It is noteworthy that we are not told that Peter got to shore at all sooner than his brethren. This point is, singularly- enough, passed over in silence. But wading through deep wa- ter is slow work, and the fact that Peter put his coat on before plunging into the sea, is, to my own mind, strong indirect proof that he did not swim, but wade.
It is noteworthy that Peter forgot fish, and net, and boat, and everything else, in his anxiety to reach Christ. It was like the Samaritan woman who " left her waterpot." (John iv. 28.)
9. — [As soon then.. .fire...coals...fish... bread.] I cannot doubt that this verse records a miracle. Our blessed Lord made prepara- tion for the bodily wants of His wearied disciples, and merci- fully " furnished a table for them in the wilderness." (Ps. Ixxviii. 19.) The burning tire, the fish lying on it, the bread, were all the creation of Him who had but to will a thing and it was done. Ever thoughtful, ever compassionate, our Lord thought good at this appearing, to show His poor toiling dis- ciples that He cared for their bodies as well as their souls, and remembered that they were men. Who can tell but this mira- cle took place near the very spot where He had formerly fed five thousand men with a little bread and fish ? I cannot doubt that the bread and fish thus miraculously created would remind the Apostles of " loaves and fishes " multiplied. Once more they saw the same miraculous food, bread and fish, provided by the same Almighty power of their Lord.
The Greek word rendered " fire of coals," is only found in two places in the New Testament, here and in the account of the scene in the High Priest's hall at our blessed Lord's exami- nation before Annas. (John xviii. 18.) It was a " fire of coals " at which the servants of the High Priest warmed themselves, and before which the Apostle Peter denied his Lord. Some think that our Lord had a special object in view by having a " fire of coals " in this place, and that was to remind Peter of his fall. But perhaps the idea is far-fetched.
Stier argues strongly, but needlessly in my judgment, that this provision of bread and fish was made by the angels. In any case it was a miracle, and an act of creation.
Quesnel observes, " Here are miracles upon miracles. The same power which filled the net with fishes in the midst of the eea, created others upon land, to show His disciples that it was not from want of power to give them fish that Christ asked for Bome, and ordered them to fish for them."
10. — [Jesus saith unto them, Bring, etc.] In this verse our Lord calls on the disciples to bring proof that, in casting the net at His command, they had not labored in vain. It was the second Baying that He spoke, we must remember, on this occasion. The first saying was, " Cast the net on the right side, and ye shall find." The second saying was, " Bring up the fish which