John 21

Jesus appears to seven disciples

Starting out with the close of chapter 20 it would appear as if John was finished with the chapter.

John 20:30–31 “Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.”

It would appear chapter 21 is an infomercial following chapter 20...”but wait! There’s more!!” where John describes Peter being reaffirmed by Jesus that Peter still has a place in the great commission...and more. Peter wasn’t disqualified from his earlier appointment to Jesus’ but it would seem Peter

John 21:1–3 “After this Jesus revealed himself again to the disciples by the Sea of Tiberias, and he revealed himself in this way. Simon Peter, Thomas (called the Twin), Nathanael of Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two others of his disciples were together. Simon Peter said to them, “I am going fishing.” They said to him, “We will go with you.” They went out and got into the boat, but that night they caught nothing.”

Simon Peter, Thomas, Nathanael, James, John, “and two others” (?).

Peter said, “I am going fishing.” Most likely restless, guilt ridden, turning to the one thing he knew. The rest followed. Still impulsive. Still a leader.

John 21:4–8 “Just as day was breaking, Jesus stood on the shore; yet the disciples did not know that it was Jesus. Jesus said to them, “Children, do you have any fish?” They answered him, “No.” He said to them, “Cast the net on the right side of the boat, and you will find some.” So they cast it, and now they were not able to haul it in, because of the quantity of fish. That disciple whom Jesus loved therefore said to Peter, “It is the Lord!” When Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he put on his outer garment, for he was stripped for work, and threw himself into the sea. The other disciples came in the boat, dragging the net full of fish, for they were not far from the land, but about a hundred yards off.”

100 yards away from shore they did not recognize Jesus. As we know, sound carries very well across still waters so they had no issue hearing Him ask if they had caught any fish.

Think of their state of mind. The teacher they trusted to be the messiah had been executed. While Jesus had appeared to them already, more was apparently needed.

Jesus called them “children”. Why? It placed them in a subservient, or lesser role.

If they didn’ t know who he was, would their “No” have come across snarky? Would they have sounded defeated?

They were being set up. Jesus knew the answer but he was about to play on their memories and reveal Himself in a wonderful way.

John identified Jesus first by telling Peter and for the fifth time, referred to himself as “the disciple Jesus loved”. What was Peter’s reaction? Should we have expected anything less? We won’t go into the getting dressed part.

Peter swam to Jesus leaving the other six to bring the boat dragging the net full of fish. Seems a Martha/Mary thing here.

John 21:9–14 “When they got out on land, they saw a charcoal fire in place, with fish laid out on it, and bread. Jesus said to them, “Bring some of the fish that you have just caught.” So Simon Peter went aboard and hauled the net ashore, full of large fish, 153 of them. And although there were so many, the net was not torn. Jesus said to them, “Come and have breakfast.” Now none of the disciples dared ask him, “Who are you?” They knew it was the Lord. Jesus came and took the bread and gave it to them, and so with the fish. This was now the third time that Jesus was revealed to the disciples after he was raised from the dead.”

How long did it take to row 100 yards? Certainly, as formerly professional fishermen, they knew how to secure the net so they could focus on rowing, but still....100 yards.

Did Jesus have the fire started earlier or were they just that slow?

Jesus already had fish cooking. Not the fish the disciples were bringing, He provided his own and bread to boot. This could be miraculous similar to the angel providing a meal for Elijah in 1 Kings 19.

Peter did go back to the boat and help bring the net full of fish ashore. Note the specifics of 153 large fish and yet the net was not breaking. Why? Go back to John 10:28 “I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand.” The net was not breaking. Not one of the 153 fish were lost.

“Come and have breakfast.” then John states no one, not even he, dared to ask, “Who are you?” before stating “they knew it was the Lord.” Why not lead with that? Why call out, “none dared to ask...”? Maybe because they’ve been so absent of certainty to this point? Even while this is the third time He appeared to them as a group since the resurrection?

Jesus gave them bread and fish. He served them yet again.

John 21:15–19 “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, “Feed my lambs.” He said to him 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, “Tend my sheep.” 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 everything; you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Feed my sheep. Truly, truly, I say to you, when you were young, you used to dress yourself and walk wherever you wanted, but when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and another will dress you and carry you where you do not want to go.” (This he said to show by what kind of death he was to glorify God.) And after saying this he said to him, “Follow me.””

Nothing is recorded here as having been said while they ate. Did they eat in silence? Were they waiting on some disclosure from Jesus, afraid to breach the peace?

What did Jesus call Peter? Not Peter, but Simon. Not the rock but “Simon, son of John.” How do you think Peter felt when Jesus called him Simon then asked, “do you love me more than these?”

“...more than these?” meaning everyone else there after he proclaimed in Matthew 26:33 “Peter answered him, “Though they all fall away because of you, I will never fall away.”” It would seem Jesus is wanting to clarify Peter’s earlier statement.

Jesus started with “Feed my lambs.” progressed to “Tend my sheep.” and ended with “Feed my sheep.” What is the significance of each? It’s reasonable to believe Jesus was not flippant with his choice of words. (Lambs: New believers? Younger disciples? Tend my sheep. “Tend” not feed...yet. This means to shepherd, mentor, or otherwise care for and keep safe. “Feed my sheep” By now certainly Peter understands what Jesus is doing so let’s get back to the sequence of events.

While Peter answers Jesus question about loving Him “more than these” he doesn’t qualify more than anyone else, simply “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.” Is there a sense of humbleness to Peter? Peter repeats this after the second time he’s asked and gets a different response from Jesus.

Peter was grieved after Jesus asked him the third time. I’m guessing the denials in the courtyard came back in perfect clarity. He’s been called out in front of other disciples and it would seem Peter is verbally squirming here. “You know everything; you know that I love you.” Would it have been a surprise if Peter would have added, “Please stop asking!”?

Jesus foreshadows Peter’s end when He states, “...but when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and another will dress you and carry you where you do not want to go.” Stretching out your hands sounds an awful lot like being bound and let to execution. Verse 19 describes this and Jesus saying “Follow me” would seem to tell Peter, that Peter would follow Him in the manner in which Jesus was executed or at least that Peter would lose his life for Jesus.

John 21:20–25 “Peter turned and saw the disciple whom Jesus loved following them, the one who also had leaned back against him during the supper and had said, “Lord, who is it that is going to betray you?” When Peter saw him, he said to Jesus, “Lord, what about this man?” Jesus said to him, “If it is my will that he remain until I come, what is that to you? You follow me!” So the saying spread abroad among the brothers that this disciple was not to die; yet Jesus did not say to him that he was not to die, but, “If it is my will that he remain until I come, what is that to you?” This is the disciple who is bearing witness about these things, and who has written these things, and we know that his testimony is true. Now there are also many other things that Jesus did. Were every one of them to be written, I suppose that the world itself could not contain the books that would be written.”

Did the “Follow me.” mean, “Let’s go for walk.”? As verse 20 says, “Peter turned and saw the disciple whom Jesus loved following them....”

Regarding John describing himself as “the one who also had leaned back against Him during the supper and had said, ‘Lord, who is it that is going to betray you?’” Who asked John to ask that question? Peter! Perhaps John was also calling out a reminder that he, John, had the privilege of being seated next to Jesus.

I love how Peter asks, “Lord, what about this man?” and Jesus delivers a definitive answer; basically saying, none of your business. You follow me. What does that tell the rest of us? Or was Peter’s question more of a concern for John’s future? Did Peter grasp he would die a martyr and he’s asking if John would suffer the same?

Is there an irony with Jesus statement and that John is the one disciple that is said to have died of old age? Not that it was a privilege, having been boiled in oil and marooned on Patmos. It seems the others believed John would not die. It sounds like John knew better and perhaps John understood Jesus statement was simply telling Peter to mind his own business?

Because of the way chapter 20 ended, some may think chapter 21 wasn’t written by John yet verse 24 states it was and that John was an eyewitness to the events described.

I love verse 25 in that John, who witnessed all of Jesus ministry, states the things Jesus did were so many there was no possible way they could all be recorded. It’s very similar to the ending of chapter 20. It makes me think the things that are recorded must be divinely inspired to teach us, solely or collectively, something.