John 21:1 After these things, Jesus revealed himself again to the disciples at the sea of Tiberias. He revealed himself this way. 2 Simon Peter, Thomas called Didymus, Nathanael of Cana in Galilee, and the sons of Zebedee, and two others of his disciples were together. 3 Simon Peter said to them, “I’m going fishing.”
They told him, “We are also coming with you.” They immediately went out, and entered into the boat. That night, they caught nothing. 4 But when day had already come, Jesus stood on the beach, yet the disciples didn’t know that it was Jesus. 5 Jesus therefore said to them, “Children, have you anything to eat?”
They answered him, “No.”
6 He said to them, “Cast the net on the right side of the boat, and you will find some.”
They cast it therefore, and now they weren’t able to draw it in for the multitude of fish. 7 That disciple therefore whom Jesus loved said to Peter, “It’s the Lord!”
So when Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he wrapped his coat around himself (for he was naked), and threw himself into the sea. 8 But the other disciples came in the little boat (for they were not far from the land, but about two hundred cubits away), dragging the net full of fish. 9 So when they got out on the land, they saw a fire of coals there, with fish and bread laid on it. 10 Jesus said to them, “Bring some of the fish which you have just caught.”
11 Simon Peter went up, and drew the net to land, full of one hundred fifty-three great fish. Even though there were so many, the net wasn’t torn.
12 Jesus said to them, “Come and eat breakfast!”
None of the disciples dared inquire of him, “Who are you?” knowing that it was the Lord.
13 Then Jesus came and took the bread, gave it to them, and the fish likewise. 14 This is now the third time that Jesus was revealed to his disciples after he had risen from the dead.
John ends his Gospel by recounting yet another resurrection appearance of Jesus. After the disciples unsuccessfully fished all night Jesus showed up on the shore cooking a breakfast of fish and bread. He gives the disciples a simple command. “Cast the net on the right side of the boat and you will find some [fish].” Obeying him they took Jesus’ advice and immediately caught one hundred fifty-three great fish.
Like the disciples here, as Christians, we need to learn to be faithful in the mundane, everyday things. Peter could have easily rejected Christ’s advice as he had done earlier when he protested in Luke 5:4-5 “Master, we have fished all night and caught nothing.” But by being faithful even when, as seasoned fishermen, they seemingly knew better, they were blessed with the success of many fish. Along those same lines, in another parable, Jesus praised and rewarded a faithful servant.
“Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!” Matthew 25:21
We all want to make a lasting impact in life. We want to do great things, to jump to the head of the line, to be recognized as great in God’s kingdom. But remember, Jesus washed his disciples’ feet to teach them that the door to the kingdom actually opens at the back of the line. Jesus is asking for our simple obedience, and in our obedience to the small things, his kingdom will grow to encompass the entire world. By being faithful, we become fishers of men. Mark 1:17
Next, Jesus explains how believers are to live lives that are faithful to Christ.
John 21:15 So when they had eaten their breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of Jonah, do you love me more than these?”
He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.”
He said to him, “Feed my lambs.” 16 He said to him again a second time, “Simon, son of Jonah, do you love me?”
He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.”
He said to him, “Tend my sheep.” 17 He said to him the third time, “Simon, son of Jonah, do you loveme?”
Peter was grieved because he asked him the third time, “Do you loveme?” He said to him, “Lord, you know everything. You know that I love you.”
Jesus said to him, “Feed my sheep. 18 Most certainly I tell you, when you were young, you dressed yourself and walked where you wanted to. But when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and another will dress you and carry you where you don’t want to go.”
19 Now he said this, signifying by what kind of death he would glorify God. When he had said this, he said to him, “Follow me.”
After Christ’s arrest, Peter had denied being associated with Christ three times. Here, in contrast, Jesus asks Peter three times if he really loves him. In each of the three times after confirming his love for the Lord, Jesus responds, telling Peter to then “Feed my sheep.” “Tend my sheep.” “Feed my sheep.”
What is Jesus getting at?
Jesus, the Good Shepherd, John 10:11, gathers, tends, feeds, carries, calls by name, gently leads, protects, and lays down his life for the sheep. But now that Jesus is going back to the Father, it is the task of the shepherds, the ordained leaders of Christ’s church, to gather people to Christ, to feed them on his Word, and to strengthen and prepare them for works of ministry.
So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, 12 to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up 13 until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ. Ephesians 4:11-13
The good shepherds, leading Christ’s sheep, are to personally know the people entrusted into their care by name. They are to without compromise or shame feed them on all of God’s Word, Acts 20:27, so that they may be equipped to be productive disciples.
The Presbyterian Church in America explains shepherding like this:
It belongs to the office of the elder…to watch diligently over the flock committed to their charge, that no corruption of doctrine or of morals enter therein…They should visit the people in their homes, especially the sick. They should instruct the ignorant, comfort the mourner, nourish and guard the children of the church. They should set a worthy example to the flock entrusted to their care by their zeal to evangelize the unconverted and make disciples…They should pray with and for the people, being careful and diligent in seeking the fruit of the preached Word among the flock. PCA Book of Church Order 8-3
John 21:20 Then Peter, turning around, saw a disciple following. This was the disciple whom Jesus loved, the one who had also leaned on Jesus’ breast at the supper and asked, “Lord, who is going to betray you?” 21 Peter seeing him, said to Jesus, “Lord, what about this man?”
22 Jesus said to him, “If I desire that he stay until I come, what is that to you? You follow me.” 23 This saying therefore went out among the brothers, that this disciple wouldn’tdie. Yet Jesus didn’t say to him that he wouldn’t die, but, “If I desire that he stay until I come, what is that to you?”
If given the opportunity, would you like to know when and how your life would end?
Jesus concluded his questioning of Peter by telling him how his life would end. Peter would shepherd Christ’s flock until he was an old man and then Jesus said, “You will stretch out your hands, and another will dress you and carry you where you don’t want to go.”
About thirty years after this conversation, Peter found himself imprisoned alongside, the Apostle Paul in Rome’s Mamertine prison, where he was executed at the command of Emperor Nero. He had faithfully served his Lord for thirty years by shepherding the flock entrusted to him.
Hearing his fate prophesied, Peter asked Jesus what would happen to his friend, John. “What about this man?” Yet again Christ answered with another cryptic response that would only become clear decades later saying, “If I desire that he stay until I come, what is that to you?”
About thirty years after Peter’s question to Jesus, John was banished by the Roman authorities to the Greek island of Patmos for his outspoken Christian testimony. There, John received a vision from Christ now known as the Book of Revelation.
Speaking in real time Christ told John “to show his servants what must soon take place.” Revelation 1:1 The early Church had been assured that Christ was enthroned in heaven and that he had all authority in heaven and earth. Matthew 28:18 However, the Church was experiencing great persecution at the hands of both the Jewish religious authorities and Rome. From an earthly perspective, it didn’t look like Christ was reigning.
Revelation was written to encourage the Christians that they were not forgotten. In fact, Christ was soon coming to make things right. “Look, he is coming in the clouds and every eye will see him, even those who pierced him.” Revelation 1:7
Who would see Christ come in judgment?
Those who pierced him, in other words those responsible for Christ’s death were to experience his judgment. And, in fact, this happened in 70AD with the destruction of Israel, Jerusalem, the entire temple, and the Old Covenant system of worship. Of course, true to form, Christ had dropped many hints about this coming throughout his ministry. For example:
When they persecute you in this city, flee into another: for I say to you, you shall not have gone through all the cities of Israel, before the Son of Man comes. Matthew 10:23
The coming alluded to the destruction of Jerusalem and the dispersion of the Jewish nation; the apostles would barely have time, before the catastrophe came to go over the land warning the people to save themselves from the doom of an untoward generation. A.B. Bruce, The Training of the Twelve
Truly I say to you, there are some of those who are standing here who will not taste death until they see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom. Matthew 16:28
Some of the people who heard Christ say this were still alive when Jerusalem was destroyed in 70AD. John lived to see the days of vengeance spoken of by Christ. Luke 21:22
This generation will not pass away until these things are fulfilled. Matthew 24:32-42
John put to rest the rumor that he wouldn’t die. However, just as Christ had said, he did live to witness Christ’s coming in judgment of those who conspired to murder the Son of God. Including the High Priest.
Jesus said [to the High Priest], “You will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Mighty One and coming on the clouds of heaven.” Mark 14:62
Who would see Jesus coming on the clouds? Caiaphas, the High Priest who condemned Jesus, would live to experience Christ’s coming in judgment in 70AD.
For more information on this topic see:
R.C. Sproul, “The Last Days According to Jesus”
Richard Loper, “Revelation: Kick at the Darkness till it Bleeds Daylight” (Free at iamnarrative.com)
Just as Christ gave Peter and John different paths to follow God has given us each a different path as we fish for men, care for the flock, and equip believers to live productive lives for the kingdom. Seek to faithfully fulfill your calling in the corner of the kingdom where God has placed you. Live for Christ with gusto in the time allotted to you.
John 21:24 This is the disciple who testifies about these things, and wrote these things. We know that his witness is true. 25There are also many other things which Jesus did, which if they would all be written, I suppose that even the world itself wouldn’t have room for the books that would be written.
John concludes by ending with a vow to his own credibility. Know that [my] witness is true.
Everything that John has taught about Jesus is true!
In a world that thirsts for truth…
I Am… offers living water. John 4:10
In a world that hungers for meaning…
I Am …the bread of life. John 6:35,48
To those in darkness seeking life…
I Am… the light of the world. John 8:12; 9:5
The door is open for those seeking salvation…
I Am… the door for the sheep. John 10:7,9
In a world in need of protection and guidance…
I Am… the good Shepherd. John 10:11,14
In a world fearing the horror of death…
I Am… the resurrection and the life. John 11:25
For those seeking the assurance of heaven…
I Am… the way, the truth, and the life. John 14:6
Those abiding in Christ will bear much fruit…
I Am… the vine. John 15:1
If you know Jesus, you also know the way to the Father.
Because John was a disciple and eyewitness of Christ, you can believe that the things that he has written are true. And, in fact, he concludes by saying,
“There are also many other things which Jesus did, which if they would all be written, I suppose that even the world itself wouldn’t have room for the books that would be written.”
Has John’s eyewitness account convinced you?
Are you willing to place your trust in Christ?
Are you ready to live beyond imagination?
These are written, that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in his name.