02/21/2022 – Gospel of John – Final Chapter – 21 Commentary – 1 of 2: The Resurrection is an historic fact!
I encourage y’all to read Paul’s section : “Resurrection Essential to the Faith” in 1 Corinthians 15: 12-19. Verse 19 concludes with: “If we have placed our hope in Christ for this life only, we should be pitied more than anyone. Halley’s Bible Handbook concludes his commentary of John Chapter 20 with: “What a Halo of Glory the simple belief sheds on human life. Our hope of resurrection and life everlasting is based, not on a philosophic guess about immortality, but an historic fact. Here are 7 arguments supporting this fact conclusion. Note #5 in the same Chapter 15, verse 6 where Paul notes there were 500 brothers that Jesus appeared to at one time! As noted, how do you discount the testimony of all those witnesses, many of whom were still living when Paul wrote Corinthians just 20 years later. What if just
one rose up to say: “That is a lie!”
https://www.learnreligions.com/proofs-of-the-resurrection-700603
Halley notes in his commentary: “The Five Most Important Chapters in the entire Bible we consider to be Matthew 28, Mark 16, Luke 24, John 20 and 21, because they tell of the Most Important Event in human history, the Resurrection of Christ from the Dead, capstone of the whole BIble.”
Of all my commentators: Halley; Matthew Henry; John Gill; William Barclay; and my Apologetics Study Bible; only Halley presents this explanation at least in part for Jesus asking Peter three times:
“Do you love me? see verses 15 through 19 – ‘Jesus’ Threefold Restoration of Peter ‘ : “More than these” (15). These things? Or, these men? The masculine and neuter forms of the Greek word for ‘these’ are are the same. There is no way to tell in which sense it is here used. ‘ Do you love me more than you love this fishing business?’ Was Jesus twitting Peter for his three-fold denail? Or was he gently chiding him for returning to the fishing business? We are inclined to think the latter. (*A)
(*A) – Note : The other commentators seemed to fall in more that “more than these” was referring to the other disciples, not the “fishing business”.
‘Lovest thou me? (15, 16, 17). Jesus uses ‘agapan’. Peter uses ‘philein’. Two Greek words for ‘love.’ ‘Apapan’ expresses a higher type of devotion. Peter refuses to use it. The third time Jesus comes down to Peter’s word.”
Note – this explanation seems to fit even better with why Peter was grieved after the Lord asked him the third time.
For FYI – I expect y’all might have this as well, but I am going to share 2 footnotes in my Apologetics Study Bible:
21:14: “But John alrread narrated four appearances! Presumably, the one to Mary didn’t count as ‘to the disciples,’ which leaves three — On Easter Sunday night ( 20: 19 – 23); one week later (20: 24 – 29) and now later still in Galilee (21: 1-14)
21: 18 – 19: “Jesus’ cryptic prophecy seems to have been fulfilled when Peter was martyrd by crucifixtion during Nero’s persecutions of A.D. 64 and 68, as attested by early church tradition.”
Sticking with Jesus’ prophecy of Peter’s future martyrdom, I want to share just a part of Matthew Henry’s excellent commentary -covering pages #1633 and #1634:
“II. Having confirmed to him the honour of an apostle, he now tells him of further preferment designed him – the honour of a martyr….
(2) He foretells particularly that he should die by the hands of an executioner. The tradition of the ancients informs us that Peter was crucified at Rome under Nero. The pomp and solemnity of an execution add much to the terror of death. Death, in these horried shapes, has often been the lot of Christ’s faithful ones. It was a violent death that he should be carried to, such a death as even innocent nature could not think of without dread. He that puts on the Christianb does not put off the man. Christ himself prayed against the bitter cup. A natural aversion to pain and death is well reconciable with a holy submission to the will of God in both. …
2. … There is one way into the world, but many ways out, and God has determined which way we should go. It is the greatest concern of every good man, whatever death he dies, to glorify God in it. When we die patiently, die cheerfully, and die usefully, we glorify God in dying. The death of the martyrs was in a special manner for the glorifying of God. The blood of the martyrs has been seed of the church.” (*B)
‘(*B) – I have pointed out recently my belief that Chapter 7 of Revelation – “A Multitude from the Great Tribulation” prophecies a Christian martyrdom globally in very large numbers, just prior to the Second Coming of Christ . Pray Ephesians 6:13 : “to stand fast to His glory”, and by God’s grace, we shall!
Soli Deo Gloria indeed! I have much enjoyed these 21 days in the Gospel of John. Stay tuned as we start another read through the Bible in a year, starting Monday, March 1st , two days prior to Ash Wednesday and Lent.