Bible Commentaries
John 21

Verses 1-17

27 While we hardly care to sympathize with doubting Thomas, yet we feel grateful for the unanswerable evidence his case called forth. The reality of our Lord's resurrection is put beyond all question by his lack of faith. The very body that was marred by the nails and the spear, which saw no corruption, was actually made alive and could be felt and handled, to the satisfaction of one who refused to believe on less evidence.

31 It is evident that the signs in this account are a selection, chosen to give a complete picture of Israel's failure and Israel's Saviour. They are intended to signify to all who have ears to hear that the One Who speaks and acts is no other than the Messiah foretold by the prophets of old, and the further fact that He is also the Son of God. Eonian life is for all who receive this testimony; As we have seen, His present exaltation, while Israel is apostate, is carefully overlooked. Hence we must not expect to find present truth in John's account. He never had a commission for the nations, not even for proselytes, as Peter had. Because his ministry seems especially intended for millennial days, when the nations will be blessed through Israel, his allusions to world-wide blessing are often mistaken for that which has come to us while Israel is apostate.

3 Peter had a commission to fish for men. But he returns to his old trade and takes his companions with him. They toil all night and net nothing. Undoubtedly there is a solemn lesson in obedience here. The path of self-will brings much labor but no results. The path of obedience is fraught with blessing. But there seems a deeper lesson here than this. Peter's failure is a dispensational forecast. Peter and the apostles labor much to proclaim the kingdom during the darkness which has fallen on Israel. But their efforts are unavailing. Israel is not recalled to repentance. But in the morning, when the Lord comes again, the kingdom will once more be proclaimed, Then the results will be miraculous. All Israel will be saved. The miracle will be repeated then, and the net will include the 144,000 as well as a throng innumerable. There are several methods of fishing from the shore in the day time. A baited hook was cast by Peter when he got the redemption money for himself and the Lord ( Mat_17:27 ). Simon and Andrew were using a purse net when they were called to become fishers of men ( Mar_1:16 ). A seine or drag net was also used ( Mat_13:47 ). The net here used was a large one let down from a ship. On one occasion, though the net broke, the haul filled two boats overfull ( Luk_5:4-6 ). Boat fishing was done at night. Seines were set and the fishermen, with flares and the beating of old metal pans, drove the fish toward the net. This cannot be done in the day time. After scouring the waters all night it must have seemed silly to lower the large net. It took faith to do that. And it was nothing less than a miracle that the net was not rent.

11 The night of futile fishing seems to correspond to the time typified in Israel's yearly calendar by the period between the festival of Unleavened Bread and the festival of Trumpets, which was about one hundred and fifty-three days. It may be that the number of fish caught is an allusion to this. The past labors of the twelve apostles seem to have netted nothing, yet when He appears in the future, there will be a rich harvest. At present their ministry is not in force.

12 A whole night of toil did not provide a breakfast for the faithless fishermen. Yet He makes manifest His care and provision by supplying their need. The meal is all ready and cooled.

They do not do anything to provide it. This is the gracious rebuke of the Lord to Peter's fishing expedition. We never hear that he went back to fishing again.

15 The rich pathos of this passage will be apparent only if we carefully keep the finer shades of meaning conveyed by the original, as "fond " and "love" , "graze" and "shepherd", "lambkins" and "sheep". This is the special commission given to Peter which he fulfills in the writing of his epistles. His humiliating experiences, in disowning the Lord and doubting His care and provision (of which the other apostles were not guilty) has chastened his spirit, so that he no longer boasts of his loyalty, though all the rest prove to be cowards. He knows that he loves his Lord, despite his craven heart, but he refuses to boast that he loves Him more than his fellows. He hides behind a weaker word, denoting the attractive force of friendship. But he does not put himself behind the assertion, but rather appeals to the Lord's omniscience. His humility is rewarded by the charge to provide sustenance for those weak in the faith. The Lord repeats His question, but without any reference to Peter's boast or failure. Peter again refuses to vouch for himself, and is given charge of the Lord's flock. The Lord now descends to Peter's profession of fondness, but questions even that. This touches Peter very sorely, but he refuses to vaunt. He feels full of love to the Lord but he is aware how dismally he had failed but a few days before. So he once more refers the Lord to

His own omniscience. He has learned his lesson well. So the Lord commissions him to provide food for the mature saints.

Verses 18-25

18 Peter had boasted that he would lay down his soul for Him ( Joh_13:37 ). It was this that led the Lord to predict that he would disown Him. Now He assures Peter that he will some day fulfill his boast. There is a tradition that Peter was crucified. See 2Pe_1:14 .

20 Now we are given a hint of John's commission. In a veiled way we are given to understand that John was to remain alive until the Lord's return. This is fulfilled in his vision of the Unveiling. There, in spirit, he sees all the events leading up to the kingdom and the kingdom itself. Truly, in spirit, he remained until the Lord comes. The thought that John's special ministry, as distinct from Peter's, finds its fullest expression in the future when the kingdom is set up, is further enforced by the fact that we hear nothing of it until after the close of the Pentecostal era. Had it been intended to be used in that day, or in connection with Paul's evangel to the nations, it seems that Peter would have mentioned it. Only in the light of Israel's glorious future, as a blessing to all nations, can we fully appreciate the special message it contains.

25 In the glory we shall know of all His acts. Till then we know of more than we can at present appreciate. May they fill our minds and hearts!