive the object which Christ had in view, in putting the same question so frequently; and therefore he thinks that he is-in-directly accused, as if he had not answered with sincerity. But we have already showed that the repetition was not superfl... [ Continue Reading ]
18._Verily, verily, I tell thee. _After having exhorted Peter _to feed his sheep, _Christ likewise arms him to maintain the warfare which was approaching. Thus he demands from him not only faithfulness and diligence, but invincible courage in the midst of dangers, and firmness in bearing the cross.... [ Continue Reading ]
19._Signifying by what death he should glorify God. _This circumlocution is highly emphatic; for though the end held out to all believers ought to be, to glorify God both by their life and by their death, yet John intended to employ a remarkable commendation for adorning the death of those who, by t... [ Continue Reading ]
20._And Peter, turning about. _We have in Peter an instance of our curiosity, which is not only superfluous, but even hurtful, when we are drawn aside from our duty by looking at others; for it is almost natural to us to examine the way in which other people live, instead of examining our own, and t... [ Continue Reading ]
22._If I will that he remain. _It has been customary to take this sentence as detached, and to read the former clause affirmatively, _I will that he tarry till I come; _but this has been done through the ignorance of transcribers, not through the mistake of the translator; for he could not have been... [ Continue Reading ]
23._Then this saying went forth. _The Evangelist relates that, from misunderstanding Christ’s words, an error arose among the disciples, that John _would never die. _He means those who were present at that conversation, that is, the Apostles; not that the name _brethren _belongs to them alone, but t... [ Continue Reading ]
24._This is that disciple. _Having hitherto mentioned himself in the third person, John now declares that it is himself; that greater weight may be attached to the statements of one who was an eye-witness, and who had fully known all that he relates.... [ Continue Reading ]
25._There are also many other things that Jesus did. _Lest any one should view his narrative with suspicion, as if it had been written through partiality, because _Jesus loved him, _he anticipates this objection, by saying, that he has passed over more than he has written. He does not speak of Chris... [ Continue Reading ]