In this gospel the personal and divine glory of the Lord as Son of God, is especially presented. It differs from the other gospels in that it alludes to what our Lord was “in the beginning” before creation—He was God before He became Man. We have (1) the abstract nature of Christ; (2) Christ incarnate; (3) the revealer of the Father.
The divinity of the Lord is prominent, for example, no genealogy nor birth is given; no temptation by Satan; no agony in Gethsemane; and He raises His own body and takes life again, &c. We do not get men possessed by demons: it is the Lord in His divine person, and Satan opposing Him.
John speaks much more of faith, truth, the Father, life, and eternal life, of love, and of light than do the other evangelists. God is love and God is light.
This gospel contains more statements of abstract truth than the others. The truth of new creation, eternal life, that is, the blessing that is beyond death and resurrection, and outside this world, is distinctly brought out. The “gospel” in John is the manifestation of God to man.
We have both the “Father” and “God” in this gospel. It is “God” when it refers to responsibility, and “Father” when the ways of grace are unfolded.
A few only of the events which the other gospels record are referred to in this.
The Jews are viewed as cast off by God throughout the gospel, for the Lord is rejected from the very outset, John 1:10,11 “The Jews” (those of Jerusalem and Judæa) are distinguished from “the people”, who may be Galileans or visitors from a distance.
John 1:1-5.
What the Lord is intrinsically and ever was before the beginning of everything (namely, eternally existing a distinct and a divine Person). All the wisdom of God is in Christ: He is it, and He is the expression of it: He is the Word, the one who ever expressed God, and was God.
John 1:6-13. Mission of John the Baptist to bear witness to the Light. (Only the " born of God " are capable of receiving Him, and they are brought into a position and relationship altogether new for saints on earth, namely, children of God.)
John 1:14-18. What the Lord became in time, and in the world, namely, incarnate and full of grace and truth (that is, Love and Light in relation to man). His glory as the only begotten of the Father was seen.
John 1:19-28. He came after John, but was before him.
John 1:29-34. Jesus announced as the sacrificial Lamb of God, the Remover of the sin of the world: (this, the full result of His work, is not yet produced in manifestation, nor will be until the new heavens and the new earth are brought in: cf. 2 Peter 3:13; Rev. 21:1-8).
The seal of the Spirit was the witness of His Sonship, and that He was sent by God for us (cf. Gal. 4:6), and He is the baptizer with the Spirit: (after the resurrection, He brings His saints into His own place of relationship, as man, with His God and Father: cf. verse 12; 20:17).
John 1:35-51. Some follow Jesus, and He accepts being the center for disciples and for millennial glory.
John 2:1-11.
Jesus manifests His glory by making the water to be wine; (the national repentance and self-judgment of Israel will be turned into the joy of the Lord).
John 2:12. He abides a short time at Capernaum.
John 2:13-17. He manifests His authority by driving out the traders from the temple, His Father's house.
John 2:18-22. The Jews ask a sign, but He will only speak of His body, the true temple, being destroyed and raised again in three days by Himself.
John 2:23-25. Many believed on His name on seeing the miracles that He did; but He could not trust them (for however sincere their convictions, their consciences were unreached: there was no sense of need, and no work of God in them: they had not been born again. These last three verses really belong to John 3.)
John 3:1-21.
Jesus first teaches Nicodemus the need of the new birth: he must be born of the word (cf. James 1:18; 1 Peter 1:23) and of the Holy Spirit: this he, as a teacher in Israel, should have known to be necessary for the earthly kingdom: cf. Ezek. 36 (John 3:3, 7 should read ' born anew,' completely from the beginning.) He then brings out heavenly things, namely, eternal life for all who should believe (Jew or Gentile) consequent upon the judgment of sin in the cross of God's Son, whom God had given in love to the world. But man's bad conscience and opposed will hate the revelation of God—the Light.
John 3:22-34. Jesus came into Judaea, and was baptizing (by His disciples). John bears further testimony to Jesus, His heavenly origin and mission.
John 3:35, 36. The Son has all power to bring out the Father's counsels: cf. chap. 17:1-3. (These verses are the evangelist's, not the Baptist's, to whom Christianity and eternal life were unknown.)
John 4:1-3.
Jesus retires into Galilee when the Pharisees heard that He had more disciples than John. (The Lord's formal mission did not commence until John's was closed by imprisonment: cf. Matt. 4:12.)
John 4:4-42. Rejected in Judæa, He rejoices in winning a sinful woman of Samaria. He is the giver of living water, that is, the Spirit, whereby is a present enjoyment of eternal life in the heavens. (Ver. 14.)
Her questions bring out the true character of christian worship: the Father is seeking for true worshippers.
Many of the men of the city believe on Christ and make Him welcome, owning Him as the “Savior of the world” (the true Son of Jacob—Joseph, Zaphnath-Paaneah: cf. Gen. 41:45).
John 4:31-38. Jesus declares His food was to do the will of Him that sent Him.
John 4:43-54. In Galilee, among the poor of the flock, Jesus raises the nobleman's son by a word-His second miracle—showing that, whilst He was unfolding heavenly things according to the Father's counsels (vers. 1-42), He was at the same time, as the Christ, a healer for the remnant of Israel, which was, as it were, at the point of death.
John 5.
This chapter gives us the operations of the Father and the Son in grace, in new creation. The case of the powerless man illustrates the teaching that follows in the chapter.
John 5:1-9.-Jesus heals the impotent man at the pool of Bethesda. (He had no power to avail himself of what mercies remained of the old covenant, but the word of Christ carried power to him. He feels his Healer is superior to the Sabbath (ver. 9) and holds His word paramount.)
John 5:10-16. The man reveals the Lord to the Jews, and they seek to slay Him.
John 5:17-47. Jesus reasons with the Jews. Sin had come in and spoiled God's rest, so that both the Father and Christ were at work for man. (Love and holiness cannot be inactive in the presence of sin, and of man's misery.) He did nothing independently of the Father, though He gave life to whom He would, and will also execute judgment. (All must receive from Christ either judgment or, if believers, life eternal, and hence these shall never have judgment. The present hour of quickening souls will be followed by the hour wherein bodies will be raised.) They were without excuse in rejecting Him, for testimony had been borne to Him by (1) John the Baptist; (2) His works; (3) by the Father at His baptism; (4) by the Old Testament scriptures. Moses would accuse them.
John 6:1-14.
Jesus, as the Messiah, feeds the five thousand. (Psa. 132:15.)
John 6:15-21. On their seeking to make Him a king (cf. ver. 26) in a carnal way, He retires to a mountain alone, while the disciples are in a storm on the sea (setting forth that He would renounce Messianic blessings to ascend to heaven, and bring in the heavenly and spiritual blessings of new creation. (cf. Eph. 1:3.)
John 6:22-40. The multitude reproved for following Him merely because of being fed. They ask for a sign, as Moses gave them bread from heaven; but Jesus says it was God who gave that bread, and He had now sent to them Jesus Himself, the bread of life. God's will was that every one that believed on Him should have eternal life.
John 6:41-71. The Jews murmur at Him because He said He had come down from heaven. He replied that no one could come to Him except drawn of the Father: all should be taught of God. The bread that Jesus gave was His flesh, which He would give for the life of the world. (For it is not merely that He was the Messiah incarnate, but He must die in order to bring in new creation and heavenly blessings for man.) To have life they must eat His flesh and drink His blood (feeding by faith on His sacrificial death, the appropriation to oneself of His death, wherein the history of the first man was brought to an end in judgment; and wherein what we are was condemned. "If one died for all, then were all dead"). Then, having life, there is eating for the maintenance of life: as Jesus lived on account of the Father, so he that eateth Him shall live on account of Him. (The Son of man had come down, and He would ascend to where He was before. Life and blessing would be in Him there, in another world, that world of the Father's love and counsels.)
Many of His disciples were stumbled at His sayings and associated with Him no more (as branches of the vine broken off); Jesus asked the twelve if they would also leave Him. Peter said they knew He was the Holy One of God, to whom else could they go? (This chapter and the Lord's supper both refer to the same thing, namely, the Lord's death, but they do not refer to one another.)
John 7:1-9.
The Jews seeking to kill Him, He remained in Galilee. He is rejected of His brethren. They urge Him to show Himself to the world at the feast of tabernacles. He replies, " My time has not yet come." (In the last days, after the harvest (in-gathering of the heavenly saints and judgment of Christendom), and the vintage ( judgment of the apostate vine of the earth, the Jewish nation) the Lord will show Himself in glory to the world at the millennial fulfillment of the feast of Tabernacles. But here the Lord substitutes Christianity for earthly blessings and joys for Israel.)
John 7:10-31. Jesus taught in the temple. He spoke nothing of Himself. If any would do the will of God He should know whether the doctrine was from God or of man. Moses gave them the law, they did not keep it, but sought to kill Him because He had cured a man on the sabbath. Many believed on Him.
John 7:32-53. The Pharisees, finding many believed on Him, sent officers to take Him. He said He would go to Him that sent Him. They should not find Him.
On the great day of the feast (the eighth day, the beginning of a new state) He cried, If any one thirsts, let him come unto Me and drink, and out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water; alluding to the Holy Spirit, which should be given them when He was glorified in heaven.
(The Spirit of God sent down from Him in glory would fill the Christian with heavenly joy and satisfaction, and, through the inward spiritual affections, would go out in spreading blessings to others in this barren scene.)
The people were divided in their opinion of Him, and the officers returned without Him, saying, “Never man spake like this man”.
The Pharisees argue that neither they nor any of the rulers had believed on Him; but Nicodemus said He ought to be heard before He be condemned. They disperse to their own homes and Jesus goes to the Mount of Olives.
John 8.
There is a division in the gospel here. In John 8 and 9 Christ is seen as the Light. This subject is fittingly introduced by the case of the woman taken in adultery. She is brought alone (cf. Lev. 20:10) merely to tempt Jesus, so that they might accuse Him: will He condemn her, or set aside the law? He brings their own sins to their remembrance, and writing on the ground gave time for conscience to work: with guilty consciences, but without honesty or faith, they crept out of the presence of the Light. The Lord did not condemn her nor speak of grace, but bade her sin no mere. (We do not find forgiveness of sins in this gospel, except it be administrative forgiveness by the disciples. As to John 8:6, 8 cf. Jer. 17:13: He was not come to execute the judgments of the law.)
John 8:12-32. Jesus declares that He was the light of the world. The law declared that the testimony of two was true. He and the Father both bore witness to Him. They must die in their sins if they did not believe on Him. To those who did believe, He said if they continued in His word they would truly be His disciples, and the truth would make them free (they would be morally set free before God, cf. John 8:36).
John 8:33-59. The people claim to be the seed of Abraham, and were never in bondage. Our Lord admitted that (after the flesh) they were the seed of Abraham, but morally as before God they were not, but were of their father the devil, who was a murderer and a liar.
Jesus declared that any one who kept His word should never die, but they objected that Abraham and the prophets had all died: was He greater than they? Jesus said that Abraham saw His day and rejoiced, adding "Before Abraham was I AM" (the supreme name of God). They took up stones to stone Him, but He hid Himself. His word was rejected.
John 9.
Jesus is also rejected in the testimony of His works. One born blind was cured on the Sabbath. He had been born thus that the works of God should be made manifest in him. It became a test case for the rulers. They could not deny that a notable miracle had been wrought; but said, "Give glory to God: we know that this man is sinful." The man knew that he could now see, and believed that if Jesus were not of God He could do nothing. But they cast him out of the synagogue. (This son of light (cf. ver. 5 and chap. 12: 36) who was faithful to it, was rejected by neighbors, rulers, and parents.)
Jesus finds him, and reveals Himself to him as the Son of God. The man believes and worships Him. Jesus had come for judgment. If the Pharisees had owned their blindness, there was a remedy for their sin; but saying they saw, their sin remained.
John 10.
Efficacious grace that gathers out the sheep unto Himself, the new Center, outside the Jewish fold. (The Jews had been helping on the work of the Lord without knowing it in excommunicating the man in John 9.)
As the Shepherd of the sheep He enters by the door (submits to all the conditions of Jehovah). To Him the porter openeth (the power of God by the Holy Spirit removes all obstacles: that is, He gets access to the sheep).
He leadeth His sheep out of the Jewish fold to bring them into life in a new sphere.
He is the door (the means of their entering in). Those who enter in find salvation, liberty, and food (John 10:9), intimacy (John 10:14), and protection (John 10:29). He came that the sheep might have life, and have it abundantly (according to all the power of the life of Jesus in resurrection and ascension: cf. John 20).
The good Shepherd giveth His life for the sheep. He had other sheep (Gentiles): they would hear Him, and there should be one flock and one shepherd. (The fold was abolished, and never reconstructed.)
His Father loved Him, because He laid down His life, that He might take it again: He had this authority from the Father.
There was a division among the Jews as to who Jesus was. The Jews ask Him to tell them plainly whether He is the Christ. He again tells them of His word and His works. They believed not because they were not His sheep (the principle of election shines out here, as elsewhere in this gospel: cf. John 6:44, 65). His sheep shall never perish, but are perfectly safe in His and His Father's hand. He and the Father are one in their care of the sheep.
Again they attempted to stone Him, because He, being a man, made Himself God. He appealed to the law (in the sense of embracing all the Old Testament), which shows (Psa. 82:6) that God's representatives were called gods: why charge Him with blasphemy, He who was manifestly doing the works of God? They should have known that the Father was in Him, and He in the Father. They again sought to take Him, but He retired beyond Jordan.
John 11.
Jesus is proved to be the resurrection and the life; and the raising of Lazarus is an expression of His glory as Son of God. Though Lazarus was sick, Jesus did not visit Mary and Martha until he had been dead four days: a great trial of the faith of those He loved. He waited His Father's time.
They knew that Lazarus would rise again at the last day; but that did not meet their present distress. Oh, that Jesus had come before he had died! Jesus seeing their misery groaned in spirit and wept. They go to the grave.
Jesus lifted up His eyes to His Father, and thanked Him that He always heard Him. He said it aloud that the people might hear and believe. Then, with a loud cry, "Lazarus, come forth," he is raised, and comes forth, although bound hand and foot with grave clothes, and is restored to his sisters.
Many of the Jews believed, but others hastened to the Pharisees with the news. These called a council in which it was admitted that unquestionable miracles were being wrought, and that some means must be taken to stop His work: for if all believed on Him the Romans (their jealousy being aroused by such a manifestation) would take away their place and nation. But Caiaphas was used of God to prophesy that Jesus should die for the nation. The apostle could add “not for that nation only but to gather in one all the children of God.”
From that day they took counsel how to put Jesus to death; but He retired to Ephraim.
The last passover approached, and He was anxiously sought for; but the Pharisees ordered that He should be betrayed that they might take Him.
John 12:1-11
Jesus at Bethany, and anointed by Mary. They made Jesus a supper. Martha served (is not now rebuked); she had learned through the resurrection of her brother that Jesus was the Son of God; Lazarus sat at table with Jesus, and Mary, though not a prophetess, in true appreciation of Jesus, anoints His feet. She and her action are Defended by Him. Many came to see the one risen from the dead, but the rulers sought to put Lazarus also to death, because many by reason of him believed in Jesus.
John 12:12-19. Jesus enters into Jerusalem and is hailed by the people. King of Israel. The Pharisees in dismay said, "Behold, the world is gone after him".
John 12:20-26. Some Greeks came and desired to see Jesus; but the Lord waives His earthly kingdom and rights for a time to take the cross, saying, He, as the corn of wheat, must die or remain alone (only after death, in resurrection life, could He associate others with Himself in blessing). The disciple's life here must be given up in view of life eternal. The Father would honor those who served Jesus and who followed Him, and such should be with Him.
John 12:27-36. The Lord's soul was troubled, and He asks to be saved from the hour that awaited Him, but immediately adds that it was for this that He came. He asks the Father to glorify His own name. His Father replied that He had glorified it, and would glorify it again. It was for the people to hear.
The crisis was approaching: the judgment of the world in condemning the Lord, but also the breaking the power of Satan. Christ lifted up would be the one attracting center for all mankind. The light was among them only for a little while longer. He went and hid Himself.John 12:37-30. The unbelief of the people verified the prophecy of Isaiah. But many of the rulers believed on Him, though they feared to confess it. (For the place of confession cf. Rom. 10:9; and for the fearful,' Rev. 21:8.) Jesus was not then come to judge, but to save the world. The Father was ever before Him. He spoke as the Father directed Him. This closed His intercourse with the people.
John 13.
Jesus now turns exclusively to His disciples. John 13 to 17 are anticipatory of the cross, which is taken as accomplished.
Having loved His own, He loved them to the end, and shows how His love would be active for them during His absence.
Jesus, in spirit now in heaven, rises from the paschal supper and washes His disciples' feet. They had been washed, and were clean (except Judas), and needed only to have their feet washed. (During His absence in heaven, He would have His own enjoy their part with Him there—be in spirit in communion with Him: for this there must be a moral condition, wrought by the word in relation to His advocacy on high.)
He, having washed their feet, teaches that, in like manner, they should wash one another's feet (seeking to remove everything from the saints that would hinder them having fellowship with Him where He is).
John 13:18-30. His betrayal foretold and Judas pointed out to John as the one who would deliver Him up. Judas having received a sop Satan entered into him, and he went out (before the Lord's supper, the institution of which is not here recorded).
John 13:31-33. Now was the Son of man glorified, and God was glorified in Him: as a consequence God would glorify Him straightway, without waiting for the kingdom in manifestation.
He gave them a new commandment, that they should love one another as He had loved them (superior to the faults in the flesh). He was going to leave them.
John 13:36-38. Peter boasts of his faithfulness, but is told of his impending fall.
John 14:1-14. Jesus comforts them in respect to His leaving them. He was going to prepare a place for them in His Father's house, and would come again to fetch them unto Himself. (He is leading out more and more from Jewish earthly things to the heavenly and unseen.)
He was the way, the truth, and the life, approach to, knowledge of, and enjoyment of, the Father.
He that had seen Jesus had seen the Father. He was in the Father and the Father in Him.
He that believed on Him should do greater works than He had done (as when three thousand were converted in one day, and as when the shadow of Peter, and handkerchiefs and aprons from the body of Paul were enough to effect cures). And whatsoever they should ask in His name He would do it, that the Father might be glorified in the Son.
John 14:15-26. The Father would send them another Comforter in the name of Jesus (in John 15:26 and 16: 7, Christ sends the Holy Spirit), the Spirit of truth, who would abide with them, teach them all things, and bring all He had said to them to their remembrance.
He that possessed His commandments, and kept them, should be loved of the Father, and Christ would love him and manifest Himself to him Yea, He and the Father would make their abode with him that kept His words.
John 14:27-31. Jesus gave His own peace to them (the peace He had with the Father, above the enmity of the world). If they loved Him they would for His sake rejoice that He was going to the Father. Henceforth He would not talk much with them. The prince of this world was coming, but had nothing in Him. The world might know that He loved His Father, and kept His commandment by His giving up His life.
John 15.
Jesus, when on earth, was the true vine (as Israel ought to have been, Psa. 80:8). The branch that was bearing fruit was purged (the same word as “clean” in verse 3) that it might bear more fruit. The branches must abide in the vine or they could bear no fruit. If a man abode not in Him, he was cast out as a dried branch, which men burn (mere professors, as Judas).
John 15:8. The Father would be glorified by their bearing much fruit, and they would prove themselves disciples of Him whose whole life was fruit for God.
John 15:9-17. Abiding in the love of Christ and loving one another are linked with keeping His commandments.
John 15:18-27. They would be hated of the world, as it had hated the Father and Christ.
When the Comforter was come, the Spirit of truth, He would bear witness to Christ, and the disciples should also bear witness because they had been with Him from the beginning.
John 16.
Jesus continues to comfort the disciples. They would be turned out of the synagogue, and some of them would be killed, their persecutors thinking they were serving God (as did Saul of Tarsus). But it was profitable for them that He should go away, for otherwise the Comforter could not come.
When He was come He would be a demonstration to the world of sin, because they believed not on Jesus (but crucified Him). Of righteousness, because He went to the Father (and was received by Him). Of judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged (who led the world to reject Him).
Jesus had many things to say to them, but they had not power to receive them until the Holy Ghost should come; the Holy Spirit would guide them into all the truth. He would skew them things to come, and would glorify Jesus in taking of His things—the things given Him by the Father—and showing them unto the disciples.
For a little while they should not see Jesus, and after a little while they should see Him. They would sorrow while He was away, but He would come again and they should rejoice. (They saw Him after He arose, but the complete fulfillment of this will be when He returns.)
They were to ask Christ nothing (in the sense of asking Him to go to the Father for them), for whatsoever they should ask the Father in His name, the Father would give them, for the Father Himself loved them, because they had loved Jesus and had believed that God had sent Him.
He had spoken to them in proverbs, but would declare to them plainly of the Father. He came from the Father, and was going to Him again. They said they believed that He came from God (missing the Lord's meaning); but He warned them that they would all leave Hun.
What Jesus spoke was in order that they might have peace in Him: in the world they would have tribulation: but He had overcome the world.
(This closes the Lord's discourses with His disciples.)
John 17.
Prayer of Jesus to the Father, that the Father's counsels may be accomplished.
John 17:1-5. His glory as Son of the Father and His work. Authority over all flesh had been given Him (see 1 Cor. 11:3), that He should give eternal life to those given to Him. This life is characterized by the knowledge of the Father and of Jesus Christ, His sent One.
John 17:6-19. Jesus puts His disciples in His own relationship with the Father, and prays that they may enjoy its full blessedness. Their consequent position in this world: not of it, as He was not of it.
John 17:20, 21. Others, all Christians, to be brought into like blessings of oneness in the Father and the Son.
John 17:22-26. Results in oneness in the future, and in seeing the glory of the Son. They were to enjoy in the present time the relationship in love.
John 18:1-14.
Jesus enters into the garden and is betrayed by Judas. But on Jesus saying, I am He, they went backward and fell to the ground. He is led to Caiaphas.
John 18:15-18; 25-27. Peter denies his Lord.
John 18:29-24. Jesus before Caiaphas.
John 18:28-40. Jesus before Pilate. Confesses Himself a King.
John 19:1-18.
Jesus is pronounced to be guiltless, yet is condemned by Pilate. He presents Him to the Jews in His true character as King, but they cry, Away with him, crucify him.' They declared that they had no king but Caesar.
John 19:19-22. Pilate again proclaims Jesus as King of the Jews in the title over the cross.
John 19:23,24 The soldiers fulfill the scripture by casting lots for His garment.
John 19:25-27. Jesus commits His mother to John. (In all this the sufferings of the Lord are not prominent, according to the character of this gospel.)
John 19:28-30. Jesus fulfills all, and of Himself delivers up His spirit.
John 19:31-37. The Jews asked for the bodies to be removed, for they wanted to keep a great day. Further scriptures were fulfilled. From His pierced side blood and water flowed: cf. John 5:6-8.
John 19:38-42. The Lord was laid in the tomb.
John 20.
A new day (first of the week), a new name (brethren), new relationship (children of God), new creation, new power, a new assemblage with a new center—Jesus in the midst.
John 20:1-10. The empty tomb visited by Mary Magdalene, Peter and John.
John 20:11-18. The Lord makes Himself known to Mary. She, representing the Jewish believing remnant of that time, would hold Him, as having Him back again as before the cross: `Christ after the flesh' but she must not touch Him, for He had not yet ascended to His Father; but was to go and tell His brethren that He ascended to His Father and their Father, to His God and their God. (All are now brought into the same relationship to the Father, and the same position as Himself before God: the Jewish hopes are replaced by eternal life.)
John 20:19-23. The features of the present moment. Jesus appears to His disciples. He speaks peace to them. As the Father had sent Him, He also sent them. He then breathed into them, and said, Receive ye [the] Holy Spirit' (not as a divine person to abide with them, as in Acts 2, but as spirit of life in Christ-new creation: cf. Gen. 2:7). Whose sins they remitted, were remitted; and whose sins they retained, were retained. (Administrative forgiveness in the hands of the disciples.)
John 20:24-29. Thomas was absent and disbelieves, but is present on the second visit of Jesus, and then confesses Him as 'My Lord and my God.' (Type of the Jewish remnant of the last days who will not believe till they see Jesus again. (Zech. 12;13) Our Lord said, Blessed are they that have not seen and yet have believed (Christians, cf. 1 Pet. 1: 8).
John 20:30, 31. Jesus did many other signs which are not here recorded; but "these are written that ye may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing ye might have life through his name "-these being the points specially brought out in this gospel.
John 21.
A supplementary chapter, in which all is purposely mysterious. We get the manifestation of Jesus on earth (in figure the millennial gathering from the sea, the Gentiles.)
John 21:1-14. The disciples go a fishing (from whence they had been called) but catch nothing until the Lord comes to them in the morning and directs their labor, and thus reveals Himself to them. He had bread and fish ready for them on a fire. (Type of Christ providing for His people in the millennium.)
John 21:15-23. The Lord deals individually with Peter. He had boasted that though all should forsake Him he would not; yet he had denied Him thrice, and is now asked thrice if he loved Him. The result is “Feed my lambs”; “Shepherd my sheep”; “Feed my sheep”.
Peter should die as a martyr-he is graciously allowed to do in the strength of God that which he had failed to do when he had boasted in his own strength.
It was not for Peter to know what should befall John. (John's ministry reaches on mystically to the coming again of the Lord Jesus Christ; he tells of the antichrist, and of the church being spued out of Christ's mouth, &c.)
John 21:24, 25. John bore testimony to the things recounted; but there were many other things not written.