SCENE VIII. DINING WITH CHRIST ON THE SHORE OF TIBERIAS. "So when they had dined, Jesus saith to Simon Peter, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me more than these? Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, He saith unto him, Yea, Feed my lambs. He saith to him again the second time, TOWARD the close of the day, a group of Galilean fishermen may be seen standing together on the shore of the Lake Tiberias. They seem to be in the mood of men who have nothing particular to engage their attention; upon whose time, for the present, there are no special demands. The group consists of "Simon Peter, Thomas called Didymus, and Nathanael of Cana in Gali Q lee, and the sons of Zebedee, and two other of the disciples" of Christ. Drawing near to this company of fishermen, the first words we hear are spoken by Simon Peter. He "saith unto them, I go a fishing;" just as if the thought had suddenly occurred to him that it was strange for him to be idling away his time on the shore; that he might as well be away to sea, and engaged in the duties of his calling and so they all thought, as soon as Peter had intimated his intention to them. 66 They say unto him, We also go with thee." The action is suited to the word, their purpose promptly carried into effect. "They went forth, and entered into a ship immediately." There is a time for every thing; and every thing is beautiful in its season. There is a time for rest, as well as a time for toil. Fishermen cannot, any more than others, be always engaged in their laborious calling. Industrious application, whether of the mind or of the body, is followed by weariness and exhaustion; and a season of refreshment and repose is necessary. That season had been enjoyed by the disciples; and the time for work had come. They had been long enough on the land: it was now time for them to be off to sea. For a while, however, it seemed as if they might as well have remained on the shore: "That night they caught nothing." There is much uncertainty about the fisherman's calling. The toil is often endured, and the danger braved, apparently in vain. It happened thus to the disciples on several occasions: they did their best, and were wholly unsuccessful. It would have sometimes been very difficult to persuade them of the truth of what the Wise Man says,—that "in all labour there is profit." And yet this is true; and it was true even in the present instance. "That night they caught nothing;" but the unsuccessfulness of the night was more than compensated by the miraculous draught of fishes in the morning: the unrequited toils of many dark hours were amply rewarded by the appearance of Christ on the shore, as morning began to break. The gracious discovery of Jesus to them, and the fresh proof he gave them of his miraculous knowledge and power, were cheaply bought by a long night of patient, but fruitless, labour. The morning was spread upon the mountains of Gali lee ; but as yet the light was not sufficient to enable the disciples to distinguish the features or person of Him who stood on the shore, and hailed them with the kind inquiry, "Children, have ye any meat ?" What tenderness these words express! what interest in the disciples' welfare! The Stranger wished to know how it had fared with them during the night, and whether they had food for their present necessities. The question is proposed in tones so gentle and friendly, as plainly to show that no idle curiosity prompts it. It proceeded from a generous and affectionate heart. The words were spoken by One who was concerned for their comfort, and desired to promote it. And is not Jesus always interested in his disciples' comfort? Is he not ever thinking of them, and making provision for them? Does he not take knowledge of their temporal circumstances, as well as of what relates to their spiritual interests? Is not his care extended to the body as truly as to the soul? Nothing affecting the safety or happiness of his people is too insignificant for his condescending and wondrous love to notice. He asks about their food: "Children, have ye any meat? They answered him, No. And he said unto them, Cast the net on the right side of the ship, and ye shall find. They cast therefore, and now they were not able to draw it for the multitude of fishes." Where is the region concealed from Christ? Which are the creatures uncontrolled by his power? His eye penetrates the deep sea; and the multitude of fishes gather, at his will, into the disciples' net. The light of the morning was clearer now, and they might more easily recognise their Lord. But other light, beside that of the morning, breaks in upon them; and the miracle reveals to them who he was who hailed them from the shore. "That disciple whom Jesus loved saith unto Peter, It is the Lord." And Peter, hearing this, immediately girt his fisher's coat about him, and cast himself into the sea. Peter was always in a hurry. He seldom stopped to think what he was going to say or do. If he had, his sayings and doings would have often been more creditable to him. Not that we blame him now for yielding to the impulsiveness of his nature, although it led him to adopt a somewhat unceremonious mode of reaching Christ. The other disciples, more orderly in their pro cedure, came in a little ship, dragging the net with fishes." Having reached the land, they found that Christ had been preparing for their entertainment. A fire was kindled, and fish were broiling on the coals, and bread was provided. "Jesus saith unto them, Come and dine;" or, "Come and eat;" for the original Greek word sometimes signifies, "to take meat in the morning;" so here it might be rendered, "Come and breakfast." Dr. Campbell observes, "The ancients used regularly but two meals in a day; we use three. As, of our three, dinner and supper have been regarded as the two principal, it has obtained, not only with us, but all over Europe, to call the first meal of the ancients by the first of these two, which is dinner; and the second by the latter, which is supper. It is the order which has fixed the names of these meals, and not the precise time of the day at which they were eaten, which is commonly variable." What a To dine with Christ on the shore of Tiberias! privilege! O that we could thus enjoy the intimate friendship of Christ!-that we might be permitted to listen to his voice, and share in his solicitudes, and feed upon the food his hands have prepared! But he walks no more on earth; he has returned to the glory which he had with the Father before the world began, and is no longer seen among men. True; but his heart is with us he reveals himself to them that seek him, and feeds them with the bread of life. And many a meal have still; |