e
Lord.

XXVI.

_CONCLUSION._

"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. 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. 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 betrayed Thee? Peter therefore seeing Him saith to Jesus,
Lord, and what shall this man do? Jesus saith unto him, If I will
that he tarry till I come, what is that to thee? follow thou Me.
This saying therefore went forth among the brethren, that that
disciple should not die: yet Jesus said not unto him, that he should
not die; but, If I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to
thee? This is the disciple which beareth witness of these things,
and wrote these things: and we know that his witness is true. And
there are also many other things which Jesus did, the which if they
should be written every one, I suppose that even the world itself
would not contain the books that should be written."--JOHN xxi.
18-25.

Peter, springing up in the boat, and snatching his fisher's coat, and
girding it round him, and dashing into the water, seemed to Jesus a
picture of impetuous, inexperienced, fearless love. And as He looked
upon it another picture began to shine through it from behind and
gradually take its place--the picture of what was to be some years later
when that impetuous spirit had been tamed and chastened, when age had
damped the ardour though it had not cooled the love of youth, and when
Peter should be bound and led out to crucifixion for his Lord's sake. As
Peter wades and splashes eagerly to the shore the eye of Jesus rests on
him with pity, as the eye of a parent who has passed through many of the
world's darkest places rests on the child who is speaking of all he is
to do and to enjoy in life. Fresh from His own agony, our Lord knows how
different a temper is needed for prolonged endurance. But little
disposed to throw cold water on genuine, however miscalculating
enthusiasm, having it for His constant function to fan not to quench the
smoking flax, He does