Now, if you were paying attention, you could have noticed that the first five appearances discussed in the last two lessons happened on that first Sunday. Then, the next appearance to the disciples when Thomas was present took place eight days later. The next appearance then had to have taken place some time after that. We find the account in John 21:1-23.
Here we find an interesting change, that is, the disciples are no longer hiding behind locked doors. Now, at least some of them are venturing out and have decided to go fishing. Verse 1 tells us they were in Galilee at the Sea of Tiberias (also called the Sea of Galilee or, in earlier times, Gennesaret). This would have been about 65 miles due north of Jerusalem. There are 7 disciples present (some are named in verse 2).
As we follow John’s record they fished all night and caught nothing. Then in the morning Jesus was there standing on the shore (see Matthew 28:7), but, again, they did not recognize Him. He asked them if they had caught anything and they answered, no. He then told them to cast their net on the right side and when they did it caught so many fish they struggled to pull it in. It was at this time John recognized Jesus and Peter, who was naked at the time, wrapped his outer garment around himself, jumped in the water and swam to shore (verse 7). Then the others came, dragging the net full of fish, from about 130 yards from shore (verse 8). There is at least a hint of a miracle in verse 11 where it says the net held 153 large fish and “though there were so many, yet the net was not torn”.
When they all got to shore Jesus was there with bread and fish already prepared on a fire. He then told them to come and eat and gave them all bread and fish. That Jesus ate with them is not specifically recorded here, but assumed. However, in Luke’s account in Luke 24:41-43, Jesus asks for something to eat and was given broiled fish, which He then ate. This proves resurrected people eat food (compare what Jesus says in Luke 22:16, 18 and 30). Also, in the Old Testament the Lord and angels ate food (Genesis 18; 19:1-3) and God attended a banquet with Moses and the elders of Israel (Exodus 24:9-11).
Verse 15 begins with “after they had finished eating”; and what follows is an important exchange between Jesus and Peter. And since it is part of Jesus’ appearance to these disciples and gives some insight into Peter’s conversion mentioned in the last lesson and his maturation as a leader in the events that would soon unfold, we need to look at it. And, as we will see, this maturing is not instantaneous, but requires time, maybe a little humiliation, along with lessons learned, as the sins of the past are washed away and the character of Christ and the strength and courage that go with it are instilled. In the near future Peter will be blindly obedient to the Lord and to the leading of the Holy Spirit, something he was not prepared to do at this point in his life.
In the following verses Jesus asks Peter the same question three times, but with slight variations. In verse 15 He asks, “Do you love Me more than these?” Here, love is agapao, an ardent love that is without condition or reservation. To which Peter answers, “Yes Lord, You know that I love you”. However, the “love” in Peter’s answer is phileo, a lesser kind of love used to describe a common friendship. “These” is a reference to the other disciples where Jesus is reminding Peter of his comment in Matthew 26:33, when Peter said, “Though all men might fall away and desert you, I never will”. What Jesus is asking Peter is “Do you really love Me without reservation more than the rest of the disciples?” To which Peter answered, “Lord You know that I love you as a friend.”
So, why the difference in what Jesus asks and how Peter answers? Jesus had just put Peter in an uncomfortable position. How could he say he loved Jesus without condition or reservation when he knew (and Jesus knew) he had failed so miserably? Then to raise Peter’s level of discomfort, Jesus asked the same question in verse 16, to which Peter could only bring himself to give the same answer.
Then Jesus asks Peter a third time (verse 17), but He uses the same word Peter had been answering with, “Peter, do you only love Me as a friend?” And the verse goes on to say Peter was “grieved”. This is lupeo, to cause to be sorrowful or distressed. Jesus has just added to the pressure Peter was already feeling. Peter is not just uncomfortable now, he’s convicted and humiliated. And the only answer he could give this third time is the same as the first two, “Lord, You know everything, You know that I love You as a friend.”
I have to mention here for clarification that after the first question Jesus says, “Feed My lambs.” “Feed” is bosko, to care for, guide or protect. And “lambs” is from arnion, used here as a reference to new converts. In the last two questions Jesus says feed My “sheep”, probation, a reference to the followers of Jesus.
This brings us to verses 18-19 where the compassion of Jesus comes through and He shows Peter the confidence He has in him. “I’m telling you the truth, when you were younger you dressed yourself and went where you wanted to go; but as you grow old you will willingly put out your hands and another will dress you and take you where you would not wish to go. He said this to indicate by what kind of death Peter would glorify God. Then He said, Follow Me!”
Remember, Peter had said he would willingly die with the Lord (Matthew 26:35). But in the context of this whole exchange and in light of all of Peter’s failures, Jesus is now telling him the time will come when your love for Me will be so real and complete, without condition and reservation, that you will die for Me! Peter gets a second chance! He’s going to become the man he wants to be, a man of courage, a man with boldness and a man willing to die for his Lord.
Now, how do we know this, more importantly how did Peter know it? It’s in how Jesus expressed the command in verse 19 and again in verse 22 when He said, “Follow Me”. “Follow” is akoluotheo, from the prefix a, indicating a union, and keleuthos, a way, hence, going the same way. Jesus had just told Peter that though he had failed miserably before, the time would come that his genuine love for Jesus would allow him to what he said he would do. In the days and years to come Peter would serve his Lord faithfully and, in the end, die willingly in the same way Jesus had died willingly for him! What a relief! The focus is no longer on Peter’s failures, but on his redemption.
But as we continue in this passage we can see Peter’s discomfort still lingers. He tries to change the subject by asking Jesus in verse 21 about John’s future. “Then Peter looked at him (John) and said to Jesus, what about this man?” To which Jesus answered, “If I want him to live until I return, what business is that of yours? You follow Me.” But, as usual, Jesus was not distracted by this tactic and repeated His command. And John clarifies Jesus’ statement in verse 23 with “yet Jesus did not say to him that he would not die, but, if I want him to live until I come, what does that have to do with you?” In other words, never mind John, just pay attention to what I’m saying to you.
Historical accounts are contradictory, but in general there are some consistencies concerning Peter’s death. In 64 AD there was a great fire in Rome that destroyed most of the city. Nero blamed it on Christians and a ferocious persecution followed. Peter was caught up in it, imprisoned and eventually crucified. It is reported that he asked to be crucified upside down. In this position breathing is not difficult, as it was explained in a normal crucifixion. He lived for three days, the soldiers tiring of the spectacle set him on fire, and he survived that, so finally, they cut off his head.