remembered these ringing words, we may be sure, when lie wrote in his Epistle, " Feed the flock of God that is among you." (1 Peter v. 2.)
Augustine observes that Christ, both here and in the two following verses, says, " my " and not " thy." The Church is His property, and not the property of ministers.
Bullinger observes that Christ passes from the calling of the fisherman to that of the shepherd, as representing, more than any other callings, the ministerial oflBce.
16. — [Re saith to him again, etc.] This verse is simply a repeti- ti<m of the preceding one, with three exceptions. — For one thing, the expression, " more than these," is omitted. — For an- other thing, the word which we render " feed," in the Greek is a wider, fuller word than the one employed in the preceding verse. — For another thing, our Lord speaks of His " sheep" in- stead of His " lambs." By " sheep " I believe our Lord meant those members of His flock who were of more advanced ex- perience and strength in grace, than the class He had spoken of in the preceding verse. Both classes demanded the atten- tion of a faithful pastor.
The repetition of the inquiry was doubtless intended to rouse Peter's attention, and to impress the whole subject on his mind.
Lightfoot thinks that the " threefold repetition, — feed, feed, feed, may most fitly apply to the threefold object of St. Peter's ministry: viz., the Gentiles, the Jews, and the dispersed ten tribes." But this seems to me fanciful. Bengel thinks it re- fers to the three periods of Peter's ministry.
Whitby observes, " Those who argue for Peter's supremacy above other Apostles, from this passage, are vain in their im- agination. If by these words Christ required Peter to feed all His sheep and lambs, it is certain he was wanting in his duty. He never exercised an act of supremacy over the rest of the Apostles ; but being sent by them, obeyed (Acts viii. 14), and being reproved by St. Paul, held his peace (Gal. ii. 11 — 16), and was so far from feeding all Christ's sheep, that he never fed any of the province of St, Paul."
17.— [He saith unto him the third time, etc.] This verse again is a repetition of the two preceding verses, but contains two points of difference. For one thing we are told that " Peter was grieved," on being asked the same question three times. For another thing, Peter uses stronger language when he ap- peals to our Lord's knowledge of his heart. " Lord," he says " Thou knowest all things."
I cannot for a moment doubt that our Lord asked Peter this remarkable question three times, in order to remind him that lie had denied Him thrice. Our sins ought never to be forgot-