The Pulpit Commentary — John — Volume 2 — Section 499

?°Is first fo1"m seems to remi11d the apostle of the p'l'flSwmptuous superiority he had claimed for him•e?f al>oveaJl o~ discir,la. "Though all men forAakc thee, yet will not I." 11 Lovost tbo11 me more than these? '-these other disciples. It is a suggestive fact that Petor's RSsertion of extreme devotion hnd occurred in immediate connection with the promise of our Lord t.o meet his di~ciples in G11lilee. S. The que.stion ia concerning the higlu,r love of veneratio11 and oorifide'n,ce which is the spring of the Christian life ( ol')'Cl1rf P) ; not the feeling of more natural affection or simple personal attachment (~'-'••11), 4. The question makes an appNM, to personal e:rperienre. (1) It is not an appeal to faith, but to love. for love is a far more practical test than faith. (2) It is impiied that love ia that of which e. man may be conscioue.. It may be known by itself, and not merely by its doings. (S) It is the.t feeling which-first to come, last to go-tells most surely the heart's relation to Christ. Hence the Apostle Paul girdles tho whole Church with this girdle when he utters the catholic blessing, "Grace bs with all them that love our Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity." Hence also be fenoea off the Church from the world by the terrible anathema, "If any man love not the Lord Jesus Christ, let him be Anathema Maran-athe.." II. PETER's THREE AN8WEB8 TO OUB LoBD'S THREEFOLD QUESTION, 1. Tiu, forst answer f.ll, "Yea, Lord; thou k:nowest that I love thee." (1) He appeals to our Lord's omniscience. Experience had taught him to distrust his own judgment in a matter so personal and so aolem.n. (2) There is deep humility in the answer. (a) He does not now boast of his superiority to the other apostles, as if to say, "I love thee above them ≪" he now merely ranks himself with true lovers of Christ. (b) He does not adopt the higher term ( «')'ClWV:v) used in the question, but contents him.self with the mere term of simple and friendly relationship (~'-'••v). 2. Tiu, second answer is,"' Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee." (1) The Lord had dropped the words, "more than these," from his second question, because the answer to the first showed that the words in question had done their work. (2) The apostle repee.ts his appeal to the Lord's omniscience. (3) He still shrinks from using the higher word (cl-yar,jv), 3. The third answer. " Peter was grieved because he said unto him the third time, Lovest thou me? And he said unto him, Lord, thou knowest &ll things; thou knowest that I love thee." (1) The grief of the apostle was excited by the remembrance that his past conduct might well suggest a doubt of his present love. (2) Our Lord drops the higher term and adopts the lower ( ~&A•w), as if to test the truth of the feeling now twice expressed by the apostle. The change of term must have touched Peter to the quick. (3) The answer is, accordingly, a passion.ate appeal to our Lord's absolute omniscience, in which is iucluded his special knowledge of Peter's heart. The variety of the terms employed is very significant: "Thou k:noweat &ll thlogs "-olllas, with the knowledge of Divine intuition; "thou k:nowest that I love thee "-yu,~tr,ms, with the knowledge of direct observation. . Ill. Te::E BOLD!l\T OllilGEB GIVEl!T TO PETBB BY OUB LoBD, They imply that our Lord e.ocepted the apostle's answers in &ll their deep and touching sincerity. 1. First ckarge. "Feed my lambs." This is shepherd's work. (1) The young members of the flock are to bs oared for. They prepare the generations following. (2) They need to be fed with " the sincere milk of the Word " (1 Pet. ii 2), as well as guarded against false seductions and kept from wandering. 2. 8ewnd charge. "Lead my sheep." (1) The more mature Christians are to bs cared for. (2) They need watchful guidance. 3. Third chairge. "Feed my sheep." (1) Our Lord returns to the word "feed," as if to emphasize the importance of instructing the whole flock in the pure Word of God. (2) We hear the echo of our Lord's charge in the voice of tWs under-shepherd long after : "Feed the flock of God whieh is among you" (1 Pet. v. 2), • Vere. 18, 19.-Prediction of Peter, death. Our Lord next announces what will be the manner of the end of his disciple's ministry. L THE LoBD II.AS FIXED THE TlllE OF PETEB'B END, 1. Job speaks of the day, of ma,n being determined, "The number of his months are with thee; thou bast appointed his bounds, that he cannot pa.sa.'' 2. JelJtl,s ha, a lmdship over the life and death of his safotB. "If we die, we die unto the Lord;" "He is tb.e Lord both of the living and of the dead" (Rom. xiv. 8, 9). 8. Tiu, Lord'• dlspow,l of hie 6aintl livu 'TTW,fce, them itMTKlf'tal till their W(Jf'k t, done. OH. xxr. l-2i>.] THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO ST. JOFTN. 5l!i