The Pulpit Commentary — John — Volume 2 — Section 490

to lovo, to thought, to ea.meet though trem- than any or them in refusing grace which bling Inquiry, to spirHunl vision only, so thou thonghtest it might dishonour m,i to here wo find thnt, nmicl the orrlinnry duties give. Thou didst indeed soy, "Thongh 111! of life nod the activities and disappoint- men should be o1fendcd at me or should deny monts of daily service, the Lol'd manifests me," thou wouldst never be off'ended and himself, The eye of love and tho henrt of never deny me. "Dost thou lo-va me more rook nre mnrlo rendy for epeciol assurancos than they do?" There is no positive refer- of the Master's presence ond pow~r to help ence to the denial nnd foll or Peter; bnt the and guido disciples throughout tbot myste- implicntion e.nd suggestion cannot be hidden, rious future in which they are to feel and thoagh Hengstenberg and others fail to ap- reolize hie words, "Lo I I am with you preciate it. The circumstance that Peter we.a nlwny, even to the end of the world." "grieved" because the Lord put this qnes- Vera. 15-19.-(2) The rcvelati011s to be tion t.o him e. third time makes the refer~nce made iii the sen,icea dictatecl by l011e and very little less than explicit. The real irsuing in martyrdom. Tlie c<mfeesi011 made signiflce.nce of the narrative is the reinsti- by Simon Peter, and tlie charge given to liim. tution of Peter in the position of importance Ver.15.-When therefore they had break- he had filled throughout, and an indication fosted, J'es11B eaith to Simon Peter. His full of the natnre e.nd quality of that service. nCLme CLnd Ch1·ist-given nppellotion i9 in the In Simon's reply, Yea, Lord; thou lmowest mind of the evangelist; but he, with mCLrked that I love thee, three things are very emphasis, shows that our Lord went back noticeable. (I) Peter says nothing of the to his relations with Simon before the latter's superiority of hie affection for his Lord over first introduction to him (see eh. i. 42, etc.), that of his colleagues. Had they not in and recalls the attitude Christ had taken to outward act been more faithful than he? Simon on more than one memorable occasion He could not arrogate e.ny sweeter, dearer, (Matt. xvi. 17; Luke xxii. 81). On two of more abounding affection than he was willing these occasions the simple humanity of the to believe that they felt for their l\Iaster. apostle was the basis on which the Lord It is scarcely worth while t.o notice the proceeded to confer upon him the high miserable translation that some few com- official designation. The grace of God, in mentators have suggested: "Lovest thou the first instance, selected Simon of Jonah me more than (thou lovest) these fi~hing- to be a rock. In the second, "not flesh and smacka and this thriving business on the blood," but the Father's grace, revealed the lake?" Observe (2) Peter's admission mystery of the Divine Sonsbip to him, and that the Lord knew his inmost heart, con- won the name of Peter. In the third, the cedes, therefore, thnt the question wns merely utter weakness of Simon's own flesh reveals intended to test his faithfulness, CLnd force the power of the prayer of Jesus for him, him to a more salutary and binding acknow- so that he might ultimately convert his ledgment. Notico (8) Peter's change or brethren; and now "Simon" is reinstated phraseology. The word used for "love " by after his fe.11 into bis apostolic office. Simon, the Lord is a-y<>1rd.,, but that which is 1l9ed son of Jona-or, John 1 (see eh. i. 42, note)- in response by the apostle is qn71.o,, the love lovest thou me more than these 1 i.e. more ofnatnral emotion, and even tender,intimate, than these other disciples love me? Thou persona.I affection. The LCLtin language. by hast seen more of my compassion, farther rendering rp,71.;;, by amo ra.ther than diligo, into my henrt, deeper into my Person, my expresses the subtle shades of meaning position, and my work, than they have done; between ,P,l\iiv and a;-a1rav. There is, how- thou hast dared age.in e.nd age.in to e.sk for ever, no English word but "love" for them higher service CLud more conspicuous dis- both. The admirable remarks of Archbishop tinction. Thou bast made louder protestCL- Trench (' Synouyms of New Testament,' tions than e.ny of these of thine unworthiness § xii.) find specie.I illustration in these verses. to serve me, and in the deep consciousness of Many passages occur in which amc and humiliation thou hast been more emphatio rp,M., seem to mean more and have deeper intensity than diligo e.nd a;-a1rd0>. Amari is 1 The authorities a.re much divided e.s to the affeotion which a friend may desire from the readings, (1) 'l.,&vvou is given in W, B, a friend, even more than diligi; but the latter c•, D, L, a, b, d, Vulgo.te. Meyer here denotes choice, mente.l conviction, and self- and oh. i. 42, with Westcott e.nd Hort, R.T., recognition of the fa.et. Antony, in his o.nd Tisohendorf (8th edit.), thus read. (2) funeral oration over Crosw- (Dion Cassius, 'lo,dvou, on the authority of some correoted x!i. 48,, quot~ by Tre?1ch),, says, •~rp,71.~crcz:r,e manuscripts, is adopted by Laohmann, Al- auTOV .,, ,ra-r,p<> ,cal 1J")'B7MlCT«-re "'' eu•p;-•- ford, Tregelles, and Bil.le Revisers. (8) 'T1JV. Thus in the New Testament we 1ue •1.,,.ii, by •r.R., with A, 0 2, X, t., and other oon(inually told or the c&')l'211'aV 'TOV 0,av, mn.nusoripts, numerous versions e.nd quota- but never of the rp,71.iiv ... ov 0edv. God is tions: nnd this is still retained by Ln.nge, himself said to tl')'airiiv CLnd q,,71.,7v TOV ui&v.  THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO BT. JOHN. [en. xxr. 1-26.