THE SUNDAY SCHOOL

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Oakland, California · May 1, 1901

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 27, No. 18.

THE SUNDAY SCHOOL

INTERNATIONAL SERIES

LESSON 5.—MAY 5.—JESUS AND PETER.

Lesson Scripture, John 21:15-22, R.V.

15 “So when they had broken their fast, Jesus saith to Simon Peter, Simon, son of John, 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. He saith to him again a second time, Simon, son of John, lovest thou Me? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; Thou knowest that I love Thee. He saith unto him, Tend My sheep. He saith unto him the third time, Simon, son of John, 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. 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, and another shall gird thee, and carry thee whither thou wouldest not. 19 Now this He spake, signifying by what manner of death he should glorify God. And when He had spoken this, He saith unto him, Follow Me. 20 Peter, turning about, seeth the disciple whom Jesus loved following; which also leaned back on His breast at the supper, and said, Lord, who is he that betrayeth Thee? 21 Peter therefore seeing him saith to Jesus, Lord, and what shall this man do? 22 Jesus saith unto him, If I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to thee? follow thou Me.”

Golden Text: “Lovest thou Me?” Verse 17.

SUGGESTIVE QUESTIONS.

(1) Where, and on what occasion did the events recorded in this lesson occur? Note 1. (2) After they had eaten, what did Jesus say to Peter? What was Peter’s reply? Then what command did the Lord give him? Verse 15. Note 2. (3) In what manner were this question, and reply, and command repeated? Verse 16. Note 3. (4) How was Peter’s love still further tested? How was Peter affected by this probing of his heart? How did he express his feelings? What command did Jesus again repeat? Verse 17. Note 4. (5) What did Jesus say regarding Peter’s youth? How would it be in his old age? Verse 18. (6) What was the significance of this prophecy? To this, what command did Jesus add? Verse 19. Note 5. (7) As Peter turned about, whom did he see? Verse 20. (8) What did he ask concerning this disciple? Verse 21. (9) What did Jesus say in reply to this question? Verse 22. Note 6.

NOTES.

1. The occasion to which the record of this lesson is the sequel, is found in the preceding verses of the chapter. Seven of the disciples were together in Galilee, and Peter proposed going a-fishing. The others went also, and after toiling all night they had nothing for their labor. Early in the morning Jesus appeared on shore, and told them to cast their net on the right side of the ship. When they had done so, they caught a very large draft of fishes. Then they recognized the Lord, and when they came to shore, He had prepared some food for them. Adding some of the fishes they had caught to what Jesus had prepared, they ate a meal, and the further occurrence, noted in the lesson, followed.

2. “Lovest thou Me more than these?” The inquiry is whether Peter loved Him more than the other disciples loved Him. Before Peter’s fall he had implied that such might be the case. On the night of His betrayal, Jesus had said to His disciples, “All ye shall be offended because of Me this night.” Matt. 26:31. And Peter had replied, “Though all men shall be offended because of Thee, yet will I never be offended.” Verse 33. On the present occasion, also, Peter had left the boat hastily and rushed ashore to greet the Lord, leaving the others to do the necessary labor of bringing in the fishes which had been providentially provided for them. If all the brethren had been as demonstrative as Peter, the whole draft and the net also would have been lost. A little careful husbanding of the means the Lord has provided is often as important as a zealous display of enthusiasm.

3. The question is put the second time, but the answer is based on the Saviour’s knowledge, as before. No self-sufficiency is manifested, as in former times. The Lord’s command, “Feed My sheep,” is a repetition of the assurance that He had work for Peter to do—important work, the work of caring for His flock. When a man’s wealth is invested in sheep, it is a great trust that is reposed in his shepherds.

4. “Peter was grieved.”—We can hardly imagine that he was grieved with the Lord; but rather that he was grieved because he had placed himself in a position where he had reason to believe that the Lord doubted his sincerity. Still, notwithstanding his consciousness of unmerit, he still appeals to the Lord’s knowledge of his heart. That knowledge had been well tested when Jesus had foretold Peter’s denial of Him, and His own death and resurrection. But the repeated command, “Feed My sheep,” is the assurance of confidence in the once erring disciple. It was a confidence that would not have been placed by one who did not know the heart of the penitent as well as the heart of the erring.

5. “Follow Me.”—Peter has been assured of a place in the Gospel work, and he has been told the manner of his death in behalf of the faith, and now what is to be the course he shall pursue? The Master had passed thru all this before him, and had come off victor. Besides this, He knew all things, and therefore could tell the one who was to go over the same road just what to do; and He summed it all up in the words, “Follow Me.” Peter understood that, for he had labored in the Master’s company, and learned His manner of life and work and suffering. Peter was not to run ahead of the Master; he was to follow. And this counsel was not alone for Peter, it was for all, even unto the end. There is no other way to success. Jesus says, “I am the way, the truth, and the life.”

6. “What Is That to Thee?”—This reply to Peter’s question, “What shall this man do?” is an emphatic denial of any claim that Peter was to have the supremacy. Otherwise it would have been his business what that other disciple should do. Jesus did not relinquish the leadership when He ascended to heaven. In giving the commission to His disciples before His departure, He added the assurance, “Lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world.” By His Spirit, thru the Word, He is the Leader of all who will follow Him by obedience to His Word. Peter was to feed the sheep—he was restored to the apostleship; but in no sense was he placed above the others.

(See also editorial article, entitled, “The Proof of Love,” on page 7 of this paper.)