João 21
Charles Spurgeon · Citado em PreceptAustin
João 21
Spurgeon - It was well to keep together and enjoy the communion of saints. Good society makes good men better. (The Interpreter) NET NOTE surmises (and it is only a guess) that "The two other disciples who are not named may have been Andrew and Philip, who are mentioned together in John 6:7–8 and Jn 12:22." John 21:3 Simon Peter *said to them, “I am going fishing.” They *said to him, “We will also come with you.” They went out and got into the boat; and that night they caught nothing. I am going fishing: 2Ki 6:1-7 Mt 4:18-20 Lu 5:10,11 Ac 18:3 20:34 1Co 9:6 1Th 2:9 2Th 3:7-9 and that night they caught nothing: Lu 5:5 1Co 3:7 Related Passages: Luke 5:1-11+ (THIS PASSAGE HAS PARALLELS TO THIS SCENE IN JOHN 21) Now it happened that while the crowd was pressing around Him and listening to the word of God, He was standing by the lake of Gennesaret; 2 and He saw two boats lying at the edge of the lake; but the fishermen had gotten out of them and were washing their nets. 3 And He got into one of the boats, which was Simon’s, and asked him to put out a little way from the land. And He sat down and began teaching the people from the boat. 4 When He had finished speaking, He said to Simon, “Put out into the deep water and let down your nets for a catch.” 5 Simon answered and said, “Master, we worked hard all night and caught nothing, but I will do as You say and let down the nets.” 6 When they had done this, they enclosed a great quantity of fish, and their nets began to break; 7 so they signaled to their partners in the other boat for them to come and help them. And they came and filled both of the boats, so that they began to sink. 8 But when Simon Peter saw that, he fell down at Jesus’ feet, saying, “Go away from me Lord, for I am a sinful man!” 9 For amazement had seized him and all his companions because of the catch of fish which they had taken; 10 and so also were James and John, sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon. And Jesus said to Simon, “Do not fear, from now on you will be catching men.” 11 When they had brought their boats to land, they left everything and followed Him. "The Jesus Boat" THE SEVEN DISCIPLES GO NIGHT FISHING Simon Peter said to them, “I am going fishing.” They *said to him, “We will also come with you.” - Simon is the name he had before he met Jesus Who gave him the name Cephas (Aramaic for rock) (Jn 1:42+). As usual we see Peter is the leader and the others follow the leader. In fishing for fish, it appears that all of the disciples seem to have forgotten Jesus' prophetic promise to make them "fishers of men!" (Mt 4:19+). In fairness, Jesus was not with them as He had been for the previous 3 years, so they went back to their previous profession. After all they needed to make a living and provide for their families. They went out and got into the boat (ploion) - It is surprising that they still had a boat because Matthew records when they heard the call of Jesus to "Follow Me and I will make you fishers of men," they left their nets (and this had been over 3 years earlier). (cf Mt 4:19,20+). While they had initially left the fishing profession, it is quite possible that Zebedee still had a fishing boat they could use (Mk 1:20+). And that night (nux) they caught (piazo) (absolutely) nothing (oudeis) - Fishing at night was the best time to catch fish, but they had been fishing for some time (possibly the entire night) and yet come up empty handed. God is sovereign and He was setting up the scene for the miracle that would help open the eyes of the disciples to see their Lord on the shore. This scene would also serve as a poignant reminder to the disciples of their inadequacy (insufficiency) and His adequacy (sufficiency)! THOUGHT - The phrase they caught (absolutely) nothing reminds me of what we can do without Christ, when we fail to abide in the Vine. We can do absolutely nothing (oudeis)! (John 15:5+). Dear disciple (represented by the "two others" Jn 21:1) the world is growing exponentially darker each day and as children of the light and of the day, John 21:1-3 begs the question "Have I been "fishing" (whatever that means specifically in my spiritual life) all night and yet caught absolutely nothing? Perhaps I need to come to the recognition that I am not adequate for fruitful spiritual work in my own strength, but that my adequacy is from God Who made me adequate as a servant of the New Covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit, for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life. (2Co 3:5-6+)? Spurgeon - As they had as yet no directions to go upon their spiritual business, they acted commendably in following their daily callings, for nothing is more dangerous than indolence. (The Interpreter) David Black says "The historical present describes a past event as though it were actually taking place: λέγουσιν αὐτῷ περὶ αὐτῆς, they spoke to him about her (Mark 1:30). Here the present is a pictorial tense, displaying the action vividly before our eyes. In English we often use the historical present when recounting personal experiences ("then he says to me"). (BORROW It's Still Greek to Me page 106) Historical presents in John 18-21 - Jn 18:3 - came; Jn 18:4 - said; Jn 18:17 - said; Jn 18:26 - said; Jn 18:29 - said; Jn 18:38 - said; Jn 19:4 said; Jn 19:5 - said, Jn 19:6 - said; Jn 19:9 - said; Jn 19:10 - said; Jn 19:14 - said; Jn 19:15 - said; Jn 19:26 - said; Jn 19:27 - said; Jn 20:1 - came, was, saw; Jn 20:2 - ran, came, said; Jn 20:5 - saw; Jn 20:6 - came, beheld; Jn 20:12 - beheld; Jn 20:13 - said, said; Jn 20:14 - beheld; Jn 20:15 - said; Jn 20:16 - said, turned, said; Jn 20:17 - said; Jn 20:18 - came; Jn 20:19 - said; Jn 20:22 - said; Jn 20:26 - came; Jn 20:27 - said; Jn 20:29 - said; Jn 21:3 - said, said; Jn 21:5 - said; Jn 21:9 - saw; Jn 21:10 - said; Jn 21:12 - said; Jn 21:13 - came, took, gave; Jn 21:15 - said, said; Jn 21:16 - said, said, said; Jn 21:17 - said, said; Jn 21:19 - said, Jn 21:20 - saw; Jn 21:21 -said; Jn 21:22 - said; Jn 21:25 - were, would, were John 21:4 But when the day was now breaking, Jesus stood on the beach; yet the disciples did not know that it was Jesus. but: John 20:14 Mk 16:12 Lu 24:15,16,31 IT'S BEEN A HARD DAY'S NIGHT & NETS ARE EMPTY But when the day was now breaking - So the fishermen must have been heading back to shore, frustrated with their failure to secure even one single fish after a night of laborious effort. The sun was just coming up before them, but little did they know that they would soon see the risen Son standing before them! Jesus (Iesous) stood on the beach; yet the disciples (mathetes) did not know (eido) that it was Jesus - As we have seen in the post-resurrection appearances of Jesus, finite men could not see the infinite God unless He revealed Himself to them. Did not know is the verb eido that in this context speaks of supernaturally given knowledge. At this point the Spirit had not yet given this knowledge to them, but He soon would! John 21:5 So Jesus *said to them, “Children, you do not have any fish, do you?” They answered Him, “No.” Children: 1Jn 2:13,18 you do not have any fish, do you: Ps 37:3 Lu 24:41-43 Php 4:11-13,19 Heb 13:5 THE DIVINE STRANGER ON THE SHORE So (oun) is a term of conclusion. Jesus (Iesous) *said to them, “Children (paidion), you do not have any fish, do you?”- In this Greek construction, Jesus expects a "NO" answer, which of course implies He knows in His omniscience that they have caught no fish! Jesus calls out to the disciples using an interesting designation "children (paidion)," a term He has not used before in John to describe His disciples. It is no accident then that this word children (paidion) stresses the need for moral training and guidance of the addressee! Paidion is used by Paul to address believers in Corinth who were deficient in spiritual understanding, exhorting (commanding) them "Brethren, do not be (present imperative with a negative see our need to depend on the Holy Spirit to obey) children (paidion) in your thinking; yet in evil be infants, but in your thinking be mature." (1Co 14:20+) In other words, Paul commanded the disciples at Corinth to grow up and exhibit spiritual maturity, to become spiritual adults, mature in the faith. That same sense of paidion would apply to Jesus' use of this designation to His disciples, who had been called to be fishers of men but had regressed to be fishers of fish! They answered Him, “No - This must have chafed at least a little that these experienced fishermen had returned with empty nets. NET NOTE - The word προσφάγιον (prosphagion) is unusual. According to BDAG 886 s.v. in Hellenistic Greek it described a side dish to be eaten with bread, and in some contexts was the equivalent of ὅψον (opson), “fish.” Used in addressing a group of returning fishermen, however, it is quite clear that the speaker had fish in mind. Children (3813) (paidion diminutive of pais = child) is a little child of either sex, ranging from an infant (Mt 19:13, 14; Mk 10:13-15; Lk 18:16, 17, etc) to children who are older (Mt 11:16; Mt 14:21; 15:38; 18:2-5, etc) Paidion is used repeatedly of the infant Jesus in Matthew (Mt 2:8-9, 11, 13-14, 20-21) Paidion is used as a term of comparison, Jesus making the point that we are to become like a little child (Mk 10:15 Lk 18:17), the implication of course being that this is not an infant but a child old enough to express saving faith in the Messiah!. Gilbrant - In classical Greek the primary meaning of paidion (diminutive of pais) is an “infant” or “young child” up to 7 years of age (Liddell-Scott). The saying “chip off the old block” can be traced back to the use of paidion in classical Greek (ibid.). In the Septuagint paidion is used of a newborn child as in Genesis 17:12, “And he that is eight days old shall be circumcised among you, every man child in your generations.” The word paidion is also used spiritually of the family of God (cf. Isaiah 8:18; Hebrews 2:13). It can also mean a young slave, either male or female. In the New Testament paidion is used in a number of ways. It can be used of an infant, as in Luke 2:21 where Jesus is described as an 8-day-old child. It can also be used of a child old enough to believe in Jesus (Matthew 18:2,6). Paidion can also signify a father and child relationship. In Luke 11:7 the father said his children were with him in bed. The Lord Jesus used paidion as a term of affection in John 21:5 where He warmly addressed His disciples as His children in much the same way a father addresses his children. An interesting usage of this family aspect is seen in 1 John 2:13 where paidion is used to address the youngest believers in the family of God. In that usage it is to be distinguished from teknia (teknion), the term John used to address all his readers (1 John 2:1,12,28). Here paidion seems to emphasize the fact that a child is a learner, one who needs guidance, while teknia stresses the fact that the child was born into the family. Paidion can also be used to address believers who are deficient in spiritual understanding. In 1 Corinthians 14:20 Paul exhorted the Christians at Corinth not to be childish in understanding. Instead they were to grow up and exhibit mature spiritual intellects. They needed to become spiritual adults, that is, mature. (Complete Biblical Library) PAIDION - 52X/49V - boy's(1), Child(10), child(21), child's(2), children(17), children's(1). Matt. 2:8; Matt. 2:9; Matt. 2:11; Matt. 2:13; Matt. 2:14; Matt. 2:20; Matt. 2:21; Matt. 11:16; Matt. 14:21; Matt. 15:38; Matt. 18:2; Matt. 18:3; Matt. 18:4; Matt. 18:5; Matt. 19:13; Matt. 19:14; Mk. 5:39; Mk. 5:40; Mk. 5:41; Mk. 7:28; Mk. 7:30; Mk. 9:24; Mk. 9:36; Mk. 9:37; Mk. 10:13; Mk. 10:14; Mk. 10:15; Lk. 1:59; Lk. 1:66; Lk. 1:76; Lk. 1:80; Lk. 2:17; Lk. 2:27; Lk. 2:40; Lk. 7:32; Lk. 9:47; Lk. 9:48; Lk. 11:7; Lk. 18:16; Lk. 18:17; Jn. 4:49; Jn. 16:21; Jn. 21:5; 1 Co. 14:20; Heb. 2:13; Heb. 2:14; Heb. 11:23; 1 Jn. 2:13; 1 Jn. 2:18 John 21:6 And He said to them, “Cast the net on the right-hand side of the boat and you will find a catch.” So they cast, and then they were not able to haul it in because of the great number of fish. Cast: Mt 7:27 Lu 5:4-7 They cast: John 2:5 Ps 8:8 Heb 2:6-9 the multitude: Ac 2:41 4:4 PROFESSIONAL FISHERMEN OBEY STRANGER'S STRANGE COMMAND And He said to them, “Cast the net on the right-hand side of the boat (ploion) and you will find a catch.” - This is a strange passage. Here are men who were professional fisherman and a Man Who is not even in a boat giving them a command and a promise. The command is very specific (right-hand side of the boat) and the promise is certain, not "you might catch a few fish" but "you will find a catch." So (oun) is a term of conclusion. What did the disciples conclude? We cannot be dogmatic, but surely they sensed something different about this Stranger on the shore who called them by the usual title children (paidion) (Jn 21:5) and seemed to have uncanny knowledge regarding their failure to catch any fish. How could He be so certain? And so their "conclusion" was "Let's obey this Stranger's strange command!" They cast - This is a short description but is a critical cog in the entire scene. Had they not obeyed, they would not have found the catch the Man had promised. Or if they had decided to cast on the left-hand side, they would not have received the promise of a catch. THOUGHT - There is a lesson for all of us. First, when Jesus commands, do not hesitate to obey. Second, obey the specifics of His command and do not deviate from His direction. Third, and somewhat related to the second, is we are to obey even if His command seems strange. Is there a specific command Jesus has given to you and you are choosing to disobey? Then do not expect a "catch" (whatever that is specifically in your life)! Trust and obey for there is no other way to be happy in Jesus than to trust and obey! And then - This phrase is an important connective (and) marking progression (then) in the narrative. They were not able to haul it in because of the great number of fish - This miraculous event should have set off bells in the minds of Simon Peter, James and John who had all been present at the similar miraculous catch in Lk 5:1-11 (see above)! And remember that there are 7 strong men in the boat and they are still unable to haul it in because of the great number of fish. We find out later that there were 153 fish, but clearly these were not minnows but all of them were surely "keepers" to account for the heavy weight of the catch! And do not miss the crucial point that the disciples' obedience brought about the catch the Stranger had promised. In this case the catch was an "Ephesians 3:20+ type" of catch "far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think." As a corollary obedience is the key to abundant life in Christ! Stephen Olford - “Cast the net on the right side of the boat.” – John 21:6 Months and years have come and gone. Yes, gone forever. If I dare take stock of how I spend my time, what answers would or could I sincerely give to such questions as: “What progress have I made spiritually over the last year? What have I done to help extend the kingdom of God? How many souls have I won for Him? What fruit is apparent as a result of my ministry among God's people?” To such questions, I have to confess by way of answer that I have toiled all night and, generally speaking, have caught nothing. Give me grace, Lord, to obey Your message to my heart –“Cast the net on the right side of the boat.” Amen. Greg Laurie - REAL SUCCESS - John 21:6 (borrow Every day with Jesus page 324) FROM ALL OUTWARD APPEARANCES, the ministry of missionary George Smith was a failure. He had been in Africa only a short time when he was driven from the country, leaving behind only one convert, a poor woman. He died not long after that, while on his knees, praying for Africa. Years later, a group of men stumbled onto the place where George Smith had prayed. They also found a copy of the Scriptures he had left behind in Africa. Then they met the one convert of Smith’s ministry. A hundred years afterward, a mission agency discovered that more than 13,000 converts had emerged from the ministry George Smith began. Now that’s what I call a successful ministry! But I’m sure it didn’t seem so successful to George Smith. To all outward appearances, his ministry was a failure. One convert, that’s all. What if George had thrown in the towel before the woman came to Christ? What if he had fled the country without bothering to leave behind a copy of the Scriptures? What if he hadn’t taken time to pray for those in Africa and had chosen instead to keep them out of sight, out of mind? But he remained faithful in the little things, and reaped a reward he would not see until he reached heaven. John 21:6 reminds us of the importance of obeying Christ even in the little things. The disciples had gone fishing on the Sea of Galilee shortly after Jesus’ death and resurrection. They were probably discouraged, confused, and frustrated. Their beloved leader, Jesus, had been crucified just days before, many in the group had deserted Him, and most recently, Jesus had surprised them all by appearing to them in His resurrected body. Yet He didn’t stick around. They were plainly confused. You might have expected that Jesus’ miraculous appearance to them behind locked doors would have given the disciples renewed zeal and excitement in their work for the Lord, but instead the group decided to go back to their old jobs. Jesus wanted them to be fishers of men; they decided to be fishers of fish. Perhaps they thought they were no longer qualified for serving and representing Him. Or maybe they thought Jesus would never forgive them for deserting Him in His time of need. Whatever the case, they soon discovered that fishing wasn’t as easy as it once was. They fished all night and caught nothing. Then Jesus showed up on the shore and told them to try fishing on the other side of their boat. They took His advice—without yet realizing it was their Master—and when they did so, they quickly caught so many fish that the nets could barely contain their catch! I think it would have been fascinating to eavesdrop on their discussions before they followed Jesus’ advice. I’m sure that Peter, the professional fisherman, thought the instructions were downright ridiculous. Put their nets down one more time on the right side of the boat? They had tried that side before! Why would doing it again give them any different results? But for some reason, the disciples complied with Jesus’ command—and reaped a blessing so huge they knew in an instant that it had been Jesus who had given the order. The disciples found success that day because they listened to and obeyed the Lord. By being faithful to His one simple request, they received above and beyond what any of them thought was possible. There are times when God calls us to the simple. The mundane. The ordinary. Our willingness to do those things may well qualify us for greater service later on. Scripture reminds us not to despise “the day of small things” (see Zechariah 4:10). Jesus Himself taught us, “He who is faithful in what is least is faithful also in much; and he who is unjust in what is least is unjust also in much. Therefore if you have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true riches?” (Luke 16:10–11). Think of David, whose place as a young man was in the pasture with smelly sheep. But one day God plucked the shepherd boy from obscurity and decided it was time for him to slay a giant. And so began the public career of Israel’s greatest king. Or think of Stephen in the New Testament, who was chosen by the disciples to wait on tables. In time, God said to him, “Stephen, it’s time to stop waiting on tables and to serve the Word of God.” His sermon recorded in Acts 7 is the longest message in the whole book. Like David, Stephen, and even George Smith, God may be asking you to do things that seem mundane, unnecessary, or even impractical. But I guarantee that God will use you in ways you never dreamed of if you just let Him be the One in charge. Yes, He may call you to even greater work for His kingdom. But He may also call you to a task that will not bear fruit until years down the road. Do you want to be successful? Then follow the advice of the Master Fisherman, Jesus, no matter how trivial or humbling that advice might seem. His directions might seem simple, but remember that the One who gives it is the fountainhead of all wisdom. Read 1 Corinthians 3:5–17. There you will find what is needed in your work for the Lord for it to be of any lasting value. Will your life’s work stand the test of time? If you have any doubt, begin making some changes right now. John Bennett Day by Day: Bible Commands CAST THE NET ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE SHIP, AND YE SHALL FIND Seven of the apostles had returned to the familiar scenes around the Sea of Galilee. With Peter in the lead, they set off on a fishing expedition. A night of toil yielded no catch. As they neared the shore, the weary fishermen caught sight of a stranger. His voice sounded over the waters of the lake, ‘Cast the net on the right side … and ye shall find’. Under a strange constraint, the men in the boat took the stranger’s advice. Did their memories begin to stir? Did they recall another day when the familiar voice of Jesus had told them to let down their nets for a catch? They cast the net. The catch was overwhelming yet the net did not break. In an instant of insight, John realised that the stranger on the shore was none other than the risen Lord. Once again, the Ruler of Nature had unerringly guided His friends to a mighty shoal of fish. On a day, long months before, Galilean fishermen had been commissioned to catch men for Christ. On this day, the Lord Jesus had performed a sign which displayed to them how that commission would be fulfilled. The sign of the great catch of fish is an acted parable of mission and evangelism. The seven were seasoned fishermen. They knew the waters of the Sea of Galilee. They had all the know-how they needed. Yet after a night’s hard work they had caught absolutely nothing. Their voyage was fruitless until they heeded the voice of the stranger on the shore. When they did so, they knew immediate and incredible success. The Lord had already taught them that apart from Him, they could do nothing, 15:5. They learned that lesson again that day. What really counts in evangelism is knowing the Lord’s direction and His blessing. Without these, nothing will be accomplished. We must recognise our own powerlessness and rely wholly on the Lord. The huge catch symbolises the world-wide scope of the task of mission. A vast harvest from all the nations would be brought in. The gospel net would never break however many converts it contains. It is well able to hold them all. John 21:7 Therefore that disciple whom Jesus loved *said to Peter, “It is the Lord.” So when Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he put his outer garment on (for he was stripped for work), and threw himself into the sea. that disciple: Jn 21:20 Jn 13:23, Jn 19:26, Jn 20:2 It is the Lord: John 20:20,28 Ps 118:23 Mk 11:3 Lu 2:11 Ac 2:36 10:36 1Co 15:47 Jas 2:1 when: Song 8:7 Mt 14:28,29 Lu 7:47 2Co 5:14 fisher's coat: Or, upper coat, great coat, or, surtout, (ependutes from epi = upon, and enduo = clothe). naked: That is, he was only in his vest, or under garment; for [gumnos <Strong's G1131>,] naked, like the Hebrew {arom,} is frequently applied to one who has merely laid aside his outer garment. See 1 Sa 19:24; 2 Sa 6:20, on which see the note. To which may be added what we read in the LXX, Job 22:6, "Thou has taken away the covering of the naked," [amphiazo,] the plaid, or blanket, in which they wrapped themselves, and besides they had no other. In this sense Virgil says, {Nudus ara, sere nudus,} "plough naked, and sow naked," i.e., strip off your upper garments. JOHN'S ASTUTE SPIRITUAL PERCEPTION Therefore (oun) is a term of conclusion. Based upon what he had seen and with perception enabled by the Spirit John arrives quickly at his conclusion! That disciple (mathetes) whom Jesus (Iesous) loved (agapao) said to Peter, “It is the Lord (kurios).” - This is John's moniker if you will for himself (See Jn 21:20 Jn 13:23, Jn 19:26, Jn 20:2 - See note) NET NOTE - the ‘beloved disciple (mathetes),’ This individual also is mentioned in Jn 19:26, Jn 20:2, Jn 21:7, and Jn 21:20. Some have suggested that this disciple is to be identified with Lazarus, since the Fourth Gospel specifically states that Jesus loved him (Jn 11:3, 5, 36). From the terminology alone this is a possibility; the author is certainly capable of using language in this way to indicate connections. But there is nothing else to indicate that Lazarus was present at the last supper; Mark 14:17 seems to indicate it was only the twelve who were with Jesus at this time, and there is no indication in the Fourth Gospel to the contrary. Nor does it appear that Lazarus ever stood so close to Jesus as the later references in John 19, 20 and 21 seem to indicate. When this is coupled with the omission of all references to John son of Zebedee from the Fourth Gospel, it seems far more likely that the references to the beloved disciple should be understood as references to him. So (oun) is a term of conclusion. Peter's conclusion is reached quickly. He does not question John's perception, but immediately jumps in the water! When Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord (kurios), he put his outer garment on (diazonnumi - girded himself around) (for he was stripped [gumnos] for work), and threw (ballo) himself into the sea (thalassa) - Peter was either naked or only minimally clothed for his work. But presumably to be respectful to the Lord, he girded a piece of clothing (towel, etc) around himself. I suppose he swam to shore but the text is not clear. NET NOTE - Greek “for he was naked.” Peter’s behavior here has been puzzling to many interpreters. It is usually understood that the Greek word γυμνός (gumnos, usually translated “naked”) does not refer to complete nudity (as it could), since this would have been offensive to Jewish sensibilities in this historical context. It is thus commonly understood to mean “stripped for work” here (cf. NASB, NLT), that is, with one’s outer clothing removed, and Peter was wearing either a loincloth or a loose-fitting tunic (a long shirt-like garment worn under a cloak, cf. NAB, “for he was lightly clad”). Believing himself inadequately dressed to greet the Lord, Peter threw his outer garment around himself and dived into the sea. C. K. Barrett (St. John, 580–81) offered the explanation that a greeting was a religious act and thus could not be performed unless one was clothed. This still leaves the improbable picture of a person with much experience around the water putting on his outer garment before diving in. R. E. Brown’s suggestion (John [AB], 2:1072) seems much more probable here: The Greek verb used (διαζώννυμι, diazonnumi) does not necessarily mean putting clothing on, but rather tying the clothing around oneself (the same verb is used in Jn 13:4–5 of Jesus tying the towel around himself). The statement that Peter was “naked” could just as well mean that he was naked underneath the outer garment, and thus could not take it off before jumping into the water. But he did pause to tuck it up and tie it with the girdle before jumping in, to allow himself more freedom of movement. Thus the clause that states Peter was naked is explanatory (note the use of for), explaining why Peter girded up his outer garment rather than taking it off—he had nothing on underneath it and so could not remove it. Stripped (1131) gumnos cp our English "gym") means not covered, nude or naked but not necessarily descriptive of absolute nakedness as it was used of a person wearing only an under-tunic (descriptive of the mode of dress in the ancient gymnasiums in Greece and Rome). As such it could mean one who was comparatively naked or scantily dressed. It was used of one poorly dressed (Jas 2:15). Figuratively in this verse gumnos means uncovered, manifest, disclosed, exposed, not hidden and easy to be known. Gumnos can refer to being inadequately clothed (Mt 25:36, 38, 43,44) or lightly clothed (Jn 21:7) naked, stripped, bare, lightly dressed, inadequately dressed. Undressed, either wearing no clothing or insufficient clothing. The term gymnos can refer to an absence of all clothing (e.g., Mark 14:52) but may also refer to someone wearing a tunic (chitōn) only, being inappropriately dressed for a given context, or wearing an incomplete array of armor. The term may also be used figuratively, in the sense of something being fully uncovered, i.e., disclosed (e.g., Heb 4:13). The first use in the Septuagint describes Adam and Eve as "naked and were not ashamed." (Ge 2:25) but when sin entered through Adam (Ro 5:12), "they knew that they were naked," (Ge 3:7) and sought to cover themselves. Similarly because of his sin Adam realized he was naked and tried to hide from God (Ge 3:10-11). In one of the more famous uses of gumnos in the Lxx Job declared "Naked I came from my mother's womb, And naked I shall return there. The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away. Blessed be the name of the LORD." (Job 1:21, cp Lxx use of gumnos in Eccl 5:15) "Naked is Sheol before" God alludes to His all seeing eye (Job 26:6). The NT use of gymnos and its group is the same as in secular Gk.:(a) It is found 16 times and varies in meaning from completely naked (Mk. 14:52) to forcibly stripped (Acts 19:16) and inadequately dressed (Matt. 25:36, 38, 43f.). In Jn. 21:7 the meaning is somewhat different. RSV renders well “he was stripped for work”, for a boat-man worked without his outer garment on. Peter put his outer garment on, so as not to stand gymnos before Jesus. The fig. use, unveiled, disclosed, revealed, made clear, is found in Heb. 4:13; 1 Cor. 15:37; 2 Cor. 5:3; Rev. 3:17; and 16:15 (cf. NT, 2) GYMNOS - 16V - bare(1), naked(11), open(1), stripped(1), without clothing(1). Matt. 25:36; Matt. 25:38; Matt. 25:43; Matt. 25:44; Mk. 14:51; Mk. 14:52; Jn. 21:7; Acts 19:16; 1 Co. 15:37; 2 Co. 5:3; Heb. 4:13; Jas. 2:15; Rev. 3:17; Rev. 16:15; Rev. 17:16 A TRANSFORMED FISHERMAN - J H Jowett “Simon Peter saith unto them, I go a fishing.” —John 21:1-14. SIMON PETER had often gone a fishing, but never had he gone as he went in the twilight of that most wonderful evening. He handled the ropes in a new style, with a new dignity born of the bigger capacity of his own soul. He turned to the familiar task, but with a quite unfamiliar spirit. He went a fishing, but the power of the resurrection went with him. This action of Simon Peter’s is the only true test of the reality of any spiritual experience. How does it fit me for ordinary affairs? A spiritual festival should do for the soul what a day on the hills does for the body—equip it for the better doing of the duties in the vale. This action is also a preparative to a renewal of the gracious experience. The road of common duty was just the way appointed for another meeting with his Lord, for in the morning-light there came a voice across the waters: “Children, have ye any meat?” “And that disciple whom Jesus loved saith unto Peter: ‘It is the Lord.’” QUESTION - Who was the disciple whom Jesus loved? ANSWER - The Gospel of John is the only Gospel which mentions “the disciple whom Jesus loved.” John 13:23 tells us, “One of them, the disciple whom Jesus loved, was reclining next to Him.” John 19:26 declares, “When Jesus saw His mother there, and the disciple whom He loved standing nearby, He said to His mother, 'Dear woman, here is your son.'“ John 21:7 says, “Then the disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, ‘It is the Lord!’” This disciple is never specifically identified, but the identity of the disciple whom Jesus loved is clear. The disciple whom Jesus loved self-identifies as the author of the gospel (John 21:24), whom most scholars believe to be the apostle John, the son of Zebedee and brother of James. First, only the Gospel of John mentions the “disciple whom Jesus loved.” Second, John 21:2 lets us know who was fishing with Peter: “Simon Peter, Thomas (called Didymus), Nathanael from Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two other disciples were together...” The apostle John was a son of Zebedee (Matthew 4:21). Third, there were three disciples who were especially close to Jesus: Peter, James, and John (Matthew 17:1; Mark 5:37; 14:33; Luke 8:51). The “disciple whom Jesus loved” could not be Peter, as Peter asks Jesus a question in regards to this disciple (John 21:20-21). That leaves us with James or John. Jesus made a statement about the possible “longevity” of the life of the disciple whom He loved in John 21:22. James was the first of the apostles to die (Acts 12:2). While Jesus did not promise the disciple whom He loved long life, it would be highly unusual for Jesus to say, “If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you?” if the disciple whom He loved was going to be the first disciple to die. Church history tells us that the apostle John lived into the A.D. 90s and was the last surviving apostle. Early church tradition was unanimous in identifying John as the disciple whom Jesus loved. It seems that John had a closer relationship with Jesus than any of the other disciples. Jesus and John were essentially “best friends.” Jesus entrusted John with the care of His mother, gave John the vision of the transfiguration, allowed John to witness His most amazing miracles, and later gave John the Book of Revelation.GotQuestions.org F B
João 21
Spurgeon - Everything tended to remind them of their old times with their Lord. Fishing in the old place, the old failures, the old miracles, and the old repast, would all help them to identify their Master. But what a new light was over all! (The Interpreter) John 21:10 Jesus *said to them, “Bring some of the fish which you have now caught.” Jesus (Iesous) *said to them, “Bring (aorist imperative) some of the fish which you have now caught (piazo) - The catch of fish would not be wasted. John 21:11 Simon Peter went up and drew the net to land, full of large fish, a hundred and fifty-three; and although there were so many, the net was not torn. and for: Lu 5:6-8 Ac 2:41 SIMON'S RETRIEVES 153 LARGE FISH Simon Peter went up (anabaino) and drew (helko) the net (diktuon) to land (ge), full of large (megas) fish (ichthus), a hundred and fifty-three; and although there were so many, the net (diktuon) was not torn (schizo) - Why this specific number? For one thing, this supports the eye witness account of John. The other point is that fisherman would be expected to number their catch. Finally, the number of 153 related to obedience to Jesus' word is in striking contrast to the zero obtained by the seasoned fisherman. In short it was indicative of a significant miracle of either creation, omnipotence, sovereignty or a combination of all of those aspects. It is notable that Jesus used these men to bring about this miracle. These same men would be involved in the near future in the carrying out of miraculous signs authenticating their message of salvation in the Gospel. He could have easily simply filled their net with 153 fish. There is no symbolism (in my opinion) to the number 153. Spurgeon - “Be of use! Forward! To Christ!” These were the watchwords of Peter, and should be ours. (The Interpreter) NET NOTE - Here the author makes two further points about the catch of fish: (1) there were one hundred fifty-three large fish in the net, and (2) even with so many, the net was not torn. Many symbolic interpretations have been proposed for both points (unity, especially, in the case of the second), but the reader is given no explicit clarification in the text itself. It seems better not to speculate here, but to see these details as indicative of an eyewitness account. Both are the sort of thing that would remain in the mind of a person who had witnessed them firsthand. For a summary of the symbolic interpretations proposed for the number of fish in the net, see R. E. Brown (John [AB], 2:1074–75), where a number are discussed at length. Perhaps the reader is simply to understand this as the abundance which results from obedience to Jesus, much as with the amount of wine generated in the water jars in Cana at the beginning of Jesus’ public ministry (Jn 2:6). (ED: I agree but even that thought is somewhat "symbolic." Could it be as simple as this specific number emphasizes the detailed truth of the Scripture. It might have a spiritual meaning but it is not clear from the context.) QUESTION - What is the meaning of the 153 fish in John 21:11? | GotQuestions.org ANSWER - After Jesus rose from the dead, He appeared to the disciples on a number of occasions. John 21 records the third of those instances and includes the notable mention of 153 fish. Peter and the others had just witnessed another miracle of Jesus involving a large catch of fish, and “Simon Peter climbed back into the boat and dragged the net ashore. It was full of large fish, 153, but even with so many the net was not torn” (John 21:11). On this occasion Jesus appeared to His disciples on the shore of the Sea of Tiberius, as they were in their boat returning from an unsuccessful night of fishing (John 21:1–3). Jesus, whom they had not yet recognized, called to the disciples from the shore, asking them whether they had caught any fish (John 21:4–5). After the disciples responded that they had not, Jesus instructed them to cast their nets on the right (starboard) side of the boat. They did, and they caught so many fish in the net that they couldn’t bring the nets in (John 21:6). John quickly realized the man on the shore was Jesus, and he told Peter. Peter jumped in the water—presumably to swim to shore to see Jesus (John 21:7). The other disciples, meanwhile, came in the boat, being only about 200 cubits (or 100 yards) from the shore (John 21:8). When they arrived at shore, Peter went back into the boat to help them collect the fish, and they counted 153 fish—and large fish, at that. While there were so many fish, the net did not break (John 21:11). The meaning of the 153 fish in John 21:11 is evident from the context. As career fisherman, the disciples would not have been strangers to the process of tallying their catch. These were apparently big enough fish to put strain on the fishermen and the nets (though, miraculously, the nets were not torn). That John mentions the number of 153 fish emphasizes the fact that something extraordinary had happened, because Someone extraordinary was there. The 153 fish provided further evidence to the disciples that the resurrected Jesus had power over nature just as He had demonstrated before His crucifixion. Earlier, John had recorded that Jesus turned the water into wine (John 2), healed an official’s son (John 4), healed a lame man (John 5), fed 5,000 people from five loaves of bread and two fish (John 6), walked on water (John 6), healed a man who had been born blind (John 9), raised Lazarus from the dead (John 11), and rose from the dead Himself (John 20). The 153 fish in John 21:11 might seem insignificant compared to these magnificent signs, but to an audience of fisherman who had failed to catch even one fish during an entire night of work, this remarkable catch provided more evidence that their belief in Jesus was well placed. Just a few verses before John records the catching of the 153 fish, John explains that his purpose in writing was so that people would believe in Jesus and have life in His name (John 20:30–31). There were many signs and works of Jesus that John could have recorded, but he chose to record those included in the Gospel of John so his readers could have confidence that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God (John 20:31), and that He is indeed equal with God (John 5:18). There is no reason to understand the number of fish caught that morning as anything but 153 literal fish. They have no hidden meaning or symbolic significance. The meaning of the 153 fish in John 21:11 is straightforward: their appearance in the disciples’ net was important to these fishermen by trade and also to every reader of John’s Gospel, as we have 153 more reasons to believe in Jesus the Christ. John 21:12 Jesus said to them, “Come and have breakfast.” None of the disciples ventured to question Him, “Who are You?” knowing that it was the Lord. Come: Ac 10:41 dine: The word [ariston <Strong's G712>,] like {prandere} was used for any meat taken before the {coena,} or supper. durst: John 4:27 16:19 Ge 32:29,30 Mk 9:32 Lu 9:45 Jesus (Iesous) said to them, “Come and have breakfast.” None of the disciples (mathetes) ventured to question Him, “Who are You?” knowing that it was the Lord. C H Spurgeon - “Jesus saith unto them, Come and dine.”—John 21:12 Morning and Evening In these words the believer is invited to a holy nearness to Jesus. “Come and dine,” implies the same table, the same meat; aye, and sometimes it means to sit side by side, and lean our head upon the Saviour’s bosom. It is being brought into the banqueting-house, where waves the banner of redeeming love. “Come and dine,” gives us a vision of union with Jesus, because the only food that we can feast upon when we dine with Jesus is himself. Oh, what union is this! It is a depth which reason cannot fathom, that we thus feed upon Jesus. “He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in me, and I in him.” It is also an invitation to enjoy fellowship with the saints. Christians may differ on a variety of points, but they have all one spiritual appetite; and if we cannot all feel alike, we can all feed alike on the bread of life sent down from heaven. At the table of fellowship with Jesus we are one bread and one cup. As the loving cup goes round we pledge one another heartily therein. Get nearer to Jesus, and you will find yourself linked more and more in spirit to all who are like yourself, supported by the same heavenly manna. If we were more near to Jesus we should be more near to one another. We likewise see in these words the source of strength for every Christian. To look at Christ is to live, but for strength to serve him you must “come and dine.” We labour under much unnecessary weakness on account of neglecting this percept of the Master. We none of us need to put ourselves on low diet; on the contrary, we should fatten on the marrow and fatness of the gospel that we may accumulate strength therein, and urge every power to its full tension in the Master’s service. Thus, then, if you would realize nearness to Jesus, union with Jesus, love to his people and strength from Jesus, “come and dine” with him by faith. Jesus said to them, "Come and eat breakfast" (John 21:12). By the shores of the Sea of Tiberias with His disciples, Jesus served a breakfast of fish and bread. Just as He had done when He washed the disciples' feet, He was setting an example. And like Jesus, we are to serve one another, even our close friends and loved ones, for whom it is sometimes difficult to do humble tasks. Professor Bill Brown of Bryan College told about a missionary who went to a tribe of Indians to present the gospel. At first the people received him with hesitation, referring to him as "the white man." As they got to know him better, they began to call him "the respectable white man." Later, when they saw the goodness o'if his heart and his desire for their well-being, they spoke of him as "the white Indian," indicating that they were accepting him as one of their own. When one of the Indians injured his foot in an accident, the missionary took the man into his home, washed his foot, and gave him medical attention. The people were amazed that he would do such a gracious thing. After this, they began to call him "the man from God." We can do great things for the Lord if we are willing to do little things for others. William Dawson - CHRIST AMONG THE COMMON THINGS OF LIFE -- John 21:9, 12. I can not read these words without indulging for a moment in a reminiscence. Not long ago, in the early morning, while all the world slept, I stood beside the Sea of Tiberias, just as the morning mist lifted, and watched a single brown-sailed fishing-boat making for the shore, and the tired fishermen dragging their net to land. In that moment it seemed to me as if more than the morning mist lifted -- twenty centuries seemed to melt like mist, and the last chapter of St. John's gospel seemed to enact itself before my eyes. For so vivid was the sense of something familiar in the scene, so mystic was the hour, that I should scarce have been surprised had I seen a fire of coals burning on the shore, and heard the voice of Jesus inviting these tired fishermen to come and dine. Now if I felt that, if I was sensible of the haunting presence of Christ by that Galilean shore, how much more these disciples, in whose minds every aspect of the Galilean lake was connected with some intimate and thrilling memory of the ministry of Jesus. Christ once more stands among the common things of life; the fire, the fish, the bread -- all common things; a group of tired, hungry fishers -- all common men; and He is there to affirm that in His resurrection He had not broken His bond with men, but strengthened it -- wherever common life goes on there is Jesus still. I. Notice the words with which the story opens, and you will see at once that this is the real clue to its interpretation. "When morning had now come, Jesus stood on the shore, but the disciples knew not that it was Jesus." A strange thing that! Why did they not know Him? Because they were not looking for Him in such a scene. It had seemed a natural thing, if Jesus should appear at all, that He should appear in the garden, a vision of life at the very altar of death. It seemed yet more probable and appropriate that He should appear in the upper room, that room made sacred by holiest love and memory. If any words of Christ yet lingered in the mind and had power to thrill them, they were surely these words, "Ye shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven," glorified, triumphant, lifted far above the earth and its humble life. And so, if they were looking for Christ at all that morning, I think they watched the morning clouds, expecting Him to come down the resplendent staircase of the sunbeams to call the nations together and vindicate Himself in acts of universal judgment. And behold! Jesus comes as a fisherman standing on the lakeside, busy over a little fire, where the morning meal is cooking; and behold! Jesus speaks, and it is not of the eternal mysteries of God, not of the solemn secrets of the grave, but of nets and fishing and how to cast the nets -- the simple concerns of simple men engaged in humble tasks. No wonder they did not recognize Him. Once more the Son of Man comes eating and drinking, and even the eyes that knew Him best can not see in this human figure by the lakeside the only begotten Son of the Father, full of grace and truth. They looked and saw but a fellow fisherman, cooking his meal upon the shore, and they knew not that it was Jesus. II. Think for a moment of the earthly life of Christ, and you will see that it was designedly linked with all the common and even the commonest things of life. If you or I could have conceived the great thought of some human creature that should be the very incarnation of God, what would have been the shape of our imaginings? Surely we should have chosen for this earthly temple of the Highest some human form perfected in grace and beauty by the long refinements of exalted ancestry; the child of kings or scholars; the delicate flower of life, in whom the elements were so subtly mixed that we should recognize them as special and miraculous -- so we might think of God manifest in man. But God chooses for the habitation of His Spirit a peasant woman of Nazareth, humble, poor, unconsidered. If we could have forecast the training of such a life, how should we have pictured it? Surely as sheltered from the coarseness of the world, delicately nourished, sedulously cultured; but God orders that this life should manifest itself in the house of the village carpenter, out of reach of schools, in a little wicked town, under the commonest conditions of poverty, obscurity, and toil. If you and I could have imagined the introduction of this life of lives to the world, how should we picture that? Surely we should have pictured it coming with pomp and display that would at once have attracted all eyes; but God orders that it shall come without observation, unfolding its quiet beauty like the wayside flower, which there are few to see and very few to love. Commonness: that is the great note of the incarnation and the purposed feature of Christ's earthly life. He reaffirms His fraternity in common life. The disciples could not imagine that as possible; nor can we. And why not? For two reasons, one of which is that we have forgotten the dignity of common life. 1. Dignity is for us almost synonymous with some kind of separation from common life; it dwells in palaces, not in cottages; it inheres in culture, but is inconceivable in narrow knowledge; and to the great mass of men it is, alas! the attribute of wealth, of fine raiment, of social isolation. But we have not learned even the alphabet of Christ's gospel unless we have come to see that the only true indignity in human life is sin, meanness, malevolence, and small-heartedness; and that all life is dignified where there are love, purity, and piety in it, whatever be its social category. I read the other day that it is probable that the very mire of the London streets contains that mysterious substance known as radium, the most tremendous agent of light and heat ever yet discovered by man; so in man himself, however low his state, there is the spark of God, an ember lit at the altar fires of the Eternal, and it is because we forget this that we forget the dignity of common life. For we do forget it. We may make our boast that a single human soul is of more value than all the splendors and immensities of matter; but in our actions we treat the boast as a mere rhetorical expression. There is nothing so cheap as men and women -- let the lords of commerce answer if it be not so. But Christ acted as tho the boast were true. He deliberately inwove His life into all that is commonest in life. He has made it impossible for us, if indeed we have His spirit, to think of any salient aspect of human life without thinking of Him. Where childhood is, there is Bethlehem; where sorrow is, there is Gethsemane; where death is, there is Calvary; where the toiler is, there is the poor man of Nazareth; and where the beggar is, there is He who had no place where to lay His head. There is not a drop of blood of Christ, nor a throb of thought in our brains that is not thrilling with the impact of this divine life of lives. And so the true dignity of life is this, that Christ is in all men, faintly outlined it may be, defaced, half-obliterated, but there, and the Church that forgets this has neither impulse nor mandate for Christ's work among men. 2. And then, again, there is a second reason: we have not learned to look for Christ among the common things of life. "Let us build three tabernacles," said the wondering disciples on the Mount of Transfiguration, and the speech betrayed a tendency of thought which was in time to prove fatal to the Church. The Christ without a tabernacle, the free, familiar Christ of the lake or the wayside was everybody's Christ; but the moment Christ is shut up in a church or a tabernacle He becomes the priest's Christ, the thinker's Christ, the devotee's Christ, but He ceases to be the people's Christ. I remember five years ago standing in the great church of Assisi, which has been erected over and encloses the little humble chapel where Francis first received his call. You will scarcely be surprized if I confess that I turned with a sense of heart-sick indignation from the pomp of that splendid service in the gorgeous church to the thought of Francis, in his worn robe, going up and down these neighboring roads, touching the lepers, calling them "God's patients," pouring out his life for the poor; and I knew Christ nearer to me on the roads that Francis trod than in that church, which is his mausoleum rather than his monument. And as I felt that day in far-off Umbria, so I have felt to-day in England; my heart goes out to Catherine Booth; to Father Dolling, to these Christs of the wayside, and it turns more and more from the kind of Christ who lives in churches and nowhere else. My brethren, you will let me say that we do but make the church Christ's prison when we forget that all the realm of life is His. Oh, you good people, you do love your church, but often think and act as tho the presence of Christ can be found nowhere else. Lift up your eyes and see this risen Christ, a fisherman upon the shore, busy in no loftier task than to have a meal prepared for hungry fishermen. Unlock your church doors, let Christ go out among common people; nay, go yourselves, for it is here that He would have you be. Remember that wherever there is toil, there is the Christ who toiled; and there you should be, with the kind glance, the warm hand-grasp, and the loving warmth of brotherhood. Christ stands amid the common things of life; where the fire is lit, there is He; where the bread is broken, there is He; where the net of business gain is drawn, there is He; and only as we learn to see Him everywhere shall we understand the dignity and the divinity of human life. III. "And Jesus said unto them, Cast the net on the right side of the ship, and ye shall find. They cast, and now they were not able to draw it for the multitude of fishes." Here is another strange thing. Christ knows more about the management of their own business than they do. They had toiled all night and caught nothing; is not that a significant description of many human lives? "Children, have ye any meat?" asks that quiet Voice from the shore, and they answer "No." Is not that yet more pathetically significant? All the heartbreak and disappointment of the world cry aloud in that confession. Oh, I could fill an hour with the mere recital of the names of great and famous people who have toiled through a long life, and as the last gray hour came over their dim sea of life, "brackish with the salt of human tears," have acknowledged with infinite bitterness that they have caught nothing. Listen to the voice of Goethe, "In all my seventy-five years I have not had four weeks of genuine well-being;" to the confession of our own famous poet, My life is in the yellow leaf, The flowers, the fruits of love are gone; The worm, the canker, and the grief Are mine alone. to the ambitious and successful statesman who says, "Youth is folly, manhood is struggle, old age regret"; to one of our most brilliant women of genius in our own generation, wife of a still more brilliant husband, who cries, "I married for ambition, and I am miserable." Surely there is some tragic mismanagement of the great business of living here. Oh, brother, is it true of you, that after all the painful years happiness is not yours? You have no meat, no food on which the heart feeds, no green pasture in the soul, no table in the wilderness, and the last gray day draws near and will find you still hungering for what life Has never given you. Learn, then, that Christ knows more about the proper management of your life than you do. "Cast your net on the right side of the ship," speaks that quiet Voice from the shore. And you know what happened. And it is so still. Just because Christ stands among the common things of life, He knows most about life, and, above all, He knows where the golden fruit of happiness is found and where the secret wells of peace. And to some of us whom God has called to be fishers of men the issue is yet more solemn. We have the boat and the nets, all this elaborate organization of the Church, but have we caught anything this year? Where is the draft of fishes? Where are the men and women saved by our triumphant effort? I will make my humble confession this morning, that for five-and-twenty years I have cast the net, but only lately have I found the right side of the ship; only lately have I discovered how easy it is to get the great draft of fishes by simply going to work in Christ's way. I do not believe in the indifference of the masses in religion; the indifference is not in the masses, but in the churches. You will never catch many fish if you stand upon the shore of cold respectability and wait for them to come; launch out into the deep and you will find them. Go for them -- that is Christ's method. Compel them to come in, for remember Christ's ideal was, as Bishop Lightfoot so nobly put it, "the universal compulsion of the souls of men." And if your experience is like mine, you will find that there is strangely little compulsion needed to bring men and women to Christ. I stood but lately in a house where fifty fallen women lived; I went there to rescue three of its unhappy inmates. When the moment came to take these three women from their life of sin, their comrades lined the passage to shake my hand; there were tears and prayers, and messages like these, "Be good. You'll be a good woman," "We wish we had your chance"; and these poor souls in their inferno wished me "a happy New-year." Compulsion! There was small need for compulsion there! I believe I could have rescued all of these fifty women at one stroke had I known where to take them. But to the shame of the Free Churches in London I confess that, with the exception of the Wesleyans and the Salvation Army, I do not know a single Free Church Rescue Home in London. And I put it to you this morning whether you can any longer tolerate that omission? I ask you whether you really want a great draft of fishes, for you can have them if you want them. Christ knows the business better than you do; and if you will come out of the cloister of the church and seek the people in His spirit, I promise you that very soon you will not be able to drag the net for the multitude of fishes. IV. "And Jesus said unto them, Come and dine." Dine on what? Not the fish which they had caught. They had caught one hundred and fifty-three great fishes; but notice Christ's fire was kindled before they came. Christ's fish was already laid thereon, and all they had to do was to come and dine. It is all you have to do, all the churches have to do. Did not Christ so put it in the parable of the Great Supper? -- "Come, for all things are ready." Is not the last word of Scripture the great invitation? -- "The Spirit and the Bride say, Come, and whosoever will, let him come, and take of the water of life freely." Many a church can not say to a hungry world, "Come and dine," because it will not let Christ prepare the meal. It will not live in His spirit, it has no real faith in His gospel, it does not understand that its true strength is not in elaborate organization or worship, but in simple reliance on His grace. And so there is the table covered with elaborate confections, which are not bread, and when it says, "Come and dine," men will not come, for they know that there is nothing there for them. Let Christ prepare the meal and all is different then. When He says, "Come and dine," there is "enough for each, enough for all, enough for evermore." And as Jesus spoke, I think there flashed upon the memory of these men the scene when Jesus fed the five thousand, and by that memory they knew their Jesus. No one else ever spoke like that, with such certainty and such authority. And the same Voice speaks even now to your hunger-bitten soul, to your famished heart, "Come and dine." V. "Then Jesus taketh bread and giveth them, and fish likewise." There is no mistaking the act; it was a sacramental act. Here, upon the lake shore, without a church, without an altar, the true feast of the Lord was observed. For what does the Holy Supper, which is the bond and seal of the Church's fellowship, stand for, if it is not for this, the sanctification of the common life? Bread and wine, the commonest of all foods to an Oriental, are elements indeed, because they are necessary to the most elementary form of physical life, things used daily in the humblest home. By linking Himself imperishably with these commonest elements of life, Christ makes it impossible to forget Him. Once more the thought shines clear, Jesus among the common things of life. And then there comes one last touch in the beautiful story. While these things happened, the day was breaking. Is there one of us long tossed on sunless seas of doubt, long conscious of failure and disappointment in life? Are there those of us whose sorrow lies deeper than that which is personal -- sorrow over our failure in Christ's work, pain over a life's ministry for Christ that has known no victorious evangel? Turn your eyes from that barren sea to Him who stands upon the shore; He shall yet make you a fisher of men. Turn your eyes from that bleak, dark sea of wasted effort where you have fared so ill; it is always dark till Jesus comes, it is always light when He has come. There is a new day breaking for the churches -- a day of widespread evangelistic triumphs that shall eclipse all the greatest triumphs of the past, if we will but go back to Christ's school and learn of Him how to save the people. And to each of us He says to-day: "I am the living bread; I am the bread of life come down from heaven. If any man eat of this bread, he shall live forever." "Come and dine." Will you come? John 21:13 Jesus came and *took the bread and *gave it to them, and the fish likewise. Lu 24:42,43 Ac 10:41 Related Passages: Luke 24:41-43 While they still could not believe it because of their joy and amazement, He said to them, “Have you anything here to eat?” 42 They gave Him a piece of a broiled fish; 43 and He took it and ate it before them. THE RISEN CHRIST CONTINUES TO BE A SERVANT! Jesus (Iesous) came and *took the bread and *gave it to them, and the fish likewise - In Mark 10:45 Jesus declared that "even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.” And here we see the Son of Man, even after giving His life as a ransom, He continues to be the Servant! THOUGHT - This is an amazing passage to me, for it serves as a preview for what our risen, glorified Lord will do for each of us, His disciples, His bondservants (slaves), when He returns at His Second Coming. Here are our Lord's own words "Blessed are those slaves whom the Master will find on the alert when He comes; truly (AMEN) I say to you, that he will gird himself to serve, and have them recline at the table, and will come up and wait on them." (Lk 12:37+) This is condescending, amazing grace indeed! Jesus will serve His servants! What a glorious future awaits all who have called upon the Name of the Lord! (Someone has called this the greatest promise in the Bible.) Spurgeon - Jesus here showed Himself to be what He still is the Provider, the Host, the Husband of his Church. (The Interpreter) John 21:14 This is now the third time that Jesus was manifested to the disciples, after He was raised from the dead. the third time: John 20:19,26 THE THIRD TIME AFTER RISING THE THIRD DAY This is now the third time that Jesus (Iesous) was manifested (phaneroo) to the disciples (mathetes), after He was raised from the dead Treasury of Scripture - Or, as some read, the third day. On the day the Saviour rose he appeared five times; the second day was that day se'nnight; and this was the third day--or this was his third appearance to any considerable number of his disciples together. Though he had appeared to Mary, to the women, to the two disciples, to Cephas--yet he had but twice appeared to a company of them together. John 21:15 So when they had finished breakfast, Jesus *said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of John, do you love Me more than these?” He *said to Him, “Yes, Lord; You know that I love You.” He *said to him, “Tend My lambs.” son of: Jn 21:16,17 1:42, Jona, Mt 16:17, Bar-jona Do you love: Jn 8:42 14:15-24 16:27 Mt 10:37 25:34-45 1Co 16:21,22 2Co 5:14,15 Ga 5:6 Eph 6:24 1Pe 1:8 1Jn 4:19 5:1 more: Jn 21:7 Mt 26:33,35 Mk 14:29 You know: Jn 21:17 2Sa 7:20 2Ki 20:3 Heb 4:13 Rev 2:23 Feed: Ps 78:70-72 Jer 3:15 23:4 Eze 34:2-10,23 Ac 20:28 1Ti 4:15,16 Heb 13:20 1Pe 2:25 5:1-4 lambs: Ge 33:13 Isa 40:11 Mt 18:10,11 Lk 22:32 Ro 14:1 15:1 1Co 3:1-3 8:11 Eph 4:14 Heb 12:12,13 1Pe 2:2 John 21 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries Brian Bell's Outline of this John 21:15-25… 3 Lessons on the Beach! Past Failure can be Forgiven in Love (Jn 21:15-17) Present Lifestyle is no guarantee of the Same Future (Jn 21:18,19) Personal Obedience is an Individual Matter (Jn 21:20-23) Wrap up: There is so much More! (Jn 21:24,25) (John 21:15-15 Three Lessons on the Beach) PETER'S RESTORATION John MacArthur gives us the context for the following dialogue between Jesus and Peter writing that "since his denials were public knowledge, he needed to be publicly restored. The other disciples needed to hear Peter’s reaffirmation of his love for Christ and Christ’s recommissioning of him, so they would be willing to loyally support his leadership. As soon as they had finished breakfast (cf. Jn 21:12,13), Jesus initiated the restoration by confronting Peter. (See The MacArthur New Testament Commentary scroll up and down for full pages) Spurgeon Study Bible - “Feed my lambs … Shepherd my sheep … Feed my sheep.” Fishing is not all, as many seem to think. It is a great part of our service, and would God, it were more attended to. But after it has been attended to, shepherding comes in and is a work of equal weight. Our Lord Jesus Christ would have his servants attend to this second task with all their hearts. If souls are converted, they have been brought up from the depths of sin, and the scene changes. We see a flock, “the church of God, which he purchased with his own blood” (Ac 20:28). This flock needs as much care as any other. Yes, it needs to be tended with the utmost labor and watchfulness. The Lord Jesus himself is the good Shepherd who laid down his life for the sheep (Jn 10:11), the great Shepherd who is brought again from the dead (Heb 13:20), and the chief Shepherd under whom he has appointed shepherds to watch for the souls of men (1Pt 5:4). He will have those of us whom he calls to his service to shepherd those who are converted—leading, protecting, feeding, comforting, and helping them. He will call us to account if we neglect this charge, for he will require his flock at our hands, saying, “Where is the flock that was given you, your beautiful flock?” John Montgomery Boice (source of the "title" above) has a superb, practical introduction to this concluding section of John's Gospel - If each of us knew how sinful we really are, we would not be so shocked or subdued by our failures. But most of us do not know the depths of our own depravity. So we are shocked, particularly by a fall into serious moral sin or by our surprising ability to deny Jesus Christ. When we sin in such ways, it is a tactic of the devil to argue that, having sinned, we have forfeited our chance for a successful and happy Christian life and that we might as well go on sinning. Like most of the devil’s statements this is untrue. Though we sin, we have nevertheless not forfeited our chances for a full Christian life, nor dare we go on sinning. Instead, the Christian way is that of repentance and restoration. This is the point of the story of Peter’s restoration by Jesus in John 21. Peter had failed the Lord in his hour of apparent need. He had abandoned him and had compounded his cowardice by a threefold denial that he had ever known him. Yet Jesus loved Peter, and Peter knew that he loved Jesus. To understand the story of Peter’s restoration we need to understand something about Peter’s fall. Its cause was self-confidence… (The Gospel of John: An Expositional Commentary) (Ed: See Jesus' command to the 12 - Jn 13:34, prompting Peter to declare Jn 13:37 to which Jesus replied Jn 13:38, and on the way to the Garden of Gethsemane Peter's self-confidence again came through - Mt 26:33 rebutted by Jesus Mt 26:34 prompting Peter to respond Mt 26:35!) Jesus calls us to follow Him— and repeats His call when necessary! So (oun) is a term of conclusion. When they had finished breakfast - The time of sweet fellowship is ended. The time of the risen One serving His children is over. Now it is time for the Lord to address Peter directly regarding his love and devotion. Ron Teed comments…Think about what was going on here. Here is the God of the universe serving breakfast to His apostles. It was kind of like a cookout with Jesus working the grill. (Lesson) Jesus never considered any kind of service to others to be humiliating. In fact, He thoroughly enjoyed serving. Anyone who claims to be a follower of Christ should also enjoy serving others. (John 21 Commentary) Jesus (Iesous) *said to Simon Peter, Was this conversation in private or in the hearing of all the disciples? Also place yourself in Peter's position. What might Peter be expecting to hear from Jesus that he did not hear? How had Peter responded in the heat of the moment when His Lord was being falsely tried? Several have commented on Jesus' use of Peter's name before his call to follow Jesus. Several times Jesus referred to Peter as "Simon" when he did something that needed correction (see Mt 17:25, Mk 14:37, Lk 22:31). It is as if Jesus reverts to Peter's former name when he begins to act like his former self (self confident, impetuous, etc). Simon's old name meant something like "pebble" whereas his new name Peter meant "a rock." Using his old name would remind Peter of his weakness (see Jn 1:42KJV - Simon the "jellyfish" would be changed by Jesus into Peter the courageous rock. Little did Peter understand the fires of testing he must pass through to remove the old Simon and bring forth the new Peter! A similar rite of passage is seen in most of God's children. Message? Don't fight the fires of testing!) Plumptre remarks…Our Lord's words would seem to address him as one who had fallen from the steadfastness of the "Rock-man" and had been true rather to his nature than to his apostolic name. (cp Jn 1:42 and Mt 16:17). (A New Testament commentary for English readers) J Vernon McGee…Note the significance of his name. To begin with He called him Simon. That is interesting - Simon son of Jonah - why did He call him Simon? You may recall that when the Lord Jesus first met this man, his brother Andrew had brought him to Jesus, and when Jesus looked at him, He said in effect, 'You are Simon the son of Jonah. You shall be called Cephas.' Cephas is the Aramaic word for 'Rock Man.' In Greek it is Petros, and that name clung to him. We find that over in Caesarea Philippi, when he gave that marvelous testimony concerning the Lord Jesus Christ and said, 'You are the Christ, the Son of the living God,' the Lord Jesus said in effect, 'Blessed are you, Simon [He goes back to his old name] … you will be called Peter because you are going to be a Rock Man from here on. You will be a man who will stand for something, but right now there is still a question.' And so the Lord reminds him of his old name. If you and I today think that we are somebody important, perhaps He would like to tell us just who we really are! Perhaps we are like Simon, the wishy-washy, mollycoddle fellow who tried to please everybody, who attempted to boast and was filled with pride. Our Lord dealt with him and settled him quietly when He said, 'Simon [his old name], do you love Me more than these?' (J.
João 21
Spurgeon - The Greek word means in this third question more than before, and might be rendered, “Lovest thou me dearly?” He had three times denied, and he must three times avow his Lord. (The Interpreter) David Roper asks "Was Jesus unaware of Peter’s love? Of course not. His threefold question was not for Himself, but for Peter. He asked His questions to underscore the essential truth that only love for Christ would sustain Peter in the work that lay ahead—that arduous, demanding work of caring for people’s souls—perhaps the hardest work of all. Jesus did not ask Peter if he loved His sheep, but if he loved Him. Affection for God’s people in itself will not sustain us. His sheep can be unresponsive, unappreciative, and harshly critical of our efforts to love and to serve them. In the end, we will find ourselves defeated and discouraged. The “love of Christ”—our love for Him—is the only sufficient motivation that will enable us to stay the course, to continue to feed the flock of God. Thus Jesus asks you and me, “Do you love Me? Feed My sheep.” (Feed My Sheep) Peter was grieved (lupeo) because He said to him the third time, “Do you love (phileo) Me?” John
João 21
Spurgeon - Thus was erring Peter fully restored. How mightily would that word “follow me” ring in his ears and influence his whole future. Follow me in doctrine, follow me in practice, follow me in sufferings, follow me in death, follow me to glory. May the Lord say to each one of us with power, FOLLOW ME. (The Interpreter) Yogi Berra is known for his oft-repeated quips like, “It ain’t over till it’s over” and “It’s like déjà vu all over again!” That's what Peter may have thought when he heard those words "Follow Me." Here we see Jesus repeat the call He first made to Peter in Mt 4:19. This should encourage all of us that Jesus calls us to follow Him and repeats His call when necessary. Alan Carr comments on Jesus' call "Follow Me"…When Jesus found Peter and called him the first time, this was His command, Mt 4:19. When he re-commissions Peter, He issues the same call. This tells us that the Lord hasn’t changed His mind about Peter or about Peter’s duty before the Lord. Regardless of how deep you may have fallen into sin, please know today that the Lord hasn’t changed His mind about you! You might want to repent and come home to Him, but feel that if you do you will be some kind of second class saint. That is just not true! God gives the same command to you today that He gave to Peter then, “Follow me!” All Jesus wants from you is a surrendered life; one that is lived for the glory of God; one that exalts Him and one that is lived in His will and service. He simply wants you to follow Him!) (Remember Jonah – God is the God is the second-chance! (Tender Moment) John Broadus comments on the significance of Jesus' prophecy of Peter's crucifixion… Dimly and yet plainly it meant that he should be crucified. And was that all that the loving Lord had to promise as a reward for a man who professed that he did love him? You loves Me, then serve Me faithfully, and for so doing, when thou are old you shall be crucified. It sounds somewhat strange. But Jesus added "This he said, signifying by what death he should glorify God." Ah! that sheds light on it; a man that loves the Lord Jesus Christ is a man that means to live so as to glorify God. He promised Simon Peter a death of suffering and outward shame, but in that death he should glorify God. My brethren, we live in a world of failures. How many businessmen in this city fail sometime or other. We live in a time of failures. Everything in this world is in danger of failing except one thing: a man who is really living to glorify God-that man will not fail, that end will be accomplished. It may not be in the way you had fancied or preferred, but in the way which He sees to be more for your good and more for His glory. You wanted to glorify Him in a long life crowded with useful deeds. He may appoint that you shall glorify Him by an early death. You wanted to glorify Him with ample means, which you would scatter far abroad with holy love; He may want you to bear poverty with dignity. You thought you would glorify Him in a life of health and strength, doing good in the world; and He may have thought to try you amid the sufferings of a sickbed. It is not for a laborer in the vineyard to choose himself where he will work, but only to work where he is placed. We know not what awaits us, but if in simplicity and godly sincerity, in such calling and circumstances as providence assigns us, we do make it our aim to glorify God, then whatever crashes and falls around us, life will not be failure, but will show our love and glorify our Saviour! (John A. Broadus - Loving Jesus Christ) NET NOTE - This is a parenthetical note by the author. The phrase by what kind of death Peter was going to glorify God almost certainly indicates martyrdom (cf. 1 Pet 4:16), and it may not predict anything more than that. But the parallelism of this phrase to similar phrases in John 12:33 and 18:32 which describe Jesus’ own death by crucifixion have led many to suggest that the picture Jesus is portraying for Peter looks not just at martyrdom but at death by crucifixion. This seems to be confirmed by the phrase you will stretch out your hands in the preceding verse. There is some evidence that the early church understood this and similar phrases (one of them in Isa 65:2) to refer to crucifixion (for a detailed discussion of the evidence see L. Morris, John [NICNT], 876, n. 52). Some have objected that if this phrase does indeed refer to crucifixion, the order within v. 18 is wrong, because the stretching out of the hands in crucifixion precedes the binding and leading where one does not wish to go. R. E. Brown (John [AB], 2:1108) sees this as a deliberate reversal of the normal order (hysteron proteron) intended to emphasize the stretching out of the hands. Another possible explanation for the unusual order is the Roman practice in crucifixions of tying the condemned prisoner’s arms to the crossbeam (patibulum) and forcing him to carry it to the place of execution (W. Bauer as cited by O. Cullmann in Peter: Disciple, Apostle, Martyr [LHD], 88). Oswald Chambers comments that… Between these times (follow Me - Mt 4:19 and Jn 21:19) Peter had denied Jesus with oaths and curses, he had come to the end of himself and all his self-sufficiency, there was not one strand of himself he would ever rely upon again, and in his destitution he was in a fit condition to receive an impartation from the risen Lord. "He breathed on them, and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost." No matter what changes God has wrought in you, never rely upon them, build only on a Person, the Lord Jesus Christ, and on the Spirit He gives. All our vows and resolutions end in denial because we have no power to carry them out. When we have come to the end of ourselves, not in imagination but really, we are able to receive the Holy Spirit. "Receive ye the Holy Ghost" - the idea is that of invasion. There is only one lodestar in the life now, the Lord Jesus Christ. (The Afterwards Of The Life Of Power) Follow (190) akoloutheo from a = expresses union with, likeness + keleuthos = way, road ~ on going in the same way = walk the same road) literally means to go or walk after or along behind someone (Mt 9:19, 27, 20:29, Mk 10:52, Peter at Jesus' "trial" Mt 26:58, Mk 14:54) and can describe a crowd that goes along with (Mt 4:25, 8:1, 21:9). Take the same road as another does. Akoloutheo can also mean to accompany someone who takes the lead (Mt 4:25, 8:1, 12:15, 14:13, Mk 5:24, Lk 7:9, 9:11, Jn 6:2). Figuratively, akoloutheo means to follow someone as a disciple and thus it describes a commitment to discipleship (Mt 4:20, 22, 9:9, 8:19, 23, 9:9 (Matthew's call to follow), Mt 19:21, 27, Mk 1:18, 2:14, 8:34, Jn 8:12, 10:4, 5, 27. In classic Greek usage, the figurative sense of akoloutheo conveyed the idea of imitating or following someone's example ("follow someone's opinion… adapt oneself" NIDNTT). This same sense was adopted by the NT writers especially when they used akoloutheo in the context of discipleship. A number of passages emphasize that some said they would follow Jesus, but the price put them off -- the man who had family responsibilities (Mt 8:18, 19, 20 ,21, 22); the rich young ruler (Mk 10:17, 18, 19, 20, 21; Lk 18:22, 23). Throughout the Gospels we see that the true disciples obeyed Christ's command to follow Him (without reservation, hesitation or rationalization). Matthew gave up his tax business (Mt. 9:9; Mk 2:14; Lk 5:27). Peter packed in his fishing and followed Jesus (Mt 4:18, 19, 20; Mk 1:16, 17, 18, 19, 20). This principal of wholeheartedly, fully following Jesus is the cornerstone of true discipleship (Lk 9:23). It follows that discipleship is much more than simply strolling with the Saviour. It means following His lifestyle. Following the Lord means alignment with His kingdom (Mt 9:61, 62). Eternal life is defined as following Jesus (Mk 10:17, 21; Jn 8:12). Wayne Detzler writes…Jesus placed a high priority on following. Those who do not take up the cross and follow Him are not worthy of Him (Mt. 10:38). This involves counting the cost of discipleship before jumping in at the deep end (Lk 14:27-33). For the disciples of Jesus' day, following Him meant identification with Him in His entire life. Those who followed Jesus had no secure home; they were "transients" as He was (Mt 8:19, 20). Those who followed Jesus were committed to go forward and never look back (Luke 9:61, 62). Following Jesus meant taking the daily risk of losing one's life, or at least losing control over one's life (Mk 8:34). On the verge of His passion Jesus again underlined the total commitment involved in following Him (John 12:25, 26). In writing on the subject of following, the German theologian Gerhard Kittel said: [Following Jesus] is not in any sense an imitation of the example of Jesus… but exclusively a fellowship of life and suffering with the Messiah which arises only in the fellowship of His salvation (Theological Dictionary of the New Testament, I, p. 214). (New Testament Words in Today's Language) Akoloutheo - Matt. 4:20; Matt. 4:22; Matt. 4:25; Matt. 8:1; Matt. 8:10; Matt. 8:19; Matt. 8:22; Matt. 8:23; Matt. 9:9; Matt. 9:19; Matt. 9:27; Matt. 10:38; Matt. 12:15; Matt. 14:13; Matt. 16:24; Matt. 19:2; Matt. 19:21; Matt. 19:27; Matt. 19:28; Matt. 20:29; Matt. 20:34; Matt. 21:9; Matt. 26:58; Matt. 27:55; Mk. 1:18; Mk. 2:14; Mk. 2:15; Mk. 3:7; Mk. 5:24; Mk. 6:1; Mk. 8:34; Mk. 9:38; Mk. 10:21; Mk. 10:28; Mk. 10:32; Mk. 10:52; Mk. 11:9; Mk. 14:13; Mk. 14:54; Mk. 15:41; Lk. 5:11; Lk. 5:27; Lk. 5:28; Lk. 7:9; Lk. 9:11; Lk. 9:23; Lk. 9:49; Lk. 9:57; Lk. 9:59; Lk. 9:61; Lk. 18:22; Lk. 18:28; Lk. 18:43; Lk. 22:10; Lk. 22:39; Lk. 22:54; Lk. 23:27; Jn. 1:37; Jn. 1:38; Jn. 1:40; Jn. 1:43; Jn. 6:2; Jn. 8:12; Jn. 10:4; Jn. 10:5; Jn. 10:27; Jn. 11:31; Jn. 12:26; Jn. 13:36; Jn. 13:37; Jn. 18:15; Jn. 20:6; Jn. 21:19; Jn. 21:20; Jn. 21:22; Acts 12:8; Acts 12:9; Acts 13:43; Acts 21:36; 1 Co. 10:4; Rev. 6:8; Rev. 14:4; Rev. 14:8; Rev. 14:9; Rev. 14:13; Rev. 19:14 John Bennett Day by Day: Bible Commands FOLLOW THOU ME After the Lord had commissioned Peter for his shepherding task, He outlined to Him the future course of his life and work. His ministry would end in martyrdom. Peter’s hands would be stretched out on a cross. In dying for the sake of the Lord Jesus, he would glorify God. Peter’s declaration that he would lay down his life for the Saviour would come to pass, Jn 13:37. He would drink the cup of sorrow and share the baptism of suffering with his Lord, Mark 10:38. After these predictions the Lord told Peter, ‘follow … me’. The way of discipleship is the way of the cross. For the follower of Christ, dying to self is the pathway to life. As the shadow of the cross loomed before Him, the Lord had declared that if anyone sought to serve Him, He must follow Him, 12:26. With understandable concern for one of his closest friends, Peter then enquired about John, ‘Lord, what about this man?’, ESV. After all, no prediction of his future ministry had been given. The Lord responded ‘if it is my will, that he remain until I come, what is that to you? You follow me’, ESV. Peter was being taught that ‘the Lord had His own plans for the beloved disciple’, BRUCE. It was not necessary for him to know them. Basically, the Lord said to Peter, albeit lovingly, ‘mind your own business’, MILNE. John and Peter each had their own ministry to fulfil from the Lord. We can be over-interested in the service of others. Each Christian’s responsibility is to the Lord Himself, Rom. 14:7–12. He assesses our faithfulness and judges our contribution to His work. Peter’s task was to carry out the commission that he had received and not to concern himself with the service John might be given. Above all, his eye had to be fixed on the Master alone. His focus had to be on Christ. He had to avoid being distracted from his chief concern of following Him. The Lord, for the third time, commands Peter to follow Him, v. 19; cf. Matt. 4:19. The path of discipleship is one of personal commitment of the individual believer. It is to the Lord Himself that each belongs. To Him each of us will eventually give account. It is Christ that we must daily seek to follow. Our Lord's Command - Jesus asked Simon Peter a heart-searching question long ago on the seashore in Galilee: “Do you love Me?” (John 21:15-17). Then the risen Lord told His disciple Peter that his future would lead to martyrdom. And Peter accepted that destiny without complaint. But then Peter asked about the apostle John’s future (Jn 21:21). We can only guess what motivated his question. Was it brotherly concern? Was it fleshly curiosity? Was it resentment because he thought that John might be spared a martyr’s death? Whatever Peter’s motive, Jesus responded with a counter-question that applied not just to Peter but to every follower of His: “If I will that he remain till I come, what is that to you? You follow Me” (Jn 21:22). In that question, Jesus was saying in essence, “Don’t worry about what happens in the life of anybody else. Your task is to keep following Me steadfastly.” Jesus calls us o'er the tumult Of our life's wild, restless sea, Day by day His sweet voice soundeth, Saying, "Christian, follow Me." —Alexander To find your way through life, follow Jesus. Feeding Jesus' Sheep - What will keep us serving the Lord in our church and community when the going gets tough? Although we may be sensitive to the needs of others, that alone isn’t enough. Nor should we be driven by a need that we have—a desire to be appreciated or loved by others. Our needs are deep, and only God can satisfy them. The more we try to satisfy them with anything else—even God’s work—the more dissatisfied we will become. Even love for God’s people, His sheep, won’t keep us going. People can be unlovable and insufferable. We may come to resent them. No, the only sufficient incentive for service is our love for the Lord, and it’s the love of Christ that compels us (2Corinthians 5:14-note). No other motivation will do. In My Utmost For His Highest, Oswald Chambers wrote, “If we are devoted to the cause of humanity, we shall soon be crushed and brokenhearted,… but if our motive is to love God, no ingratitude can hinder us from serving our fellowmen.” In one of His last conversations with Peter, Jesus asked him, “Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me?” Peter answered, “Lord, You know all things; You know that I love You.” Jesus then said, “Feed My sheep” (John 21:17). More love to Thee, O Christ, more love to Thee! Hear Thou the prayer I make on bended knee; This is my earnest plea: More love, O Christ, to Thee, More love to Thee, more love to Thee! —Prentiss To love Christ is to serve Christ. John Broadus Let me close as the Lord himself closed the conversation. After telling Simon Peter what he must do out of love for him, he said, "Verily, verily, I say unto thee; When thou wast young, thou girdest 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." Dimly, and yet plainly, it meant that he should be crucified. And was that all that the loving Lord had to promise as a reward for a man who professed that he did love him? Thou lovest me, then serve me faithfully, and for so doing, When thou art old thou shalt be crucified. It looks strange. "This spake he, signifying by what death he should glorify God." Ah! that sheds light on it; a man that loves the Lord Jesus Christ is a man that means to live so as to glorify God. He promised Simon Peter a death of suffering and outward shame, but in that death he should glorify God. My brethren, we live in a world of failures. How many businessmen in this city fail sometime or other. We live in a time of failures. Everything in this world is in danger of failing except one thing: a man who is really living to glorify God-that man will not fail, that end will be accomplished. It may not be in the way you had fancied or preferred, but in the way which he sees to be more for your good and more for his glory. You wanted to glorify him in a long life crowded with useful deeds; he may appoint that you shall glorify him by an early death. You wanted to glorify him with ample means, which you would scatter far abroad with holy love; he may want you to bear poverty with dignity. You thought you would glorify him in a life of health and strength, doing good in the world; and he may have thought to try you amid the sufferings of a sickbed. It is not for a laborer in the vineyard to choose himself where he will work, but only to work where he is placed. We know not what awaits us, but if in simplicity and godly sincerity, in such calling and circumstances as providence assigns us, we do make it our aim to glorify God, then whatever crashes and falls around us, life will not be failure, but will show our love and glorify our Saviour! James Smith on "Follow Me"… Jesus says,"Follow Me!" and for all who follow, he provides everything necessary for the journey. He will feed with the finest of the wheat, and with honey out of the rock--all who cleave unto him with full purpose of heart. His promises are marrow and fatness; his presence is a delightful feast, which those often taste who live near him in the exercise of faith and fellowship. He who follows Jesus may safely trust all his concerns in his hands--he will order, arrange, and manage all for him with infinite wisdom and unparalleled prudence. None walk so safely, so consistently, or so prosperously, as those who step, or endeavor to step in all the Savior's foot-marks. He will warn them of danger, protect them from harm, comfort them with tokens of his love, and bless them with the Spirit in their hearts. He will compass them with favor as with a shield, feed them with the heritage of Jacob their father, give them more grace--nor will he withhold one good thing from them. But there can be no following Jesus to purpose, unless we are brought to resign ourselves and all that belongs to us, into his hands. Until we can bring all we have, and all we are--and lay it down at the Savior's feet, and write upon it with our own hand, guided by a willing heart, "This is the Lord's!" --we shall make but poor work of following Jesus. If we have many interests, each will call to us, have a claim on us, and a demand from us; but if our interests are all merged in the interests of Jesus, our interest being his, and his ours--then we shall proceed with pleasure, satisfaction and willingness. Most men are willing to follow their treasures--but few are willing to leave them. Just so, unless Jesus becomes our treasure, our portion, our all--we shall not follow him heartily, cheerfully, or universally. Reader, have you anything you have not resigned to Jesus? have you anything which you cannot deliberately and heartily give up into his hands? If so, you will find it a burden on the mind, a plague to the soul, a disease at the heart! You will make but sorry progress at any time, and no progress at all in stripping times: for he can never cheerfully give up for Jesus, who has not first given up to Jesus. There will be no following Jesus to purpose, unless we believe in his revealed character. Unless we can believe he is wise, merciful, and faithful--we shall never follow him far or freely. How can I trust myself with an unwise, unmerciful, or treacherous person? It is impossible. One great reason why we do not follow Jesus fully, is founded in our ignorance of, or lack of faith in, what Jesus is. He who believes heartily that Christ is what the gospel says he is, and what saints in every age have proved him to be--can trust Jesus with all, and leave himself and all his concerns in his hands. My brother, are you afraid to trust Jesus--to follow Jesus, or afraid you shall be a loser by Jesus? If so, you do not know him, or you do not fully believe the testimony God has given of his Son. O what comparatively happy lives we would live, if we practically believed Jesus to be what he really is--the kind, tender-hearted, gracious, faithful, and ever-loving Friend of sinners. We shall never fully accept this invitation, until we are fully persuaded that our happiness, holiness, and safety are involved in it. What can make me truly happy? The presence of Jesus and the light he graciously communicates. But how is this to be enjoyed? He tells me, "He who follows me, shall not walk in darkness--but shall have the light of life." What can make me holy? Only the gracious work, teaching, and communications of the Holy Spirit. But what is the design of his work, teaching, and communications? To glorify Jesus; and herein is Jesus glorified, that his disciples forsake all and follow him wherever he goes. The holy flock always follow the sanctifying Shepherd. In what consists my safety? In my Savior's watchful eye, potent arm, and loving heart. But when are the evidences of these being employed for us, enjoyed? Only when we are found following in his sacred footsteps. But WHERE are we to follow Jesus? Wherever he goes, through evil report and good report. He is to be constantly set before us as our one grand object, and we are to run our race looking unto him. Follow him in all his holy institutions, and soul-feeding ordinances, in every self-denying path, in every arduous duty, and in every gracious privilege. Endeavor to imbibe his spirit. He was meek and lowly in heart. Prize and search his word--for there his footprints are to be discovered. Look to his fullness for wisdom, strength, and all necessary provision. Rely on his faithful promise, in the most unfavorable circumstances. Trust his veracity in the dark uncomfortable night of trial and trouble. Follow him in sighs, cries, groans, and prayers, when you feel unable to follow him in any other way, and remember that he is always at your right hand, that you may not be greatly moved. Expect much opposition from Satan, self, the world, and many professors of religion; but always bear in mind Jesus, who bought you with his blood, quickened you by his grace, and has promised you glory, honor, immortality, and eternal life--your Jesus says, "follow Me--not them." (James Smith - Follow Me) John 21:20 Peter, turning around, *saw the disciple whom Jesus loved following them; the one who also had leaned back on His bosom at the supper and said, “Lord, who is the one who betrays You?” Saw: Jn 21:7,24 20:2 Who: Jn 13:23-26 20:2 John 21 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries PETER SPOTS JOHN FOLLOWING Peter, turning around (epistrepho), saw the disciple (mathetes) whom Jesus loved (agapao) following (akoloutheo) them - Presumably Jesus and Peter were walking along the shore and Peter turned to look behind them. The one who also had leaned back on His bosom at the supper and said, “Lord, who is the one who betrays (paradidomi) You" - John identifies himself with a complete description. NET NOTE - the disciple whom Jesus loved,’ This individual also is mentioned in Jn 19:26, Jn 20:2, Jn 21:7, and Jn 21:20. Some have suggested that this disciple is to be identified with Lazarus, since the Fourth Gospel specifically states that Jesus loved him (Jn 11:3, 5, 36). From the terminology alone this is a possibility; the author is certainly capable of using language in this way to indicate connections. But there is nothing else to indicate that Lazarus was present at the last supper; Mark 14:17 seems to indicate it was only the twelve who were with Jesus at this time, and there is no indication in the Fourth Gospel to the contrary. Nor does it appear that Lazarus ever stood so close to Jesus as the later references in John 19, 20 and 21 seem to indicate. When this is coupled with the omission of all references to John son of Zebedee from the Fourth Gospel, it seems far more likely that the references to the beloved disciple should be understood as references to him. Turning around (1994)(epistrepho from epí = motion toward + strepho = twist, turn quite around or reverse) means to revert, to turn about, to turn around, to turn toward, to return and figuratively to convert. Apparently Jesus and Peter were walking along side by side when the preceding dialogue took place, but John (and possibly the other disciples) were following them. Betrays (3860)(paradidomi) conveys the basic meaning of to give over from one's hand to someone or something, especially to give over to the power of another (to give over Jesus to the authorities). J R Miller has a devotional on the phrase "the Disciple whom Jesus loved"… The name of John is not once mentioned in all his gospel. Again and again the writer refers to himself as "the disciple whom Jesus loved." He has been criticized for this, as if he had been vain and self-conceited in thus speaking of his own distinction among the disciples. But no grace is more marked in John, than humility. He does not speak of himself as the disciple who loved Jesus. This would have been to claim preeminence among the disciples and would have shown a boastful and self-confident spirit. He said he was the disciple whom Jesus loved. He glorified the grace of Christ. He was what he was--only because Christ loved him. Right here we have one of the deepest truths of Christian life, one of the great secrets of Christian peace, an essential quality of faith: that our hope does not rest in our love for Christ--but in His love for us. People are often discouraged when they find in themselves so little that is good and beautiful. They cannot see that they love Christ any more this year, than they did last. They do not find in themselves the beautiful fruits of the Spirit which they wish they could find. But there is another way to look at our lives, which gives us more hope. It is John's way--not our love for Christ--but Christ's love for us! At the best our love is variable in its moods and experiences. Today it glows with warmth and affection for Jesus, and we say that we could die for our Master. We know we love Him. Tomorrow, in some depression, we question whether we really love Him at all, our feelings respond so feebly to His name. A peace which depends on our loving Christ--is as variable as our own moods. But when it is Christ's love for us that is our dependence, our peace is undisturbed by any earthly changes. John 21:21 So Peter seeing him *said to Jesus, “Lord, and what about this man?” Lord: Mt 24:3,4 Lk 13:23,24 Acts 1:6,7 John 21 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries PETER QUERIES JESUS ABOUT JOHN'S FATE So (oun) is a term of conclusion. After Peter turns around and sees John. Peter seeing him *said to Jesus (Iesous), “Lord (kurios), and what about this man - - Literally, "but this man, what?" We cannot be certain of Peter's motive for this question - brotherly concern? fleshly curiosity? resentment (that John would not be martyred)?, etc. Some favor that since Peter had just learned his future fate, he now wanted to know what was the lot for John. The verse does begin with "so" or 'therefore" (oun) which adds some support to this interpretation. Lord (2962)(kurios from kuros = might or power) is that of a supreme one, one who is sovereign and possesses absolute authority, absolute ownership and uncontested power. Kurios is not merely a name that composes a title, but signifies a call to action so that every saint should willingly, reverently bow down to Jesus Christ. If Christ is our Lord, we are to live under Him, consciously, continually submitting our wills to him as His loyal, loving bondservants ("love slaves"), always seeking first His Kingdom and His righteousness (Mt 6:33+). James Butler NOSEY John 21:21 Sermon Starters “Peter seeing him saith to Jesus, Lord, and what shall this man do?” (John 21:21). Our text is part of the visit of Christ to some of the disciples who went fishing while waiting for Christ to come to Galilee after His resurrection. When Christ came on the scene, He worked a miracle in regards to the fishing and the disciples experienced a tremendous catch of fish. After the catch was brought to shore, Jesus and these disciples dined on fish and bread and then Christ asked three times if Peter loved him. After each answer Christ responded with a charge to feed his sheep. Duty and devotion were the theme of this conversation. At the conclusion of this conversation with Christ, Peter asked the question in our text. It was about the Apostle John. Peter wanted to know what his duties were. FIRST—THE CARNALITY OF THE QUESTION “What shall this man do?” This was a carnal question not a spiritual question. The answer would not help Peter spiritually. Christ had been dealing with Peter’s devotion to Him and duty for Him. That was spiritual. But Peter’s question was about John’s duty. That was carnal. Peter was not so interested in growing spiritually as he was in satisfying his carnal interests. SECOND—THE CURIOSITY OF THE QUESTION “What shall this man do.” It was not a question of conscience but of curiosity. Many read the Bible out of curiosity not out of conscience. They read the Bible to find where Cain got his wife, or if Moses married a black women, or if Adam and Eve ate an apple or other like non-important question. There are better reasons for studying the Bible than trying to learn the answer to these questions. Read the Bible to know how to live. THIRD—THE CONCERN OF THE QUESTION “What shall this man do?” Peter’s question said he was more concerned about another’s man duty than his own. That is a problem in every age. It is the concern of gossips and busybodies (2 Thessalonians 3:11). We are often more concerned about what others are suppose to be doing than we are about what we are to be doing. Christ had just told Peter his duty. If Peter had been wise, he would have inquired into more details about his duty as did Samson’s parents (Judges 13:8). Of course, Peter’s question did not go over well with Christ and in the next verse Christ bluntly said to him, “What is that to thee, follow thou me.?” How instructive was Christ’s answer. What did it matter to Peter what John’s Divine duties were. Our main concern needs to be our own duty not someone else’s duty. We are not doing out duty so well that we can be concerned carnally about how others are doing. Sometimes this concern shows our interest in our rights more than our responsibilities. But we need to be primarily concerned about how we treat others (our duty), not about how others treat us (their duty). Sermon Starters Father Knows Best - You know you’ve been at this parenting thing a while when your children are old enough to compare notes about how you’ve raised them. Lisa and Julie take this sport to new heights as they match quips about the differences in how we’ve treated them with such things as driving the car and how late they can stay out. Of course Lisa, who is older, remembers that we were much, much harder on her. Naturally Julie disagrees. We handle each of our children differently for a very good reason. They are different! What’s good for one may not be good for another. In John 21, Jesus gave Peter a clue about some terrible things that would happen to him (Jn 21:18,19). Peter’s reaction was to ask what was going to happen to John. But Jesus said that even if John were to escape death entirely, “What is that to you? You follow Me” (Jn 21:22). Christ has very different yet equally perfect plans for His servants. Sometimes we look at others and wonder, “Why has God done good things for that person but not for me? Why do I suffer when others don’t? Why are things hard for me?” God's way is the best way, though I may not see Why sorrows and trials oft gather 'round me; He ever is seeking my gold to refine, So humbly I trust Him, my Savior divine. —Leech God gives His best to those who leave the choice with Him. The Cure for Resentment - We may readily agree with the statement that “all men are created equal.” But we don’t have to live long before discovering that life treats some people better than others. This is something we must learn to accept without resentment. Life’s inequities show up on many levels. Cancer ravages the body of a child, while a hard-drinking chain-smoker lives to a ripe old age. Some people enjoy good health, others don’t. Some have no physical disabilities, others have severe limitations. Some work hard and remain poor, while others are born to wealth or seem to get all the breaks. When Jesus informed the apostle Peter that he was going to die as a martyr for his faith, Peter asked what would happen to his fellow disciple John. He seemed to think that it wouldn’t be fair if John didn’t die the same way. But Jesus told him that what would happen to John was not to be Peter’s concern—that was God’s decision. Peter’s responsibility was simple: He was to follow Christ. At times our path is rough and steep, Our way is hard to see; We ask God, "Why is life unfair?" He answers, "Follow Me." —D. De Haan John 21:22 Jesus said to him, “If I want him to remain until I come, what is that to you? You follow Me!” If: Mt 16:27,28 24:3,27,44 25:31 Mk 9:1 1Co 4:5 11:26 Rev 1:7 2:25 Rev 3:11 22:7,20 Follow: Jn 21:19 John 21 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries JESUS' LAST WORDS FOLLOW ME! Jesus as so often answers a question with a question of His own. In essence He is saying that Peter (and applicable to all believers) is not to worry about what happens in the life of another believer, but instead is to persevere in following Jesus! Jesus (Iesous) said to him, “If I want him to remain until I come, what is that to you? - Jesus clearly predicts His Second Coming and with the phrase "if I want him to remain", He leaves open the possibility of returning in their lifetime. The early church lived in the light of eager expectancy of Christ's return. It is also notable that approximately one in every twenty verses in the NT alludes directly or indirectly to the return of Christ. This is the believer's blessed hope and serves as a strong motivation to live each day for His glory, for we know not what day He may choose to return. The apostle John puts it this way… And now, little children, abide (present imperative = command to make this your lifestyle, your daily practice - tarry with Jesus, walk with Him as your best Friend, immerse yourself in His Word Jn 8:31, yield to His Spirit, make it your ambition to live in a manner pleasing to Him) in Him, so that when He appears, we may have confidence (parrhesia = literally "all speech" = freedom to say all, openness that stems from lack of fear [sins are confessed, you're walking in the light], boldness) and not shrink away from Him in shame at His coming (parousia = in context signifies His Second Coming). (1Jn 2:28+, cp "love His appearing" in 2Ti 4:8+, "eagerly wait for Him" in Heb 9:28+) Vance Havner on what is that to you - Our Lord was never sidetracked by the secondary. Whether questioned about tribute to Caesar, dividing an inheritance, or why a Jew should ask a drink of water from a Samaritan, He always stuck to the main issue. We must resist the intrusion of the irrelevant. what is that to thee? follow thou me." Whatever your hand finds to do, verily, do it with all your might; for there is no activity or planning or knowledge or wisdom in Sheol where you are going. -- Eccl 9:10 Spurgeon Study Bible - What is that to you? As for you, follow me.” The main thing we have to do in this world is to seek after Christ until we find him as our Savior; or, in other words, the first thing for us to do is to look to him, to trust in him. We live in vain if we do not live for God, and if we do not live by faith in Jesus Christ, the one and only Savior. It is better for us never to have been born than to live and die without faith in Jesus Christ. We must make our souls our first concern, for what will it profit us if we gain the whole world and lose our souls? After we are saved, the main business of our lives is still to follow Christ. When sin is pardoned and the eternal safety of the soul is ensured, the next thing is to seek the purity of the soul and to secure a character that will be worth having throughout eternity. There is no character worth having that is not fashioned according to the character of Christ. He is absolute perfection. In him is nothing redundant, and from him nothing is omitted that ought to be there. To be perfect, we must be like Jesus. “Keeping our eyes on Jesus, the source and perfecter of our faith” (Heb 12:2), we are to conquer sins and wrong desires and, in the power of God’s Spirit, cultivate grace and virtue. If I am a Christian, I am to mold my doctrinal opinions, my thoughts, words, character, and acts after the model of Christ’s. NET NOTE - Grk “to stay” or “to remain”; but since longevity is the issue in the context, “to live” conveys the idea more clearly. You follow (akoloutheo) Me - Follow (akoloutheo) is in the present imperative which called for Peter to depend on the Holy Spirit to obey. These are not the very last words of Jesus before His ascension (see Acts 1:7, 8) but they are the last words of the Gospel of John. It is interesting that Jesus issued the same command (Follow Me) at the beginning of this Gospel (Jn 1:43). Clearly Jesus wants us to remember that being a Christian is not just believing in a Person in an abstract sense, but that it constitutes believing in the Person of Jesus to the point that we turn our back on all else and seek to follow Him! James Montgomery
João 21:15-25
Spurgeon wrote, It is well, especially after a foul sin, that the Christian should well probe the wound. It is right that he should examine himself; for sin gives grave cause for suspicion, and it would be wrong for a Christian to live an hour with a suspicion concerning his spiritual estate, unless he occupy that hour in examination of himself. Self-examination should more especially follow sin, though it ought to be the daily habit of every Christian, and should be practiced by him perpetually [New Park Street Pulpit, vol. III, 81]. "Do you love Me?" Jesus asked Peter. He sought through this question, pointedly asked three times, to arouse, awaken, and stir Simon Peter to see the gravity of his sin, while at the same moment resting in the greatness of Christ's mercy. When we fall into sin and come to the place of admitting our wretchedness, it should serve to keep us out of the same quicksand again… The searching question, "Do you love Me?" causes you to wring your heart out before the Lord, to see your own unworthiness, to feel the horror of your sin; yet to know that in spite of it all because He has given grace to you, you love Him. (The Fallen Restored) H A Ironside… The outstanding theme of this chapter is the public restoration of the Apostle Peter. He who had failed the Lord so sadly in the hour of need might have thought he would never again be recognized as one of the apostles. But he was just as tenderly loved by the Lord after his failure as before. I wish we could take that in. I contact so many people who tell me more or less the same story. In some way or other they failed to stand the test, and they are conscious of having sinned against the Lord and though truly penitent, they feel that it is all over with them, that the Lord has given them up and that they are hopelessly lost. Some say, “I wonder if I have committed the unpardonable sin? I cannot get the witness of the spirit any more. I have prayed and prayed but do not get peace.” Such souls forget that the witness is the testimony of Holy Scripture and that the Word of God has told us that if we confess our sins He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness (1Jn 1:9). That is the witness of the Spirit given through the Word of God, and no matter who the sinner is, when he comes to God confessing his failure, acknowledging and judging it ("owning it" like David as a sin against God and God alone, cp Ps 51:4-note) he may be absolutely certain that God will never go back on His declaration that the sin is put away, that the failing believer who has confessed his sins is cleansed from all unrighteousness, and that communion is restored. Happy is the soul who enters into that by faith and goes on rejoicing in fellowship with his Saviour. (Ironside, H. A. 1942. Addresses on the Gospel of John. Neptune, NJ: Loizeaux Brothers) Plumptre… Lovest thou Me more than these? -- i.e., (more) than these disciples who are present here with thee. It seems unnecessary to add this explanation, but not a few English notes on this verse explain the word "these" of the fishes, or of the boats and nets, as though the question was, "Lovest thou Me more than thy worldly calling? Art thou willing to give up all for Me?" The obvious reference is to Peter's own comparison of himself with others in the confidence of love which he thought could never fail. (Compare Mt 26:33, Mark 14:29). (A New Testament commentary for English readers) John Broadus writes… Simon Peter also gives us a lesson here, a lesson in humility to this effect. When a man is in a right mood about spiritual things he will shrink from all comparison between himself and others. Jesus said to him, "Simon, son of Jonah, do you love me more than these?" You know there is an ambiguity in this expression, and it exists in the Greek exactly as in the English. It may mean, more than these love, more than you love these men, or more than you love these pursuits. But the circumstances of the story leave no doubt as to what is meant. Peter had professed a few weeks before that he did love the Lord more than the other disciples. He had distinctly declared it, and no doubt he was sincere. When Jesus predicted that they would forsake Him, Peter said, "Though all men forsake thee yet will I never forsake thee." (Mt 26:33) And so he singled himself out above the other disciples, as loving the Lord more than any of them. And of that he is here reminded. But when Peter comes to answer, he leaves the comparison (more than) out this time. He says, "Lord, you know that I love You." He is in no mood for comparisons now. A truly humble man never is. He will be the last person to be thinking of such a thing, and if forced to make comparisons he will tell you that he is less than the least of all disciples (cp Paul's ever growing humility 1Co 15:9 [55AD], Eph 3:8 [61AD], 1Ti 1:15 [63-66AD]), but that he does love the Lord, and the Lord does love him and he means to be a better servant. (John A. Broadus - Loving Jesus Christ) Brian Bell explains it this way… Peter had boasted of his love for Christ and had even contrasted it with that of the other men. “I will lay down my life for Your sake!” (Jn 13:37) “Even if all are made to stumble because of You, I will never be made to stumble.” (Mt. 26:33) 1. There is more than a hint in these boastful statements that Peter believed that he loved the Lord more than did the other disciples. {as if to say, “I can see James/ John falling away; Thomas for sure; But not me! - I’m spiritually stronger & more devoted to you than they are. I can see their commitment won’t hold up, but mine will.”} 2. Beware of: spiritual self-confidence; self-righteous; believing you’re spiritually stronger or more devoted. Or because you’ve been on a missions trip; because you go door to door and evangelize; because you don’t own a TV set; because you drive a “humble mobile” Beware! (John 21:15-15 Three Lessons on the Beach) Plumptre remarks on the thrice asked question… The thrice-asked question has been generally understood to have special force in the restoration of him who had thrice denied his Lord, and now thrice declares his love for Him, and is thrice entrusted with a work for Him; and we feel that this interpretation gives a natural meaning to the emphasis of these verse. It may not be fanciful to trace significance, even in the external circumstances under which the question was asked. By the side of the lake after casting his net into the sea had Peter first been called to be a fisher of men (Mt 4:19). The lake, the very spot on the shore, the nets, the boat, would bring back to his mind in all their fulness the thoughts of the day which had been the turning point of his life. By the side of the "fire of coals" (See note on John 18:18 [note], the only other place where this Greek word occurs - in the Greek this phrase is expressed by one word… it means a glowing fire) he had denied his Lord. As the eye rests upon the "fire of coals" before him, and he is conscious of the presence of the Lord, Who knows all things (Jn 21:17), burning thoughts of penitence and shame may have come to his mind, and these may have been the true preparation for the words which follow. (A New Testament commentary for English readers) J C