John 21 Verses 15 to 25 Jesus Restores Us July 9, 2023

John 21 Verses 15 to 25 Jesus Restores Us July 9, 2023

Class Presentation Notes AA

Background Scriptures:

Hebrews 6:9-12 (NASB) 9 But, beloved, we are convinced of better things concerning you, and things that accompany salvation, though we are speaking in this way. 10 For God is not unjust so as to forget your work and the love which you have shown toward His name, in having ministered and in still ministering to the saints. 11 And we desire that each one of you show the same diligence so as to realize the full assurance of hope until the end, 12 so that you will not be sluggish, but imitators of those who through faith and patience inherit the promises. 1 Peter 1:8-9 (NASB) 8 and though you have not seen Him, you love Him, and though you do not see Him now, but believe in Him, you greatly rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory, 9 obtaining as the outcome of your faith the salvation of your souls.

Main Idea: God is the God of the second chance…the third, fourth, and the unlimited hundredth chances.

Study Aim: To understand that even when we fail, God wants to restore us to usefulness.

Create Interest:

Simon Peter was a broken man following his denial of Jesus; he “wept bitterly” at having done so (Matthew 26:75). We can only imagine how often his thoughts tormented him in the aftermath of Jesus’ crucifixion. But the resurrected Jesus offered Peter the opportunity to make a “comeback.” Accepting that opportunity meant leaving remorse and shame behind as he entered a place of renewed service to the Master. Jesus’ words of restoration and his challenge of service to Peter have something to teach us yet today.

Lesson in Historical Context:

Today’s lesson considers the final 11 verses of John’s Gospel. The immediate background are the 14 verses of John 21:1-14, which was last week’s lesson. We see Jesus in our lesson today manifesting Himself again by a fire cooking fish. The disciples had gone fishing all night with no luck and Jesus showed up, gave a suggestion on where to fish, and 153 large fish were caught without the net breaking. None of the six disciples present dared ask who he was but He had much to share with them as we will learn in this lesson. The image of a shepherd caring for sheep is central to our text. This was an image very close to the experience of biblical people, drawing as it does on a common occupation.

The Old Testament uses sheep and shepherd to picture the relationship between God and his people, most notably in Psalm 23. The relationship between God’s people and their leaders, especially the king, was portrayed in similar terms. Israel could be described as sheep with no shepherd (Numbers 27:15-17; 1 Kings 22:17), and wicked leaders of the people were characterized as bad shepherds (Jeremiah 23:1-4; 50:6; Ezekiel 34:1-10). The picture of sheep without a shepherd is also used of people in Jesus’ day (Matthew 9:36). Jesus described himself as “the good shepherd” (John 10:11), in contrast to those “thieves and robbers” who had no concern for the welfare of the sheep (10:8–10).

Jesus went beyond what an ordinary shepherd would do, even giving his own life for the sake of his sheep (10:11, 17, 18). His exchange with Peter should be understood against this backdrop.[2]

Bible Study:

John 21:15-17 (NASB) 15 So when they had finished breakfast, Jesus *said to Simon Peter, "Simon, son of John, do you love Me more than these?" He *said to Him, "Yes, Lord; You know that I love You." He *said to him, "Tend My lambs." 16 He *said to him again a second time, "Simon, son of John, do you love Me?" He *said to Him, "Yes, Lord; You know that I love You." He *said to him, "Shepherd My sheep." 17 He *said to him the third time, "Simon, son of John, do you love Me?" Peter was grieved because He said to him the third time, "Do you love Me?" And he said to Him, "Lord, You know all things; You know that I love You." Jesus *said to him, "Tend My sheep.

It really is amazing to see the people Jesus chose to do this task; they were a motley crew of nobodies, and when we look at one of their leaders, Peter, we find the most unlikely character of all: headstrong, rash, given to great declarations of loyalty and terrible displays of cowardice. And, amazingly, we discover Jesus reinstating Peter to leadership of his kingdom. Do you notice what Jesus asks Peter about? He’s not looking for an apology, nor for a commitment that Peter won’t be so silly again; rather he talks about their relationship and asks Peter if he loves him (vv. 15–17). And we need to understand that, above everything else, it’s love for Jesus that God blesses. This scene between Jesus and Peter is one of the most spectacular interchanges in the whole Bible, perhaps in all literature. The most remarkable thing about it is that, by way of forgiveness, Jesus gives Peter a job to do. When Peter professes his love, Jesus doesn’t say, ‘Well, that’s all right, then.’ He says, ‘Well, then: feed my lambs. Look after my sheep. Feed my sheep.’ The three questions correspond to Peter’s three denials. Three for completeness, yes, but three also for reminder. The smell of the charcoal fire lingers. Peter’s night of agony—and Jesus’ own night of agony—returns. But because of the latter, the former can be dealt with. Jesus is the Passover lamb who takes away the sin of the world, Peter’s sin included, your sin, my sin.[3] In New Testament Greek, there are a number of different words used for love, and two of those words are used in the question-and-answer exchange between Jesus and Peter:

When they had finished eating, Jesus said to Simon Peter, ‘Simon son of John, do you truly love [agapao] me more than these?’ ‘Yes, Lord,’ he said, ‘you know that I love [phileo] you.’ Jesus said, ‘Feed my lambs.’ Again Jesus said, ‘Simon son of John, do you truly love [agapao] me?’ He answered, ‘Yes, Lord, you know that I love [phileo] you.’ Jesus said, ‘Take care of my sheep.’ The third time he said to him, ‘Simon son of John, do you love [phileo] me?’ Peter was hurt because Jesus asked him the third time, ‘Do you love [phileo] me?’ He said, ‘Lord, you know all things; you know that I love [phileo] you.’ Jesus said, ‘Feed my sheep …’ Now some commentators have argued that these ‘love’ words are synonyms and have been used interchangeably within this Gospel. Therefore we should not read any particular significance into this interplay of words. But…………………………. The difficulty is, of course, that the interplay is so noted and obvious, and that Peter himself reacts to Jesus changing from agapao to phileo in his questions (v. 17b). So it would seem that John intends something here. When John uses the word agapao (as he does thirty-seven times in the Gospel and thirty-one times in his letters—virtually half of all its appearances in the New Testament), it usually conveys the sense of a strong love that originates from God

For example, 1 John 4:7–8 says, ‘Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.’ Every one of the five occurrences of ‘love’ there is agapao. However, when John uses the word phileo (as he does thirteen times in the Gospel—just over half of all its appearances in the New Testament), it usually conveys a love that is more of human origin and nature than divine.

For example, John 15:19 says, ‘If you belonged to the world, it would love [phileo] you as its own.’ John 11:3 says, ‘So the sisters sent word to Jesus, “Lord, the one you love [phileo] is sick.” ’

I suggest that Jesus is intentionally pushing Peter to see whether Peter has changed from the brash fellow who made great declarations of love but was never able to carry them through, into a man who, because of the bitterness of his betrayal, has a far more realistic understanding of his own nature. He isn’t going to rush into great declarations of love (as he did in the past), but would rather express himself with hesitation and care.[4]

Thoughts to Soak on

The true gospel call to follow Jesus Christ is a call to self-denial.

It is not a man-centered call to self-fulfillment; There is no “Christianity lite.” The gospel calls sinners to submit fully to Jesus Christ, to find their lives by losing them, to gain their lives by abandoning them, to live life to the fullest by emptying themselves. Our Lord’s message, frankly, was not user friendly; it was not so much comforting as threatening.

He did not make salvation easy, but hard; Christ’s preaching, while motivated by love and compassion, filled with grace and mercy, and offering forgiveness, peace, and joy now and forever, was still demanding in the extreme. Jesus was never guilty of making things easy for sinners, and thereby contributing to a false confidence, a false assurance of salvation. “No one,” He declared, “after putting his hand to the plow and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God” (Luke 9:62).

Jesus warned that those who would follow Him must be willing to die to themselves, and He stressed the importance of counting the cost of commitment to Him:

If anyone comes to Me, and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be My disciple. Whoever does not carry his own cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple. For which one of you, when he wants to build a tower, does not first sit down and calculate the cost to see if he has enough to complete it? Otherwise, when he has laid a foundation and is not able to finish, all who observe it begin to ridicule him, saying, “This man began to build and was not able to finish.” Or what king, when he sets out to meet another king in battle, will not first sit down and consider whether he is strong enough with ten thousand men to encounter the one coming against him with twenty thousand? Or else, while the other is still far away, he sends a delegation and asks for terms of peace. So then, none of you can be My disciple who does not give up all his own possessions. (Luke 14:26–33)[5]. Jesus calls us to follow him. As we journey through life, we can either chart our own course or follow the path of Jesus. Twice in this final chapter Jesus says, “Follow me” (vv. 19, 22). That sums up the message of the Gospel of John. Jesus is the promised Savior who calls us away from the path of destruction to follow him into eternal life. Each reader is left with a question: Will I follow Jesus? This final chapter gives us a clear picture of what it looks like to live as a follower of Jesus Christ.[6]

John 21:18-19 (NASB) 18 "Truly, truly, I say to you, when you were younger, you used to gird yourself and walk wherever you wished; but when you grow old, you will stretch out your hands and someone else will gird you, and bring you where you do not wish to go." 19 Now this He said, signifying by what kind of death he would glorify God. And when He had spoken this, He *said to him, "Follow Me!"

There is no doubt that by the time these verses were written Peter had suffered martyrdom. One question that would have been on the minds of some was the issue of whether Peter’s death was known and understood by the risen Jesus. Death was taken very seriously by the early Christians, as is evident from the questions raised by the believers in Thessalonica when their hope was at stake (cf. 1 Thess 4:13–18).

Why were the leaders dying before the Lord returned? Was the God of the resurrection really in control?

The answer to the last question was a resounding yes. Jesus knew Peter would suffer martyrdom. Therefore, do not worry! The church and history are in the hands of God.

That is the basic message Peter himself delivered to the church in 1 Pet 4:12–14.

1 Peter 4:12-14 (NASB) 12 Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal among you, which comes upon you for your testing, as though some strange thing were happening to you; 13 but to the degree that you share the sufferings of Christ, keep on rejoicing, so that also at the revelation of His glory you may rejoice with exultation. 14 If you are reviled for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you.

The significance of these verses for the early church is marked by the fact that these words of Jesus are introduced by the well-known double amēn (truly, truly) expression found repeatedly in the rest of the Gospel. The point of this section is, I think, quite different in the way John has set up this three-part literary piece.

In the first part of this presentation related to previously untreated issues Peter is reinstated and rehabilitated after an intensive set of questions. Then in this second part Jesus informed Peter that he must suffer martyrdom as an aspect of his discipleship. That meant that he was obliged to “follow” Jesus, even to the point of crucifixion. In this way he would also glorify God, not in the theological impact and significance of Jesus’ death (cf. 12:27–28; 13:31–32; 17:1) but as a faithful disciple who was willing to follow his master to death (cf. 1 Pet 4:16). The final part, to which we now turn, involves the typical Peter who was concerned about someone else’s life and who needed to hear again the emphatic words of Jesus: “Follow me!” (21:22).[7]

John 21:20-21 (NASB) 20 Peter, turning around, *saw the disciple whom Jesus loved following them; the one who also had leaned back on His bosom at the supper and said, "Lord, who is the one who betrays You?" 21 So Peter seeing him *said to Jesus, "Lord, and what about this man?"

It might well have been that the Lord and Peter had taken a walk along the lake so that the above talk with Peter was private. If so, at this point they must have turned back to rejoin the group. John, it would seem, had detached himself from the group and was following Peter and the Lord. Thus, as they turned to go back, Peter saw John.[8] After Jesus informed Peter of his future death, Peter looked behind and saw John following. Peter asked the Lord, “What will John do? What will happen to him?” Peter’s question is indicative of the attitude of many Christians today who are so focused on what everyone else is doing instead of what God wants them to do. The final interplay between Peter and the beloved disciple (vv. 20–22) sets the stage for the Gospel’s conclusion. The presence of the beloved disciple dramatizes the fact that there is more than one model for true discipleship, for he too was following Jesus (v. 20). Whether Peter heard the riddle of verse 18 as an outright prediction of death or not, he could hardly have missed the implication that something unpleasant was in store for him, and he wanted to know if the beloved disciple was to share the same fate (v. 21)[9]

Thoughts to Soak on:

Do you ever find yourself thinking these things?

What did they get? What do they have? What will they do? Why do they have something and not me? Where do they get to go? Are they going too? Will they do the same work as me? What are their responsibilities? Beloved, don’t be a “seagull Christian.” It’s easy to see why people are like the seagull. Have you ever set overlooking a harbor or beach and watched one? He exults in freedom. He thrusts his wings backward with powerful strokes, climbing higher and higher until he’s above all the other gulls, then coasts downward in majestic loops and circles. He constantly performs, as if he knows a movie camera is trained on him, recording.

In a flock, though, the seagull is a different bird. His majesty and dignity melt into a sordid slough of in-fighting and cruelty. Watch that same gull as he dive-bombs into a group of gulls, provoking a flurry of scattered feathers and angry squawks to steal a tiny morsel of meat. The concepts of sharing and manners do not exist among gulls. They are so fiercely competitive and jealous that if you tie a red ribbon around the leg of one gull, making him stand out, you sentence him to execution. The others in the flock will furiously attack him with claws and beaks, hammering through feathers and flesh to draw blood. They’ll continue until he lies flattened in a bloody heap. Some selfish Christians have a tendency to peck at others until they destroy them.

The person who is on a spiritual level of maturity realizes that the will of God is not the same for all people.

God has a different plan for all of us. Each person has different abilities, opportunities, and responsibilities. God want us to fulfill His will for OUR lives and NOT worry about what everyone else is doing or what they have. The older brother of the Prodigal son lost his joy because of this kind of attitude and so did the laborers in the field (Luke 15:25–32; Matthew 20:1–14). Don’t get caught up in the trap that says, “I’ll go if others go. I’ll come if others come. I’ll give, if others give. I’ll work if others work.”

We need to do what needs to be done because it is our responsibility or it’s what the Lord is leading us to do. Failure comes from being occupied and focused on others instead of Christ.[10]

John 21:22-24 (NASB) 22 Jesus *said to him, "If I want him to remain until I come, what is that to you? You follow Me!" 23 Therefore this saying went out among the brethren that the disciple would not die; yet Jesus did not say to him that he would not die, but only, "If I want him to remain until I come, what is that to you?" 24 This is the disciple who is testifying to these things and wrote these things, and we know that his testimony is true.

The Lord told him to mind his own business. If Peter was to have no “blessed hope” of being alive at the rapture, that was the Lord’s will for him. If John was to be still alive when the rapture took place, that was no concern of Peter’s. Peter would have all he could manage just following the Lord without prying into someone else’s future. This incident started a rumor: “Then went this saying abroad among the brethren, that that disciple should not die: yet Jesus said not unto him, He shall not die; but, If I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to thee?” It is extraordinary how rumors get started, how they change color, and how tenaciously they take root. Word was soon circulating that John was not going to die, even though that was not what Jesus said. When John wrote this gospel, well over half a century had passed and that rumor was still being repeated. John’s great age undoubtedly gave it greater credence. Even after his death and burial at Ephesus the story persisted (it was claimed that John was still alive in his tomb).[11]

Thoughts in Closing

As John came to the close of his book, he affirmed again the credibility of his witness. (Remember, witness is a key theme in the Gospel of John. The word is used forty-seven times.) John witnessed these events himself and wrote them for us as he was led by the Holy Spirit. He could have included so much more, but he wrote only what the Spirit told him to write. The book ends with Peter and John together following Jesus, and He led them right into the Book of Acts!

What an exciting thing it was to receive the power of the Spirit and to bear witness of Jesus Christ! Had they not trusted Him, been transformed by Him, and followed Him, they would have remained successful fishermen on the Sea of Galilee; and the world would never have heard of them. Jesus Christ is transforming lives today. Wherever He finds a believer who is willing to yield to His will, listen to His Word, and follow His way, He begins to transform that believer and accomplish remarkable things in that life. He also begins to do wonderful things through that life.

Peter and John have been off the scene (except for their books) for centuries, but you and I are still here. We are taking His place and taking their place. What a responsibility! What a privilege!

We can succeed only as we permit Him to transform us.[12]

[2] Jon Weatherly et al., “Follow Me,” in The NIV Standard Lesson Commentary, 2017–2018, ed. Jim Eichenberger et al., vol. 24 (Colorado Springs, CO: Standard Publishing, 2017), 283. [3] Tom Wright, John for Everyone, Part 2: Chapters 11-21 (London: Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge, 2004), 163. [4] Andrew Paterson, Opening Up John’s Gospel, Opening Up Commentary (Leominster: Day One Publications, 2010), 188–190. [5] John F. MacArthur Jr., John 12–21, MacArthur New Testament Commentary (Chicago, IL: Moody Publishers, 2008), 398. [6] Matt Carter and Josh Wredberg, Exalting Jesus in John (Nashville, TN: Holman Reference, 2017), 388. [7] Gerald L. Borchert, John 12–21, vol. 25B, The New American Commentary (Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 2002), 337–339. [8] John Phillips, Exploring the Gospel of John: An Expository Commentary, The John Phillips Commentary Series (Kregel Publications; WORDsearch Corp., 2009), Jn 21:20–23. [9] J. Ramsey Michaels, John, Understanding the Bible Commentary Series (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books, 2011), 361–362. [10] Rod Mattoon, Treasures from John, vol. 2, Treasures from Scripture Series (Springfield, IL: Rod Mattoon, 2006), 376–377. [11]John Phillips, Exploring the Gospel of John: An Expository Commentary, The John Phillips Commentary Series (Kregel Publications; WORDsearch Corp., 2009), Jn 21:20–23. [12]Warren W. Wiersbe, The Bible Exposition Commentary, vol. 1 (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1996), 400.