(John xxi.)
Jesus Unrecognised.
John's story is done. And it is well done. With the skill of a tried
jurist he has drawn up a clear full line of evidence and presented it in
a vigorous straightforward way. And he plainly states his case. His
whole purpose is that those who read his little book shall come into
warm personal touch of life with the Lord Jesus. That ties the knot on
tight at the end of chapter twenty. John's case has gone to the jury of
his readers.
But now John reaches for his pen again. The guiding Spirit has put
another bit into his heart to write down. This time it is a special bit,
not for all to whom the book is sent, but for a selected class of his
readers, namely, for those of them who have given John a favourable
verdict on the evidence presented. It grows out of chapter xx. 31 as
rose out of bud, and fruit out of blossom. It is for those who "believe
that Jesus is the Christ the Son of God," and so "have life in His
Name."
And a very tender precious bit it is, more wondrous in its sheer
simplicity than any of us seem to suspect. It is simply this: _this
Jesus is with us all the time_. This same Jesus who was so swayed by the
need of the crowd, who burned His life out day by day warmly responding
to their sore need--_He is here._
This Jesus who fed the hungry, healed the sick of every sort, and freed
men from devilish power, who convicted men so tremendously of their
wrong, restrained their evil power to hurt, wooed the hearts of all so
irresistibly, and led them into changed lives; this Jesus who died and
then did the stupendously mighty thing of rising up out of death,--_this
Jesus is with us now_ by your side and mine.
And He is just the same Jesus in His warm love and resistless power. The
_words_ are rather familiar. The _fact_--no one of us seems to have
gotten hold of it yet. This is the thing that makes John eagerly reach
for his pen again before his little book-messenger goes out on its
errand.
The thing isn't new in _information_, but in actual living _experience_
it seems to be so new as to be an unknown thing to some of us. The
Master had spoken of this that betrayal-night around the supper board.
It was really a continuation of that trysting appointment He had made
with them that evening, a wonderful continuation.
Clearly they didn't understand Him that night. But during those
after-Pentecost days they were given a continuous graphic unforgetable
illustration of its meaning. We to-day seem able to explain the part
they didn't understand, the teaching that betrayal-night. We don't seem
to get hold of the part they did understand and experience, the real
presence of the risen Jesus in the midst actively at work.
That night Jesus said: "I will make request of the Father, and He will
send you another unfailing powerful Friend to be always at your side."
Then He added: "He abides _with_ you now (in My presence) and shall be
_in_ you (after I send Him)." Then He said, "_I_ come unto you. Yet a
little while and the world _seeth_ Me no more but ye _see_ Me."
And again, "He that hath My commandments and keepeth them he it is that
(in that sheweth that he) loveth Me and ... I will _manifest_ or _shew_
Myself unto him." Here is the simple teaching: He would send the Holy
Spirit; in the Holy Spirit's coming Jesus Himself, the new risen exalted
empowered enthroned Jesus, He came; _and_ He would let them see Himself
with them.
Now this added chapter of John's is _the illustration in advance_ to
these men of what these words mean. _The great standing illustration_ is
that Book of Acts which, will you notice, doesn't end. It only breaks
off, abruptly, without even a punctuation point. It wasn't meant to end.
We are supposed to be living in it yet. But these men haven't come to
the experience of the Pentecostal Acts yet. This is an illustration in
advance to them. And it remains an illustration to us of what we seem a
bit slow in taking in.
But let us get at the simple bit of story itself. There's a little
group of the inner circle, seven including the leaders. These men
haven't found their feet yet. The stupendous events of those days,
coming in such startling succession, have left them dazed. The
crucifixion left them stupidly dazed; the resurrection left them joyous,
but still dazed. They don't know just where they are, nor what to do.
So Peter proposes fishing; an ideal proposition, when you want to get
off and think things through and out. Any fisherman knows that. And the
others readily join in. They see the good sense of it. But the fish
don't catch. And the morning finds them tired in body and more tired in
the spiritless uncertainty that hangs over them like a clinging damp
fog.
Yonder is some One standing on the beach. But that's nothing unusual.
They barely notice Him. And now this Stranger calls out to them a cheery
common question, "Caught anything?" And now He gives a--no, it can
hardly be called a _command_, so quietly is it said. Yet they are subtly
conscious of a something in the word that makes them obey, though it's
the last sort of thing to do.
And now at once the net-ropes pull _so hard;_ astonishing this! Then
John's keen spirit detects _Who_ it is. Is he thinking of the other big
unexpected haul in those same waters![136] And Peter's over the side of
the boat shoreward. Fishing has lost all attraction for him.
And when they all got ashore with their haul, tired, wet, chilled to
the marrow, hungry, what's this? A blazing fire of coals burning
cheerfully on the sands. And some fish dexterously poised, doing to a
brown turn, and some bread. And the Stranger, no, _Jesus_, He's no
longer a stranger, Jesus says quietly, "Boys, better bring the haul up
on the beach."
And the old fishing habit still strong on them counts the fish. It's
such an unusual haul, they must know how many. John must be thinking
again about that earlier haul. The net couldn't stand the strain then.
But now it's different. Ah! _every_thing's blessedly different now. "The
net was not rent."
Then the gracious call to breakfast by their Host. Was ever fish done to
such a fine turn? Did ever any fish have such an exquisite flavour? or
taste so good? Did ever men eat so gladly and yet quietly with a
distinct touch of awe in their spirits? For they _know_ it is the
Master, though no word of that has been spoken. Words were needless.
Now they're walking along the beach, Jesus and Peter in the lead but the
others quite near. And there's the bit of talk between the two. Very
gently Jesus says, "Do you love Me, Peter?" And Peter feels he hardly
dare use the sacred word for "love" that the Master has used. He had
made such an awful break at just that point. And with breaking voice he
says, "Yea, Lord, Thou knowest I have the highest regard for Thee."
And again the question, and the answer, with Peter still humbly
clinging to his more modest word. And now Jesus says, "Do you really
love Me even as you yourself say?" And Peter with his heart in his face
says passionately, "Lord, Thou knowest better than I can tell Thee."
And because he loves, Peter is given the full privilege of shepherding
the whole flock, from feeding little lambkins on to feeding all, and
guiding, through the hard places, even the wayward ones. And more yet
and higher, because Peter loves, he will be privileged to suffer, even
as his Master had suffered. The fellowship would extend even to that.
And Peter's eye falls on John. And apparently he is thinking of the
contrast between John's faithfulness and his own break that
betrayal-night. If poor faulty Peter may be so privileged how John would
be rewarded. But Jesus quietly turns Peter, and all Peter's numerous
kinsfolk of this sort, away from human comparisons. And instead He seeks
to turn their hearts to this: He is coming back in person some day for
an advance step in the kingdom program. And there they are, walking and
talking, along the beach by the blue Galilean waters.
The Same Jesus Here Now.
An unrecognized Stranger who turns out to be Jesus; an unusual haul of
fish gotten in a very unusual way; a warm fire and tasty breakfast for
cold hungry men; a tender talk about love and service and sacrifice,
and about Jesus' return;--all this is a moving-picture illustration of
the meaning of a word, one word.
It is a word Jesus used in that last long quiet talk. It's the key-word
to this added chapter, occurring three times. In the old version it is
the word "_shew_"; in the revision "manifest." "After these things Jesus
_manifested_ Himself again ... and He _manifested_ Himself on this
wise." "This is now the third time that Jesus was _manifested_ to the
disciples after that He was risen from the dead."[137]
The word used underneath literally means "to make manifest or _visible_
or know, what has been hidden or unknown."[138] Then each time it is
used it gets its local colouring from its connection. The simple
tremendous meaning here clearly is this: Jesus let Himself _be seen_ and
known. _He did not come_. He was there.
But their eyes couldn't see Him. In effect He was hidden, not seeable.
Now the change that comes is this: _He is seen_. And He is seen in His
true native character; so certain results follow. He had said, "I will
_manifest_ Myself."[139] And this was now the third time that He did it,
to the disciples, after that He was risen.
This is _the advance illustration of the Book of Acts_. This is the
tremendous thing He is burning into their hearts through eyes and
ears:--_He is always present_. He, whose power they had felt so
stupendously, and whose warm sympathy so tenderly, _He is always with
them_. The coming of the Holy Spirit meant just this. The Spirit would
be as Jesus' other self, as Jesus Himself. The one thing the Spirit
would do would be to manifest, to _shew openly_, the power of Jesus.
Then four pictures pass before their eyes to illustrate the meaning, a
fishing picture and a breakfast picture _in action_; then _in words_, a
love-service-suffering picture, and a picture of Jesus returning in
person seen by all to take an advance-step.
The fishing picture clearly meant this: great numbers of people,
surprisingly great numbers, coming, drawn not by any human skill, but by
the supernatural power of Jesus manifesting Himself in that way. The
breakfast picture meant this: that this wondrous Jesus would take tender
personal care of those in this blessed gathering ministry, even to their
bodily needs and strength.
And the love-service-suffering word-picture said so plainly this: true
service grows out of love. The chief thing is the loyal tender
attachment to the person of Jesus. Then out of this will naturally come
service, and willingness to suffer. The touchstone won't be service but
personal love. The service will simply be an expression of the love.
And the Jesus-return word-picture fills their vision with this same
Jesus coming in open glory before all eyes to carry out the kingdom
plan. As these men learned to live always in the presence of a Jesus
whom their outer eyes saw not, these pictures would become living
pictures seen in open daily life.
So this is a further bit of the tryst appointment. This is the fuller
tryst, the greater, the yet more wondrous tryst. Not only would He rise
up out of death, and appear to them in person seen by the outer eyes,
but He would be with them continually manifesting Himself in rarest
power of action, in tenderest personal care, in talking and walking with
them.
They would see the power plainly at work; then they would say with a
soft hush, "_He_ is here." They would find new bodily strength, new
guidance in perplexity, new peace in the midst of confusion, and they
would say to each other in awed tones, "_He is here: it's the Master's
touch_."
And so it would come to be a habit to _anticipate_ His presence. They
would figure Him in, and figure Him in big, as big as He is, in all
sorts of circumstances and planning and meeting of difficulties.
It is most striking that John closes his Gospel so differently from the
others. They close with the Master rising up and disappearing on a cloud
into the upper blue. John closes with Jesus walking along the beach,
talking with the little group of trusted ones. Jesus did ascend up into
the blue whence He shall some day descend. But the Holy Spirit sends
John back to his pen to give us this as the last picture, impressed on
the sensitive plate of the eyes of our heart. _This_: Jesus present with
us all the while walking along the shore of our common round of life,
clothed with matchless power, and devoting Himself to us as we to Him.
Along about the middle of the eighteenth century there came to England a
young French-Swiss, named De la Fléchère, hungry hearted for the truth.
He was so helped by John Wesley that he cast in his lot with the new
Methodist movement and John Williams Fletcher became one of Wesley's
most faithful co-labourers. Late in life he married a woman of unusual
mental and spiritual attainment.
I ran across a simple story over there of this Mrs. John Fletcher which
interested and helped me much. This saintly gifted woman told of a dream
which came to her with such vividness as to seem to her mature mind more
than a common passing vagary of sleep. In her dream she was engaged in
an intense struggle with an evil spirit. She was having a most difficult
fight.
She noticed some one standing a little bit to one side watching the
fight but taking no active part in it. The fighting became so intense
and her strength so sorely strained that she was on the point of giving
up. Then this one came over near and touched her gently and said, "Be
strong." Instantly a wondrous strength came to her and she held on.
Again the evil one attacked her viciously. She wondered why this helping
friend did not come to her assistance in the fight. Then she was moved
to say to her enemy, "Depart, _in Jesus' Name_." And instantly he fled.
And she was free and victorious. That was her dream. As she awoke there
came to her the most real sense of the presence of her Lord.
This is only one simple illustration from life. I have run across many
of the same, wholly different each from the other, but each emphasizing
the one simple tremendous fact of _the constant presence with us of this
same mighty Jesus_.
It is of keenest help to mark that humanly the _initiative of action_ is
in _our_ hands. The fight is _ours_. We decide our stand. We choose, and
we bear the brunt or result of our choice. We step out as the need
comes. Prayer and a spirit of humblest dependence on Another guides our
decision and action. But _we_ take the action. The initiative is ours.
And _always alongside is One standing close up_, putting all His
limitless power _at our disposal_, in our action. All He did in living
and dying and rising up out of death was done _on our behalf_. And now
all the tremendous result of His victory is at our command. All the
power native in Him is for our use.
This is the other tryst our Lover-Lord makes with us. "_Lo! I_ am _with
you_ all the days, sunny days and shadowy, bright days and dark, all the
days clear to the end." This is the sacred tryst He has made with us.
And He _keeps_ the tryst. We may count on Him, And as we do we shall
cast nets into hopeless waters and get a great haul. We shall find His
presence anticipating all our personal needs. We shall rejoice to serve
and--if so it prove to be--to suffer for the One we love with tenderest
devotion.
And we shall look eagerly forward to seeing Him who is always in touch
with us, here and now, to seeing Him with these outer eyes of ours,
_coming in glory_ with His resistless power, _to make some blessed
changes_.
Footnotes
[1] John i. 35-42.
[2] i. 1-18.
[3] i. 19-xii. 50.
[4] Chapters xiii.-xvii.
[5] Chapters xviii.-xix.
[6] Chapters xx.-xxi.
[7] Colossians i. 15-17.
[8] Philippians ii. 6-8.
[9] Ephesians i.19-23.
[10] Revelation i. 13-18.
[11] i. 1-18.
[12] i. 19-xii. 50.
[13] Chapters xiii.-xvii.
[14] Chapters xviii.-xix.
[15] Chapter xx.
[16] Chapter xxi.
[17] There are nineteen of these incidents:
1. The official deputation, i. 19-51.
2. Marriage in Cana, ii. 1-11.
3. Cleansing the Temple, ii. 13-22.
4. Nicodemus, iii. 1-21.
5. Dispute about purifying, iii. 22-36.
6. Samaritan woman, iv. 1-42.
7. Nobleman's son, iv. 46-54.
8. Thirty-eight years infirmity, v.
9. Feeding five thousand, vi. 1-15.
10. Walking on water and discussion, vi. 16-71.
11. At Feast of Tabernacles, vii.
12. Accused woman, viii. 1--11.
13. First attempt to stone, viii. 12-59.
14. Man born blind, ix. 1-x. 21.
15. Second stoning, x. 22-42.
16. Lazarus, xi.
17. Bethany Feast, xii. 1-11.
18. Triumphal Entry, xii. 12-19.
19. The Greeks, xii. 20-50.
[18] iii. 32.
[19] iii. 11.
[20] i. 19-51.
[21] ii.1-11.
[22] ii. 12.
[23] ii. 13-22.
[24] vii. 50, 51; xix. 39.
[25] ii. 23-iii. 21.
[26] iii. 11, 19, 32.
[27] iii. 22-36.
[28] iv 1-42.
[29] iv. 43-45.
[30] iv. 46-54.
[31] v. 1-47.
[32] vi. 1-14.
[33] vi. 15-71.
[34] vii. 1-52.
[35] viii. 1-11.
[36] viii 12-59.
[37] ix. l-x. 21.
[38] x. 22-39.
[39] x. 40-42.
[40] xi. 1-53.
[41] xi. 54-57.
[42] xii. 1-8.
[43] xii. 9-11.
[44] xii. 12-19.
[45] xii. 20-36.
[46] xii. 37-50.
[47] ii. 23.
[48] iv. 45.
[49] vi. 1-2, 14, 15, 34.
[50] vii. 31, 40, 41.
[51] viii. 30.
[52] x. 20, 21.
[53] x. 40-42.
[54] xi. 45; xii. 9-12.
[55] xii 17-18.
[56] xii. 12-14.
[57] xii. 42.
[58] ii. 23-25
[59] vi. 60-66.
[60] xii. 42-43.
[61] i. 35-51; ii. 1-11; iii. 13-28.
[62] vi. 66-69.
[63] xi. 16.
[64] ii. 22; xii. 16.
[65] iii. 1-21.
[66] vii. 50-51 with xii. 42, 43.
[67] xix. 39.
[68] iv. 5-42.
[69] Genesis XV. 6 with xx. 11.
[70] vii. 35.
[71] xii. 24-36.
[72] Note the official deputation incident (chapter i.), and the
Nicodemus incident (chapter iii.).
[73] i. 19-34.
[74] iii. 11, 32.
[75] ii. 13-20.
[76] iii. 22-iv. 3.
[77] iv. 44.
[78] v. 16-18.
[79] vi. 30-36, 41-42, 52, 60-66.
[80] vii. throughout.
[81] viii. 1-11.
[82] viii. 12-59.
[83] ix. 1-x. 21.
[84] x. 22-39.
[85] xi. 47-57.
[86] "Jesus had _not yet_ come," intimating that they were expecting Him
in accordance with an understanding between Him and them. vi. 17.
[87] Kings vi. 1-7.
[88] Kings xvii. 17-24.
[89] Kings xiii. 20-21.
[90] Kings iv. 32-37.
[91] Luke viii. 40-42, 49-56.
[92] Luke vii. 11-17.
[93] iii. 1-21.
[94] iv. 7-42.
[95] viii. 1-11.
[96] ii. 13-21.
[97] vii. throughout.
[98] Luke iv. 30; John viii. 59; x. 39; xii. 36.
[99] Mark x. 32; Luke ix. 53.
[100] viii. 12-59.
[101] x. 22-39.
[102] xii. 12-19, 36.
[103] xiii. 1-3.
[104] ii. 4; vii. 6, 8, 30; viii. 20.
[105] xii 23, 27; xiii. 1, 31-32; xvii. 1.
[106] xiii. 4-11.
[107] xiii. 12-20.
[108] Philippians ii. 6-11.
[109] xiii. 18.
[110] xiii. 21-30.
[111] The word "glory" with its companion "glorify," is frequent in
John. We shall understand better if we remember that originally the word
he uses means the opinion that one has of another, especially a good
opinion. But as the word is used commonly here the underlying thought
is, not what one thinks of another, nor yet something that one may give
to another, but _the actual character in the one so thought of._ Glory
is the character of goodness. So _to see one's glory_ is to see his real
inner character, and to see that character openly recognized and
acknowledged. So to _glorify_ means to recognize and acknowledge openly
the true character of one. Twice in John the word is used in the cheaper
meaning of outer honour among men. vii. 18; viii. 50.
[112] xiii. 31-33.
[113] xiii. 34-38.
[114] xiv. 1-14.
[115] xi. 33; xii. 27; xiii. 21.
[116] xiv. 15-31.
[117] xv. 1-17.
[118] 18-xvi. 18.
[119] xvi. 19-33.
[120] xvii. throughout.
[121] See footnote on "glory."
[122] xii. 36.
[123] Matthew xxvii. 32 and parallels.
[124] xix. 28.
[125] x. 17-18.
[126] viii. 31-32, 34-36.
[127] xii. 32.
[128] Some references for this whole paragraph,--viii. 44; xii. 31;
xiii. 2, 27; xiv. 30; xvi. 11.
[129] x. 16; xii. 32; xvii. 20.
[130] Matthew xvi. 21; xvii. 9, 23; xx. 19; Mark viii. 31; ix. 31; x.
34; Luke ix. 22; xviii. 33.
[131] xvi. 16.
[132] Matthew xxvii. 63.
[133] Mark xvi. 6-7; Luke xxiv. 6-11.
[134] Matthew xxviii. 16.
[135] John xiv. 3, and others.
[136] Luke v. 1-11.
[137] xxi. 1, 14.
[138] So Thayer.
[139] xiv. 21, 1. c.
End of Project Gutenberg's Quiet Talks on John's Gospel, by S. D. Gordon