1 Christ appearing again to his disciples is known of them by the great draught of fishes.
12 He dines with them;
15 earnestly commands Peter to feed his lambs and sheep;
18 foretells him of his death;
22 rebukes his curiosity touching John.
24 The conclusion.

these. 20:19-29

Jesus. Mt 26:32 28:7,16 Mr 16:7

the sea. 6:1,23

2 There were together Simon Peter, and Thomas called Didymus, and Nathanael of Cana in Galilee, and the sons of Zebedee, and two other of his disciples.

Thomas. 20:28

Nathanael. 1:45-51

Cana. 2:1,11 4:46 Jos 19:28

Kanah. the sons. Mt 4:21,22

3 Simon Peter saith unto them, I go a fishing. They say unto him, We also go with thee. They went forth, and entered into a ship immediately; and that night they caught nothing.

I go. 2Ki 6:1-7 Mt 4:18-20 Lu 5:10,11 Ac 18:3 20:34 1Co 9:6 1Th 2:9 2Th 3:7-9

and that. Lu 5:5 1Co 3:7

4 But when the morning was now come, Jesus stood on the shore: but the disciples knew not that it was Jesus.

but. 20:14 Mr 16:12 Lu 24:15,16,31

5 Then Jesus saith unto them, Children, have ye any meat? They answered him, No.

Children. or, Sirs. 1Jo 2:13,18 *Gr:

have. Ps 37:3 Lu 24:41-43 Php 4:11-13,19 Heb 13:5

6 And he said unto them, Cast the net on the right side of the ship, and ye shall find. They cast therefore, and now they were not able to draw it for the multitude of fishes.

Cast. Mt 7:27 Lu 5:4-7

They cast. 2:5 Ps 8:8 Heb 2:6-9

the multitude. Ac 2:41 4:4

7 Therefore that disciple whom Jesus loved saith unto Peter, It is the Lord. Now when Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he girt his fisher's coat unto him, (for he was naked,) and did cast himself into the sea.

that disciple. 20,24 13:23 19:26 20:2

It is. 20:20,28 Ps 118:23 Mr 11:3 Lu 2:11 Ac 2:36 10:36 1Co 15:47 Jas 2:1

when. So 8:7 Mt 14:28,29 Lu 7:47 2Co 5:14

fisher's coat. Or, upper coat, great coat, or, surtout, [ependutes,] from [epi,] upon, and [enduo,] I clothe.

naked. That is, he was only in his vest, or under garment; for [gumnos,] naked, like the Hebrew arom, is frequently applied to one who has merely laid aside his outer garment. See 1Sa. 19:24; 2Sa. 6:20, on which see the note. To which may be added what we read in the LXX, Job 22:6, 'Thou has taken away the covering of the naked,' [amphiazo,] the plaid, or blanket, in which they wrapped themselves, and besides they had no other. In this sense Virgil says, Nudus ara, sere nudus, 'plough naked, and sow naked,' i.e., strip off your upper garments.

8 And the other disciples came in a little ship; (for they were not far from land, but as it were two hundred cubits,) dragging the net with fishes.

cubits. De 3:11

9 As soon then as they were come to land, they saw a fire of coals there, and fish laid thereon, and bread.

they saw. 1Ki 19:5,6 Mt 4:11 Mr 8:3 Lu 12:29-31

10 Jesus saith unto them, Bring of the fish which ye have now caught.

11 Simon Peter went up, and drew the net to land full of great fishes, an hundred and fifty and three: and for all there were so many, yet was not the net broken.

and for. Lu 5:6-8 Ac 2:41

12 Jesus saith unto them, Come and dine. And none of the disciples durst ask him, Who art thou? knowing that it was the Lord.

Come. Ac 10:41

dine. The word [ariston,] like prandere, was used for any meat taken before the coena, or supper.

durst. 4:27 16:19 Ge 32:29,30 Mr 9:32 Lu 9:45

13 Jesus then cometh, and taketh bread, and giveth them, and fish likewise.

Lu 24:42,43 Ac 10:41

14 This is now the third time that Jesus shewed himself to his disciples, after that he was risen from the dead.

the third time. Or, as some read, the third day. On the day the Saviour rose he appeared five times; the second day was that day se'nnight; and this was the third day--or this was his third appearance to any considerable number of his disciples together. Though he had appeared to Mary, to the women, to the two disciples, to Cephas--yet he had but twice appeared to a company of them together.

20:19,26

15 So when they had dined, Jesus saith to Simon Peter, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me more than these? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my lambs.

son. 16,17 1:42

Jona. Mt 16:17

Bar-jona. lovest. 8:42 14:15-24 16:27 Mt 10:37 25:34-45 1Co 16:21,22 2Co 5:14,15 Ga 5:6 Eph 6:24 1Pe 1:8 1Jo 4:19 5:1

more. 7 Mt 26:33,35 Mr 14:29

thou knowest. 17 2Sa 7:20 2Ki 20:3 Heb 4:13 Re 2:23

Feed. Ps 78:70-72 Jer 3:15 23:4 Eze 34:2-10,23 Ac 20:28 1Ti 4:15,16 Heb 13:20 1Pe 2:25 5:1-4

lambs. Ge 33:13 Isa 40:11 Mt 18:10,11 Lu 22:32 Ro 14:1 15:1 1Co 3:1-3 8:11 Eph 4:14 Heb 12:12,13 1Pe 2:2

16 He saith to him again the second time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my sheep.

the second. 18:17,25 Mt 26:72

my sheep. 10:11-16,26,27 Ps 95:7 100:3 Zec 13:7 Mt 25:32 Lu 15:3-7 19:10 Ac 20:28 Heb 13:20 1Pe 2:25

17 He saith unto him the third time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? Peter was grieved because he said unto him the third time, Lovest thou me? And he said unto him, Lord, thou knowest all things; thou knowest that I love thee. Jesus saith unto him, Feed my sheep.

the third. 13:38 18:27 Mt 26:73,74 Re 3:19

grieved. 1Ki 17:18 La 3:33 Mt 26:75 Mr 14:72 Lu 22:61,62 2Co 2:4-7 2Co 7:8-11 Eph 4:30 1Pe 1:6

Lord. 2:24,25 16:30 18:4 Jer 17:10 Ac 1:24 15:8 Re 2:23

thou knowest that. 15 Jos 22:22 1Ch 29:17 Job 31:4-6 Ps 7:8,9 17:3 2Co 1:12

Feed. 15,16 12:8 14:15 15:10 Mt 25:40 2Co 8:8,9 2Pe 1:12-15 3:1 1Jo 3:16-24 3Jo 1:7,8

18 Verily, verily, I say unto thee, When thou wast young, thou girdest thyself, and walkedst whither thou wouldest: but when thou shalt be old, thou shalt stretch forth thy hands, and another shall gird thee, and carry thee whither thou wouldest not.

but. 13:36 Ac 12:3,4

another. Ac 21:11

thou wouldest not. 12:27,28 2Co 5:4

19 This spake he, signifying by what death he should glorify God. And when he had spoken this, he saith unto him, Follow me.

by. Php 1:20 1Pe 4:11-14 2Pe 1:14

Follow. 22 12:26 13:36,37 Nu 14:24 1Sa 12:20 Mt 10:38 16:21-25 19:28 Mr 8:33-38 Lu 9:22-26

20 Then Peter, turning about, seeth the disciple whom Jesus loved following; which also leaned on his breast at supper, and said, Lord, which is he that betrayeth thee?

seeth. 7,24 20:2

which. 13:23-26 20:2

21 Peter seeing him saith to Jesus, Lord, and what shall this man do?

Lord. Mt 24:3,4 Lu 13:23,24 Ac 1:6,7

22 Jesus saith unto him, If I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to thee? follow thou me.

If. Mt 16:27,28 24:3,27,44 25:31 Mr 9:1 1Co 4:5 11:26 Re 1:7 Re 2:25 3:11 22:7,20

follow. 19

23 Then went this saying abroad among the brethren, that that disciple should not die: yet Jesus said not unto him, He shall not die; but, If I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to thee?

what. De 29:29 Job 28:28 33:13 Da 4:35

24 This is the disciple which testifieth of these things, and wrote these things: and we know that his testimony is true.

we know. 19:35 1Jo 1:1,2 5:6 3Jo 1:12

25 And there are also many other things which Jesus did, the which, if they should be written every one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that should be written. Amen.

there. 20:30,31 Job 26:14 Ps 40:5 71:15 Ec 12:12 Mt 11:5 Ac 10:38 20:35 Heb 11:32

that even. This is a very strong eastern expression to represent the number of miracles which Jesus wrought. But however strong and strange it may appear to us of the western world, we find sacred and other authors using hyperboles of the like kind and signification. See Nu. 13:33; De 1:28; Da. 4:11; Ec. 14:15. Basnage gives a very similar hyperbole taken from the Jewish writers, in which Jochanan is said to have 'composed such a great number of precepts and lessons, that if the heavens were paper, and all the trees of the forest so many pens, and all the children of men so many scribes, they would not suffice to write all his lessons.'

Am 7:10 Mt 19:24

CONCLUDING REMARKS ON JOHN'S GOSPEL.

John, who, according to the unanimous testimony of the ancient fathers and ecclesiastical writers, was the author of this Gospel, was the son of Zebedee, a fisherman of Bethsaida, by Salome his wife, (compare Mat. 10:2, with Mat. 27:55,56 and Mar. 15:40,) and brother of James the elder, whom 'Herod killed with the sword,' (Ac. 12:2.) Theophylact says that Salome was the daughter of Joseph, the husband of Mary, by a former wife; and that consequently she was our Lord's sister, and John was his nephew. He followed the occupation of his father till his call to the apostleship, (Mat. 4:21,22, Mar. 1:19, 20, Lu. 5:1-10,) which is supposed to have been when he was about twenty five years of age; after which he was a constant eye-witness of our Lord's labours, journeyings, discourses, miracles, passion, crucifixion, resurrection, and ascension. After the ascension of our Lord he returned with the other apostles to Jerusalem, and with the rest partook of the outpouring of the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost, by which he was eminently qualified for the office of an Evangelist and Apostle. After the death of Mary, the mother of Christ, which is supposed to have taken place about fifteen years after the crucifixion, and probably after the council held in Jerusalem about A.D. 49 or 50, (Ac. 15.,) at which he was present, he is said by ecclesiastical writers to have proceeded to Asia Minor, where he formed and presided over seven churches in as many cities, but chiefly resided at Ephesus. Thence he was banished by the emperor Domitian, in the fifteenth year of his reign, A.D. 95, to the isle of Patmos in the Aegean sea, where he wrote the Apocalypse, (Re. i.9.) On the accession of Nerva the following year, he was recalled from exile and returned to Ephesus, where he wrote his Gospel and Epistles, and died in the hundredth year of his age, about A.D. 100, and in the third year of the emperor Trajan. It is generally believed that John was the youngest of the twelve apostles, and that he survived all the rest. Jerome, in his comment on Gal. VI., says that he continued preaching when so enfeebled with age as to be obliged to be carried into the assembly; and that, not being able to deliver any long discourse, his custom was to say in every meeting, My dear children, love one another. The general current of ancient writers declares that the apostle wrote his Gospel at an advanced period of life, with which the internal evidence perfectly agrees; and we may safely refer it, with Chrysostom, Epiphanius, Mill, Le Clerc, and others, to the year 97. The design of John in writing his Gospel is said by some to have been to supply those important events which the other Evangelists had omitted, and to refute the notions of the Cerinthians and Nicolaitans, or according to others, to refute the heresy of the Gnostics and Sabians. But, though many parts of his Gospel may be successfully quoted against the strange doctrines held by those sects, yet the apostle had evidently a more general end in view than the confutation of their heresies. His own words sufficiently inform us of his motive and design in writing this Gospel: 'These things are written that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing, ye might have life through his name.' (ch. 20:31.) Learned men are not wholly agreed concerning the language in which this Gospel was originally written. Salmasius, Grotius, and other writers, have imagined that John wrote it in his own native tongue, the Aramean or Syriac, and that it was afterwards translated into Greek. This opinion is not supported by any strong arguments, and is contradicted by the unanimous voice of antiquity, which affirms that he wrote it in Greek, which is the general and most probable opinion. The style of this Gospel indicates a great want of those advantages which result from a learned education; but this defect is amply compensated by the unexampled simplicity with which he expresses the sublimest truths. One thing very remarkable is an attempt to impress important truths more strongly on the minds of his readers, by employing in the expression of them both an affirmative proposition and a negative. It is manifestly not without design that he commonly passes over those passages of our Lord's history and teaching which had been treated at large by other Evangelists, or if he touches them at all, he touches them but slightly, whilst he records many miracles which had been overlooked by the rest, and expatiates on the sublime doctrines of the pre-existence, the divinity, and the incarnation of the Word, the great ends of His mission, and the blessings of His purchase.