After Jesus had given many signs to His disciples that He was alive, He met them for breakfast by the sea of Tiberias. The Appearance of Christ in John 20 took place around Jerusalem. John 21 takes place in Galilee where the disciples had returned to their occupation as fishermen. When in the upper room for the Passover meal, Jesus had told His disciples that after He was raised He would meet in Galilee, (Matthew 26:32; Mark 14:28). The Sea of Tiberias is another name for the Sea of Galilee.
John 21:1-2 NKJV After these things Jesus showed Himself again to the disciples at the Sea of Tiberias, and in this way He showed Himself: Simon Peter, Thomas called the Twin, Nathanael of Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two others of His disciples were together.
These seven disciples had gathered together as they had been when Jesus first met them by the Sea of Galilee. These disciples returned to the Sea and to fishing.
John 21:3 NKJV Simon Peter said to them, “I am going fishing.” They said to him, “We are going with you also.” They went out and immediately got into the boat, and that night they caught nothing.
The scene is almost identical to the first time Jesus met them. For some reason, that night they caught nothing.
John 21:4-5 NKJV But when the morning had now come, Jesus stood on the shore; yet the disciples did not know that it was Jesus. Then Jesus said to them, “Children, have you any food?” They answered Him, “No.”
Once again, Jesus appeared to them in His glorified body. Previously, when they saw the Lord, they recognized Him. It was early in the morning, and they were still a distance out on the water and they did not know that it was the Lord. Have you ever been fishing and regardless of what you tried, you caught nothing? Someone comes up and asks, “Have you caught any fish?” Their response was, “No.” Often when someone asks that, they will say, “The fish are really biting on the other side of the lake.”
John 21:6 NKJV And He said to them, “Cast the net on the right side of the boat, and you will find some.” So they cast, and now they were not able to draw it in because of the multitude of fish.
This miracle was just like the earlier fishing miracles. Their nets were filled and Peter responded in the same way he did earlier.
John 21:7-8 NKJV Therefore that disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, “It is the Lord!” Now when Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he put on his outer garment (for he had removed it), and plunged into the sea. But the other disciples came in the little boat (for they were not far from land, but about two hundred cubits), dragging the net with fish.
Peter’s response reminds me of the time Jesus came walking on the water. Peter was quick to get out of the boat and go to be with the Lord.
John 21:9-10 NKJV Then, as soon as they had come to land, they saw a fire of coals there, and fish laid on it, and bread. Jesus said to them, “Bring some of the fish which you have just caught.”
Jesus was already prepared for them with bread and fish on the fire. The bread and the fish are a reminder of Christ’s miracle feeding of the multitudes. Jesus’ activity by the Sea is a reminder to His disciples. I am sure that as soon as these things happened, they started remembering the things Jesus did with them.
John 21:11 NKJV Simon Peter went up and dragged the net to land, full of large fish, one hundred and fifty-three; and although there were so many, the net was not broken.
It is interesting that although the net was full, it was not broken. We know that nothing just happens with God. 153 was the known species of fish during the time of first century writers. This is an illustration for the disciples that goes back to the first time they caught a miracle draught of fish. Jesus told them then that they would be made fishers of men. Jesus is about to emphasize the disciples’ mission.
John 21:12-13 NKJV Jesus said to them, “Come and eat breakfast.” Yet none of the disciples dared ask Him, “Who are You?”—knowing that it was the Lord. Jesus then came and took the bread and gave it to them, and likewise the fish.
Do you remember when Jesus fed the multitudes with fish and bread, that He had a deeper purpose in mind? He wanted everyone to know that He was the bread of life and that nothing is impossible with God.
John 21:14-15 NKJV This is now the third time Jesus showed Himself to His disciples after He was raised from the dead. So when they had eaten breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of Jonah, 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.”
To get his attention, Jesus called Peter by his full name, “Simon, son of Jonah.” It was a reminder of where he came from. “Do you love me more than these?” could refer to at least two things. It could refer to Peter’s love of fishing, the large catch of fish and his carrier. It could also refer to the other disciples that were sitting around the fire. Whatever Jesus was referring to, He was bringing Peter to a recommitment to the ministry. Do you love me?Jesus asked, “Peter do you love (agapo) Me?” Agapo is the highest form of love. This is the kind of love the Father has for us. Agapao is to dearly love. Peter responded, “You know that I love (phileo) you.” Phileo means: approve, fond, welcome, love. This is brotherly love.
John 21:16 NKJV He said to him again a second time, “Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me?” He said to Him, “Yes, Lord; You know that I love You.” He said to him, “Tend My sheep.”
Again, Jesus asked Simon son of Jonah, “Do you love (agapao) Me?” Peter responded, “Yes, Lord; You know that I love You.” Again Peter used “phileo.” The Amplified Bible says, “I have deep, instinctive, personal affection for You, as a close friend.”
John 21:17 NKJV He said to him the third time, “Simon, son of Jonah, 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, “Feed My sheep.”
Question three probed the genuineness and loyalty of Peter’s love. This time Jesus approached Peter on the human level of love. He simply asked, “Peter, do you really love, [phileo] me even as a brother?” This question of his love grieved Peter. In each of these three questions about Peter’s love, Jesus deepened the assignment of his commission to ministry. “Feed My lambs.” “Tend My sheep.” “Feed My sheep.”
Jesus was connecting love for the Lord with care for His chosen ones. True love for the Lord always brings us into ministry and love for one another. Peter knew that he had failed the Lord. His denial in the Praetorium broke his heart. It is necessary for Jesus to reaffirm Simon Peter’s love. The Lord was committing the future of His church into the hands of His disciples, and He needed to know how far they were willing to go for Him.
After testing Peter’s love and reaffirming the commission, Jesus warned him of his future.
John 21:18-19 NKJV Most assuredly, I say to you, when you were younger, you girded yourself and walked where you wished; but when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and another will gird you and carry you where you do not wish.” This He spoke, signifying by what death he would glorify God. And when He had spoken this, He said to him, “Follow Me.”
Jesus is telling Peter, “I know you will be faithful even to death.” Earlier Peter told the Lord that he was willing to follow Him even to death, (John 13:37). Then Peter denied the Lord as soon as the rooster crowed. Now Jesus is telling Peter that everything has changed. When he was a young man, Peter did whatever he wanted. Jesus said, “when you are old, another will gird you and carry you where you do not wish.” Peter would be a prisoner and would ultimately be martyred on a cross in the 60s.
Peter’s response sounds like many other people. He wanted to know what would happen to John.
John 21:20-22 NKJV Then Peter, turning around, saw the disciple whom Jesus loved following, who also had leaned on His breast at the supper, and said, “Lord, who is the one who betrays You?” Peter, seeing him, said to Jesus, “But Lord, what about this man?” Jesus said to him, “If I will that he remain till I come, what is that to you? You follow Me.”
Look at those last words: “If I will that he remain till I come, what is that to you? You follow Me.” Everyone of us has a personal responsibility to follow the Lord, no questions asked. Some people say, “I’ll not serve the Lord unless I have all of my questions answered.” The truth is there are many things that we will not know. Each of us is accountable to God. Some early believers thought this statement, “If I will that he remain till I come, what is that to you?” indicated that the Lord would return before John died. Jesus did not reveal what would happen to John. He simply said, “If I will…” Tradition says, John was crucified with his head down because he did not feel worthy to die as the Lord died.
John 21:25 NKJV And there are also many other things that Jesus did, which if they were written one by one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that would be written. Amen.
In John 20:30-31 it says, “And truly Jesus did many other signs in the presence of His disciples, which are not written in this book. but these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in His name.”
No one is able to describe all of the things that Jesus did on earth. Each of His miracles involved many supernatural actions. Think about the numbers of things that had to occur in each simple act of healing. Nerves, muscles, blood cells, and numerous other things had to come together to bring healing. Think about the action of the disciples casting their net into the water and bringing in a large number of fish. Truly, the world could not contain the books that could be written about the wonderful things Jesus did.
Just as Jesus was asking Simon son of Jonah if he loved Him, each of us should search our own heart. Do you love Jesus?