I John v. It was to be found, in his belief, only in the name of Christ, i.e., in "the perfect revelation which Jesus has given of Himself by manifesting Himself as Christ and as Son of God." Life lies in the knowledge of a history and belief in a historic person. Is this not the fact? Do we not see it to be a fact in history and in life to-day? Is not I John, v, 12 true?

3. If God truly is, does not John's record prove itself? If John's record is true, then is not God truly all and more than all that we have hoped?

THE EPILOGUE. xxi

The revelation to the fishermen. xxi, 1-14.

The work of Peter. xxi, 15-19.

The work of John. xxi, 20-23.

The conclusion. xxi, 24, 25.

"If I live yet, it is for good, more love

Through me to men: be nought but ashes here
That keep awhile my semblance, who was John,-
Still, when they scatter, there is left on earth
No one alive who knew (consider this!)

-Saw with his eyes and handled with his hands
That which was from the first, the Word of Life.
How will it be when none more saith, 'I saw'?

"To me, that story-ay, that Life and Death
Of which I wrote 'it was'-to me, it is;
—Is, here and now: I apprehend nought else.

"What do I hear say, or conceive men say, 'Was John at all, and did he say he saw? Assure us, ere we ask what he might see!'

"Such is the burden of the latest time.
I have survived to hear it with my ears,
Answer it with my lips: does this suffice?
For if there be a further woe than such,
Wherein my brothers struggling need a hand,
So long as any pulse is left in mine,
May I be absent even longer yet,
Plucking the blind ones back from the abyss,
Though I should tarry a new hundred years!"

Browning, "A Death in the Desert."

THE EPILOGUE. xxi

21 After these things Jesus manifested himself again to the disciples at the sea of Tiberias; and he manifested himself on this wise. 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 come with thee. They went forth, and entered into the boat; and that night they took nothing. 4 But when day was now breaking, Jesus stood on the beach; yet the disciples know not that it was Jesus. 5 Jesus therefore saith unto them, Children, have ye aught to eat? They answered him, No. 6 And he said unto them, Cast the net on the right side of the boat, and ye shall find. They cast therefore, and now they were not able to draw it for the multitude of fishes. 7 That disciple therefore whom Jesus loved saith unto Peter, It is the Lord. So when Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he girt his coat about him (for he was naked), and cast himself into the sea. 8 But the other disciples came in the little boat (for they were not far from the land, but about two hundred cubits off), dragging the net full of fishes. 9 So when they got out upon the land, they see a fire of coals there, and fish laid thereon, and bread. 10 Jesus saith unto them, Bring of the fish which ye have now taken. II Simon Peter therefore went up, and drew the net to land, full of great fishes, a hundred and fifty and three; and for all there were so many, the net was not rent. 12 Jesus saith unto them, Come and break your fast. And none of the disciples durst inquire of him, Who art thou? knowing that it was the Lord. 13 Jesus cometh, and taketh the bread, and giveth them, and the fish likewise. 14 This is now the third time that Jesus was manifested to the disciples, after that he was risen from the dead.

This chapter was evidently added after the Gospel had been completed, and it was added for a purpose. The Gospel was written to produce or strengthen faith, but this chapter was added to correct a mistake. A perversion of Christ's words about John's future had gone abroad and John writes this chapter to give the true account. There are three sections in the chapter. The first re

lates to the Lord and seven of the disciples. They were back in Galilee in the old haunts. Five of the disciples were there who came all from the same neighborhood. Who were the two others? Were they Andrew and Philip, or two disciples not of the apostles' company? Under Simon Peter's blunt leadership they had gone fishing. When in the morning Jesus appeared to them, only one recognized Him, and he did not at first. How many of us would recognize Him if He should come back now? We can easily test ourselves by recalling Matt. xxv, 31–46. But if Peter was not first to recognize Him, he was first to reach Him. John had distanced him on the way to the sepulchre, but not on the way to the shore this morning. Whether our minds are quick or slow, our hearts can be prompt to find Jesus, wheresoever He may be.

It is worth while pausing to observe the fanciful ways in which old writers speculated as to the meaning of the number of fishes. Jerome says that there were 153 kinds of fish, and that one of each kind was taken to show the universality of the apostolic work. Cyril of Alexandria says that 100 represents the fulness of the Gentiles and 50, which is one-half of 100, and an imperfect number, the remnant of Israel, and three the Trinity. Augustine says 10 is the number of the Law and seven the number of the Spirit, or seventeen in all, and that the sum of the numbers from one to seventeen is 153, which represents all the saved. Also, 3 is the symbol of the Trinity; 50 is 7X7+1=unity of the Spirit; 3× 50+3= all the saved. Rupert of Deutz says 100 represents the married people, 50 the widowed or continent, and 3 the virgins. Bruno Astersig says 3 has the same significance as 150,=3X50. The parts of the world are 3, Europe, Asia, and Africa. Therefore 150+3=all the faithful in the world. Will not our descendants find as great absurdities in some of our cherished views, and ought not this thought to make, us modest?

Questions for Reflection and Discussion

1. How many different people saw Jesus after His resurrection?

2. Who were the "two other of His disciples"?