The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1901-05-02
THE SABBATH SCHOOL.
International Lesson Comments For
May 8.
Subject: Jesus and Peter. John xxi. l5.2s..
Golden Text JOHN xxi, l7.-Mcmory
Verses, I5-I7-. Commentary
on the Days Lessoa

on Tue Uay LESION
10. "When they had dined." Eatins
together was token of fellowship and
here shows .Jesus's perfect reconciliation
to all His disciples. Simon, son of 10.
mas" He does not call him ,Cephas, OF
Peter, the name He had given him, for he
had lest the credit of his strength and sta
bility which those names signifed. BY
thus addressing him it would the more af
feet him and bring wildly before him his
denial, Lowest. thou Me?" There were
special reasons why this question should be
put to Peter. ~ He had denied his love
Tor Christ and there was reason for Christ
to suspect his love. (2) He must learn
that love for Christ is the thing most
commendable and the surest proof of PEN
itence. There is a curious change of terms
here, and, If we would fully understand
this passage, it is necessary TO call atten.
tion to some of the delicate shades of
meaning in the Greek, which do not APP
pear in our English translations. Jesus
uses the word love three times in His
questions, and Peter uses it three times in
his answers; but in the original The word
which Jesus uses in His first two ques-
tI IONS iagSpaol is a-diiferent word from
that which Peter uses (phileo) in all his
answers. In the third asking Jesus uses
Peters word. More than these" That
IS. more than these other disciples love
Me, He had declared, Though all men
shall be offended because of Thee, yet will
| never be offended Christ would now
near nus present testimony. Others think
that by more than these" Jesus meant
the boat, nets and fish--in fact, his busi-
ness. Whether Christ meant this or not.
It should be remembered that If our love
Tor Christ is perfect, we will love Him
more than we love our earthly possessions.
Thou knowest that / love Thee" He
could not only profess love to Christ. but
he could tell Him that He knew that there
was love in his heart He was confident
that Jesus knew that he loved Him
Feed My lambs" This is a commission
to give spiritual food TO the youngest and
weakest in the flock of Christ.
16 Feed My sheep" Here He uses a
word which signifies to tend a flock, not
only to feed, but to take care of, guide,
govern, defend, etc, by which He seems
to intimate that it is not sufficient merely
to offer the bread of life to the congrega-
tion Of the Lord, but he must take. care
that the sheep be properly collected, at
tended to, regulated and guided.
II. The third time" The three ques-
tions could not but recall the three denials.
and the form of the last question could
not but vividly bring back the thought of
the failure Of personal devotion at the mo-
time Jesus uses Peters word for love.
WAS grieved" Because He pressed the
question the third time and thus called at
tention to his failure. and because in
changing the word he had used for love
He seemed to imply doubt of his love.
1t has been suggested that Peter feared
lest Christ. still saw something wrong in
his heart that would lead to another fall
Thou knowest all things" He was sure
OF Christ's perfect knowledge. and humbly
appeals to Him for proof of his love-
Feed My, sheep" Still another word is
used here by Christ to represent the flock
committed to Peters care, which means
little Sheep" "the sheeplings," the ten
der and delicate that needed special care.
The purpose OF these questions seems to
have been, |, To show Peter that Jesus
knew his failures and heartily forgave
them. 2, To guard him against his natural
fSelf-e1onfidence lest he should again fall. 8,
stored. 4, To set clearly before him the
great work he was to do. 5, To impress
upon him that only in deep and earnest
love to Jesus, could he do this work,
Is. Verify. verify" These words ex-
press the ,truthfulness and Interchangeable
vast young" etc. Peter must have been
about middle life. He now went where
he chose to go, but the time would come
when he would be carried by others. This
forecast of Peters future seems to have
been. for the purpose of encouraging him
have failed in the past, he would hence
forth, 60 on boldly. even to cruci6xion.
"Shall be old" Peter lived thirty-six
years after this, and was crucifed at Rome
about the year GO A. d. Another shall
grid thee" Such as were condemned to be
nails were driven. "Wouldest not" While
Peter was willing to die for Christ, yet he
was man and would naturally shink from
the torture of the cross. Ancient writer's
state, however, that he considered it such
a glorious thing to die for Christ, that che
begged to be crucified with his head down
ward not thinking himself worthy to die
ald.5! IL the same posture in which his Lord
10. "Glorify God" The good man glo-
rifles God in his death as we'll as in his
life. Psa. ll6: Is; Phil. l: 20. In an es-
pecial manner did the death of the mar
tyrs ,glorify God; for they gave their lives
in defense of the truth. Follow Me-"
Jesus probably desired to take Peter aside
for the purpose Of speaking privately with
him. Many think that Christ meant by
this that Peter was to follow Him to the
Gross"
20. "Seeth the disciple" That is, Peter
this gospel, following (Which also
leaned" etc. See John l3: 2l-25.
81. "What shall this man do" "And
this man what?' R. Y. margin. What is
to become OF him! Must he partake of
like sufferings, and testify his love by dy-
ing for Thee? This question, although die
tated by love, should not have been asked.
To Peter it was given to know what man
ner of death he was to die but it would
not be best that this should be known in
the case of every disciple ~ apostle.
%. THAT he tarry till come" There
is great difference of opinion as to Christ's
meaning. By the words, It'll / come"
did Jesus mean His second coming, and
that John was never to die; or His coming
to destroy Jerusalem; or did He mean
that John was to remain at that place un-
til He and Peter returned from a private
interview? John lived for many years af-
ter the destruction of Jerusalem, and was
the only one of the apostles who did not
die violent death. The disciples them
selves understood that Jesus meant that
John should not die. V. %. Who can
say when or how he died, st. John him
self, at the time of writing this gospel.
seems not to have known clearly whether
he should die or not; he merely stated
what Jesus had said, and If he understood
he did not think il proper to explain.
John Wesley thinks John was translated.
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