John - Chapter 21
The Risen Christ at the Sea + Peter & John
In the opening verses of the Gospel of John, we learn what Christ was before He came forth from the Father. In the closing verses we learn how He now rules the world after His return to the Father.
Here we begin to learn the roles of the apostles as they will begin their active ministry led by the Holy Spirit later to be given. It is a good lesson for us still today, and it can be simply stated as “freely we have received, and freely are we to give”.
This final chapter's first section can be viewed in seven parts:
Men serving in the energy of the flesh – (21:2-3). Peter says “I go a fishing.” He had received no command from above to do so. Here is self will and others join him.
The lack of results of such effort – (21:3-5). They toiled all night and caught nothing.
The Lord directs their energy – (21:6). The Lord tells them where to work.
The result was an abundance of success for their efforts.
The Lord provides for His servants – (21:12-13). He had provided for them their nourishment and invites them to dine.
The motive for service – (21:15). Love for Jesus.
The time for death – (21:18-19). Jesus has already determined the time of their deaths and the manner.
The return – (21:20-24). The Lord allows knowledge on the prospect of His next coming.
This miracle of the fish is the only miracle performed by Jesus after His resurrection. It is done to assure these chosen ones that just as He had guided their efforts while He was with them, the same guidance can be counted on when He is absent in body but not in spirit.
The abundance granted in this miracle taught once more that in keeping the commands of the Lord one finds great reward, just as Psalm 19:11 foretold. It is His position of order, and we who seek to serve are to obey, quickly and without question.
Doing so glorifies Him and brings His reward.
As Jesus feeds His chosen ones once more he allows us to see His love for those that are His, even after He has moved beyond mortal existence. His fire of coals and fish and bread for them shows us:
He cares for His servants and will supply their needs.
He ministers as a servant to show the example of what we are to be.
He shows that while laboring for others, we also have a need to be nourished.
He showed in the fish already cooking that He is not restricted to man's efforts.
(He was not awaiting them to bring fish as He provided the meal without them)
He waited upon the shore for their arrival from their labors.
(He waits on the golden shore for our arrival from the labor of this life)
He drew them close to Himself .
(“... come and dine...”) (The last time we hear His blessed word “come” on earth)
Now in the second section of chapter 21 we view the final restoring of the one who will hold the keys of the kingdom on earth, Peter.
In Luke 22:31-32 Jesus had given Peter His solemn warning that Satan himself wished to have Peter and to sift him as wheat. At this same moment we see that Jesus did NOT pray that Peter not fall into this temptation but rather that through the conversion of Peter, strength would be his.
By permitting Peter to fall into the hand of Satan, Jesus was granting Peter the lesson of humbling of his proud spirit. The fall of Peter was the only remedy possible to rid Peter of his aggressive self confidence and to bring him to the realization that it is only by leaning on Christ, not self, that glory may be shown for God in our lives.
(Is this lesson not still strongly true for us today?)
So after the apostles dined with the risen Lord, Jesus applies the three questions to Peter concerning love and service (verses 15-17). Peter was compelled to answer three times, once for each denial. Notice this conversation takes place next to the fire of coals. The last time we heard of fire of coals was when Peter was warming himself next to Pilate's fire of coals and was preparing to curse and deny.
Now after this threefold expression of love, this one is restored. The one who had fallen into weakness is now strengthened to serve and importantly to bring strength to his brethren. Step by step, Jesus prepares him for the service he will later bring to build the kingdom on earth. At the end of this conversation with Peter, Jesus repeats the words He had first spoken to Peter to make him chosen, “Follow Me”.
As Jesus turns toward John, Peter one last time reveals his fleshly and impetuous side by asking Jesus, “...what shall this man do”?
Though fully restored by the Lord's grace, a portion of the old Simon Peter remained. Jesus had just a moment earlier told Peter to follow, not question. Now the Lord rebukes Peter's curiosity somewhat and presses Peter toward his own duty, asking Peter, “If I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to thee?”
Peter, who died a death of violence foretold by Jesus, points toward the first century and the beginning of the church.
John, given a hope of (but not a promise of) living until the return of the Lord, points to the last century of all things as Jesus already had in place to call him upward to write and reveal the Revelation. John's ministry does actually and truly go onward toward the Lord's return and the end of all earthly things when the new heaven, new earth, and new Jerusalem appear after the second coming.
In John's gospel, we see no record of the ascension, but the last sight we have of the Savior is He and His in fellowship together. The sons are with the Son just as we shall be forever.
Finally, John tells us that if all the works done by the Lord were written, the world itself could not contain the books. He allows us this one final lesson that the works of Jesus Christ are without limit, except the limit placed upon faith by the human heart.
ONE GOD, MANIFESTED IN THREE TO US
LIVING FOREVER, NO BEGININNG, NO END,
LIVING IN HUMAN HEARTS MADE ETERNAL BY FAITH.
