Chapter VIII: Part 8

_Galilean, ready to lie as to fight._――This may strike some, as
rather too harsh a sentence to pass upon the general character
of a whole people, but I believe I am borne out in this seeming
abuse, by the steady testimony of most authorities to which
I can readily refer. Josephus, whom I have already quoted in
witness of their pugnacity, (on page 102,) seems to have been
so well pleased with this trait, and also with their “industry
and activity,” which he so highly commends in them, as well as
the richness of the natural resources of the country, all which
characteristics, both of the people and the region, he made so
highly available in their defense during the war with the Romans,
that he does not think it worth while to criticise their morals,
to which, indeed, the season of a bloody war gives a sort of
license, that made such defects less prominent, being apparently
rather characteristic of the times than the people. But there is
great abundance of condemnatory testimony, which shows that the
Galileans bore as bad a character among their neighbors, as my
severest remark could imply. Numerous passages in the gospels
and Acts show this so plainly, as to convey this general
impression against them very decidedly. Kuinoel (on Matthew ii.
23) speaks strongly of their proverbially low moral character.
“_All_ the Galileans were so despised by the dwellers of
Jerusalem and Judea, that when they wished to characterize a
man as a low and outcast wretch, they called him a Galilean.” On
other passages also, (as on John vii. 52, and Matthew iv. 17,)
he repeats this intellectual and moral condemnation in similar
terms. Beza and Grotius also, in commenting on these passages,
speak of Galilee as “contempta regio.” Rosenmueller also, (on
John vii. 52,) says “Nullus, aiunt, Galilaeus unquam a Deo
donatus est spiritu prophetico: _gens est Deo despecta_.” That
is, “It was a saying among them, that no Galilean was ever
indued with a spirit of prophecy: they are a people _despised by
God_.” I might quote at great length from many commentators to
the same effect, but these will serve as a specimen. It should
be remarked, however, that the Galileans, though they might be
worse than most Jews in their general character, were not very
peculiar in their neglect of truth; for from the time of Abraham,
Isaac and Jacob, to the present moment, the Asiatic races,
generally, have been infamous for falsehood, and there are many
modern travelers who are ready to testify that an Oriental,
generally, when asked an indifferent question, will tell a lie
at a venture, unless he sees some special personal advantage
likely to result to him from telling the truth.

Yet in minute legal observances, the Galileans were, for the
most part, much more rigid in interpreting and following the law
of Moses, than the inhabitants of Judea, as is abundantly shown
by Lightfoot in his numerous Talmudic quotations, (_Centuria
Chorographica_ chapter 86,) where the comparison is, on many
accounts, highly favorable to such of the Galileans as pretended
to observe and follow the Jewish law at all.

_Thy accent betrays thee._――Lightfoot is very rich in happy
illustrations of this passage, (Centuria Chorographica chapter
87.) He has drawn very largely here from the Talmudic writers,
who are quite amusing in the instances which they give of the
dialectic differences between the Galileans and the Judeans.
Several of the puns which they give, would not be accounted dull
even in modern times, and indeed, the Galilean brogue seems to
have been as well marked, and to have given occasion for nearly
as much wit as that of Ireland. The Galileans, thus marked by
dialect as well as by manners, held about the same place in the
estimation of the pure Judean race, as the modern Irish do among
those of Saxon-English tongue and blood; and we cannot better
conceive of the scorn excited in the refined Jews by the idea of
a Galilean prophet with his simple disciples, than by imagining
the sort of impression that would be made, by a raw Irishman
attempting the foundation of a new sect in London or Boston,
with a dozen rough and uneducated workmen for his preachers and
main supporters.

_The bright light of the fire shining on his face_, &c.――This
incident is taken from Luke xxii. 56, where the expression
in the common version is, “a certain maid saw him as he sat
by the _fire_.” But in the original Greek this last word is
φῶς, (_phos_,) which means “light,” and not “fire;” and it is
translated here in this peculiar manner, because it evidently
refers to the light of the _fire_, from its connection with the
preceding verse, where it is said that “Peter sat down among
them ‘before’ the _fire_ which they had kindled;” the word fire
in this passage being in the Greek πυρ, (_pur_,) which is never
translated otherwise. But the unusual translation of the word
φῶς, by “fire” in the other verse, though it gives a just idea
of Peter’s position, makes a common reader lose sight of the
prominent reason of his detection, which was, that the “_light_
of the fire” shone on his face.

In speaking of Peter’s fall and its attendant circumstances,
Lampius (in Gospel of John xviii. 17,) seems to be most
especially scandalized by the _means_ through which Peter’s ruin
was effected. “Sed ab _ancilla_ Cepham vinci, dedecus ejus auget.
Quanta inconstantia! Qui in armatos ordines paulo ante irruperat
nunc ad vocem levis mulierculae tremit. Si Adamo probrosum,
quod a femina conjuge seductus erat, non minus Petro, quod ab
ancilla.” That is, “But that Cephas should have been overcome by
a _girl_, increases his disgrace. How great the change! He who,
but a little before, had charged an armed host, now trembled at
the voice of a silly woman. If it was a shame to Adam, that he
had been seduced by his wife, it was no less so to Peter, that
he was by a girl.”

_The cock crew._――By this circumstance, the time of the denial
in all its parts is well ascertained. The first cock-crowing
after the first denial marked the hour of midnight, and the
second cock-crowing announced the first dawn of day. As Lampius
says, “Altera haec erat αλεκτροφῶνια, praenuncia lucis, non
tantum in terra, sed et in corde Petri, tenebris spississimis
obsepto, mox iterum oriturae.” “_This_ was the second
cock-crowing, the herald of light, soon to rise again, not only
on earth, but also in the heart of Peter, now overspread with
the thickest darkness.”

_And thinking thereon, he wept._――This expression is taken from
Mark xiv. 72, and accords with our common translation, though
very different from many others that have been proposed. The
word thus variously rendered, is in the original Greek, επιβαλων,
(_epibalon_,) and bears a great variety of definitions which can
be determined only by its connections, in the passages where it
occurs. Campbell says, “There are not many words in scripture
which have undergone more interpretations than this term;”
and truly the array of totally diverse renderings, each ably
supported by many of the most learned Biblical scholars that
ever lived, is truly appalling to the investigator. (1.) Those
who support the common English translation are Kypke, Wetstein,
Campbell and Bloomfield, and others quoted by the latter.
――(2.) Another translation which has been ably defended is,
“_he began_ to weep.” This is the expression in the common
German translation, (Martin Luther’s,) “ER HOB AN ZU WEINEN.”
It is also the version of the Vulgate, (“Coepit flere,”) the
Syriac, Gothic, Persian, and Armenian translations, as Kuinoel
and Heinsius observe, who also maintain this rendering.
――(3.) Another is, “_He proceeded_ to weep,” (“Addens flevit.”)
which is that of Grotius, LeClerc, Simon, Petavius and others.
――(4.) Another is, “_covering his head_, he wept.” This seems
to have begun with Theophylact, who has been followed by a great
number, among whom Salmasius, Wolf, Suicer, Macknight, and Krebs,
are the most prominent.――(5.) Another is, “_rushing out_, he
wept.” This is maintained by Beza, Rosenmueller, Schleusner,
Bretschneider and Wahl.――(6.) Another is, “_Having looked at
him_,” (Jesus,) “he wept.” This is the version of Hammond and
Palairet.――“Who shall decide when” so many “doctors disagree?”
I should feel safest in leaving the reader, as Parkhurst does,
to “consider and judge” for himself; but in defense of my own
rendering, I would simply observe, that the _common English
version_ is that which is most in accordance with the rules
of grammar, and is best supported by classic usage, while
the second and third are justly objected to by Bloomfield and
Campbell as ungrammatical, and unsupported by _truly_ parallel
passages, notwithstanding the array of classical quotations
by Bp. ♦Bloomfield and others; and the fourth and fifth equally
deserve rejection for the very tame and cold expression which
they make of it, the fourth also being ungrammatical like the
second and third. The sixth definition also may be rejected
on grammatical grounds, as well as for lack of authorities and
classic usage to support such an elliptical translation.――For
long and numerous discussions of all these points, see any or
every one of the writers whose names I have cited in this note.

♦ “Blomfield” replaced with “Bloomfield”

CHRIST’S CRUCIFIXION.

From that moment we hear no more of the humbled apostle, till after the fatal consummation of his Redeemer’s sufferings. Yet he must have been a beholder of that awful scene. When the multitude of men and women followed the cross-bearing Redeemer down the vale of Calvary, mourning with tears and groans, Peter could not have sought to indulge in solitary grief. And since the son of Zebedee stood by the cross during the whole agony of Jesus, the other apostles probably had no more cause of fear than John, and Peter also might have stood near, among the crowd, without any danger of being further molested by those whom he had offended, since they now looked on their triumph as too complete to need any minor acts of vengeance, to consummate it over the fragments of the broken Nazarene sect. Still, it was in _silent_ sorrow and horror that he gazed on this sight of woe, and the deep despair which now overwhelmed his bright dreams of glory was no longer uttered in the violent expressions to which his loquacious genius prompted him. He now had time and reason enough to apprehend the painfully literal meaning of the oft-repeated predictions of Christ about these sad events――predictions which once were so wildly unheeded or perversely misconstrued as best suited the ambitious disciples’ hopes of power, which was to be set up over all the civil, religious, and military tyrants of Palestine, and of which they were to be the chief partakers. These hopes all went out with the last breath of their crucified Lord, and when they turned away from that scene of hopeless woe, after taking a last look of the face that had so long been the source of light and truth to them, now fixed and ghastly in the last struggle of a horrible death, they must have felt that the delusive dream of years was now broken, and that they were but forlorn and desperate outcasts in the land which their proud thoughts once aspired to rule. What despairing anguish must have been theirs, as climbing the hillside with sad and slow steps, they looked back from its top down upon the cross, that might still be seen in the dark valley, though dim with the shades of falling night! Their Lord, their teacher, their guide, their friend, ――hung there between the heavens and the earth, among thieves, the victim of triumphant tyranny; and they, owing their safety only to the contemptuous forbearance of his murderers, must now, strangers in a strange land, seek a home among those who scorned them.

_The VALE of Calvary_.――This expression will no doubt excite
vast surprise in the minds of many readers, who have all their
lives heard and talked of _Mount_ Calvary, without once taking
the pains to find out whether there ever was any such place.
Such persons will, no doubt, find their amazement still farther
increased, on learning that no _Mount_ Calvary is mentioned in
any part of the Bible, nor in any ancient author.

The whole account given of this name in the Bible, is in Luke
xxiii. 33, where in the common translation it is said that
Christ was crucified in “the place called Calvary.” In the
parallel passages in the other gospels, the Hebrew name only is
given, Golgotha, which means simply “a skull.” (Matthew xxvii.
33: Mark xv. 22: John xix. 17.) This particular place does not
seem to be named and designated in any part of the Old Testament,
but a very clear idea of its general situation can be obtained,
from the consideration of the fact, that there was a place
beyond the walls of Jerusalem, where all the dead were buried,
and whither all the carcasses of slain animals were carried and
left to moulder. This was that part of the valley of the Kedron
which was called the valley of Tophet, or the vale of the son
of Hinnom. This is often alluded to as the place of dead bodies.
(Jeremiah vii. 32, &c.) Besides, all reason and analogy utterly
forbid the supposition, that dead carcasses would be piled up
on a “mount” or hill, to rot and send their effluvia all over
the city in every favorable wind; while on the other hand, a
deep valley like that of Hinnom would be a most proper place for
carrying such offensive matters. Josephus, in his description
of the temple, very particularly notices the fact, that all the
blood and filth which flowed from the numerous sacrifices, was
conveyed by a subterraneous channel or drain to this very valley.

THE RESURRECTION.

With such feelings they returned to Jerusalem, where the eleven, who were all Galileans, found places of abode with those of Christ’s followers who were dwellers in the city. Here they passed the Sabbath heavily and sorrowfully, no doubt, and their thoughts must now have reverted to their former business, to which it now became each one of them to return, since he who had called them from their avocations could now no more send them forth on his errands of love. On the day after the sabbath, while such thoughts and feelings must still have distressed them, almost as soon as they had risen, some of them received a sudden and surprising call from several of the alarmed women, who having faithfully ministered to all the necessities of Jesus during his life, had been preparing to do the last sad offices to his dead body. The strange story brought by these was, that having gone early in the morning to the sepulcher, in the vale of Calvary, with this great object, they had been horror-struck to find the place in which the body had been deposited on sabbath eve, now empty, notwithstanding the double security of the enormous rock which had closed the mouth of the cave, and the stout guard of Roman soldiers who were posted there by request of the Jews, to prevent expected imposition. On hearing this strange story, Peter and John, followed by Mary of Magdala, started at once for the sepulcher. As they made all possible haste, the youth of John enabled him to reach the place before his older companion; but Peter arrived very soon after him, and, outdoing his companion now in prompt and diligent examination, as he had before been outdone in bodily speed, he immediately made a much more thorough search of the spot, than John in his hurry and alarm had thought of. He had contented himself with looking down into the sepulcher, and having distinctly seen the linen clothes lying empty and alone, he went not in. But when Simon Peter came following him, he went into the sepulcher and saw the linen clothes lie; and the napkin that was about his head, not lying with the other clothes, but folded up carefully in a place by itself. Having thus made a thorough search, as this shows, into every nook and corner, he satisfied himself perfectly that the body had in some way or other been actually removed, and on his reporting this to his companion, he also came down into the cave, and made a similar examination, with the same result. The only conclusion to which these appearances brought their minds, was that some person, probably with the design of further insult and injury, had thus rifled the tomb, and dragged the naked body from its funeral vestments. For, as yet, they understood not the scripture, nor the words of Christ himself, that he must rise from the dead. The two disciples, therefore, overwhelmed with new distress, went away again to their own temporary home, to consult with the rest of the disciples, leaving Mary behind them, lingering in tears about the tomb.

Some time after their return, but before they had been able to explain these strange appearances, Mary followed them home, and as soon as she found them, added to their amazement immensely, by a surprising story of her actually having seen Jesus himself, alive, in bodily form, who had conversed with her, and had distinctly charged her to tell his disciples, and Peter especially, that he would go before them into Galilee, where he would meet them. When she came and told them this, they were mourning and weeping. But when they had heard that he was alive, though the story was confirmed with such a minute detail of attendant circumstances, and though assured by her that she had personally seen him, they yet believed not. So dark were their minds about even the possibility of his resurrection, that afterwards, when two of their own number, who had gone about seven miles into the country, to Emmaus, returned in great haste to Jerusalem, and told the disciples that they too had seen Jesus, and had a long talk with him, they would not believe even this additional proof, but supposed that they, in their credulous expectation, had suffered themselves to be imposed on by some one resembling Jesus in person, who chose to amuse himself by making them believe so palpable a falsehood. Yet some of them, even then, suffering their longing hopes to get the better of their prudent scepticism, were beginning to express their conviction of the fact, saying, “The Lord has risen indeed, and has appeared unto Simon.” Of this last-mentioned appearance, no farther particulars are any where given, though it is barely mentioned in 1 Corinthians xv. 5. and it is impossible to give any certain account of the circumstances. While assembled at their evening meal, and thus discussing the various strange stories brought to their ears in such quick succession, after they had fastened the doors for security against interruption from the Jews, all at once, without any previous notice, Jesus himself appeared standing in the midst, and said, “Peace be unto you.” They seeing the mysterious object of their conversation, so strangely and suddenly present among them, while they were just discussing the possibility of his existence, were much frightened, and in the alarm of the moment supposed that they were beholding a disembodied spirit. But he soon calmed their terrors, and changed their fear into firm and joyful assurance, that he was indeed the same whom they had so long known, and to prove that the body now before them was the same which they had two days before seen fastened expiring to the cross, he showed them his hands, his feet, and his side, with the very marks which the spear and nails had made in them. And while they yet could not soberly believe for joy, and stood wondering, he, to show them that his body still performed the functions of life, and required the same support as theirs, asked them for a share of the food on the table, and taking some from their hands, he ate it before them. He then upbraided them with their unbelief and stupidity in not believing those who had seen him after he was risen from the dead. He recalled to their minds his former repeated warnings of these very events, literally as they had been brought to pass. He said to them, “These are the words which I spake to you while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled which are written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms, concerning me.” Then opened he their understandings, that they might understand the scriptures. Then it was, that at last burst upon them the light so long shut out; they knew their own past blindness, and they saw in the clear distinctness of reality, all his repeated predictions of his humiliation, suffering, death, resurrection, and of their cowardice and desertion, brought before them in one glance, and made perfectly consistent with each other and with the result. So that, amid the rejoicings of new hope born from utter despair, at the same time expired their vain and idle notion of earthly glory and power under his reign. Their Master had passed through all this anguish and disgrace, and come back to them from the grave; yet, though thus vindicating his boundless power, he did not pretend to use the least portion of it in avenging on his foes all the cruelties which he had suffered from their hands. They could not hope, then, for a better fate, surely, than his; they were to expect only similar labors, rewarded with similar sufferings and death.

THE MEETING ON THE LAKE.

After this meeting with him, they saw him again repeatedly, but no incident, relating particularly to the subject of this memoir, occurred on either of these occasions, except at the scene on lake Tiberias, so fully and graphically given by John, in the last chapter of his gospel. It seems that at that time, the disciples had, in accordance with the earliest command of Jesus after his resurrection, gone into Galilee to meet him there. The particular spot where this incident took place was probably near Capernaum and Bethsaida, among their old familiar haunts. Peter at this time residing at his home in Capernaum, it would seem, very naturally, while waiting for the visit which Christ had promised them, sought to pass the time as pleasantly as possible in his old business, from which he had once been called to draw men into the grasp of the gospel. With him at this time, were Thomas, or Didymus, and Nathanael, and the sons of Zebedee, and two other disciples, whether of the eleven or not, is not known. On his telling them that he was going out a fishing, they, allured also by old habits and a desire to amuse themselves in a useful way, declared that they also would go with him. They went forth accordingly, and taking the fishing-boat, pushed off in the evening as usual, the night being altogether the best time for catching the fish, because the lake not then being constantly disturbed by passing vessels, the fish are less disposed to keep themselves in the depths of the waters, but feeling bolder in the stillness, rise to the surface within reach of the watchful fisherman. But on this occasion, from something peculiar in the state of the air or water, the fish did not come within the range of the net; and that night they caught nothing. Having given up the fruitless effort, they were towards morning heavily working in towards the shore, and were about a hundred yards from it, when they noticed some person who stood on the land; but in the gray light of morning his person could not be distinguished. This man called to them in a friendly voice, as soon as they came within hailing distance, crying out in a free and familiar way, “Boys! have you anything to eat?” To which they answered “No.” The unknown friend then called to them in a confident tone, telling them to cast the net on the right side of the ship, and they should find plenty. They cast accordingly, and on closing and drawing the net, were not able to pull it in, for the weight of the fishes taken in it. In a moment flashed on the ready mind of John, the remembrance of the former similar prodigy wrought at the word of Jesus near the same spot, and he immediately recognized in the benevolent stranger, his Lord. Turning to Simon, therefore, who had been too busy tugging at the net to think of the meaning of the miracle, he said to him, “It is the Lord.” Conviction burst on him with equal certainty as on his companion, and giving way to his natural headlong promptitude in action, he leaped at once into the water, after girding his great coat around him, and by partly swimming and partly wading through the shallows, he soon reached the shore, where his loved and long-expected Master was. At the same time, with as little delay as possible, the rest of them, leaving their large vessel probably on account of the shallows along that part of the coast, came ashore in a little skiff, dragging the full net behind them. In this they showed their considerate prudence, for had they all in the first transport of impatience followed Peter, and left boat and net together at that critical moment, the net would have loosened and the fishes have escaped; thus making the kind miracle of no effect by their carelessness. As soon as they were come to land they saw Jesus placed composedly by a fire of coals which he had made, and on which he had designed to cook for their common entertainment, some fish previously caught, dished with some bread. Jesus without ceremony ordered them to come and bring some of the fish they had just caught. Simon Peter now mindful of his late heedless desertion of his comrades in the midst of their worst labor, stepped forward zealously, and, unassisted, dragged the heavy net out of the water; and though on opening it they found one hundred and fifty-three large fishes in it, notwithstanding the weight, the net was not broken. When they had obeyed his command, and supplied the place of the fish already cooked on the fire by fresh ones from the net, Jesus in a kind and hearty tone invited them to come and breakfast with him on what he had prepared. The disciples, notwithstanding the readiness with which they had come ashore to their Master, still seem to have felt somewhat shy; not, however, because they had any solid doubt as to his really being the person they had supposed him, for no man durst say to him “who art thou?” knowing him to be the Lord. Perhaps it was not yet full day-light, which may account for their shyness and want of readiness in accepting his invitation. But Jesus, in order fully to assure them, comes and takes bread, and puts it into their hands, with a share of fish likewise to each. They now took hold heartily, and without scruple sat down around the fire to breakfast with him. So when they had done breakfast, as men are usually best disposed to be social after eating, he on this occasion addressed himself to Peter in words of reproof, warning and commission. He first inquired of him, “Simon, son of Jonah, lovest thou me more than these?” To this Peter readily replied, “Yea, Lord, thou knowest that I love thee.” Jesus then said to him, “Feed my lambs.” Peter had learned some humility by his late fall from truth and courage. Before, he had boldly professed a regard for Christ, altogether surpassing in extent and permanency the affection which the other disciples felt for him, and had, in the fullness of his self-sufficiency, declared that though all the rest should forsake him, yet would he abide by him, and follow him even to prison and to death. But now that high self-confidence had received a sad fall, and the remembrance of his late disgraceful conduct was too fresh in his mind to allow him any more to assume that tone of presumption. He therefore modestly confined his expression of attachment to the simple and humble reference to the all-knowing heart of his Divine Master, to which he solemnly and affectingly appealed as his faithful witness in this assertion of new and entire devotion to him, whom he had once so weakly denied and deserted. No more high-toned boastings――no more arrogant assertion of superior pretensions to fidelity and firmness; but a humble, submissive, beseeching utterance of devoted love, that sought no comparisons to enhance its merit, but in lowly confidence appealed to the searcher of hearts as the undeceivable testifier of his honesty and truth. Nor was his deep and renewed affection, thus expressed, disregarded; but Jesus accepting his purified self-sacrifice, at once in the same words both offered him the consoling pledge of his restoration to grace, and again charged him with the high commission, which, while it proved his Lord’s confidence, gave him the means of showing to all mankind the sincerity and permanency of his change of heart. From the words of the Messiah’s reply, he learned that the solid proof of his deserved restoration should be seen in his devotion to the work which that Messiah had begun; that by guiding, guarding and feeding the young and tender of Christ’s flock, when left again without their Master, he might set forth his new love. Already had Jesus, before that sad trial of their souls, in his parting, warning words to his near and dear ones, told them, “If ye keep my commandments ye shall abide in my love. Ye are my friends if ye do whatsoever I command you. By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.” And here, in practical comment on that former precept, did he give his restored apostle this test of unchanged love. So harmoniously and beautifully does the sacred record make precept answer and accord with precept. In the minute detail of mere common incident, we may wander and stagger bewildered among insignificant differences and difficulties; but the rule of action, the guide of life, leads steadily and clearly through every maze, uneffaced by the changes of order, time and place.

“_Boys._”――The Greek word here (παιδια _paidia_) has a neuter
termination, and is applicable to persons of both sexes, like
the English word “_children_,” which is here given in the common
version. But Jerome’s Latin translation (the Vulgate) gives
“_pueri_,” “boys,” as the just meaning in this place, and I
have preferred it, as more in accordance with our usual forms of
familiar address in such cases, than the one given in the common
English version.

_Great coat._――This I consider as giving a better idea of the
garment called in the Greek επενδυτην, (_ependuten_,) which
is derived from a verb which means “putting on over another
garment,” and is of course described with more justice to the
original by the English “_great-coat_,” or “over-coat,” than by
“_fisher’s_ coat,” as in the common translation. I suppose it
was a rough outer dress designed as a protection against rain
and spray, and which he put on in such a way, that he might wade
in it without the inconvenience of its hanging about his legs.
It must have been a sort of “_over all_,” that he had pulled off
while at work, and _put on_ to wade in the water; for the verb
διαζωννυμι (_diazonnumi_) has also that meaning as well as “gird
about,” and his object in thus “putting on his over alls” may
have been to keep himself dry, by covering both his legs and
body from the water; for it may have come down over the legs
like a sort of outside trowsers, and being tied tight, would
make a very comfortable protection against cold water. See Poole
and Kuinoel on this passage, John xxi. 7.

Luther in his German translation has very queerly expressed
this word, “GUERTETE ER DAS HEMDE UM SICH,” “he girt his _shirt_
about him;” being led into this error probably, by taking the
following sentence in too strong a sense, concluding that he
was perfectly _naked_. But I have already alluded (note on page
101) to the peculiar force of this word in the Bible, nor can
it mean anything but that he was without his outer garments;
and it implies no more indecent exposure than in the case of
Christ, when laying aside his garments to wash his disciples’
feet. Besides, I have shown that the etymology of επενδυτης
(_ependutes_) will not allow any meaning to it, but that of an
“_outer_ garment” _worn over_ other clothes.

_A little skiff._――The Greek word here is πλοιαριον,
(_ploiarion_,) and means “a _small_ boat,” and is the diminution
of πλοιον, (_ploion_,) the word used in the third verse of the
same chapter, as the name of the larger vessel in which they
sailed, and which probably drew too much water to come close
to the shore in this part of the lake, where it was probably
shallow, so as to make it necessary for them to haul the net
ashore with this little skiff, which seems to have been a sort
of drag-boat to the larger vessel, kept for landing in such
places.

“_Come and BREAKFAST._”――This is certainly a vast improvement
on the common English version, which here gives the word
“_dine_.” For it must strike an ordinary reader as a very early
_dinner_ at that time of the morning, (John xix. 4,) and what
settles the question is, that the Greek word here is αριστησατε,
(_aristesate_,) which primarily and almost always was applied
only to the eating of the earliest meal, or breakfast, being
derived from αριστον, “breakfast,” the first meal in the day,
according to Homer and Xenophon.

Many other unrecorded words of wisdom and love must have been spoken at this time, in the course of which Jesus again took occasion to put this meaning and moving question, “Simon, son of Jonah, lovest thou me?” The first answer of Peter had sufficiently shown, that he had no more of that disposition to claim a merit superior to his fellow disciples, and Jesus did not again urge upon him a comparison with them, but merely renewed the inquiry in a simple, absolute form. Again Peter earnestly expressed his love, with the same appeal to Christ’s own knowledge of his heart for the testimony of his loyalty, “Yea, Lord, thou knowest that I love thee.” He saith to him, “Feed my sheep.” If thou lovest me, show that love, by supplying the place of my earthly care, to those whom I love. Love and feed those for whom I have bled and died.――What could be more simple and clear than this question? What more earnest and honest than the answer? What more abiding than the impression made by this charge? Yet did not the far-seeing Savior desist from trying his disciple with these questions. Once more was it solemnly repeated, “Simon, son of Jonah, lovest thou me?” Peter was grieved that he asked him the third time, “lovest thou me?” He saw at last the reproachful meaning of the inquiry. Three times had this same apostle, by his false-hearted denial, renounced all love and interest in his Master, and three times did that injured and forgiving Master call upon him to pledge again his forfeited faith and affection. He thus pointed out the past weakness of Peter, and showed the means of maintaining and insuring future fidelity. Peter again still more movingly avowed his honest attachment, half remonstrating at this repetition of the question by one who must already know the heart of the answerer too fully for words to inform him anew.――“Lord, thou knowest all things; thou knowest that I love thee.” Jesus said to him, “Feed my sheep.” He now passed on to a new prediction of his future fortunes, in the service to which he had in these words devoted him, making known to him the earthly reward which his services would at last receive. “I solemnly say to thee, when thou wast young, thou girdedst thyself 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.” This he said, to signify to him by what sort of death he should glorify God. That is, he in these words plainly foretold to him that he should, through all his toils and dangers in his Master’s service, survive to old age; and he also alludes to the loss of free agency in his own movements; but the circumstances are so darkly alluded to, that the particular mode of his death could never be made to appear clearly from the prediction. The particular meaning of the expressions of this prophecy, can of course be best shown in connection with the circumstances of his death, as far as they are known; and to that part of his history the explanations are deferred.

After this solemn prediction, he said to him, “Follow me.” This command seems not to have any connection, as some have supposed, with the preceding words of Jesus referring to his future destiny, but to be a mere direction to follow him on his return from the lake, either back to Capernaum, or to the mountain appointed for his meeting with the great body of his disciples. From what comes after this in the context, indeed, this would seem to be a fair construction; for it is perfectly plain that as Christ said these words, he turned and walked away; and that not only Peter followed at the direction of Christ, but also John of his own accord,――and it is perfectly natural to suppose that the greater part of the disciples would choose to walk after Jesus, when they had met under such delightful and unexpected circumstances; only leaving somebody to take care of the boats and fish. Peter following his Lord as he was commanded, turned around to see who was next to him, and seeing John, was instantly seized with a desire to know the future fortunes of this apostle, who shared with him the highest confidence of his Master, and was even before him in his personal affections. He accordingly asked, “Lord, and what shall this man do?” or more properly, “What shall become of this man?” But the answer of Jesus was not at all calculated to satisfy his curiosity, though it seemed, in checking his inquiries, to intimate darkly, that this young apostle would outlive him, and be a witness of the events which had been predicted in connection with the destruction of Jerusalem, and the second coming of Christ in judgment on his foes of the Jewish nation. This interesting scene here abruptly closes,――the Savior and his followers passing off this spot to the places where he remained with them during the rest of the few days of his appearance after his resurrection.

_The mountain appointed for his meeting_, &c.――It would be
hard to settle the locality of this mountain with so few data
as we have, but a guess or two may be worth offering. Grotius
concludes it to have been Mount Tabor, “where,” as he says,
“Jesus formerly gave the three a taste of his majesty;” but
I have fully shown, on much better authority, that Tabor was
_not_ the mount of the transfiguration; nor can we value highly
the fact, that “habet veteris famae auctoritatem,” for we have
abundant reason to think that in such matters, “the authority of
ancient tradition” is not worth much.

There are better reasons, however, for believing Tabor to have
been the mountain in Galilee, where Christ met his disciples.
These are, the fact that it was near the lake where he seems to
have been just before, and was in the direction of some of his
former places of resort, and was near the homes of his disciples.
None of the objections that I brought against its being the
mount of the transfiguration, can bear against this supposition,
but on similar grounds I now _agree_ with the common notion.

Paulus suggests Mount Carmel, as a very convenient place for
such a meeting of so many persons who wished to assemble unseen,
it being full of caverns, in which they might assemble out of
view; while Tabor is wholly open (GANZ OFFEN) and exposed to
view; for it is evident that all the exhibitions of Christ to
his disciples after his resurrection, were very secret. For this
reason Rosenmueller remarks, that Jesus probably appointed some
mountain which was lonely and destitute of inhabitants, for the
meeting. But Tabor is, I should think, sufficiently retired for
the privacy which was so desirable, and certainly is capable
of accommodating a great number of persons on its top, so that
they could not be seen from below. The objection to Carmel is,
that it was a great distance off, on the sea coast, and should
therefore be rejected for the same reasons which caused us to
reject Tabor for the transfiguration.

THE ASCENSION.

The only one of his other interviews with them, to which we can follow them, is the last, when he stood with them at Bethany, on the eastern slope of Mount Olivet, about a mile from Jerusalem, where he passed away from their eyes to the glory now consummated by the complete events of his life and death. Being there with them, he commanded them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the promised Comforter from the Father, of which he had so often spoken to them. “For John truly baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence.” Herein he expressed a beautiful figure, powerfully impressive to them, though to most common perceptions perhaps, not so obvious. In the beginning of those bright revelations of the truth which had been made to that age, John, the herald and precursor of a greater preacher, had made a bold, rough outset in the great work of evangelization. The simple, striking truths which he brought forward, were forcibly expressed in the ceremony which he introduced as the sign of conversion; as the defilements of the body were washed away in the water, so were the deeper pollutions of the soul removed by the inward cleansing effected by the change which followed the full knowledge and feeling of the truth. The gross and tangible liquid which he made the sign of conversion, was also an emblem of the rude and palpable character of the truths which he preached; so too, the final token which the apostles of Jesus, when at last perfectly taught and equipped, should receive as the consecrated and regenerated leaders of the gospel host, was revealed in a form and in a substance as uncontrollably and incalculably above the heavy water, as their knowledge, and faith, and hope were greater than the dim foreshadowing given by the baptist, of good things to come. Water is a heavy fluid, capable of being seen, touched, tasted, weighed and poured; it has all the grosser and more palpable properties of matter. But the air is, even to us, and seemed more particularly to the ancients, beyond the apprehension of most of the senses, by which the properties of bodies are made known to man. We cannot see it, or at least are not commonly conscious of its visibility; yet we feel its power to terrify, and to comfort, and see the evidences of its might in the ruins of many of the works of man and of nature, which oppose its movements. The sources of its power too, seem to a common eye, to be within itself, and when it rises in storms and whirlwind, its motions seem like the capricious volitions of a sentient principle within it. But water, whenever it moves, seems only the inanimate mass which other agents put in motion. The awful dash of the cataract is but the continued fall of a heavy body impelled by gravity, and even “when the myriad voices of ocean roar,” the mighty cause of the storm is the unseen power of the air, which shows its superiority in the scale of substances, by setting in terrible and overwhelming motion the boundless deep, that, but for this viewless and resistless agency, would forever rest, a level plain, without a wrinkle on its face. To the hearers of Christ more particularly, the air in its motions, was a most mysterious agency,――a connecting link between powers material and visible, and those too subtle for any thing but pure thought to lay hold of. “The wind blew where it would, and they heard the sound thereof, but could not tell whence it came or whither it went.” They might know that it blew from the north toward the south, or from the east toward the west, or the reverse of these; but the direction from which it came could not point out to them the place where it first arose, in its unseen power, to pass over the earth,――a source of ceaseless wonder, to the learned and unlearned alike. This was the mighty and mysterious agency which Jesus Christ now chose as a fit emblem to represent in language, to his apostles, that power from on high so often promised. Yet clear as was this image, and often as he had warned them of the nature of the duties for which this power was to fit them,――in spite of all the deep humiliation which their proud earthly hopes had lately suffered, there were still in their hearts, deep-rooted longings after the restoration of the ancient dominion of Israel, in which they once firmly expected to share. So their question on hearing this charge and renewed promise of power hitherto unknown, was, “Lord, wilt thou not at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?” Would not this be a satisfactory completion of that triumph just achieved over the grave, to which the vain malice of his foes had sent him? Could his power to do it be now be doubted? Why then, should he hesitate at what all so earnestly and confidently hoped? But Jesus was not to be called down from heaven to earth on such errands, nor detained from higher glories by such prayers. He knew that this last foolish fancy of earthly dominion was to pass away from their minds forever, as soon as they had seen the event for which he had now assembled them. He merely said to them, “It is not for you to know the times or the seasons which the Father has appointed, according to his own judgment.” Jesus knew that, though the minds of his disciples were not then sufficiently prepared to apprehend the nature of his heavenly kingdom, yet they, after his departure, becoming better instructed and illuminated by a clearer light of knowledge, would of their own accord, lay aside that preconceived notion about his earthly reign, and would then become fully impressed with those things of which he had long before warned them, while they were still in the enjoyment of his daily teachings. Being now about to bid them farewell, ――lest by entirely cutting off their present hope, he might for a time overwhelm them,――he so moderated his answer, as not to extinguish utterly all hope of the kingdom expected by them, nor yet give them reason to think that such a dominion as they hoped for, was to be established. He therefore, to their inquiries whether he would at that time restore the ancient kingdom of Israel, replied that it was not for them to know the times which the Father had reserved in his own counsels, for the completion of that event. But he went on to inform them of something which _was_ for them to know. “You shall receive power, when the Holy Ghost shall have come upon you; and you shall be witnesses of these things for me, both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and in Samaria, and even to the farthest parts of the earth.” And when he had spoken these things, he was taken away from them as they were looking at him, for a cloud received him out of their sight. And while they looked earnestly towards heaven, as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel, and said, “Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus who is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as you have seen him go into heaven.” They now understood that they had parted from their loved Master forever, in earthly form; yet the consolations afforded by this last promise of the attendant spirits, were neither few nor small. To bring about that bright return, in whose glories they were to share, was the great task to which they devoted their lives; and they went back to Jerusalem, sorrowful indeed for the removal of their great guide and friend, but not sorrowing as those who have no hope.

_To Bethany._――This place was on the Mount of Olives, probably
near its summit, and perhaps within sight of Jerusalem. See
notes on pp. 90 and 95.

Here ceased their course of instruction under their Divine Master; laying down their character as _Disciples_, they now took up the higher dignity, responsibility and labors of _Apostles_. Here too ceases the record of “PETER’S DISCIPLESHIP;”――no longer a _learner_ and _follower_ of any one on earth, he is exalted to the new duties and dangers of the APOSTLESHIP, of which the still more interesting story here begins; and he must henceforth bear the new character and title of “Peter the _teacher_ and _leader_.”

II. PETER’S APOSTLESHIP;
OR
PETER THE TEACHER AND LEADER.

THE PENTECOST.