Jottings

by J. Miller | Category: Jottings | Sept 1962

Though men write and speak of men being inspired, the Scriptures never so speak. Paul claims for the Scriptures that they are inspired when he writes," Every scripture is inspired of God" (2 Timothy 3.16, R.V.M.). The words "is inspired of God" are the translation of the Greek word Theopneustos which, literally rendered, means "God-breathed." The Greek word is a verbal adjective which describes both the act of God in breathing the words and also the character of the words thus breathed. It is wrong to speak of the apostles as inspired men, that is, God-breathed men. Through such men, nevertheless, came God-breathed Scripture. The apostles could and did make mistakes, but there were no mistakes in the inspired words which came by their means.

Take as an example the account of the second miraculous draft of fishes (John 21), a miracle which the Lord performed after He rose from the dead, of the mistake of Peter into which six of his fellow-disciples fell. Peter's words as they fell from his mouth, "I go a fishing," were far from being words inspired by the Holy Spirit, and the same is true of those of the other disciples who said, "We also come with thee" (John 21. 3). Although these words and consequent actions of those men were in opposition to the command of the Lord for them to go to a mountain in Galilee, where He would see them, (for instead of going to the mountain they went to the sea), yet, as John wrote this the last chapter of his Gospel, they formed part of the inspired narrative which he wrote. Plainly the words and actions of those seven disciples were in disobedience to the Lord's command. Thus in the inspired Scriptures you find wrong words spoken and evil actions done by men who were far from being inspired in what they said and did. But what was written concerning these by prophets and apostles was God-breathed. Both prophets and apostles erred, but there was no error in the Scriptures as they wrote them, writing as they did from the mouth of God. 'Such facts are evident in the Scriptures from beginning to end.

Peter's going to the sea and leading the others thither were quite evidently to satisfy their natural appetite. They had been called from their calling of fishermen to the highest calling of fishing for and catching men (Luke 5). The Lord's command that they were to go to the Galilean mountain was that they should receive the Lord's living words by which they were to take men alive and to feed them afterwards. The Lord had demonstrated His ability to provide for them, both in the bountiful catch in Luke 5 when they caught so many fish that the nets were breaking, and in the fact that when He sent them forth (Matthew 10.9, 10) saying, "Get you no gold, nor silver, nor brass in your purses; no wallet for your journey, neither two coats, nor shoes, nor staff for the labourer is worthy of his food"; they had lacked nothing (Luke 22.85). How failing even the apostles were, great and wonderful men as they were as empowered by the Lord through His Spirit!

The issue in the narrative of John 21 is which is the greater, to feed one's self with the meat that perisheth, or to feed God's saints with the living bread of the word of God? Which is the better, to seek the Lord in the mountain or for the Lord to have to seek them at the sea?

The Lord fed the erring disciples with the bread and fish which He had provided (verses 12, 18), and also with the abundance with which He filled their net. Then He took Peter aside, and in tones of loving remonstrance He spoke to him about the needs of others-His lambs and His sheep. He was returning soon to heaven. He had during the few years of His earthly ministry taught His disciples and the multitudes with a constancy and diligence which is astonishing to anyone who carefully reads the gospel narratives. Every moment of His life was filled to the glory of God and the well-being of men. Luke wrote to Theophilus, summing up the Lord's activity of which he wrote in his former narrative, his Gospel, "Concerning all that Jesus began both to do and to teach, until the day in which He was received up" (Acts 1. 1, 2). All that fell from His gracious lips was teaching. In Him the words of Paul had perfect fulfilment: "Let no corrupt (Sapros, putrid, depraved, foul) speech proceed out of your mouth, but such as is good for edifying as the need may be, that it may give grace to them that hear" (Ephesians 4.29). Let us remember that "Death and life are in the power of the tongue" (Proverbs 18.21); also, "A wholesome tongue is a tree of life" (Proverbs 15.4). Let us not allow the flesh or Satan to control our tongue, which may be either a precious member or a terrible one.

Peter's love for the Lord, who is the Good, Great and Chief Shepherd, and who is the Owner of the sheep, was to be the test of the character of his work amongst the sheep. A good deal has been written by scholars of the Greek language on the word Agapa6 used by the Lord twice, in John 21.15, 16, and the word Phileo used by Him in verse 17. Peter uses the word Phileo in each of these verses. But some scholars do not agree with the meaning attached to them by some. There are synonyms in Scripture, and there are differences of meaning in other cases where different words are used. Into such matters in John 21 we do not enter. Love for the Lord was plainly to be the mainspring of Peter's service. Among the lambs and sheep there would be differences, differences of disposition and of character. Some would be quiet and some of fiery temperament; some stubborn naturally and some of a mild disposition. These characteristics would be, and still are seen, amongst the Lord's sheep.

The chief thing about the lambs is the matter of feeding. The lambs are the first to suffer if feeding is scarce and unnourishing for the ewes. Poor fodder will result in a scarcity of milk, and milk is of first priority both for natural lambs and for the Lord's lambs. Peter in his first epistle writes of the spiritual (Logikomental, milk for the mind) milk which is without guile, sincere or genuine. Paul wrote to the Thessalonians of how he treated them in the early days of their spiritual life, "We were gentle in the midst of you, as when a nurse cherisheth her own children" (1 Thessalonians 2.7). Cherisheth (Thatpo) means to impart warmth. Warmth may be applied externally "as a hen by brooding," or may be imparted by the warmth of a mother's milk; it is in this latter method that lambs are kept warm.

Then after asking Peter a second time about his love and after being assured by Peter that he did love Him, the Lord said," Tend My sheep." The word" tend" means "shepherd," that is, do all the work that a true shepherd would do. Paul in 1 Thessalonians 2 went further than cherishing the Thessalonians, he also did the work of a father to them, as he says," We dealt with each one of you, as a father with his own children, exhorting you, and encouraging you, and testifying, to the end that ye should walk worthily of God, who calleth you into His own kingdom and glory " (verses 11, 12). Here is shepherd work. In Ephesians 4. 11 we have apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers mentioned. There may be difference of mind whether here we have five gifts of the ascended Christ listed or only four. It would seem to me, on re-examination of this verse, that pastors and teachers are descriptions of one kind of man. Note that the verse reads, "apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers"; it does not say, and some, pastors; and some, teachers. Whilst the apostles and prophets were foundational men, who laid the foundation of divine doctrine for this dispensation (Ephesians 2. 20), and these gifts have not been repeated, we may still have evangelists, and pastors and teachers. The evangelist is the man gifted to catch (or take alive) men (Luke 5.10). How great is the need for the Lord to give evangelists, men trained and skilled in the art of catching men! Then it is the responsibility of the pastor (which means shepherd) and teacher to tend and feed those that are caught. Oh for men to find the lost sheep, to be like the Lord who, using the illustration ready to hand as He passed along by the seaside, said "Come ye after Me, and I will make you to become fishers of men" (Mark 1.17). Only the Lord can make a man a fisher of men. Whether we think of the fisherman or of the shepherd seeking the lost sheep, the truth illustrated in both ways is the same, it means finding lost sinners. Think of the Master Himself about whom the hymn is written.

"And all through the mountains thunder-riven,

And up from the rocky steep,

There arose a cry to the gate of heaven,

Rejoice! I have found My sheep;

And the angels echoed around the throne

Rejoice ! for the Lord brings back His own."

There seems little doubt that the word for sheep in the words " Feed My sheep," is in the diminutive meaning, " little sheep." A modern Greek text gives

"little sheep " in both verses, 16 and 17, but there is little doubt that it is " little sheep" in verse 17. This would show a tenderness in the Lord's heart for those that He would have Peter to care for and to feed. "Having loved His own which were in the world, He loved them unto the end" (John 13.1).

J. Miller | Sept 1962
Jottings