John 20 ends with two verses that wrap things up pretty nicely for the book of John.
“Jesus performed many other signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not recorded in this book. But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.” (John 20:30-31)
But then there’s John 21. Peter, the Rock of the early church, is clearly singled out again in a story that is not entirely flattering. It is presented as a story after the big story, and it is intensely personal. It’s not like the end of the LOTR when softly glowing happy people hug and smile and cry as they gently say perfect goodbyes. So, we have several questions to ask this morning: Why is John wrapped up this way? What do we learn about Jesus? And why does it matter to us? Here is today’s text.
After these things Jesus manifested Himself again to the disciples at the Sea of Tiberias, and He manifested Himself in this way. Simon Peter, and Thomas called Didymus, and Nathanael of Cana in Galilee, and the sons of Zebedee[1], and two others of His disciples were together.
Only 3 disciples of the 7 who are present are specifically named. If we keep assuming details matter, it’s worth looking at why these three are highlighted. It’s like John is saying, “Hey! Focus!”
· All three also offered a clear confession of faith at some point in the John’s record. (Peter in John 6:69; Thomas in John 20:28; Nathanael in John 1:49)
· All three were “wrestlers” or skeptics of some sort. Thomas is the infamous doubting Thomas (John 20). Nathaniel asked, “Can anything good come out of Nazareth? (John 1) Peter had betrayed Jesus and is about to wrestle with shame (John 18).
· Nathanial believed Jesus was the Son of God because Jesus gave him proof (John 1); Thomas believed Jesus had risen after Jesus gave him proof (John 20. We are about to see that Peter is back to his former job as a fisherman. Jesus is going to offer some proof that he still wants Peter to fish for people by going into all the world and preaching the gospel.
John’s last story highlights what Jesus will do with the wrestlers and the doubters. It turns out that, just like the God of Jacob blessed Jacob when he wrestled, Jesus is going to bless the wrestlers yet again.
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. But when the day was now breaking, Jesus stood on the beach.
Darkness and daybreak set the stage for the story.
John in the first chapter of his gospel wrote that “In him was life, and that life was the light of mankind; but the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness cannot overcome it.” (John 1:5)
The symbolism of daytime and nighttime stands out at various points in scriptures, and it does here as well. In Scripture, Night often represents the downside or chaos of life. Peter denied Jesus in the dark just before daybreak. Peter went to the tomb “while it was still dark.” Here, Peter is fishing in the dark. Here, “the day was now breaking.” Something new and beautiful is dawning.
The disciples did not know that it was Jesus. So Jesus said to them, "Children, you do not have any fish, do you?" They answered Him, "No." 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.[2]. 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 and threw himself into the sea. But the other disciples came in the little boat, for they were not far from the land, but about one hundred yards away, dragging the net full of fish.
So when they got out on the land, they saw a charcoal fire already laid and fish placed on it, and bread. Jesus said to them, "Bring some of the fish which you have now caught."
Simon Peter went up and drew the net to land, full of large fish, a hundred and fifty-three;[3] and although there were so many, the net was not torn.
This is the same sea on which Peter had tried to walk on the water and failed. This time he didn’t even try to walk on the water; he just throws himself in. Maybe he thinks he can outswim the boat. Maybe he tried to walk on water again. I don’t know. Wither way, Peter’s enthusiasm is still there. Note the account says Peter pulled the net in by himself. Dude is pumped!
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. Jesus came and took the bread and gave it to them, and the fish likewise.
This is now the third time that Jesus was manifested to the disciples, after He was raised from the dead. So when they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, "Simon, son of John, do you love Me more than these other disciples love me?"[4]
He said to Him, "Yes, Lord; You know that I love You " He said to him, "Tend My lambs." He said to him again a second time, "Simon, son of John, do you love Me?" He said to Him, "Yes, Lord; You know that I love You." He said to him, "Shepherd My sheep."
He said to him the third time, "Simon, son of John, do you love Me?" Peter was grieved because He said to him the third time, "Do you love Me?" And he said to Him, "Lord, You know all things; You know that I love You." Jesus said to him, "Tend My sheep.’”
Three times before the crucifixion, hiding in the darkness, huddled around a charcoal fire, Peter had not loved Jesus more than anything else. Three times, now, in the light of the morning, huddled around a charcoal fire, by a sea that reminds him of his previous lack of faith, as the day is dawning, he is offered redemption.
“He does not say ‘Peter,’ but ‘Simon,’ using his former name, as if to remind him of what he was before his calling and to show him that he has fallen from the steadfastness of the rock.”— St. John Chrysostom, Homily 88 on John
Notice Jesus doesn’t act as if nothing happened. Peter needs to experience what’s called kenosis (self-emptying humility). Peter must be humbled before being lifted up. But Jesus is going to once again model the God Creed: lovingkindness over consequences 1,000 to 3.
The first two times, Jesus askes Peter if Peter has agape love for him. Peter responds that he has phileo love. The third time, Jesus asks if he has phileo love, and Peter says, “You know all things. You know that what I have is phileo love.”
The first and second time Peter responds with, “Lord, you know…” he is referring to knowledge based on perception. But the third time, when Jesus “lowers the bar” and asks if he has phileo love, Peter shifts to a word that means experiential knowledge:
“Lord, you perceive ALL things; you have experienced my life; we know each other; you have experienced what kind of love I have for you.” I have read a bunch of commentary on this: Is Peter offended? Defensive? Exasperated? Embarrassed? Confused? My sense is that Peter’s last response is a statement of resignation. Jesus is not letting Peter avoid reality. Jesus does know what kind of love Peter has, and it is not yet agape love. Imagine this scene, If you will.
[Setting: sunrises reflects across a sea that brings up a lot of memories for Peter. Peter shifts uncomfortably, the warmth of the coals also stirring old memories. Jesus finally silences the other excited disciples and turns toward Peter.]
Jesus, gently:
Simon, son of John, you once said you would stay faithful even if everyone else – your friends here - fled. Now, I ask you, do you still want to say that you have an unconditional, unwavering, self-giving agape for me more than the other disciples?
[Peter swallows hard). (More than the rest of them? I said I would never fall away, even if they all did. But I fell first. I said I would lay down my life. But I ran. Three times I denied him. In fear—in pride? In weakness. In shame.
Peter, quietly:
Lord… you know that I phileo you. I care for you, I care about you. You’re very dear to me.
Jesus:
Yes, I do know that, Simon. I would like you take care of the Good Shepherd’s sheep.
[Peter, surprised and unsettled, looks down at the fire. He remember how cold he was around that other fire. He remembers the denials and the humiliation and shame that followed. Jesus wants him to lead others now? With that history?]
Jesus – slow to anger and abounding in love – breaks the circle’s silence:
Simon, son of John, again, do you agape me? Are you ready to give me everything and follow me in the path of cruciform love?
Peter: (Am I even capable of that kind of love? Could I have been truthful about knowing him even if it cost me my life? Could I have stood with him before Pilate? Could I have walked with him to Golgotha? Agape would have. But I didn’t.)
Peter - honest and hesitant:
I think you know that I phileo you. We are deeply connected, like brothers. I know you have great affection for me, and I have great affection for you.
Jesus, strong and kind:
I do have great affection for you. In fact, I want you to be the one who tends my flock of disciples.
[A longer pause. There must be some mistake. This should be the strong, the capable, the dependable – someone who actually is a Rock. Someone whose agape love for Jesus is overwhelmingly strong.)
Jesus breaks the silence again:
So, Simon, son of John, you have phileo love for me, the love of a good friend?
Peter (voice breaking):
Lord… you truly know all things. You have been with me for three years. You know that I don’t yet agape you. What is it you would have someone like me do for you?
Jesus (tenderly):
I would have you, Simon, son of John, to feed my sheep.
Ever have a conversation with someone when your relationship is at its worst? You have said things or done things that have given the other person every reason to push you away, and when you finally see yourself for the kind of friend or spouse or parent or child that you are, the last thing you have to fall back on is, “I love you, though. I really do. I have nothing else to say. I’m not very good at it sometimes, and I know when I let you down or hurt you I really let you down and hurt you. But I love you.”
If I am understanding this correctly, Peter says, in essence, “You have experienced that I am cowardly, and impulsive, and self-centered, and doubting…but I love you the best I can right now.” Then Jesus speaks to Peter’s future, one in which he will show the self-sacrifical, life-surrendering nature of agape love:
"Truly, truly, I say to you, when you were younger, you used to gird yourself and walk wherever you wished; but when you grow old, you will stretch out your hands and someone else will gird you, and bring you where you do not wish to go." Now this He said, signifying by what kind of death he would glorify God And when He had spoken this, He said to him, "Follow Me!"
It turns out that Chapter 21 is a victory song to conclude the gospels. Here we are shown, through Peter, that our shortcomings and failures can be forgiven, and that Jesus wants us broken and imperfect people to follow Him and build His kingdom anyway.
Peter stands in for all of us in this story.
· Peter, who was afraid of servant girls around campfires, will preach to the masses in Jerusalem on the day of Pentecost when the Holy Spirit fell like fire.
· Peter, who cut off a man’s ear, will heal a man crippled from birth.
· Peter, the coward, will be called by the apostle Paul a "pillar" of the Church.
· If tradition is correct, for nine months, in absolute darkness, the Peter who denied Christ out of fear of the fallout will endure monstrous torture manacled to a post. He will convert his jailers and forty-seven others.
· Peter, who once rebuked Jesus for saying the Messiah needed to suffer, will be crucified upside down, and (if tradition is correct) will even speak words of comfort to his wife as she goes to her death.
Peter’s death will show to all of us that our history does not have to be our destiny. Morning is now coming to be, because the Light Of The World has come.
“The world and the church are littered with smashed lives and vessels ground beneath vengeful, judging feet… cross the line of shame (we think) and there is no way back… Not so because of Easter. The veil of death is parted; through it a hand reaches out to Peter, shamed and probably resigned to former routines.
Wherever and however it happened, Peter was turned from death to life. The God who had not abandoned Christ in death would not abandon Peter in his. Against all odds…God proposed to love Peter again…yes, he will follow as once he declared he would.”
We are called from that night where Peter, giving up and back in his old life, fishing in the dark, could catch nothing. Now, as the light dawns on us, resurrection means we are able to receive the love God proposes us.” (William Loader)
What do I learn about Jesus?
HE CALLS THOSE OF US HIDING IN DARKNESS INTO THE LIGHT.
We all have a history of which we are ashamed. It has been this way since Peter. We didn’t deny Christ in the courtyard of the palace, but we have denied him with our tv’s, and our computers, and our budgets, and our priorities, and dating, and marriages, and family dynamics, and addictions, and words…. Jesus meets us in the darkness and calls us into the light of his truth, grace and healing.
HE WILL MAKE US FACE THE DEEDS WE DID IN THAT DARKNESS.
It is sometimes easy to put on a front that masks who we know we have been, but Jesus sees through masks. Anybody can come to church and talk it up, and impress people. And we might even believe our own PR campaign. “Hey, I’m pretty good. Jesus is lucky to have me!”
David says God desires a “broken and repentant spirit.” If we want to fully follow Christ, and truly make an impact in His Kingdom, we must be willing to be broken. We must be willing to have the deeds done in darkness brought into the light of Christ. There is no other way.
He might make this happen in front of other people, by the way. Peter wasn’t alone. Six of his best friends were there. I don’t think this is an accident. God designed His kingdom so that we do life in Christ with others. This is how testimonies work.
HE WILL EMPOWER US TO FOLLOW HIM AND BUILD HIS KINGDOM.
That last chapter of John is an encouragement to the church. History is not destiny when Jesus enters the story. Your story is not over, because Jesus is working in your life to shine His light into all the dark places, and take your weaknesses and fill them with His strength.
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[1] This will include John.
[2] This mirrors the event when Jesus first called Peter as recorded in Luke 5.
[3] There is a lot of discussion about whether or not the specific number of fish matter. Considering how the Gospel writers use details, it’s tempting to think there is. If so, here is my preferred explanation. “The number cliii., is memorable. Jerome, on Ezekiel 47 : [9, 10, “There shall be a very great multitude of fish—their fish shall be according to their kinds”], “They who have written of the natures and peculiar qualities of animals, who have learned ἁλιευτικὰ, as well in the Latin as in the Greek language, of whom Oppian, a Cicilian, is the most learned poet, assert that there are one hundred and fifty-three kinds of fishes, all of which were taken by the apostles, and not one remained uncaptured; whilst both the noble and base-born, the rich and poor, and every class of men, are being drawn out of the sea of the world to salvation.” Comp. Matthew 13:47, “The kingdom of heaven is like unto a net that was cast into the sea, and gathered of every kind.”—οὐκ ἐσχίσθη, was not broken) (Bengal’s Gnomen)
[4] “Peter had professed to be ready to die for His Master (John 13:37) and had declared that though all the rest might deny Him, he would never do so (Matthew 26:33). Jesus recalls this boast by asking him whether he now professes to have more loyalty and devotion than the rest.” (Cambridge Bible For Schools And Colleges)