PETER AND JOHN IN JOHN 21
[p. 547] PETER AND JOHN IN JOHN 21
The chapter which we have read is supplementary to the general field of this gospel, and being thus supplementary, it affords some opportunity for a review of the whole gospel. There is no thought now to review the whole gospel, but simply to consider briefly certain features small enough to be contained in the time available.
What is in mind is mainly the apostles Peter and John. They have a great part in the book, but Peter particularly has a great part in the scope of the truth expressed in the whole four gospels. He therefore, rightly comes into mind as worthy of mention. Not indeed critically, although the Spirit of God is critical of Peter, but He commends him too. He says “first, Simon”. He gives him first place in the apostolic service of the twelve. All of them have a great place, even Matthias. They are all seen as the Holy Spirit came down from heaven, or was sent down from heaven, as recorded in the second chapter of the Acts. And the saints were concerned about the apostle’s teaching and fellowship, the breaking of bread, and prayers. The converts at the outset were marked in this way; they were subject to apostolic ministry, and were formed by it. And what they were formed by should form us; we should be formed in our minds and affections by apostolic ministry. As I said, Peter had the first place. It is clear that he was worthy of that place. He is mentioned earlier with John, too. After the Lord had become Man, He was at the Sea of Galilee and He saw Peter and Andrew and called them. At the same time He called the sons of Zebedee, John and James. They too were to be included in the apostolic service as fishers of men. These are matters of importance and of [p. 548] guidance, especially as showing how Peter and John deserved to be under review at such a time in this chapter. They are found in the gospels of Mark and Luke, as among the twelve. They are not formally named in John as in the other gospels, but John does name Peter and he alludes to himself as that disciple “whom Jesus loved”, John 13:23. Peter is named too, and distinguished in the fact that he was called Cephas, meaning a stone. He was to be a stone in the divine structure, in the assembly. He is also named in chapter 6, as saying to the Lord, when He had inquired as to whether they would go away, “Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast words of life eternal; and we have believed and known that thou art the holy one of God”, John 6:68,69. Peter had that honour in answering the Lord’s question, as well as a similar but greater honour in Matthew 16:16, as he conveyed the Father’s mind that He was “the Christ, the Son of the living God”. The Lord called him “blessed” because he confessed that. These are distinguishing features of Peter, and they are to be understood by us and should enter into what is to be said about Peter and John in the chapter read.
Now it is in order to speak of the occasion of which we have a record in this chapter. Peter led in the matter. He said, “I go to fish”, and the others said, “We also come with thee”. What is to be remarked is that, although they had been called away from the fishing industry, never to return to it, yet at this particular juncture they returned to it. They were at the sea of Tiberias, far away from the regular services of the twelve, although at the beginning they laboured much there with the Lord. But this occasion is different from all the other occasions, because it was after the Lord had died and risen again from among the dead, that these seven apostles undertook to go fishing. I am not going to be critical for the [p. 549] reason that the Lord does not criticise them. It is a paragraph of grace. One would love nothing more than to convey to the dear brethren the thought of unmingled grace. The Lord did not criticize; He sees them from the land and says, “Children, have ye anything to eat?”. You might say there should have been a severe reprimand. But no, the Lord is saying that it is not the time for reprimand. There may be good cause for it in these parts, but it is not regarded as the time for it; rather it is the time of grace. The Lord would bathe our souls in grace that we might become gracious, and learn to renounce the works of the flesh. Grace reigns and it leads to that in our souls. The Lord loves to surprise us in that way, even when we are worthy of reproof. So He says, “Children, have ye anything to eat?”. That is a beautiful touch of grace on the Lord’s part, and if anyone is undeserving of it, let it come in anyway! It is intended for you. This is the period when grace reigns through righteousness. The Spirit of God would love nothing better, I would say that of myself, than that the saints should be affected by grace, that the grace of God should lay hold of our souls. God is God, and Christ is Christ, and the Spirit is the Spirit, and They are entitled to do what They wish to do. And They are doing it.