John 21:1-23

John 21:1. After these things Jesus showed himself again to the disciples at the sea of Tiberias; and on this wise showed he himself.

Jesus loved to show himself to his people. Of old, his delights were with the sons of men; so, now that he had risen from the dead, he was not ashamed to visit his brethren, and he did not disdain to make himself known to them, and he will still show himself to us after a spiritual fashion, if we sincerely desire to see him.

John 21:2. 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.

As John was the writer of this record, he did not put his own name there, but merely mentioned «the sons of Zebedee.»

John 21:3. Simon Peter saith unto them, I go a fishing. They say unto him, We also go with thee.

Men who are in a right state of heart cannot willingly be idle; so, if these apostles cannot preach for a time, they will go back to their old employment, and seek to catch fish.

John 21:3. They went forth, and entered into a ship immediately; and that night they caught nothing.

Brethren, without Christ's presence, that is what always happens: «they caught nothing.» But notice what the next verse says:

John 21:4. But when the morning was now come, Jesus stood on the shore: but the disciples knew not that it was Jesus.

We must remember that a great change had taken place in him, and that the disciples were at some distance from the shore. They saw a person standing there, but they were not sure who it was.

John 21:5. Then Jesus saith unto them, Children, have ye any meat?

This is not an exact translation of our Saviour's words; he might too readily have revealed his identity if he had spoken like that. His question was more like a common fisherman's salutation, «Lads, have you any food?»

John 21:5. They answered him, No.

Jesus likes us to admit that we do not possess anything of our own before he gives us the blessing he is waiting to bestow. He lets us see that the table is bare before he loads it with his bounty, so that he may have all the praise and glory for what he gives us.

John 21:6. 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.

This is another proof of the difference between Christ's presence and Christ's absence.

John 21:7. Therefore that disciple whom Jesus loved (again John does not mention his own name), saith unto Peter, It is the Lord.

«It is only he who could spy out the fish, and only he who could fill the net with them; it is just his way of acting, ‘It is the Lord.'« The eyes of true love are very quick. Peter was not the first to recognize Jesus; John was, for he loved him most.

John 21:7. 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.

He had such reverence for his Master that he would not appear before him without a sufficient covering, yet he was in a hurry to get to him. Peter always was in a hurry; yet he was grandly impetuous as a rule. I wish that some «slow-coaches» had a little of his pace.

John 21:8. 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. As soon then as they were come to land, they saw a fire of coals there, and fish laid thereon, and bread.

How that fire must have reminded Peter of his denial of his Lord! He saw his Master by the light of the charcoal fire, and that is how he saw him on the night when he denied him.

John 21:10. Jesus saith unto them, Bring of the fish which ye have now 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.

On the previous occasion when Peter's net was miraculously filled by Christ, we read that the net brake. That was Peter's own net, but this time I suppose it was not Peter's, but one that he had borrowed, and probably he had no time to mend it, so the Master took care that it should not break.

He always has his own ways of working, and they always fit the circumstances of the case, and show his thoughtful care of his people.

John 21:12. Jesus saith unto them, Come and dine.

The Revised Version is more correct: «Come and break your fast,» «Come and have your breakfast.»

John 21:12. 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 showed himself to his disciples, after that he was risen from the dead. So when they had dined,

When they had broken their fast, but not until then, for Christ does not talk to men when their hunger might make them inattentive,

John 21:15. Jesus saith to Simon Peter, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me more than these?

He had talked as if he did: «Although all shall be offended, yet will not I.»

John 21:15. He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee.

He was wise in not measuring his love in comparison with that of his fellow-disciples, or in speaking of the quantity of it, but he affirmed that even Christ knew that he did really love him.

John 21:15. 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 thou me?

Here is a lesson for all who would be pastors of Christ's flock. The first necessity of a true pastor is love to Christ, the second necessity of a true pastor is love to Christ, and the third necessity of a true pastor is love to Christ. A man who does not love the great Shepherd cannot properly feed either his sheep or lambs. If his own heart is not right towards the divine Owner of the sheep, he cannot be a true under-shepherd to Christ's flock.

John 21:17. 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. Verily, verily, I say unto thee, When thou wast young, thou girdedst thyself, and walkedst whither 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.

Peter was to stretch out his hands, and be nailed to a cross, as his Lord was.

John 21:19. And when he had spoken this, he saith unto him, Follow me.

«That is to be your rule, whether you feed my sheep or lambs, or whether you stretch out your hands upon a cross, and die as a martyr, ‘Follow me.'« That is also the rule for all of us who love the Lord. O Lord, help us to obey it!

John 21:20. Then Peter, turning about, seeth the disciple 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? 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.