JOHN LESSON 55


     We will begin this lesson in John 21:14.

     V-14, "This is now the third time that Jesus shewed himself to
his disciples, after that he was risen from the dead."

     In the previous lesson, Jesus was on the sea shore feeding the
disciples.  Now we read that this is the third time that Jesus has
appeared to them since the resurrection.  This still bothers me that
even after they knew He had resurrected from the grave and was, in
fact, glorified, that they would not be out ministering the things
that He had taught them.  At some point in our life, we have to get
off the sidelines and get into the heat of battle to win people to the
kingdom.  These disciples are sitting around waiting for Jesus to do
it all.  Jesus, I believe, is trying to show them in all of this, that
if they will do what He has ordered them to do (cast the net on the
right side), they will bring many souls to God.

     V-15, "So when they had dined, Jesus saith to Simon Peter, Simon,
son of Jonas, lovest thou me more than these?  He saith unto him, Yea,
Lord; thou knowest that I love thee.  He saith unto him, Feed my
lambs."

     This statement to Peter overlooks the fact that Peter had denied
Jesus three times.  Jesus had told Peter that he was a rock.  When
Peter told Jesus that He was Jesus the Christ the Son of the living
God, Jesus had told Peter that flesh and blood had not revealed this
to Peter, but the Spirit of God.  As we said in a previous lesson,
Peter was ready to fight for Jesus.  He just didn't understand Jesus
allowing them to take Him.  Peter has no way of knowing whether he
loves Jesus more than these other disciples do.  He does know that he
has great love for the Lord.  He also knows that Jesus knows what is
in his heart.  At this point, Peter is just happy that the Lord will
have him back at all.  In Matthew 16:17-19, "And Jesus answered and
said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood
hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven."
V-18, "And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this
rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail
against it."  V-19, "And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom
of heaven; and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in
heaven:  and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in
heaven."  We see from this that great power and authority in the
church had been given Peter.  God never goes back when He has said
something.  This promise Jesus made Peter was still in effect.  Jesus,
now, is telling Peter, get on about your mission, start now to feed my
lambs.  Feed them, so they can become mature sheep.  These baby
Christians who belong to Jesus are the lambs Jesus is talking about.
Teach them and make them mature Christians.

     V-16, "He saith to him again the second time, Simon, son of
Jonas, lovest thou me?  He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest
that I love thee.  He saith unto him, Feed my sheep."

     Notice the only difference here in Jesus' reply is He changes
lambs to sheep.  Peter is to keep the sheep (more mature) Christians
in correct fellowship, as well as the lambs.

     V-17, "He saith unto him the third time, Simon, son of Jonas,
lovest thou me?  Peter was grieved because he said unto him the third
time, Lovest thou me?  And he said unto him, Lord, thou knowest all
things; thou knowest that I love thee.  Jesus saith unto him, Feed my
sheep."

     This is really aggravating Peter, but he should remember that he
denied Jesus three times, so now he must reverse that denial into
total recognition.  Jesus really is telling Peter here, I am setting
you over my Church, and you are to see that the pure Word of God is
fed to those who believe in me (sheep).  This is a commission of God
for Peter to oversee the Church.  When Peter called Him Lord, it tells
all.  Peter will now obey Jesus to the utmost.  Jesus does know the
great love that Peter ha s for Him and that is why He entrusts the
Church to Peter.

     V-18, "Verily, verily, I say unto 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, another shall
gird thee, and carry thee whither thou wouldest not."

     Jesus Christ, the Victor, is telling Peter, here, that Peter will
be the helm of the church, and Peter in His youth will be strong, and
will walk in that strength, but He is, also, telling Peter of his
death: that he will be captured and held against his will.  Peter has
called Jesus, Lord, so Peter truly is no longer his own man, he will
do the will of his Lord.  Jesus, here, tells Peter of the persecution
that will come.

     V-19, "This spake he, signifying by what death he should glorify
God.  And when he had spoken this, he saith unto him, Follow me."

     We see here, Jesus telling Peter that Peter will follow Him not
only in His life's work, but in His death, as well.  Jesus is giving
Peter a sign, so that He will know in days to come.

     V-20, "Then Peter, turning about, seeth the disciple whom Jesus
loved following; which also leaned on his breast at supper, and said,
Lord, which is he that betrayeth thee?"

     This is speaking of John the beloved.

     V-21, "Peter seeing him saith to Jesus, Lord, and what shall this
man do?"

     Peter is trying to get Jesus to tell him what work Jesus will
have John to do.  This is not the Lord's way though.  The Lord will
tell John, and only John, what the work is that He has for him to do.

     V-22, "Jesus saith unto him, If I will that he tarry till I come,
what is that to thee?  follow thou me."

     Jesus is telling Peter that each of us has a special work to do
that the Lord called only us to do.  We should not be concerned about
someone else's work, only the work God has given us to do.  There is
no place for jealousy in God's kingdom.  This also indicates here,
that maybe John never died.  He could have been like Enoch.  On one of
the times he went to heaven, maybe he just stayed.  There really is no
record of John ever dying.  It really is not any of Peter's business,
or ours, what happened to John.  That is Jesus' business.  He closes
this statement to Peter by saying, you just do the work I have given
you to do.

     V-23, "Then went this saying abroad among the brethren, that that
disciple should not die:  yet Jesus said not unto him, He shall not
die; but, If I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to thee?"

     This statement is still brought up today even among Christians.
We know that Elijah was carried to heaven in a whirlwind without
dying, because he pleased God.  John was John the beloved, he pleased
God also, so it would not be unlikely that the same thing would happen
to him.  As I said, it really is not our concern.

     V-24, "This is the disciple which testifieth of these things, and
wrote these things:  and we know that his testimony is true."

     John is speaking of himself here.  John was very close to Jesus.
He was called the disciple of love, because of the great love he had
for Jesus.  He understood Jesus more than any of the others.

     V-25, "And there are also many other things which Jesus did, the
which, if they should be written every one, I suppose that even the
world itself could not contain the books that should be written.
Amen."

     We see from this last statement here (in another way) John is
telling us that every miracle and every word uttered by Jesus upon
this earth was revealing to mankind the overwhelming fullness of the
Godhead.  That the Father, the Word, and the Holy Spirit are all
somehow beautifully manifested to man in the life and ministery of
Jesus Christ upon the earth.  John is so awed by the person of Jesus
Christ that he does not have the words to express His greatness.  In
I John 5:7 he comes as close a possible for any man to describe this
completeness, "For there are three that bear record in heaven, the
Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost:  and these three are one."  In
Jesus Christ the Son of God dwelled all the fullness of the Godhead
bodily.  God is everything, to everyone, in every way.

Thank you for taking the time to let me share with you my thoughts on
my favorite penman of my favorite book of the Bible.

Your friend in Christ,
Louise Haney
                           John 55 Questions


1.  In verse 4, John explains that Jesus had revealed Himself to them
    after the resurrection how many times?
2.  What name did Jesus call Peter in verse 15?
3.  What question did Jesus ask Peter?
4.  How did Peter answer?
5.  What did Jesus tell Peter to do?
6.  What had Jesus told Peter he was earlier?
7.  Who had revealed to Peter that Jesus was the Christ the Son of the
    living God?
8.  In Matthew 16:17-19, Jesus had placed Peter as what?
9.  What are lambs spiritually?
10. What did Jesus ask Peter the second time?
11. What is the only difference in the work Jesus gave Peter to do in
    the second question?
12. Whose son was Jonas?
13. What one name has Peter called Jesus that tells what Peter's life
    will be?
14. In verse 18, what is Jesus forewarning Peter of?
15. Verse 19, says this message of Jesus' to Peter signifies what?
16. Who are they speaking of when they say he leaned on Jesus breast
    at supper?
17. What question does Peter ask Jesus about John?
18. What did Jesus reply to Peter?
19. What saying went abroad among the brethren after Jesus' answer to
    Peter about John?
20. Whose concern is it what happened to John?
21. What broad statement did John say about Jesus in verse 25?
22. What was every word Jesus uttered on earth trying to do?
23. What does I John 5:7 say?

                                 Notes