{They cast, therefore, and now. ..fishes^ In the fact that the disciples found a multitude of fishes in their net the momenc they acted on our Lord's advice, there is, in one point of view, nothing extraordinary. Many fish swim in shoals, and it is quite a matter of common experience among fishermen, that one boat may take nothing, while a few yards off another boat has an immense haul. The miracle consisted in the perfect knowledge that our Lord possessed, as to where the fish were, and on which side of the boat to cast the net. This alone proved that He was omniscient.
Whether it is likely that seven tired fishermen, after work- ing all night, and hauling up their net and stowing it away, ■would stop on their way home at the advice of a stranger, and cast in their net once more in broad daylight, is a point which admits of question. My own impression is that a secret power and influence went with our Lord's words, and, without know- ing wliy, the seven disciples felt irresistibly constrained to do what the mysterious stranger advised.
7. — {Therefore that disciple.. .the Lord.] The first to recognize Jesus was the disciple who first believed the resurrection, — the beloved disciple John, who as usual does not give his own name. With characteristic quickness and sensitiveness, he at once felt convinced that the mysterious stranger must be his beloved Master. Love is always keen-sighted. It suddenly flashed across his mind that the advice given by the stranger, and the result of following the advice, had been precisely the same three years before. The stranger must surely know what hap- pened then, and must have been present ! The stranger must be the Lord Himself ! Thoughts such as these most probably passed through his mind far quicker than we can describe them ; and at once he said to his friend Peter, who was most likely the leading man in the boat, " It is the Lord."
RoUock thinks it was the wonderful draught of fishes that made John know it was the Lord. "He saw in it not only miraculous power, but wonderful bountif ulness and liberality," just like His Divine Master.
[1^020 when Simon Peter heard, etc.] The conduct of the Apostle Peter, here described, is eminently characteristic of the man. It is just what might have been expected from the dis- ciple who went out of the ship to walk on the water on a for- mer occasion, and drew his sword, and began to smite, when our Lord was surrounded by His enemies. Fervent, warm-hearted, impulsive, impetuous, affectionate, thinking nothing of conse- quences, acting on the spur of present feeling, he at once plunges into the ?ea, when he hears that his Lord is on the shore, and struggles to get close to Him. Whatever we may think of his hasty behavior, we must all admire his love. Zeal for Christ deserves respect, even when it leads a man into hasty action. Enthusiasm, even when it runs to seed, is better than indifference.