Jesus Appearing Again
Third time —
Alexander Maclaren writes, “There is only one explanation … Jesus Christ had risen from the dead. That drew them together once more. You cannot build a church on a dead Christ; and of all the proofs of the Resurrection, I take it that there is none that it is harder for an unbeliever to account for, in harmony with his hypothesis, than the simple fact that Christ’s disciples held together after he was dead, and presented a united front to the world.”
Trying to serve God in the flesh — Failure
When they had done this, they enclosed a great quantity of fish, and their nets began to break;
7 so they signaled to their partners in the other boat for them to come and help them. And they came and filled both of the boats, so that they began to sink.
he asks a question. The point of the question is to reveal to the disciples their own need and failure. Have you ever noticed as you have read through the Bible how God likes to ask questions? I think of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden after they had sinned. God asks this question, “Where are you?” And later, “Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten from the tree that I commanded you not to eat from?” (Gen. 3:9, 11). He asked the woman, “What is this you have done?” (v. 13). Later, in the account of Cain and Abel, when Cain was displeased that his offering was rejected, God asked, “Why are you angry? Why is your face downcast? If you do what is right, will you not be accepted?” (Gen. 4:6–7). Through Nathan God asked David, “Why did you despise the word of the LORD by doing what is evil in his eyes?” (2 Sam. 12:9). God asked Isaiah, “Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?” (Isa. 6:8). The Lord asked, “Who do you say I am?” (Matt. 16:15), “You do not want to leave too, do you?” (John 6:67), “Who is it you want?” (John 18:4), “Woman, why are you crying? Who is it you are looking for?” (John 20:15). God did not ask these questions because he did not know the answers. He was not trying to figure out whether Adam was hiding behind the maple tree or the elm tree. God asks questions to get us to face the situation.
Thus it is in our story. Jesus asked, “Friends, haven’t you any fish?” (v. 5). He meant, “Have you caught anything?”
Perhaps this is the point at which Jesus is speaking to you as you read this chapter. You have been aware of your own emptiness and failure. You have been trying to go it on your own and have been unsuccessful, as such attempts always are. Perhaps Jesus is saying, “I have a work for you to do. I have a way for you to do it. I want you to stop what you are doing and listen to me and do what I ask you to do.”
Third, the Lord sends blessings. First, he had asked a question; second, he had given a command. Now in response to their obedience to his command, Jesus sends such a great catch of fish that they are unable to draw the catch to land