A Paraphrase on the New Testament, John · Chapter 21
CHAP. XXI.
AFter theſe things Jeſus ſhewed himſelf again to the Diſciples at the ſea of Tiberias; and on this wiſe ſhewed he him ſelf: 2. There were together Simon Peter, and Thomas called Didymus, and Nathanael of Cana in Galilee, and the ſons of Zebedee, and two other of his Diſciples. 3. Simon Peter ſaith unto them, I go a fiſhing. They ſay unto him, We alſo go with thee. They went forth, and entred into a ſhip immediately; and that night they caught nothing.
1, 2, 3. Note, The Diſciples went home to their Trades when Jeſus was Crucified: 2. Their unſuceſfulneſs was to prepare for the Miracle.
4. But when the morning was now come, Jeſus ſtood on the ſhore: but the Diſciples knew not that it was Jeſus.
4. His appearance after his Reſurrection was with ſome change from what he appeared before.
5. Then Jeſus ſaith unto them Children, have ye any meat? They anſwered him No. 6. And he ſaid unto them, Caſt the net on the right ſide of the ſhip and ye ſhall find. They caſt therefore, and now they were not able to draw it for the multitude of fiſhes.
5, 6. Chriſt taketh occaſion of their fruſtration to ſhew his Power and help their Faith.
7. Therefore that Diſciple whom Jeſus loved, ſaith unto Peter, It is the Lord. Now when Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he girt his fiſhers coat unto him (for he was naked) and did caſt himſelf into the ſea.
7. When the Miracle convinced him upon Johns words that it was the Lord, he put on his Fiſhers Coat and leapt into the Sea, to ſhew that he truſted Chriſt with his Life.
8. And the other Diſciples came in a little ſhip (for they were not far from land, but as it were two hundred cubits) dragging the net with fiſhes. 9. As ſoon then as they were come to land, they ſaw a fire of coals there, and fiſh laid thereon, and bread. 10. Jeſus ſaith unto them, Bring of the fiſh which ye have now caught. 11. Simon Peter went up, and drew the net to land, full of great fiſhes, an hundred and fifty and three: and for all there were ſo many, yet was not the net broken.
8. Here are two Miracles conjoyned: The Fiſh catcht, and the Fiſh and Bread & Fire prepared for them.
12. Jeſus ſaith unto them, Come and dine, And none of the Diſciples durſt ask him: Who art thou? knowing that it was the Lord. 13. Jeſus then cometh, and taketh bread, and giveth them, and fiſh likewiſe.
12, 13. They knew him more by the Miracle than by his Viſage. Though it be not ſaid tha the did Eat and Drink with them; it is not improbable though uncertain.
14. This is now the third time that Jeſus ſheweth himſelf to his Diſciples, after that he was riſen from the dead.
14. This was the third time that he appeared to many of them together, or the third that John Recordeth, and the third day of his appearing, though the ſixth appearance made: And whether that on a Mountain in Gallilee, mentioned by others was at this time is doubted.
15. So when they had dined, Jeſus ſaith to Simon Peter, Simon Son of Jonas, loveſt thou me more then theſe? He ſaith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knoweſt that I love thee. He ſaith unto him, Feed my Lambs.
15. Thou didſt lately profeſs that if all men forſook me, yet thou wouldſt not, as if thou hadſt loved me more than all the reſt. And yet did three times deny me: Art thou now of the ſame Reſolution more confirmed — If thou be, what Love thou haſt to me, ſhew it by thy Miniſterial Love and Labour, for the Souls even of the loweſt.
16. He ſaith to him again the ſecond time, Simon ſon of Jonas, loveſt thou me? He ſaith unto him, yea Lord; thou knoweſt that I love thee. He ſaith unto him, Feed my ſheep.
16. Thou knoweſt the heart and therefore knoweſt that I love thee, &c.
17. He ſaith unto him the third time, Simon ſon of Jonas, loveſt thou me? Peter was grieved, becauſe he ſaid unto him the third time, Loveſt thou me? And he ſaid unto him, Lord, thou knoweſt all things; thou knoweſt that I love thee. Jeſus ſaith unto him, Feed my ſheep.
17. N. Peters threefold denyal required a threefold Confeſſion, and engagement to future fidelity and obedience; and this told him what Diſcipline he was to uſe by the power of Church Government towards others that ſo offend. 2. Miniſters that are to require Confeſſion and Promiſes of obedience to Chriſt from offenders in order to their Reſtoration, muſt lead the way in the ſame themſelves if they ſcandalouſly ſin. 3. The great evidence of our Love to Chriſt muſt be in ſerving the Church and Souls.
18. Verily, verily I ſay unto thee, When thou waſt young, thou girdeſt thy ſelf, and walkedſt whither thou wouldeſt: but when thou ſhalt be old, thou ſhalt ſtretch forth thy hands, and another ſhall gird thee, and carry thee whither thou wouldeſt not.
18, 19. Thou waſt at thy free diſpoſe, &c. But here, after others ſhall bind thee, and carry thee to Priſon againſt thy will, and alſo unto death. By theſe words he ſignified that he ſhould be Martyred.
19. This ſpake he, ſignifying by what death he ſhould glorifie God. And when he had ſpoken this, he ſaith unto him, Follow me.
19. Follow me in labour and fufferings unto Glory.
20. Then Peter turning about, ſeeth the Diſciple whom Jeſus loved, following; which alſo leaned on his breaſt at ſupper, and ſaid, Lord which is he that betrayeth thee? 21. Peter ſeeing him, ſaith to Jeſus, Lord, and what ſhall this man do?
20. What ſhall become of John.
22. Jeſus ſaith unto him, If I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to thee? Follow thou me.
22. What is that to thee how long he ſhall live, if it were till my coming; or if he live till he ſee my Catholik Church ſetled under my proper Government, when the Jews Law and Policy are fully diſſolved at the deſtruction of their Temple and Nation.
23. Then went this ſaying abroad among the brethren that that Diſciple ſhould not die: yet Jeſus ſaid not unto him, He ſhall not die: but, If I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to thee?
23. Note, A falſe Tradition may paſs amongſt Chriſts own Diſciples by miſunderſtanding in ſome things.
24. This is the Diſciple which teſtifieth of theſe things, and wrote theſe things: and we know that his teſtimony is true.
24. This is John the Diſciple who was an Eye and Ear witneſs of all this, and who wrote this Hiſtory of Chriſt; And whoſe teſtimony the Church doth juſtly receive as true.
Note, Though ſome take theſe words to be the Biſhops of Aſia that publiſhed Johns Goſpel, (at whoſe requeſt they ſay he wrote it about thirty two years after Chriſts Reſurrection,) yet it is no leſs probable that the words are his own, and that [we know] ſignifieth only [its well known to the Churches.
25. And there are alſo many other things which Jeſus did, the which if they ſhould be written every one, I ſuppoſe that even the world it ſelf could not contain the books that ſhould be written. Amen.
25. Though this Hiſtory be written to Record divers things which others have omitted, yet altogether are far from containing all the Miracles that Chriſt did: which were ſo many that ſhould they all be written, the many and great Volumns would as it were overload the World.
Note, 1. That therefore it is not to be matter of offence, if any one Evangeliſt paſs by divers particulars.
2. That though multitudes of Chriſts Words and Miracles may be unknown to us, as much is Recorded as he would have taken as needful to the notice of the Church through all Generations: And none of his Laws or Promiſes the objects of our Obedience and Faith are omitted: yea all that is eſſential to Chriſtianity is contained in Baptiſm or a very narrow room.
3. It is in vain to pretend Oral Tradition for any needful thing omitted in the Scripture Records, though the Eſſentials and greateſt practical Matters of Religion are moſt certainly delivered us both ways, even by the Scriptures, and by the Univerſal publick practice of the Churches.
THE ACTS of the HOLY APOSTLES.
Note, That this Hiſtory written by Saint Luke is not to be ſuppoſed to contain all the Miracles, Preaching and Succeſs of all the Apoſtles; but only the Hiſtory of Peter and Paul and ſome few others their Companions, and that but for a ſhort ſpace of time: not mentioning what the other ten Apostles and their helpers did in other parts of the World; nor what Peter and Paul did to the end of their lives (ſuppoſed to be ten years after the ending of this Hiſtory:) yea Peters Hiſtory is here Recorded but for a far ſhorter time than Pauls, with whom Luke Travelled. And though this History of Luke have more infallibility than other Hiſtory of Church affairs ſince written, yet all other credible notice of matter of Fact and Church Practice from the beginning, is of great uſe to us, and not to be diſpiſed.