John chapter twenty-one

Epilogue: Jesus Appears To Seven Disciples

John 21:1-14 (HCSB):
 1 After this, Jesus revealed Himself again to His disciples by the Sea of Tiberias. He revealed Himself in this way:
2 Simon Peter, Thomas (called “Twin”), Nathanael from Cana of Galilee, Zebedee’s sons, and two others of His disciples were together.
3 “I’m going fishing,” Simon Peter said to them. “We’re coming with you,” they told him. They went out and got into the boat, but that night they caught nothing.
4 When daybreak came, Jesus stood on the shore. However, the disciples did not know it was Jesus.
5 “Men,” Jesus called to them, “you don’t have any fish, do you?” “No,” they answered.
6 “Cast the net on the right side of the boat,” He told them, “and you’ll find some.” So they did, and they were unable to haul it in because of the large number of fish.
7 Therefore the disciple, the one Jesus loved, said to Peter, “It is the Lord!” When Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he tied his outer garment around him (for he was stripped) and plunged into the sea.
8 But since they were not far from land (about 100 yards away), the other disciples came in the boat, dragging the net full of fish.
9 When they got out on land, they saw a charcoal fire there, with fish lying on it, and bread.
10 “Bring some of the fish you’ve just caught,” Jesus told them.
11 So Simon Peter got up and hauled the net ashore, full of large fish—153 of them. Even though there were so many, the net was not torn.
12 “Come and have breakfast,” Jesus told them. None of the disciples dared ask Him, “Who are You?” because they knew it was the Lord.
13 Jesus came, took the bread, and gave it to them. He did the same with the fish.
14 This was now the third time Jesus appeared to the disciples after He was raised from the dead.

“The Methodist missionary to India, Bishop Thoburn was walking down the street when a large feather of an eagle drifted to the ground. He searched the sky for the eagle, but there was no eagle. Turning the feather over and over in his hands, he recalled that pens made out of such feathers had written historic documents.

“He then took a sharp knife and sliced across the heavy end of the feather. It wrote so beautifully he decided on the spur of the moment to write a letter to his sister in Boston. He wrote of something which was in his mind for a long time. He told of how mistreated and neglected the girls and women of India were and that he felt God would hold us responsible if we did nothing about it.

“Then he added: ‘You are a school teacher. Although you are excellent, there are thousands of others in America who could take your place. Why don’t you come over here and start a school for the girls and women who come to my compound to church‘?

“She read it to the Women’s Missionary Society of the church. Spontaneously the members responded. They told Thoburn’s sister if she would go, they would finance the whole project. Thus started the first Christian school for girls in India. Today it is a huge institution.”[fn]

Could it be that Jesus was showing the apostles to whom He was about to entrust His Church that if they obeyed Him they would become such successful fishers of men that their nets would be filled to overflowing, and that the catch would be beyond any expectation they could have had. We think so. We believe that Jesus is sending the same message to all believers today. But the essential ingredient here is submission to the commands of the Master. Are you willing to do that. Perhaps a little better understanding of this chapter will help you to make a total commitment. We hope so.

Another major purpose of this chapter was to convince the Apostle Peter as well as his fellow apostles that he had been forgiven by Jesus for denying Him at the time of Jesus’ arrest and that Peter was once again held in the highest trust by Jesus and would play a major role in the establishment of Christ‘s Church. Peter knew He had failed His Lord in His hour of need and Peter may very well have thought that his days as a trusted apostle were over. But Jesus showed Peter no less love after his failure than before. We wish you could get the full understanding here. Have you ever felt that you have messed up so badly in life, that your sin has been so great that you could never be fully forgiven and given another chance. That is nothing but a lie from Satan.

The Word of God has told us that if we confess our sins He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness (1 john 1:9). It does not matter who the sinner is, or what the sins were, when the person comes to God confessing it and asking forgiveness, he/she can be totally confident that they will receive total and unqualified forgiveness. Communion with God is fully restored.

Jesus surely decided to deal with Peter in this public way so that the others might know that Peter had regained Jesus’ trust and confidence completely. In fact, in order to demonstrate this trust, Jesus commissioned Peter to feed the sheep and lambs of His flock. Now that is trust!

Now let us take that closer look.

John 21:1-2 (HCSB):
1 After this, Jesus revealed Himself again to His disciples by the Sea of Tiberius (Sea of Galilee).[fn] He revealed Himself in this way:
2 Simon Peter, Thomas (called “Twin”), Nathanael from Cana of Galilee, Zebedee’s sons, and two others of His disciples were together.

Imagine yourself an apostle in this situation. You had seen the risen Lord on a couple of previous occasions. Now you had obeyed His command to go to Galilee where He would meet you. But you were quite uncertain what the future would hold. You felt restless. After all, this business about rising from the dead and having a glorified body fit for Heaven must have still been an overwhelming experience to these apostles. If you will remember when Christ went up on the mountain and was transfigured in His resurrected glory before Peter, James, and John, He radiated a brilliant light.

Matthew 17:2 (NASB):
 2 And He was transfigured before them; and His face shone like the sun, and His garments became as white as light.

Would Jesus’ appearance have been similar here to that at the Transfiguration as He appeared to His disciples after His resurrection. That claim might be debatable to some. Some would say no because when Jesus appeared to the two men on the road to Emmaus nothing was said about Jesus glowing like the sun (Luke 24:13 ff.). But if we look closer, verse 16 says: “But their eyes were prevented from recognizing Him.” Even in the passage we are studying, you would think the apostles would notice if the person calling to them from the shore was surrounded by a brilliant light. So it may be here too that Jesus prevented them from seeing His full glory. But then we remember when Jesus appeared to Paul on the Damascus Road, Paul was blinded by the brilliant light.

Well, even though we would all like a concrete answer here, we do not believe there is anything in Scripture that will answer this question one way or the other, but we do know one thing for certain, and that is that Jesus at this point was noticeably different than any other human being on earth if for no other reason than He was able to appear and disappear at will out of thin air. Such powers would suggest that He no longer walked wherever He was going. All He had to do was say “Appear with the disciples in a room in Jerusalem,” and He would be there. Then He could say, “Appear on the shore at the Sea of Galilee,” and instantly He would be there. So there can be little if any doubt that the disciples had been introduced here to the world of the supernatural and they did not really understand what it was all going to come to.

The Sea of Galilee is very much a part of Jesus’ ministry. It is a familiar place to most of these men. Jesus had asked them to go up into Galilee where He would meet them. So we find them here waiting for Jesus. They may have waited and waited for Jesus to come. Peter would be the one to become impatient, and after pacing back and forth and after looking up and down the shore, he would be the one to say, I’m going fishing." And six others joined him.[fn]

John 21:3-5 HCSB:
3 “I’m going fishing,” Simon Peter said to them. “We’re coming with you,” they told him. They went out and got into the boat, but that night they caught nothing.
4 When daybreak came, Jesus stood on the shore. However, the disciples did not know it was Jesus.
5 “Men,” Jesus called to them, “you don’t have any fish, do you?” “No,” they answered.

They fished all night and caught nothing. These men fished all night, and they caught nothing. They had been restless before, and now they are restless and frustrated. It is a joy to fish when you catch fish and frustrating when you do not. They all knew how to fish because that is the way they made their living. Therefore as professional fishermen they must have really been frustrated after fishing all night and not catching a thing. But there can be little doubt that their run of bad luck that night had been carefully planned by Jesus for a very specific purpose.

Now as the sun came up and morning was breaking, there was Jesus standing on the shore. It is very possible that in the early morning light it was not possible for them to recognize who was standing on the shore. If you have ever been on a body of water at sunrise, you know that the sun can create a glare reflecting off the surface of the water. This may have also impaired their ability to distinguish clearly the figure on the shore.

So at this point the apostles do not know that this is Jesus, and Jesus called out to them, “You don’t have any fish do you?” They must have been somewhat embarrassed. Here they are professional fishermen and they have to admit to some stranger that they did not catch a single fish. But they must have thought it strange how this stranger knew they did not have any fish. They were a hundred yards offshore and it was in that early morning light. How could He tell they had not caught anything?

John 21:6-7 HCSB:
6 “Cast the net on the right side of the boat,” He told them, “and you’ll find some.” So they did, and they were unable to haul it in because of the large number of fish.
7 Therefore the disciple, the one Jesus loved, said to Peter, “It is the Lord!” When Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he tied his outer garment around him (for he was stripped) and plunged into the sea.

While they might have been contemplating that question, Jesus, who was still unknown to the disciples told them to throw out their net on the right side of the boat and they would catch some fish. So what did they have to lose? They had not caught anything by their own efforts so they threw the net out on the right side of the boat, and guess what happened? Immediately there were so many fish in the net that it was a struggle to haul it in. Under ordinary circumstances the net would have ripped apart because of the heavy load, but of course this was not a normal circumstance. Jesus had a message He wanted to make indelibly clear in the minds of these men.

Suddenly, John recognized Jesus and said to Peter, “It is the Lord!” Now we know that Peter was a pretty impulsive guy, and when he heard that it was Jesus standing on the shore he grabbed the first piece of clothing he could get his hands on to cover him and jumped into the water. He could not wait to get to Jesus. Now we do not know for certain if it was the custom of fishermen at that time to fish in the nude, but I suppose it is possible. The other possibility is that Peter could have been stripped down to a very basic covering while he was fishing and needed to put something else on to make himself somewhat presentable to Jesus. That fact simply does not have any impact on the meaning of this text.

John 21:8 HCSB:
8 But since they were not far from land (about 100 yards away), the other disciples came in the boat, dragging the net full of fish.

Now perhaps the lesson Jesus meant for them to understand may have begun taking place.
As they climbed out of the boat they may have begun putting two and two together. They had been out fishing all night and could not accomplish anything at all under their own self-reliance. Then Jesus shows up and tells them what to do, they obey, and experience what was probably the single biggest catch of their lives. They probably were beginning to understand that if they obeyed Jesus, they would be able to catch many unbelievers and under the power of the Holy Spirit bring them into the boat, the Kingdom of God. If they tried to do it under their own power alone they would fail miserably. That truth is the same today as it was that day on the shores of the Sea of Galilee. We are never far from success when we permit Jesus to give the orders, when we are obedient to His Word and remain in His will, and we are usually closer to success than we realize. We are indeed "fishers of men" (Matthew 4:19), and there are "fish" all around us. If we obey His directions, we will catch the fish. That is the promise Jesus wanted to instill in these men and that is the promise He wants to instill in us.

“Earlier, Mary recognized Jesus when he called her name, and the disciples recognized Him through His wounds. Now He is recognized through the abundance that comes through obedience to His word.”[fn]

John 21:9-14 HCSB:
9 When they got out on land, they saw a charcoal fire there, with fish lying on it, and bread.
10 “Bring some of the fish you’ve just caught,” Jesus told them.
11 So Simon Peter got up and hauled the net ashore, full of large fish—153 of them. Even though there were so many, the net was not torn.
12 “Come and have breakfast,” Jesus told them. None of the disciples dared ask Him, “Who are You?” because they knew it was the Lord.
13 Jesus came, took the bread, and gave it to them. He did the same with the fish.
14 This was now the third time Jesus appeared to the disciples after He was raised from the dead.

Now let us pause for a moment to see what is actually going on here. Here is the risen Christ, the God of Heaven, and He has prepared a shore breakfast for His apostles. It never seems to fail that we find Jesus in the role of a servant. And how generous and loving it was to feed Peter before He dealt with Peter’s spiritual needs. He gave Peter the  opportunity to dry off, get warm, satisfy his hunger, and enjoy some fellowship. This is a good example for us to follow as we care for God's people. Do you love to serve others or do you love to be served? One whom is walking in fellowship with Christ delights to obey and delights to serve. Certainly the spiritual is more important than the physical, but caring for the physical can prepare the way for spiritual ministry. Jesus does not so emphasize "the soul" that He neglects the body.[fn]

A good argument can be presented for the idea that here in verse 9 we should translate a fish and a bread-cake instead of the indefinite "fish and bread," which must be admitted is also a possible interpretation. Verse 13 seems to indicate that there was only one bread-cake (note the definite article) and only one fish. Besides, the striking similarity between John 21:13 and John 6:11, the story of feeding 5,000 with five loaves and two fish, seems to imply that in both cases we are dealing with a miracle of multiplication. Jesus was a supernatural being as well as a human being. He did not have to concern Himself with portion control. You can probably recall a number of other stories in the Bible where God and Jesus just kept providing more and more from a very meager source.

So then why did Jesus find it necessary to ask them to bring some of the fish they just caught? Well, we think it is because He wanted them to see first hand the size of the fish they caught and just what an incredible catch it was. Jesus did not need the fish because He could not provide enough for everyone’s breakfast. He wanted them to see, feel, and smell the reality of this miracle that had occurred so that they would never forget it.

There is actually another miracle described in John 21:11, and that is that Jesus prevented the net from tearing under this extremely heavy load which would have torn under normal circumstances.

Jesus then invites them to have breakfast and by this time no one needed to ask Him who He was because they all knew He was the Lord.

 

How Much Do You Love Jesus?

This passage gives us an opportunity to look closely at the meaning of the Resurrection for the Apostle Peter and how his particular circumstances are so closely related to ours.

It is said that the young son of Bishop Berkeley once asked him the question, “Papa, what do the words, ‘Cherubim and Seraphim’ mean?” The bishop took time to tell the little questioner that Cherubim was a Hebrew word meaning knowledge, and the word Seraphim stood for flame, explaining that it is commonly supposed the Cherubim are angels that excel in knowledge and the Seraphim are those who excel in love for God.
 “Then I hope,” the boy said, “that when I die I will be a Seraphim. I’d a lot rather love God than to know everything.”[fn]

How much do you love God and Jesus? Well that is the question Jesus asked Peter shortly after Peter had denied the Lord when He was arrested. Peter’s answer and Jesus’ response provides one of the greatest examples of love in all history. Let us listen in on the beginning of their conversation.

John 21:15-17 (NASB):
15 So when they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, "Simon, son of John, do you love Me more than these?" He said to Him, "Yes, Lord; You know that I love You." He said to him, "Tend My lambs."
16 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."
17 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.

Think about what was going on here. Here is the God of the universe serving breakfast to His apostles. It was kind of like a cookout with Jesus working the grill. Jesus never considered any kind of service to others to be humiliating. In fact, He thoroughly enjoyed serving. Anyone who claims to be a follower of Christ should also enjoy serving others.

Some commentators maintain that after breakfast Jesus probably took Peter aside away from the others to talk privately with him, or perhaps took him for a walk along the beach. But we do not see that. We have checked a number of Bible translations and there is not a hint in any of them that Jesus took Peter away from the group to speak with him privately. We must take the Bible for what it says and never try to add anything to it. There are occasions, however, when we need to look at everything the Bible has to say about a specific subject or event, and then come to a conclusion based on all the evidence within the context in which it was presented.

You may recall that at the Last Supper Jesus and Peter had the following conversation:

Luke 22:31-34 (NASB):
31 "Simon, Simon, behold, Satan has demanded permission to sift you like wheat;
32 but I have prayed for you, that your faith may not fail; and you, when once you have turned again, strengthen your brothers."
33 But he said to Him, "Lord, with You I am ready to go both to prison and to death!"
34 And He said, "I say to you, Peter, the rooster will not crow today until you have denied three times that you know Me."

It would certainly seem that Jesus knew that Satan was going to be allowed to tempt Peter into betraying Jesus, and that Peter would actually give into that temptation because Jesus had been praying for Peter that after such a cowardly failure, Peter would come back stronger than ever to strengthen his brothers, Jesus’ followers. And this is exactly what is about to happen at this very moment. Jesus was simply about to prove to the other apostles that Peter was now well qualified to lead them. What a marvelous story. Something only God is capable of coming up with. That is yet another reason we believe Jesus addressed Peter in the presence of the others, just as He had done at the Last Supper. All of these men would benefit to see the transformation of the man who would now lead them when Jesus had returned to Heaven.

Peter very likely was still feeling some guilt about betraying the Lord when Jesus was arrested and tried. Add to that the fact that Jesus must have been recognizably different and perhaps even somewhat intimidating to Peter because of Jesus’ resurrected appearance. How would you feel if Jesus came along and sat down with you and your friends and began questioning you about the worst sin you ever committed? I would be a wreck thinking that I might do something to displease Him while also thinking about the boatload of sins I have committed that I know He knows about. Then there would be the shame I would feel in front of my friends thinking that perhaps Jesus would humiliate and punish me for my cowardice and betrayal of Him. However, remember that Peter and the others had not been given the Holy Spirit as yet, and without the power of the Holy Spirit at work in any believer, we are defenseless against a frontal assault by Satan. What, then, does Jesus do?

Well, they were all sitting around the fire after breakfast, when Jesus said to Peter, "Simon.” (This was the name that Peter had before Jesus made him an apostle.) It seems that Jesus was reminding him in a not too subtle way that his behavior the night Jesus was arrested was very much like that of a person who is not a follower of Jesus. “Simon, do you love me more than these?"  What does Jesus mean here by “these?” Is He referring to the boat, the net, and everything that is connected with Peter’s love for fishing? Is Jesus referring to whether Peter loves Him more than he loves the other apostles? Or could He mean, “Do you love me more than these other men love me?” We believe it is the latter, that Jesus is asking Peter if he loves Him more than the others do. Jesus is setting the stage here for Peter’s forgiveness and for him to be entrusted with caring for the others after Jesus ascends to Heaven. You see, the old Peter who claimed not to know Christ the night Jesus was arrested was somewhat of a boastful controller who liked to write his own press releases. He often boasted of his faith and the things he would do if ever placed in various kinds of situations. He was what some might call a braggart.

Jesus wanted to see if Peter’s experience and failures had changed him and I believe he wanted the others to see it as well. You see Peter’s pride had quite frequently gotten in the way of what all Christ followers are expected to develop, and that is a sense of humility. This humility was to include a dependence and trust in Christ in order to accomplish His purposes rather than their depending on their own ability to do things on their own. Do you remember what Peter said to Jesus just before Jesus’ arrest? He had affirmed that he would lay down his life for Christ (John 13:36-38).

At the Last Supper Peter volunteered that he loved Jesus so much that he would die for Him, but he had not been able to keep that promise when the chips were down. It was time for Peter to prove he was ready to be the kind of servant Christ wanted him to be. It was not that Peter needed to prove this to Jesus because Jesus knew what Peter would do. Jesus knew that Peter had to prove this to himself and to the other apostles. When Jesus asked Peter if he loved Him, Peter answered Jesus’ question in John 21:15 by telling Him that he did love Him. Jesus responded by saying, “Feed My lambs.”

However, there is something quite interesting and worth noting in John 21:15. There are two different Greek words used for love in this verse. One is the strongest word for love that we have in the Bible, agapao. It is the word for a love that is absolutely unselfish and is used throughout the New Testament for God Himself: "God is love." This word is usedfor the love of God for this world, and for our love to God and for the people of the Lord. It is used even for the love which people sometimes put in the place of God, such as for money, and power. Unfortunately, you can give such things the love that should go to God.[fn]

Then there is another Greek word, phileo, and it means affection such as exists between good friends. It is used for the love of one friend to another and for family affection. It suggests a lower quality of love than the first word. Let us look at the verse again, this time using the Greek for the words meaning love:[fn]

15 So when they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, "Simon, son of John, do you love (agapao) Me more than these?" He said to Him, "Yes, Lord; You know that I love (phileo)You."

Jesus used the word for the strongest kind of love when He asked Peter if Peter loved Him. Peter responded with a word that meant a somewhat lesser kind of love.

Jesus then told Peter: “Feed My lambs.” [fn]Then Jesus asked Peter the same question a second time, using the same word for love that He had used the first time. Peter responded using the same word he had used for love the first time. Jesus then told Peter to shepherd His sheep.

Now, why has Peter responded to Jesus’ question about his love for Jesus by using a different word for love than Jesus was using? It seems that Peter had finally realized that he had been incapable of the highest form of love to which Jesus was referring. He was now telling Jesus that he definitely loved Him but he was not about to make the mistake of boasting about capabilities that he was not sure he could fulfill.

Then Jesus asked Peter a third time if he loved Him, but this time Jesus used the same word Peter had used the two previous times, and Peter answered by using the same word he had used the two previous times. He also confessed to Jesus "Lord, You know all things; You know that I love You." Jesus said to him, "Tend My sheep.”

Peter was most likely disturbed that Jesus would ask him three times if he loved Him. But how many times had Peter denied Jesus after His arrest? And when Jesus made His point the third time, He used the word for love that recognized Peter’s honesty and humility. In effect, Jesus was telling Peter that He was pleased that Peter loved Him in the way he did, and that Jesus was also pleased that Peter knew he had limitations if he did not rely on the help of Jesus. It was Jesus’ way to show Peter that he was forgiven and restored to his former position.

Attachment to Jesus is an absolute necessity for serving Christ in this world and the next. And in His mercy Jesus is willing to award this great privilege to a person who has a very short résumé, listing only that he or she has a very humble kind of love to offer to his/her Lord.”[fn] Jesus expects nothing more.

Peter admitted that Jesus knew everything about him including all of his failures and his denial. He could have been implying that he was not worthy of Jesus’ trust. Yet in spite of his failures, Jesus gave him the responsibility to look after the other apostles.[fn]

The key qualification for this responsibility is a love for Jesus that is characterized by humility, dependence and obedience. Up until this present time, Peter had loved Jesus, but he was still full of himself and he kept placing himself at the head of the pack, often trying to control what the others did, and even what Jesus did. Peter thought of himself as being number one, or at least certainly wanting to be number one. Such pride in a leader would spell disaster for the community of believers, as had already been evident in Israel's history right up to those who had just had Jesus crucified.  Sadly the same thing has been just as evident in the history of the Church. But Peter himself learned his lesson, as is clear from his first letter. When he addresses the elders of the communities he does so as a "fellow elder" and encourages them to "be shepherds of God's flock that is under your care, serving as overseers...not lording it over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock. And when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that will never fade away" (1 Peter 5:1-4). Here we see Peter exercising authority with a sense of humility, and He is further conscious of the supreme authority of the Chief Shepherd. Such are marks of a true shepherd in the service of Jesus Christ.[fn]

Rodney Whitacre asks, “Have you ever thought of it, that only the smaller birds sing? You never heard a note from the eagle in all your life, nor from the turkey, nor from the ostrich. But you have heard from the canary, the wren, and the lark. The sweetest music comes from those Christians who are small in their own estimation and small before the Lord.” This is the attitude Jesus was looking for in Peter, and it is the attitude He is looking for in us.

Let us think about that amazing concept for a minute. In current life, the “big birds” strut and crow and draw attention to themselves: the rich, the famous, the movie stars, athletes, politicians, and financial gurus. Yet, who gives you comfort, encouragement, and inspiration? In our congregation it is the Kathryns and the Dallases who lift our spirits. How? Because they are the ones who praise God, no matter what their circumstances. They are the ones we can count on to pray for us in difficult times. They are the canaries with beautiful, inspiring songs who lift their hearts, and also ours, in worship to our great Lord God. I daresay God’s ears are tuned to hear those songs rather than all the crowing of the so-called “big birds” in the world.

At the Last Supper Jesus had predicted Peter's denials after Peter had said he was willing to die with Him (John 13:37-38). Jesus told him, "Where I am going, you cannot follow now, but you will follow later" (John 13:36). Here now is the call to follow. After Peter professes his obedient love, Jesus spells out the cost of that love.[fn]

So Peter was publicly restored to the position he had before he betrayed Jesus, and he was given additional responsibility as well. We believe William Hendriksen puts it very well when he says:

“It is as if the Master says to Peter: ‘Simon, you were weak like a lamb, wandering like a sheep, yet, throughout it all, you, like a dear ("little") sheep, were the object of my tender and loving solicitude. Now, having profited by your experiences (because of your sincere sorrow), consider the members of my Church to be your lambs, and feed them; your sheep, and shepherd them; yes, your dear sheep, and in feeding them love them! Do not neglect the work among the flock, Simon. That is your real assignment! Go back to it! Thus was Peter fully and publicly restored.”[fn] [fn]

We will now go on to John 21:18-19 (NASB):

18 "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."
19 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!"

Now let us also take a look at a more contemporary translation, as this is a difficult passage to understand.

John 21:18-19 (NLT):
 18 “I tell you the truth, when you were young, you were able to do as you liked; you dressed yourself and went wherever you wanted to go. But when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and others will dress you and take you where you don’t want to go.”
19 Jesus said this to let him know by what kind of death he would glorify God. Then Jesus told him, “Follow me.”

Jesus provided Peter a glimpse into his future. Peter had boasted to Jesus that he was willing to die for Him (John 13:37) and that is just what he was going to be required to do. Jesus continued, “When you were young, Peter, you went your own way, but when you get old you are going to be bound with chains and taken to prison and put to death for Me."  This is just what happened about the year A.D. 68, for Peter was in prison for Christ's sake and he was taken out and put to death. Church tradition records that Peter suffered martyrdom under Nero (around A.D. 67-68).

At the time of the crucifixion, Peter, along with the majority of the disciples, had fled the scene. Jesus had to bear the penalty of sin on the cross alone. Now that the penalty had been paid in full, Jesus informed Peter of his own eventual martyrdom. Peter would be a prisoner, forced to walk a path that he did not want to walk. He would stretch out his hands, even as Jesus had done.

William Hendriksen comments, “When they were going to nail him to a cross, Peter said, ‘No, no! My Lord died like that. I am not worthy to die as He did.’ And he said, ‘Hang me on that cross head downward.’ Oh, yes; Peter loved Christ, and he really intended to be true to Him, but he forgot that the spirit can be willing when the flesh is weak. But in later years he was given grace to do as he had promised.”[fn] That grace was provided by the presence of the Holy Spirit.

From this point on, Peter’s life would glorify his Lord, and his death would bring glory to the Savior who had bought Him and paid the penalty for His sin. M.R. DeHaan tells the following story:

“Years ago I was called to the home of a widow whose daughter was the apple of her eye. When the child was 3 years old she became very ill, and the doctors said that she would die. We can all understand the shock of this news, but we cannot justify the mother’s reaction. She rebelled violently and accused God of cruelty—like the Israelites in Exodus 17:3. She demanded that the Lord spare her daughter and told Him she could never trust Him again if He did not do so. Well, God granted the request, in spite of the doctors’ predictions. The child grew up and lived a normal life for 13 years, but then joined with bad companions. Finally, the girl broke her mother’s heart when at the age of 17 she fell into real trouble.

“The tragic end of the story was told me by the weeping woman when I arrived at her home that morning. ‘My Janie is dead—a suicide. Last night she hung herself in her room!’” After minutes of convulsive sobbing she concluded, “O Doctor, how I wish God had taken her when she was 3 years old.”[fn]

We must submit ourselves to God’s will, not try to change it. This is a tragic story, but perhaps it answers those who ask the question, “How could God let little children die?” God knows the future and often He protects the little ones from later tragedy by taking them home to Heaven at a very early age.  When this girl reached the age of 17 she was on her own, and if she had not accepted Christ as her Savior, and it sounds like she did not, then she is now in Hell. But if a child dies before reaching the age of maturity, God takes that little one to Heaven even if he or she has not yet come to faith in Christ. How do we know that? Because David made it clear when he was speaking of his infant son who had died (2 Samuel 12:23).

Peter’s life would demonstrate a complete reversal of the man he was in his youth. Strong-headed, strong-willed, impetuous Peter would become the submissive servant of his Lord, enduring ridicule and crucifixion. Only this time, Peter would not run. He would not hide. He would never again deny Jesus. He was crucified upside down, because he refused to be crucified like Jesus.[fn]

Christians sometimes worry about how they might respond under religious persecution. We may be confident that the Holy Spirit within us has the power to prevent us from caving in to what would be a betrayal and renunciation of the Lord God, Jesus Christ.

Peter became a changed man and servant of the Lord. Listen to the instructions he gave others in 1 Peter 5:1-5 NAS:

1 Therefore, I exhort the elders among you, as your fellow elder and witness of the sufferings of Christ, and a partaker also of the glory that is to be revealed,
2 shepherd the flock of God among you, exercising oversight not under compulsion, but voluntarily, according to the will of God; and not for sordid gain, but with eagerness;
3 nor yet as lording it over those allotted to your charge, but proving to be examples to the flock.
4 And when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the unfading crown of glory.
5 You younger men, likewise, be subject to your elders; and all of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, for God is opposed to the proud, but gives grace to the humble.

Such change can come to all who submit their lives completely to the Holy Spirit of God. Listen to what the psalmist says in Psalm 103:11-14 NAS:

11 For as high as the heavens are above the earth, So great is His lovingkindness toward those who fear Him.
12 As far as the east is from the west, So far has He removed our transgressions from us.
13 Just as a father has compassion on his children, So the Lord has compassion on those who fear Him.
14 For He Himself knows our frame; He is mindful that we are but dust.

Jesus had asked Peter twice if his love for Him was all consuming. With his recent denials still fresh in his own mind, Peter refused to make such a declaration again. He now knew his own weakness. He knew the hollowness of such empty boasts that could be shattered to pieces when circumstances placed him in situations that he had thus far not been able to handle. Finally, Jesus asked Peter if he loved Him even though he could fall into sin at any time and fail the Lord again. In an emotional outburst, born of guilt and shame, Peter told Jesus that He was now well aware of his human frailties that limited him from being what He knew Jesus wanted of him, and in spite of those frailties, He loved Jesus and was ready to serve Him and obey Him. Immediately Jesus told Peter to “Tend my sheep.”

With all of the frailty of Peter’s human devotion, Jesus did not hesitate to trust Him with a valuable role in His kingdom.[fn]

We bet each one of you can identify here with Peter. How many times in our own lives, have we boasted about something and then been humiliated because we could not accomplish what we said we could? How many times have we said, “Please Lord, if you get me out of this mess, I will never do it again?” Just like Peter, our claims about what we will do in any given situation evaporate before our eyes. In such situations, Jesus comes to us and says, “Do you love Me?” So we know exactly how Peter felt. We feel the same way. We answer, “Yes, Lord, I love You!”

But in the corner of our minds we know from experience that we will very likely again FALL SHORT OF His expectations, and Jesus knows that. Nevertheless, in spite of that likely possibility, Jesus still invites us to take a responsible role in His kingdom. He tells us, “Come! Follow Me! Feed My sheep! Join Me in the work of My kingdom!” How wonderful it is to experience the love, grace, and mercy of our Lord. He knows that we are but dust, yet He stretches forth His hand and invites us to come. There is work to be done. He then sends us out to share the message of salvation that our Savior is offering to others.[fn]

Now in no way do we want to suggest that Jesus picks leaders to shepherd his flock knowing that they will probably fall into sin again and again. That is not the way it is at all. Jesus makes it clear to all that when they are saved and have the Holy Spirit residing within them, they have the capability of not sinning if they allow the Holy Spirit to lead them. That is what Jesus wants, and each of us should make every effort to attain that high standard. If we do fail, however, we need to be armed with the knowledge that we will be forgiven if we take that sin to Him and ask for that forgiveness.

We have seen in this passage what the Resurrection meant for Peter: forgiveness, a change of character, and empowerment for ministry in the power of the Holy Spirit.

So then, we call you to consider what the Resurrection mean for you personally today? Has it purchased your salvation and secured a place in Heaven for you? Has it changed your character, transforming you from the old person to a brand new person with a different set of values and a different lifestyle? Instead of being weak and sinful, has resurrection power given you strength to do the right thing? Have you found your identity in Christ as a result of the Resurrection? Does the Holy Spirit fill you, guide you, teach you, and give you the peace of Christ each day?

If not, we invite you to make today the best Resurrection Day of your life by receiving Christ as your personal Savior. Or, if you have received Christ but feel you are faltering and falling short, then renew your commitment to Him and let yourself be filled totally with the Holy Spirit. In Peter’s words:

2 Peter 1:10-11 NLT:
10 So, dear brothers and sisters, work hard to prove that you really are among those God has called and chosen. Do these things, and you will never fall away.
11 Then God will give you a grand entrance into the eternal Kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

“Follow Me”
John 21:20-25

Davida Dalton, a busy mother who lived in Costa Mesa, California tells the following story:

“It was a busy day in our Costa Mesa, California, home. But then, with 10 children and one on the way, every day was a bit hectic. On this particular day, however, I was having trouble doing even routine chores — all because of one little boy.

“Len, who was three at the time, was on my heels no matter where I went. Whenever I stopped to do something and turned back around, I would trip over him. Several times, I patiently suggested fun activities to keep him occupied. ‘Wouldn't you like to play on the swing set?’ I asked again.

“But he simply smiled an innocent smile and said, ‘Oh, that's all right, Mommy. I'd rather be in here with you.’ Then he continued to bounce happily along behind me.

“After stepping on his toes for the fifth time, I began to lose my patience and insisted that he go outside and play with the other children. When I asked him why he was acting this way, he looked up at me with sweet green eyes and said, ‘Well, Mommy, in Sunday School my teacher told me to walk in Jesus' footsteps. But I can't see Him, so I’m walking in yours.’

“I gathered Len in my arms and held him close. Tears of love and humility spilled over from the prayer that grew in my heart — a prayer of thanks for the simple, yet beautiful perspective of a three-year-old boy.”[fn]

We do not know about you, but that story makes us stop and think, “Who would want to walk in our footsteps because they are looking for Jesus, whom they cannot see, but they can see me?”  As we finish our study of the Gospel of John today, we will see that Peter and John may have had similar questions. Let us turn to the last chapter of the Gospel of John.

John 21:20-25 NAS:
 20 Peter, turning around, saw the disciple whom Jesus loved following them; the one who also had leaned back on His bosom at the supper and said, "Lord, who is the one who betrays You?"
21 So Peter seeing him said to Jesus, "Lord, and what about this man?"
22 Jesus said to him, "If I want him to remain until I come, what is that to you? You follow Me!"
23 Therefore this saying went out among the brethren that that disciple would not die; yet Jesus did not say to him that he would not die, but only, "If I want him to remain until I come, what is that to you?"
24 This is the disciple who is testifying to these things and wrote these things, and we know that his testimony is true.
25 And there are also many other things which Jesus did, which if they were written in detail, I suppose that even the world itself would not contain the books that would be written.

The question in verse 21 is so typical of Peter. Now that Jesus has told him what he is to do, he wants to know what John is going to do. Jesus tells Peter that he is going to die for Jesus and not to worry about what Jesus has in store for John, and that what John is going to do is not really his concern. John's form of service will be different from Peter’s. Even if John should live until Jesus returned, that would not in  any way affect what Peter was to do for Jesus, and that was simply to follow Him.

This is typical of our behavior as well, is it not? Now admit it. How many times have you listened to a sermon or a radio program and thought, “Oh, I wish so-and-so were hearing this! She needs it so much.” It is not because you think the person would be encouraged, rather it is something you think they ought to be practicing and they are not. If that person is sitting with you in church, do you think, maybe even pray, “Open your ears—apply this to your life?” However, what does Christ say in verse 22? “Take heed to yourself. Do not worry about him. You just follow Me.” After all, the only person you can really do anything about is you. So each of us is to be sure we are doing what God calls us to do, that we are fulfilling our role in the kingdom, and that we are applying the sermons to ourselves and not to our neighbor.

Paul, when speaking of the gifts of the Spirit in 1 Corinthians 12, points out that not everyone has the same gift. So therefore, God has given each of us different roles and different ministries. We are all called to be obedient and to live holy lives, as Peter exhorts in 1 Peter 1:15-16 ESV:

15 But as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct,
16 since it is written, "You shall be holy, for I am holy."

Nevertheless, even though we are all to live obedient and pure lives, we all have different ministries.

Jesus did not reveal what would happen to John in his later life. He simply said that if it were His will for John not to die, that did not affect Peter's service or Peter's obligation to follow Jesus. That is important for us to understand. We too are not to be overly concerned with or judge the calling of others. Rather we should concentrate on the calling God has given us. In that way we can build and strengthen the body of Christ.

Now what is the point for the comparison here of youth and old age? Jesus speaks of Peter’s youth when he could pretty well do as he pleased. Then in his old age, things would happen over which he had no control.

If you are young now, or if you can remember when you were young, you probably know that in your youth you often have optimistic plans that you eventually want to achieve. Youth believes the sky is the limit and they plan to reach it. They often feel that the older generation is over the hill and now it is youth’s time to take over.

As the older generation looks on they cannot help but wonder how long it will be before the realities of life catch up with these young people, just as they did with them. Oh, yes, some will attain those lofty goals and some will become quite wealthy and successful, but those things will not make them happy nor bring them peace. The older folks know so well that the face of reality will eventually show up as well as the accompanying disappointments. Nevertheless, for a few moments of time, this self-reliant confidence is one of the gifts of youth.

However, youth also carries with it a lack of experience, which is closely associated with foolishness. Passions can also be undisciplined and even uncontrollable. However, even with such shortcomings, there is an energy and optimism that are quite satisfying. Therefore, we believe that the Church should not overlook or minimize the gifts that God gives to the young.

Youth, however, needs to recall the words of wise King Solomon in Ecclesiastes 12:1:

Remember also your Creator in the days of your youth, before the evil days come and the years draw near when you will say, "I have no delight in them.
Now let us shift over to the, shall we say, more seasoned veterans of the battle, the older folks. One unpleasant condition of old age is that we may not appreciate certain things that we must endure. In the situation that we have just looked at concerning Peter, it is his martyrdom by crucifixion. This is not something one looks forward to experiencing. Neither does one really look forward to the illnesses, limited mobility, aches and pains, tiredness, and other problems that frequently accompany aging. Yet Peter would experience some of these things, and we will as well and these things are as important and valuable to the Church as the vitality of youth. In spite of decreased physical strength, older people have gained another important strength.

Job 12:12 NAS:
Wisdom is with aged men, with long life is understanding.

If we consider the scriptures about these two age groups together, we see that they need to respect each other and work together: the energy and enthusiasm of youth coupled with the wisdom and experience of age.

Now, coming back to Peter’s life, if you will look back to verse 19 there is something that we really need to zero in on. “Jesus said this to let him know by what kind of death he would glorify God.” Peter would glorify God by a martyr’s death on the cross, just as Jesus had died. Now what we do throughout our lives is certainly important in honoring our Lord, but is it not true that we bring honor to God and Christ even more by how we handle suffering? I know suffering is not pleasant and we usually do not welcome it although we are told to in 1 Peter 4:13 NLT.[fn]         

Instead, be very glad—for these trials make you partners with Christ in his suffering, so that you will have the wonderful joy of seeing his glory when it is revealed to all the world.

Listen to Jesus’ words in:

Acts 9:15-16 NLT:
 15 But the Lord said, “Go, for Saul (Paul)[fn] is my chosen instrument to take my message to the Gentiles and to kings, as well as to the people of Israel.
16 And I will show him how much he must suffer for my name’s sake.”

It was in such suffering that Paul glorified God. Therefore, it does not matter if you are 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60, 70, 80, or older. Each age contains its purpose in God’s plan and therefore also in the functioning of the Church. The Church is in need of the experiences and gifts of all its people.

We also see in this passage a very noticeable difference between the personalities and temperaments of Peter and John. Whenever Peter makes an appearance, he usually leaps into action, often the wrong kind of action. We might say Peter was impulsive. Today, a psychologist might label him with ADHD. When Jesus asked, "Whom do you say that I am?" it was Peter who answered: "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God" (Matthew 16:16). When Jesus was being arrested, it was Peter who drew his sword and cut off the ear of the servant of the high priest (John 18:10). Here in John 21, after recognizing the voice of Jesus when He called from the shore, Peter immediately jumped into the water and made his way to Jesus. Peter was definitely a man of action.

John, on the other hand, is a quiet man. He is not into cutting off ears. When Jesus appeared on the shore and Peter jumped from the boat into the water, John remained on board and brought in the fish that Jesus had provided. We could probably label John as an intellectual. Nevertheless, they both served Jesus in an equally valuable way. Jesus emphasizes this by telling Peter saying, "If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you?"

Jesus is making, we believe, a very subtle point here. All Christians are different and that is just the way Jesus meant it to be. God gives us each a spiritual gift and a special personality and He want us to use both in His service as we follow Him. In other words, He calls each of us individually to be ourselves and not be overly concerned about what someone else’s individual calling might be and how they are fulfilling it. Then it is Jesus’ purpose to combine each individual calling in order to accomplish His overall grand plan for the world as well as the Kingdom of God. This building process is likened to the construction of a building in 1 Peter 2:4-6 NAS:

4 You are coming to Christ, who is the living cornerstone of God’s temple. He was rejected by people, but he was chosen by God for great honor.
5 And you are living stones that God is building into his spiritual temple. What’s more, you are his holy priests. Through the mediation of Jesus Christ, you offer spiritual sacrifices that please God.
6 As the Scriptures say, “I am placing a cornerstone in Jerusalem, chosen for great honor, and anyone who trusts in him will never be disgraced.”

Each person who has come to faith in Christ since His death and resurrection is considered a living stone. Each one of those stones is used by Christ to build His Church universal. You might better understand it if we changed the word “stone” to “brick.” Each brick placed on top of and next to another is being used by Christ to build a Holy Temple that will accomplish His will for this world and the One to come. You are therefore an essential brick in that structure. Without you, that Temple would be incomplete. Each brick has equal value in the eyes of Jesus who serves as the cornerstone of the Temple.

A cornerstone is most often the large stone placed in the foundation at the principal corner of a building, forming a part of a corner or angle in a wall.[fn] It is the essential building block of the structure from which construction must begin. You might understand this concept better if you considered it the foundation of the building.
The foundation is the first, and an essential, part of the building that must be present before the rest of the structure can be built.

Now Peter, for example, as well as Andrew his brother, were called by Jesus to be "fishers of men” (Matthew 4:19). Peter's calling was to bring people into the kingdom. He was called by Jesus to be an evangelist. It is true that all Christ's disciples are called to evangelism but it is not the primary spiritual gift for all of them. We also, like all Christians everywhere, are called to evangelize (tell people about Jesus and His message of salvation), but it may not be our primary spiritual gift. Peter led three thousand people to faith in Christ at Pentecost, and later five thousand believed as a result of his preaching. Today, we see an exceptional gift of evangelism in the person of Billy Graham, who has been used much as God used Peter.

We might also consider Paul to be an evangelist, but that was not his primary spiritual gift either. Paul was called to take the Gospel to the Gentiles, that is, to all the rest of the people in the world who were not Jews. He was called to build the Church. Paul’s spiritual gift could have been administration or leadership, or perhaps both.

Then we have the apostle John, characterizing him as a "mender-of-nets," from that setting in which John is first seen and called by Jesus (Matthew 4:21). He means that John's specific calling was to rebuild what had been destroyed. This ministry was required long after Peter and Paul had died and the Church was scattered and suffering intense persecution. 

So have you discovered what your spiritual gift is? Do you know what role you are to play in the building of the Church?

Romans 12:6-8 NLT:
6 In his grace, God has given us different gifts for doing certain things well. So if God has given you the ability to prophesy, speak out with as much faith as God has given you.
7 If your gift is serving others, serve them well. If you are a teacher, teach well.
8 If your gift is to encourage others, be encouraging. If it is giving, give generously. If God has given you leadership ability, take the responsibility seriously. And if you have a gift for showing kindness to others, do it gladly.

Notice that some of the gifts are behind-the-scenes and others are “up front.” Nevertheless, they are all important. The person who gives, who administers, or who helps is just as important as the pastor and the teacher. Each of us is to be obedient and faithful to pursue whatever it is God calls us to do, which will likely be in accordance with our spiritual gift or gifts.

Let us consider some very pertinent comments by James Montgomery Boice.

“There are advantages certainly in youth and in old age, those who are activists and those who are thinkers, the evangelists, restorers, and builders. But to be honest, we must also point out that each has its problems too. Those who are young tend to be foolish in their headstrong self-reliance. The old tend to become concerned with their own affairs and therefore selfish. The weakness of the activist is insensitivity to others who move at slower paces. The thinker can become lazy. The evangelist can become shallow. The builder or restorer can become critical of those whom he regards as inferior. The advantages of each age, temperament, or calling can easily be marred by sin.

“But there is a solution. It is the solution Jesus told Peter (and presumably John as well): ‘Follow me.’ Why is this a solution? First, because if we are following Jesus, then our eyes will be on Jesus and he—not our own particular and imperfect form of it—will be seen as the standard of Christian service. If you have your eyes on yourself, you expect people to measure up to you and judge them to be inferior if they do not. With your eyes on Jesus, He becomes the standard for both you and them and he actually draws you together rather than allowing you to be driven apart. I was walking along the street once, following another person. I turned aside much as Peter did when, looking away from Jesus, he saw what John was doing and I bumped into a telephone pole. We will bump into one pole or another if we take our eyes off Jesus.

“Second, if we have our eyes on Jesus, we will see not only something about him but something about ourselves as well. What we will see about ourselves is that we are at best ‘unprofitable servants.’ There will be no room for boasting, no room for arrogant self-sufficiency. We are inadequate and unprofitable. What we need is Christ ... in His own person, first of all, and also in one another.[fn]

Remember Jesus’ words to Peter, which also apply to all of us: “Follow Me!” If we do not, we will regret it for eternity.

John 21:24-25 NAS:
24 This is the disciple who is testifying to these things and wrote these things, and we know that his testimony is true.
25 And there are also many other things which Jesus did, which if they were written in detail, I suppose that even the world itself would not contain the books that would be written.

John is testifying that he himself was witness to all these things he has written about and that his report is truthful. He goes on to add that Jesus did so many things during His earthly ministry that it would be virtually impossible to write them all down. The gospel writers, through the guidance of the Holy Spirit, gave us a sampling so that we would have what we need to instruct us, guide us, and encourage us.

In conclusion, if we were to sum up the book of John in just a few words, we believe we could look to chapter 20, verses 30 and 31:

30 The disciples saw Jesus do many other miraculous signs in addition to the ones recorded in this book.
31 But these are written so that you may continue to believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing in him you will have life by the power of his name.

What more can be said? AMEN! AND AMEN!

Isaiah

John

Romans

1 Peter


© Ron Teed - Used by permission. All rights Reserved.