THE EPILOGUE - JESUS APPEARS TO HIS DISCIPLES - THE RESTORATION OF PETER (JOHN 21). The Gospel appears to come to a perfectly satisfactory conclusion in John 20:30, which comes immediately after the confession by Thomas of ‘My Lord and my God' in John 20:28, which can be seen as the real climax to t... [ Continue Reading ]
‘After these things Jesus revealed himself again to the disciples at the Sea of Tiberias, and he revealed himself in this way.' ‘After these things Jesus --.' This is a typical loose Johannine connection (see especially John 6:1). For reference to ‘The Sea of Tiberias', see also John 6:1, the only... [ Continue Reading ]
THE DISCIPLES CANNOT BE FRUITFUL WITHOUT THE POWER OF JESUS (JOHN 21:1).... [ Continue Reading ]
‘There were together Simon Peter, and Thomas called Didymus (‘the twin'), and Nathaniel of Cana in Galilee, and the sons of Zebedee and two other of his disciples. Simon Peter says to them, “I am going fishing.” They say to him, “We are also coming with you.” They went out and boarded the boat, and... [ Continue Reading ]
‘But when day was now breaking Jesus stood on the beach. However the disciples did not know that it was Jesus. Jesus therefore says to them, “Friends, have you caught anything to eat?” They answered him, “No”. In the gloom and haze of the early morning the disciples saw a man on the beach, but did... [ Continue Reading ]
‘And he said to them, “Cast the net on the right side of the boat and you will find something.” They cast therefore and now they were not able to draw the net for the abundance of fish.' When it was suggested that they cast their nets on the right (starboard) side of the boat they did as requested.... [ Continue Reading ]
‘That disciple whom Jesus loved therefore says to Peter, “It is the Lord”. John was one of those who had witnessed the similar event before and the conviction dawned on him that the man on the shore must be the risen Jesus. Note however his description of Jesus as ‘the Lord'. They had begun to thin... [ Continue Reading ]
‘So when Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he put his coat around him for he was stripped to the waist, and threw himself in the sea, but the other disciples came in the small boat, for they were not far from land, about two hundred cubits off, dragging the net full of fish.' It would appear... [ Continue Reading ]
‘So when they disembarked on the land they see a fire of coals there, and fish laid thereon, and bread.' Fish being heated on a brazier was a welcome sight after a cold night. The ‘fish and bread' must have reminded them of the day when Jesus fed the five thousand on fish and bread, and of His word... [ Continue Reading ]
‘Jesus says to them, “Bring of the fish that you have now taken.” Simon Peter therefore went up and drew the net to land, full of large fish, one hundred and fifty three, and for all there was so many the net was not torn.' Jesus did not require the fish that they had taken for their breakfast for... [ Continue Reading ]
‘Jesus says to them, “come and break your fast.” An none of the disciples dared to enquire of him, “Who are you?”, knowing that it was the Lord.' The reference to ‘come an break your fast' may well be a reminder to them of Jesus words about them fasting in the day when He was snatched away from the... [ Continue Reading ]
‘Jesus comes and takes the bread and gives some to them, and the fish similarly.' Once again we have a reminder of how He fed the crowds. This fellowship meal must have brought thoughts flooding back. But now the deeper significance of participating in resurrection life must have come home more for... [ Continue Reading ]
‘This is now the third time that Jesus was revealed to his disciples after he was risen from the dead.' ‘The third time' refers back to the two appearances in chapter 20. There were other individual appearances, but these were appearances to the disciples as a group (note that again ‘disciples' ind... [ Continue Reading ]
‘So when they had had breakfast Jesus says to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of Joanes, do you love me more than these?” ' ‘More than these' may refer to the fishing boat and the fish, and be questioning whether Jesus came first in his thinking and his plans. But it rather more probably referred to the d... [ Continue Reading ]
JESUS RESTORES PETER (JOHN 21:15). Jesus had previously ‘appeared to Peter' privately (1 Corinthians 15:5; Luke 24:34), no doubt in order to assure him that he was forgiven. But this was now a public restoration in front of the others. He was destined to be a leader and it was important that he be... [ Continue Reading ]
‘He says to him again a second time, “Simon, son of Joanes, do you love me?” He says to him, “Indeed, Lord, you know that I love you.” He says to him, “Shepherd my sheep”.' The same question is repeated by Jesus and the same answer brings confirmation that Peter has (along with the other disciples)... [ Continue Reading ]
‘He says to him the third time, “Simon, son of Joanes, 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 says to him, “Feed my sheep.” ‘Simon, son of Joanes.' Jesus began by add... [ Continue Reading ]
“In very truth I tell you, when you were young you regularly dressed yourself and walked where you wished, but when you will be old you will stretch out your hands and another will determine your dress and carry you where you do not wish to go.” Now this he spoke signifying by what manner of death h... [ Continue Reading ]
“And when he had spoken this he says to him, “Follow me”.' Jesus now renewed that first so important call of Peter. He called him again to ‘Follow Me'. The care Jesus took over all this demonstrates how deeply what Peter had done had been felt, both by Peter and the rest of the disciples. One they... [ Continue Reading ]
‘Peter, turning round, sees the disciple whom Jesus loved following, he who also leaned back on his breast at the Supper and said ‘Lord, who is it who betrays you?' John here makes clear that ‘the disciple whom Jesus loved' was a real person who did real things, and refers to only one identifiable... [ Continue Reading ]
JOHN'S FUTURE IS NOT TO BE REVEALED (JOHN 21:20).... [ Continue Reading ]
‘Peter therefore seeing him says to Jesus, “Lord and what shall this man do?” ' Peter then asked Jesus about John's future. What caused Peter to do this? The impression given is that he said it on the spur of the moment when his glance happened to fall on John. It may have been his way of ‘softenin... [ Continue Reading ]
‘Jesus says to him, “If I will that he tarry until I come, what is that to you? You follow me.” Jesus told Peter that what would happen to others was of no concern of his. He must concentrate on following Jesus, not be looking at the futures of others. Their lives were under God's control. There is... [ Continue Reading ]
‘This saying went forth therefore among the brethren that that disciple would not die. Yet Jesus did not say to him that he would not die, but ‘if I will that he tarry until I come what is that to you'.' As a ressult of this an incorrect assumption arose among some Christians (‘the brethren') that... [ Continue Reading ]
‘This is the disciple who bears witness of these things and wrote these things, and we know that his testimony is true.' These words are the equivalent of a witness's signature. A group of important Christians confirm that the Gospel was written by the beloved disciple, who was still alive and bear... [ Continue Reading ]
‘And there are also many other things which Jesus did, the which if every one of them should be written I suppose that even the world itself would not contain the books that would be written.' The first person ‘I' suggests that this was then finally appended by the writer himself. It may, however,... [ Continue Reading ]