Jottings

by J. Miller | Category: Jottings | Jul 1961

Following the second miraculous draught of fishes (John 21), the Lord took Peter aside to speak to him, for he it was who had led his six fellow-apostles away to the fishing in the sea of Galilee, by this time called the sea of Tiberias. They had been called from fishing, which had been the trade of some of them, to catch men with the gospel. But being back in the scenes of their youth, the lure of the sea was too much for Peter, so he said, "I go a fishing," and they said, "We also come with thee." It was a fruitless night, for not one fish entered their net.

As the day was breaking a Man from the beach hailed them, saying, "Children. have ye aught to eat? They answered Him, No." He told them to cast the net on the right side of the boat, and they would find. They did as He told them and they enclosed a multitude of fishes and were unable to draw the net.

John said to Peter, "It is the Lord." When Peter heard this he girt his coat about him and cast himself into the sea, but the others came in the little boat (Ploiarion, a small boat which could come in close to the beach, in contrast to the Ploion, the larger boat, of verse 8, from which they had been fishing during the night), for they were only about two hundred cubits (a little over a hundred yard") from the land. Peter went and helped the others to bring in the catch at the Lord's command, "Bring of the fish which ye have now taken" The net was full of great fishes, a hundred and fifty three and in contrast to the draught of fishes in Luke 5, where "their nets were breaking" "the net was not rent " Ho", bountiful the Lord is in His giving' In both eases He filled the nets to overflowing. Did He not say in the evil and dark days of Malachi that if they brought the whole tithe into the storehouse (the house of God is a storehouse where we can lay up m store and it will be recorded in heaven, though on earth no record is kept of what each one gives, but the Lord sits over against the treasury as of old), He would open the windows of heaven, and pour them out a blessing, that there should not be room enough to receive it? (Malachi 3.10). It is a great pity if we have rheumatism in our fingers that we are not able to pick the money from our purses to give to the Lord! This is not His manner of giving, for He gave His all when He gave Himself. His first miracle in Cana of Galilee is an indication of His giving He said, "Fill the waterpots with water," so they brought and gave Him the water, then He gave them back wine-six waterpots of the best wine. There was nothing inferior in the Lord 5 gift He would not even take advantage of the fact of what the ruler of the feast said, that when men have drunk freely, then that which is worse" was given, when they could not discern between good and bad. He gave that which was good for He gives only good gifts

The kindliness of the Lord is seen in the fact that for His hungry disciples He provided afire, on which fish was cooking and bread. When they had had breakfast He spoke to Peter, apart, on the subject of his love for Him for verse 20 says "Peter, turning about, seeth the disciple whom Jesus loved following" The interview between the Lord and Peter was private, as was that other meeting which the Lord had with Peter on the day of the resurrection and we know only of the event, but not what the Lord said to him (Luke 24 34) We have no doubt that it would be a heart-searching meeting, for Peter who had denied the Lord thrice. In this interview by the sea there is undoubted allusion to Peter's thrice repeated denial in the three-repeated question the Lord put to him about his love for Him Peter went off with the others to get food to feed himself but the Lord reminded him of His lambs and sheep which needed to be fed and who was to feed them if the apostles failed to do this? Would Peter starve if he fed the lambs and sheep Nay, verily! The Lord showed in the miraculous draught of fishes His ability to feed His servants, if they were employed in feeding His sheep. His resources are unlimited. The night before each draught of fishes, they toiled all night and caught nothing. This was man's fruitless effort, but with the Lord present there is neither misspent time nor fruitless labour. John apparently kept following the Lord and Peter, and Peter asked the Lord, "Lord, and what shall this man do?" The Lord has just defined what he himself was to do. He said," Follow Me," "Follow thou Me."

The work of the apostles fell under two heads (1) the work of catching men

(Luke 5.10) with what may be called the gospel-net, and (2) of feeding and tending the Lord's lambs and sheep (John 2i. 15-17). These two forms of their service are associated with miraculous draughts of fishes, as though the Lord would prove to them His ability to see to their needs while they were engaged on seeking the well-being of others. If the Lord calls anyone to His service, He will be at charges for him, whether it is by feeding him by ravens or by a widow's handful of meal in a barrel, or bringing fish in abundance from the sea. All things serve His might and He is able to provide, as He did for Abraham by entangling the horns of a ram in a thornbush.

The chief thing for us all to remember is that men must be caught, and that the Lord's flock must be fed; in a word, the gospel must be preached and the word of God ministered. To this end we must make diligent use of the Scriptures. We shall be of little use in divine service unless we have an intimate knowledge of the word of God, whether we be preaching or teaching.

The great first teacher of Israel was Moses the man of God. He it was by whom God gave to Israel the law (the Torah, the teaching). We need give no heed to men, worldly-wise men, who think that part of the book of the law was given at a much later time than the time of Moses. Of some theological professors who expound theories as to when and by whom the Scriptures were written it may be truly said, "Thy much learning doth turn thee to madness," though this was said untruly of one of the greatest teachers of all time.

Moses uses a beautiful simile when in his song in Deuteronomy 32.1, 2 he refers to the teaching he imparted to Israel in the desert of Sinai:

"Give ear, ye heavens, and I wilt speak;

And let the earth hear the 'words of my mouth:

My doctrine shall drop as the rain,

My speech shall distil as the dew;

As the small rain upon the tender grass,

And as the sheners upon the herb."

Moses' law has often been regarded as something harsh and cruel, more of the hammer than the rain-drop. But it was not so. He who gave to Israel the law to be their rule of life was One who loved Israel with an everlasting love, who said,

"When Israel was a child, then I loved him, and called My son out of Egypt....I drew them with cords of a man, with bands of love" (Hosea 11. 1, 4).

The meaning of the law is love, as we learn from Paul's words in Romans i3. 8-10, and the requirement of the law is to be fulfilled in those who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit (Romans 8.4). The teaching, pleadings and warnings of the law were like the words of a loving father to his wayward children. Thus it was that the teaching of Moses descended upon Israel as the small rain and the dew, not to do harm but to refresh, and give life to such as lived not by bread only, but by every word which proceeded out of the mouth of God. The law of Moses is foundational to the whole of the book of the divine Scriptures. In it is not only the rule of life, but it also contains the promise of a Divine Deliverer to all who have fallen under sin. The Lord Jesus when He reasoned with the Jews said briefly, but very significantly, "Moses... wrote of Me" (John 5.46).

As the law of the LORD is foundational to the entire Scriptures, so is it to the book of the Psalms. Without introduction the Divine Spirit burst forth through the psalmist, that blessed is the man whose delight is in the law of the LORD, and who meditates in His law day and night. If there is no obedience to the law the song of the Lord will soon be hushed in silence. David was the sweet singer of Israel, Israel's greatest poet. He was chosen by God and brought from the sheepfolds "to feed Jacob His people, and Israel His inheritance. So he fed them according to the integrity of his heart" (Psalm 78.70.72). Integrity means wholeness, entireness. David was a whole-hearted man. So first of all he brought the Ark, which contained the law of God, to Zion. This was the centre, and this was the basis of all his teaching of God's people. A people without properly administered law are a mob.

J. Miller | Jul 1961
Jottings