This is a series of lectures given by Mr. Edward Rabel, member of the faculty of S.M.R.S.
Winter semester 1976 - 2nd. Yr. Class. Lecture given on June 15, 1976
21:20Peter, turning about, seeth the disciple whom Jesus loved following; who also leaned back on his breast at the supper, and said, Lord, who is he that betrayeth thee? 21:21Peter therefore seeing him saith to Jesus, Lord, and what shall this man do? 21:22Jesus saith unto him, If I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to thee? Follow thou me. 21:23This 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?
21:24This is the disciple that beareth witness of these things, and wrote these things: and we know that his witness is true. 21:25And 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.
There is an interesting comment on Page 249, I Cor. 15:6 is put in, rather than one of the Gospels. The statement, "then he appeared to above five hundred brethern at one, of whom the greater part remain until now, but some are fallen asleep.” I think it is very significant. This is Paul's definition of death, falling asleep.
The final statement we will touch on is one we all know, and a lot of people think they know exactly what it means, so they always use it only in this specific application; but I want to appeal to you now to try to realize there is more than one meaning to this statement. Don't zero in on the one we have all been told is the meaning and feel that is it. Broaden your mind. Try to realize Jesus could have more than one valid meaning behind this: “Lord, who is he that betrayeth thee?" Peter therefore, seeing him, said to Jesus, 'Lord, and what shall this man do?' Jesus said unto him, 'If I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to thee? Follow thou me.'"
As I said, most of us have been indoctrinated to take that statement to support the idea that it is none of your business what the other guy does. You follow the Truth. Never mind what is going to happen to the other guy, what he's going to do. Follow the Christ. But could not it also mean, what is that to thee, that is, how important is this to you? How concerned are you? It could be either one, but don't limit it only to the negative. It could be the other: what is going to happen to me? I ask the Christ, and the Christ could say to me, What is that to thee? What is this concern? Follow thou me." In other words, the same Christ is in each one of us, and my concern will be taken care of because of Christ. But, then, it also could mean what I have heard most teachers say it means, Don't get wrapped up in another person's destiny. What is that to thee? Follow thou me." I think that either approach could be right. I think the important thing, though, is the “follow thou me".
Then the very last thing in John 21:25, "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." Tantalizing, isn't it? I have often told classes that really in the Gospels that we have, there are more things we are not told than what we are told. But the important thing is what we are told, to take that, not to worry about the things Jesus said and did which have not been written down but give the entire attention and understanding to what has been written down; perhaps someone like Edgar Cayce will find a way to give us further Gospels from the unwritten letters. I think there have been some efforts in that direction already.
Let us give thanks, each in our own way, in advance for the blessings which are to come into our life and our career from what we have learned in these Gospels. Let us know that in our careers, in our lives of service, sharing, beautiful and delicious fruit that we cannot see yet will come to harvest at the right moment. "Eye hath not seen, ear hath not heard, neither, have entered into the heart of them that love God” (I Cor. 2:9).
Text of the original transcript at the 3rd paragraph of p.321 through p.322 (end of transcript).
Transcribed by Margaret Garvin on 04-16-2014
