The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1891-12-10

Ii.
Zone reading these notes should first carefully
study the paragraph from the Holy Scriptures As
indicated Rbove.l
SUBJECT: SEVEN APOSTLES FISHING.
I. Data.
We have but one account. to wit. 81. John,
81: lila We may add mere clause from
st. Matt, Us: l6l, Then the IL Disciples
went away into Cables" a general statement
including the incident Of oar present lesson,
aud simply introducing the paragraph We now
study.
9. Preliminary.
We now examine Christ's 37th miracle.
After his resurrection, our Savior was seen
IL times The lesson this week is an account
of his seventh appearance. He was seen first
by Mary Magdalene, next by several women,
next by st. Peter, next by two Disep pies on the
way TO Emmaus next by 10 Apostles next by
IL Apostles. and next by seven, as reported in
our lesson. Looking over the above we find
the lesson which we now study IS an recount
Of Christ's third appearance 10 his Apostles in
body. ". III First he was seen By 10 ApO5-
ties, then by II, and now by seven. The sec
ond verse contains list Of the names of FIVE
Of the seven-Sts. Peter, Thomas, Nathaniel,
John. James the Greater. We notice the writer
(St. john was present. Matt, . rs. shows
the IL left Jerusalem and went to Galilee,
though only seven met Christ this time.
). Itms.
We cannot give the interval between Christ's
meeting the IL and then the seven. He met
the IL at Jerusalem Sunday evening. March
=. A. ID. %. The appearance Of Jesus with
the seven was at the Sea Of GaliIee probably
in the vicinity OF Capernaum. The distance
| from Jerusalem 20 CIpernaum IS about so miles.
| Giving the Disciples time 10 20 afoOt, "a di-
rected by Christ. back 20 Gallee. we may put
the interview of Jesus and the seven on We'd
nesday, March 30. IL was early in the morn
| ing. (Y.49
after these things " Cy. y we are probably
| TO understand after tho resurrection. The first
| appearance Of Christ with his Apostles took
/ place Sunday evening. March 20; the second,
l Sunday evening March %. Hence. the ApOs-
/ ties remained in Jerusalem till that date. Then
| they went on foot to Galilee two or three days
| journey. We cannot fix the time OF this les
son earlier than the Both.
4. Where.
Verse shows this lesson is located at the Sea
Of Tiberias. The Jews say, "Of all the seven
seas God made he chose alone the Sea Of Cali
/ lee" That body Of sacred water has the fol-
/ lowing names Sea Of Galilee lSt. Mat, 4: l8) /;
/ Sea Of Tiberias as in this lesson Lake Gen
/ nesaret (St. L.. 5 IL; Sea OF ChinneTeth (Nu.,
| "a III Chinnsroth Jos, -: 81 Cinneroth a
| XII, To- 2O) the modern name, Bahr Tubar-
/ iyeh. It is about II miles long and six broad,
/ ibJ IeBb uGbps 4liltS buEEDuuu ~ ihuElhB
| from 500 to 200 feet in hight. 1t is put at
about 600 feet below the level Of the Mediter-
! ranean.
We remember thst when the women visited
the sepulcher. finding il empty, the two An
gels whom they met said, Go your way
| quickly and tell his Disciples that he is risen
from the dead. and. behold, he gOeth before
you into Galilee; there shall 20 see him."
Mat. 23:7: Mark, 1G:7) Just afterwards
the same women met Christ and he said. Tell
my brethren that they 60 into Galilee, and
there they shall see me-" Mat, % TO- In st.
Johns Gospel go: 10 We read, Then the Dis
| ciples went away again into their own homes, "
viz, into GaliIee This seems TO be contradict
| DRY to St. Luke, 2i: 20, reading, "TarFy 20 in
the city Of Jerusalem until ye be endned with
power from On high" These words were spoken
TO the 10 on the evening Of the resurrection
| day, and refer TO the scenes Of the PentecOst,
| 30 days afterward. However we may account
! for the Disciples not remaining in Jerusalem,
however we may explain their going to Cali
lee, and that by the order OF Christ, we know
| tho IL Apostles were all present at Jerusalem
when the pentecostal shower descended. They
did not leave Jerusalem to 20 forth with their
commissions 10 preach the Gospel to every
creature until after the descent Of the Holy
Spirit on the 100 and the conversion Of the
1900.
In view of our savior's directions to the
10 20 N1Atitc anu pfOtLii1b 10 hl6b
them there, we are not surprised 70 find them
back home aud on the Sea Of Galilee.
5. The Facts.
No aggressive work in Christ's Kingdom was
to be accomplished between the resurrection
and the ascension. IL was q sort Of vacation
period for the Apostles, and they could b
spared from Jerusalem, providing they returned
| 10 be present at the Ascension and the Pente
cost. They must not take final leave Of the
city till "endued with power from on high
(St. Luke "a: 49, IL was very natural that
being so near their old homes, the Apostles
would DO pleased 10 revisit them. Jesus prob
ably consulted their preferences in making
| Galilee the place where he would meet them
| After the Ascension and the scenes Of Pente
cost, the Apostles would have no opportunity
for vacation, no chance to spend few day.
with parents and friends amid the scenes and
| pursuits of home. Then, being ut the sea, uset
to the boats and fond Of fishing. it is no wonder
the Apostles would be pleased TO spend little
OF vacation time in their old pursuit. So w
fud Peter proposing 10 the rest that the com
pany take boat aud pass while in fishing, anC
all heartily respond TO the suggestion
Though expert aud dilgent fishermen, they
spent a night without catching fish.
Now we reach the seventh appearance o.
Christ after the resurrection, aud il chances t
be to seven Apostles. They had been tryinI
all night TO get fishes into their seine, but with
out any success. They saw q human figure OF
, on the shore, but could not recognize its iden
tity. There were reasons. 1t was early in tn
, morning. (Y. A. The new translation ha
when day was now breaking" It was no
yet clear daylight Then, the boat was abOu
$50 feet from the shore. (V. 8. Each cubit o
ell is one and 624-thOusandths iHches) Fur
ther, it seems Savior during the 40 day
, after the resurrection did not always appea
; Just As before the resurrection. go: a. III
even at times controlled the vision Of thos
; who saw him, so that he appeared some differ
ent. (St. Lu., "a: l6l And, although he hai
| promised to meet them in Galiee, his appear
, | ance just then was probably unexpected {
, some degree, much so at any rate that the,
required moment for the equipOse of emotion
/ and tie suppression OF surprise. IL IS clear th
4 Apostles did not have any fears bf the figure OIL
the shore. as though il were specter. The,
thought the form was that of a mere passer-by
4 Some have intimated part explanation Of tn
4 surprise of the Apostles was due 20 his appear
| ing TO them on the seashore instead of a mount
Z ain. and these interpreters quote st. Matt
| IS: 10. But the appointments as stated in 81
| Mt, %; Z and 10, say nothing Of q mountain
| The promise to meet them on O mountain
alluded To in St. Mt, %: Is was, it would seem
made in Jerusalem. That it refers to ap
pearance different from that Of St. Matt, rs:
= 10, is plain from the fact that soon after tn
Z | seventh appearance, viz. the one to the seve
: on the seIshore. he joined 500 disciples on som
, mountain near Capernaum-said appearance
? being the eighth alter his resurrection.