John 21

Jesus Appears to Seven Disciples

1-3 Peter decides to go fishing. Thomas, Nathanael, James and John, and two others go with him, but they catch nothing all night.
4-8 Just after daybreak, a man appears on the beach, telling them to cast the net on the other side. When they do so, they net too many fish for the net to handle. The disciple whom Jesus loves recognizes the man as “the Lord”; Peter clothes and swims to shore while the other disciples bring in the catch. It doesn’t say here how John recognized Jesus. Because of the dimness of the early morning light, I suspect it was because no one else could have performed such a miracle, and John was the first to recognize it. Peter – having heard him say it, believed John – and acted on it.
9-14 Jesus had built a charcoal fire, and had fish and bread. Peter brought the net ashore, not torn, even with the overload of 153 fish, and Jesus served them the food. They all knew it was Jesus. This was his third appearance to them after his resurrection. Just as he had washed their feet before, now he serves them breakfast – their servant even after His glorification.

Jesus and Peter

15-17 After breakfast, Jesus asks Peter three times if Peter loves him, to which Peter replies, “You know that I love you.” Jesus’ reply to Peter’s answer is “Feed my lambs,” “Tend my sheep,” and “Feed my sheep.” I was curious about the differences between Jesus’ three replies. According to the Greek Lexicon at Search God’s Word, The first one in Greek (transliterated) is “bosko” my “arnion,” which means to feed, or to “see to the spiritual welfare of my little lambs.” The second is “poimaino” my “probaton,” which means to shepherd (rule, govern, care for) my sheep. The third is “bosko” my “probaton,” which repeats the verb from the first and the noun from the second.
Many also examine the Greek words used for “love.” The first two are “agapao” (from Jesus) and “phileo” from John; the second two are the same; the third two are both “phileo.” “Phileo” conveys the idea of fondness, approval, affection and is also translated “kiss.”  “Agapao” means to welcome, to entertain, to love dearly, and is often commanded by God.
It seems significant that Peter was asked to declare his love for Jesus the same number of times he denied him.
18-20 After this conversation, Jesus prophesies that Peter will grow old and need the care of others, after which he says simply, “Follow me.” I wonder: Did Jesus’ declaration that Peter would live to be an old man give him the courage he needed to preach as he needed to? Of course, it didn’t make the beatings he would receive any easier, but at least he knew he wouldn’t die of them.

Jesus and the Beloved Disciple

20-23 Peter turns around and sees the disciple whom Jesus loves following them and asks Jesus, “What about him?” “What is it to you, Peter?” Jesus replies. “Follow me!” Even after what must have been an emotional personal conversation with his Lord, Peter blurts the first thing that comes to him and is rebuked for it. Jesus has to repeat his command to Peter: “Follow me!” As Christians, we don’t need to compare ourselves to others, wonder about their status with God; we need only to follow Him.
24-25 The disciple whom Jesus loved (v. 20) identifies himself as the writer of this gospel and tells us that if all the things Jesus did were recorded, the world could not contain them. He could just as well as repeat 20:30-31 here: “But these were written that you might believe…and that  believing you may have life.” The gospel was written not just to tell the story of Jesus but to tell those things that would inspire belief, resulting in our salvation.