John had wrapped up the purpose of his Gospel, revealing to the world, Jesus as God. He felt he needed to include another powerful story about forgiveness and redemption as that was Jesus’ plan all along as well!
John 21:1-3
Later, Jesus appeared again to the disciples beside the Sea of Galilee. This is how it happened. 2 Several of the disciples were there—Simon Peter, Thomas (nicknamed the Twin), Nathanael from Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two other disciples.
3 Simon Peter said, “I’m going fishing.” “We’ll come, too,” they all said. So they went out in the boat, but they caught nothing all night.
When you are distraught, depressed, don’t know what to do, sometimes just doing something familiar can be soothing. They may have very well had a practical reason for going fishing as well. Part of the reason for a treasury among the disciples was the financial care of their families. Jesus having gone to the cross would have dried up their funds they may have needed to go to care for their families. Also while that had received the Holy Spirit as saving faith they have yet to be filled or baptized with the Spirit to lead and guide them. Acts two shows us what happens once they are filled with the Spirit.
Fishing was done at night and here they are, having been unsuccessful all night!
John 21:4-6
At dawn, Jesus was standing on the beach, but the disciples couldn’t see who he was. 5 He called out, “Fellows, (Children) have you caught any fish?” “No,” they replied.
6 Then he said, “Throw out your net on the right-hand side of the boat, and you’ll get some!” So they did, and they couldn’t haul in the net because there were so many fish in it.
These guys are all experienced, professional fishermen, but there was something familiar about this request. In Luke 5: 4-7, Jesus challenges Peter to do the same thing and it awakens Peter to follow Jesus. This is the only place in scripture where Jesus calls his disciples, “Children” He is speaking to them from the Father’s heart of love and compassion as He has already gone to the Father by this time.
John 21:7-9
Then the disciple Jesus loved said to Peter, “It’s the Lord!” When Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he put on his tunic (for he had stripped for work), jumped into the water, and headed to shore. 8 The others stayed with the boat and pulled the loaded net to the shore, for they were only about a hundred yards from shore. 9 When they got there, they found breakfast waiting for them—fish cooking over a charcoal fire, and some bread.
Peter is heartbroken but also full of love. He doesn’t waste time waiting for the others nor does he care about the fish but he wants to be with Jesus! It seems every time we see Jesus after the resurrection he is eating!
John 21: 10,11
“Bring some of the fish you’ve just caught,” Jesus said. 11 So Simon Peter went aboard and dragged the net to the shore. There were 153 large fish, and yet the net hadn’t torn.
Jesus cooked the fish over a charcoal fire, it was a charcoal fire that Peter was warming himself by the night of Jesus’ betrayal. Sometimes, smells can bring back powerful memories.
For me the smell of diesel reminds of every major city I have been in around the world.
Fresh baked bread reminds me of coming home from school and my mom always making fresh bread every week.
Rotting fruit, most of the third-world countries I have been in
Meat grilling most of the nations of the world Kyrgyzstan, Albania, Honduras, Zimbabwe, Iraq
All very powerful smells both positive and negative are powerful memory joggers and I believe that is why Jesus had the charcoal fire, to remind Peter of that night.
I also want you to notice the mini-miracle. It took seven men to bring the catch into the boat but then Peter dragged the full net in by himself.
John 21:12-14
“Now come and have some breakfast!” Jesus said. None of the disciples dared to ask him, “Who are you?” They knew it was the Lord. 13 Then Jesus served them the bread and the fish. 14 This was the third time Jesus had appeared to his disciples since he had been raised from the dead.
Once again, we see the disciples didn’t recognize him. Revelation chapter 5 gives us a description of Jesus that may also give understanding as to why Jesus was unrecognizable physically but spiritually they knew him.
Jesus is described this way….Revelation 5:6
Then I saw a Lamb that looked as if it had been slaughtered, but it was now standing between the throne and the four living beings and among the twenty-four elders.
Isaiah 52:14 describes Jesus this way
But many were amazed when they saw him. His face was so disfigured he seemed hardly human, and from his appearance, one would scarcely know he was a man.
In heaven, Jesus still bears the marks of the beating, whipping, and crucifixion when being our intercessor. We see when he returns as the triumphant King in Revelation 19: 11-15, a different look.
But here, he most likely was beardless and bearing at least some of the marks of his crucifixion.
I hope you understand that Jesus truly loves you and will always work to redeem you no matter how near or far you go from him. This Jesus’ plan with Peter
John 21:15-17
After breakfast Jesus asked Simon Peter, “Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?”
“Yes, Lord,” Peter replied, “you know I love you.”
“Then feed my lambs,” Jesus told him.
16 Jesus repeated the question: “Simon son of John, do you love me?”
“Yes, Lord,” Peter said, “you know I love you.”
“Then take care of my sheep,” Jesus said.
17 A third time he asked him, “Simon son of John, do you love me?”
Peter was hurt that Jesus asked the question a third time. He said, “Lord, you know everything. You know that I love you.” Jesus said, “Then feed my sheep.
Jesus begins asking Simon if he loves him more than he loves the other disciples. The challenge is, he ran to them for comfort rather than running to Jesus. He felt they would accept him in his brokenness but afraid that Jesus would not. So he asked do you really love me more than you love these other men?
The word Jesus uses for love means the all-unconditional commitment of real love but Simon’s response is basically I love you the same as these brothers.
Jesus said, “Then feed my lambs,” Jesus calls Peter, “Simon” back to his old nature rather than Peter the rock. Jesus can not build a foundation through Peter in his broken state, Peter has to be willing to meet with Jesus and be restored. Jesus is telling Peter if you really love me then you will do what I have called you to do and bring the truth of my word to the young ones, this is your call!
Then again, Jesus asks him, Peter, are you 100% committed to loving me? Peter’s response is I love you like a brother Jesus. Jesus says shepherd my sheep! Protect them cause them to grow
Then Jesus comes down to Peter’s level and says Peter, do you love me as a brother, Peter is frustrated and wounded because Jesus asked a third time and he says I recognize you as Lord and God, you know I love you as a brother. Then Jesus says, give my word in a way they can understand it to my people.
Notice a few things here
– Peter is asked to respond to three charges to bring the word to the people, this nullifies the three denials in Peter’s head. Jesus did this for Peter’s sake. He already knew Peter’s heart
– They are Jesus’ lambs and sheep, not Peter’s but Jesus is placing them in Peter’s charge as an Apostle over the church.
– probably most importantly, no matter what we do, no matter how much we turn our backs on the Lord no matter how much we feel we have failed him, He loves us and wants to redeem us!
John 21:18,19
“I tell you the truth, when you were young, you were able to do as you liked; you dressed yourself and went wherever you wanted to go. But when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and others will dress you and take you where you don’t want to go.” 19 Jesus said this to let him know by what kind of death he would glorify God. Then Jesus told him, “Follow me.”
Jesus is still speaking directly to Peter. Jesus is telling Peter just what he had said a year earlier that a disciple is not above his master and that Peter would be crucified just as Jesus was, only about 25 years later. The phrase “dress you” means to bind with rope. Tradition states that about 67 AD Peter was crucifed and not feeling worthy to be crucified as Jesus was, he was hung upside down in his mid to late 60’s. When Jesus stated, “follow me,” to Peter he meant literally be crucified as I was.
Not all prophecy happens quickly; actually, in my experience, it rarely is fulfilled quickly.
John 21:20-23
Peter turned around and saw behind them the disciple Jesus loved—the one who had leaned over to Jesus during supper and asked, “Lord, who will betray you?” 21 Peter asked Jesus, “What about him, Lord?” 22 Jesus replied, “If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you? As for you, follow me.” 23 So the rumor spread among the community of believers that this disciple wouldn’t die. But that isn’t what Jesus said at all. He only said, “If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you?”
Peter is saying, OK you are telling me, I’m going to be crucified but what about John. Sometimes, prophecies can be unnerving and upsetting when we first receive them, but part of a true prophecy from the Lord is that the Lord prepares us for the fulfillment of the prophecy when it happens. Peter was so overwhelmed, 25 years later by the privilege of dying for Jesus, on a cross that he chose to die a different way. God turned his fear into joy as was described of Jesus crucifixion by the writer of Hebrews.
John clears up a rumor that he was going to live forever by clarifying Jesus’ words
John 21:24,25
This disciple is the one who testifies to these events and has recorded them here. And we know that his account of these things is accurate.
25 Jesus also did many other things. If they were all written down, I suppose the whole world could not contain the books that would be written.
John only covered 20 days of Jesus 3 ½ years of ministry and in fact much of the book was focused on the last 24 hours of Jesus’ life before and during the crucifixion.
His goal and purpose was to help us understand as John stated… “But these are written so that you may continue to believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing in him you will have life by the power of his name.”
You are not called to be fearful, miserable, anxious, worrisome, to be overcome, pressed down but instead you are called to have life abundantly full of power through the Holy Spirit because of His name