Gospel of St. John

Sea of Tiberias – 21:1-14

“After these things Jesus shewed himself again to the disciples at the sea of Tiberias;  and on this wise shewed he himself.  There were together Simon Peter, and Thomas called Didymus, and Nathanael of Cana in Galilee, and the sons of Zebedee, and two other of his disciples.  Simon Peter saith unto them, I go a-fishing.  They say unto him, We also go with thee.  They went forth, and entered into a ship immediately;  and that night they caught nothing.”  The Sea of Galilee and the Sea of Tiberias are the same sea.  Tiberias is the Roman name.  Galilee is the Hebrew name.  After the resurrection, it took the distinct will of Jesus for his body to be visible.  In this case, Jesus did not simply show up.  He manifested his presence, power, and glory.  He was not longer to be recognized by the flesh, but by the spirit:  not by human faculties, but by Divine perceptions.  His disciples must walk by faith, and not by sight.  James and John, the sons of Zebedee along with Peter, Thomas and Nathanael were five of the seven disciples present.  Two are unnamed and five were absent.  We cannot identify the other two.  These disciples were together when Peter decided to take action.  He would go fishing – not for men – but for fish.  He was following human instinct and it got him nothing.

“But when the morning was now come, Jesus stood on the shore:  but the disciples knew not that it was Jesus.  Then Jesus saith unto them, Children, have ye any meat?  They answered him, No.  And he said unto them, Cast the net on the right side of the ship, and ye shall find.  They cast therefore, and now they were not able to draw it for the multitude of fishes.  Therefore that disciple whom Jesus loved saith unto Peter, It is the Lord.  Now when Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he girt his fisher’s coat unto him, (for he was naked,) and did cast himself into the sea.  And the other disciples came in a little ship;  (for they were not far from land, but as it were two hundred cubits,) dragging the net with fishes.”  The fact that the disciples failed to recognize Jesus indicates their spiritual faculties were not being exercised.  These men had returned to their worldly calling, and were occupied with their bodily needs.  How often do you suppose Christ has been near you and you were not aware of his presence?  He asked if they had any meat.  The question forced them to admit their failure.  Then He told them to cast on the right side of the ship.  The resulting full net showed the disparity between their ineffectiveness without his grace and the benefits of following his instruction.  That was enough for John to recognize it was Jesus.  When Peter heard that it was Jesus, he could not wait for the ship to come to shore.  He cast himself into the sea to be the first one in Jesus’ presence.  John and the others brought the net to shore in a smaller boat.  It shows the difference in how people express their love for Christ.  Unfortunately they cannot all be like us.  But, we shouldn’t change them.

“As soon then as they were come to land, they saw a fire of coals there, and fish laid thereon, and bread.  Jesus saith unto them, Bring of the fish which ye have caught.  Simon Peter went up, and drew the net to land full of great fishes, an hundred and fifty and three:  and for all there were so many, yet was not the net broken.  Jesus saith unto them, Come and dine.  And none of the disciples durst ask him, Who art thou?  Knowing that it was the Lord.  Jesus then cometh, and taketh bread, and giveth them, and fish likewise.  This is now the third time that Jesus shewed himself to his disciples, after that he was risen from the dead.”  The fire and fish and bread show that Jesus was providing for his disciples even if their net had been empty.  They were asked to bring the fish they caught to call attention to the bounty available when Christ’s instructions are followed.  Peter was able to pull ashore what the seven could not pull into the ship.  Jesus asked them to come near and dine with him.  The fact that this was not a corporeal appearance by the Lord probably inspired them to hang back in awe.  Note that the Lord did not give thanks to God before the meal.  Now he is once again God himself.  The disciples were shown firsthand what to expect in the future.  Physical fellowship was not the way they would feel his presence.  Instead they would enjoy a spiritual fellowship that is still available to us today.  The third time Jesus showed himself does not mean there were only three occasions.  John chose to write about only about these three.

Christ and Peter – 21:15-25

“So when they had dined, Jesus saith to Simon Peter, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me more than these?  He saith unto him, Yea, Lord;  thou knowest that I love thee.  He saith unto him, Feed my lambs.  He saith to him again the second time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me?  He saith unto him,  Yea, Lord;  thou knowest that I love thee.  He saith unto him, Feed my sheep.  He saith unto him the third time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest you me?  Peter was grieved because he said unto him the third time, Lovest thou me?  And he said unto him, Lord, thou knowest all things;  thou knowest that I love thee.  Jesus saith unto him, Feed my sheep.”  Peter is a good representative of believers.  He pledged allegiance forever, denied his Lord, and was restored.  In Luke 22:31-32 Jesus prayed for Peter that his faith fail not:  and when he was converted, to strengthen his brethren.  Morally, He could not pray that Peter would not fall.  But he could pray that his faith would not fail.  Most of us must fall before we are ready to accept Christ’s strength and will.

Jesus is calling him Simon, his given name, as opposed to Peter, the name Jesus gave him.  It is to emphasize Simon’s recognition of his thrice denying the Lord.  He is asked the same question three times and was forced to acknowledge his love as often as he had denied it earlier.  Peter was grieved with shame as it called to mind his sad fall.  Fishers of men gather those who have been saved.  They must be cared for, fed, and defended.  Christ has already appointed evangelists to fish for men.  Now He reminds them that fishing is not enough.  They must shepherd His sheep.

“Verify, verily, I say unto thee, When thou was young, thou girdedst thyself, and walkedst whether 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.  This spake he, signifying by what death he should glorify God.  And when he had spoken this, he saith unto him, Follow me.”  Peter is told that his love for Christ will be sorely tested and end in a martyr’s death.  Peter would be taken where he would not otherwise go and his death would be violent, by crucifixion.  It is a reminder that it is the Lord’s return, not our death, for which we are to look and wait.  We are continually told to expect tribulation in this life.  We will suffer and we will endure a fight of afflictions.  The final word of grace to a fallen and recovered disciple was “Follow me.”

“Then Peter, turning about, seeth the disciples whom Jesus loved following;  which also leaned on his breast at supper, and said, Lord, which is he that betrayeth thee?  Peter 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.  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?”  Here is a believer, fully restored to communion, there in the presence of Christ, bidden to follow Him;  yet he takes his eye off Christ and looks around at John.  John had not been directly told to follow, but he was doing so.  Peter was close to John and naturally asks what will become of him.  We also have a tendency to tend to other people’s business when there is plenty of our own awaiting our attention.  Sometimes we are indifferent to the interest of others.  Sometimes we care so much we neglect our own needs.  Jesus wanted Peter to focus on his own future and not worry about John’s.  It does Peter no good to know whether John was to live a long life or a short one, to die a violent death or a natural one.  Christ is the disposer of men’s lives.  If He wishes, one may tarry until Jesus comes as the Judge of all men.

“This is the disciple which testifieth of these things, and wrote these things:  and we know that his testimony 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 could not contain the books that should be written.  Amen.”  This Gospel closes with the personal seal and attestation of its writer, John.  Without mentioning his name, he vouches for the veracity of what he had recorded.  He did not claim to have written the whole story.  He emphasizes the fact that human words are inadequate to tell of the Glory of God.  The world itself could not contain a description of the power that created it.