John 21 - The Moody Bible Commentary

21:1-3 After these things is indefinite chronologically (Cf. 20:26). An angel had told the disciples to meet Jesus in Galilee (Mt 28:7). Their fishing expedition recalls the only other events in John’s gospel that took place at the Sea of Tiberias, namely the feeding of the 5,000 (Jn 6:10-14). On that occasion, Jesus taught that no one could come to Him unless the Father draws (helko) him (6:44; Cf. 12:32). In 21:6 and 11, helko is used of the disciples drawing in their fishing net. The fishing expedition illustrates how Jesus will draw people to Himself through the mission of His followers. Early Christian readers would have detected in this story parallels with Lk 5:1-11. The sons of Zebedee are James and John (Mt 4:21), fishing partners with Peter (Lk 5:10).

A. The Great Catch of Fish (21:1-14)

V. Epilogue (21:1-25)

In the Epilogue, the author challenged his readers who have believed to join in the mission of Christ to the world.

21:4-5 Jesus appeared as the day was now breaking. Jesus manifested Himself (vv. 1, 14) in light to the disciples by His word. First, He spoke to them, addressing them as Children. Jesus had entered with them into a discipleship relationship in which He was their “father” (cf. 1Jn 2:18). His question (v. 5) you do not have any fish, do you? implied He had divine foreknowledge of the answer (cf. v. 17).

21:6-7 The supernatural catch is the only recorded miracle of Jesus after His resurrection. His promise you will find a catch was sufficient for the disciples to obey. Their obedience was rewarded with so many fish that they were not able to haul the net in. Like Thomas (20:28), John identified Jesus as Lord. Peter, after his denial of the Lord, reverted to his occupation prior to being called as a fisher of men. This miracle was designed to remind the disciples of their initial call to be fishers of men, a call associated with another enormous catch of fish in Lk 5:1-10. This miracle reiterated that call. The phrase he put his outer garment on (for he was stripped for work), (the words for work are not in Greek) could be translated, “he tucked in his outer garment (for he had nothing on underneath it)” (NET). It is improbable that one who worked so frequently around water would put on his outer garment to dive into the sea and swim to shore. “Put on” (Gk., diazonnumi) can mean “tying up one’s clothing around oneself,” and “stripped” (Gk., gymnos) could mean “to wear nothing else underneath one’s outer garment.”

21:8-11 The charcoal fire (v. 9; a word only used elsewhere in 18:18) recalls Peter’s denial of Christ, which took place at a similar fire in the courtyard of the high priest. Perhaps the impending restoration of Peter at this charcoal fire was designed to impress upon him the seriousness of his denial at the earlier fire, and of the depth of Jesus’ forgiveness. Peter’s leadership was evident in that he drew the net to land. The number a hundred and fifty-three is unusual. John provided no indication that the number is a symbol. However, such an exact number verifies the eyewitness character of the author John (a fisherman by trade).

21:12-14 For the disciples to eat with Jesus was a strong verification of His resurrection (Ac 10:41). Jesus also took the bread and gave it to them along with the fish, reminding them of the Bread of Life message and the feeding of the multitude (Jn 6:11). This too confirmed their certainty of who He was. The author designated this as the third time that Jesus was manifested. In accord with the Jewish law that two or three witnesses establish the truth (Cf. 8:17), John presented three accounts of Jesus’ resurrection appearances. But later many different appearances took place (1Co 15:5-8).

21:15-17 The following threefold exchange between Christ and Peter paralleled the apostle’s threefold denial of Christ (18:17, 25, 27). Twice Christ asked Peter if he loved Him (agapao). Twice Peter affirmed his love using another Greek word (phileo; see the discussion on the two words at 5:20-21). In the last significant conversation between Peter and Jesus before the crucifixion, Jesus nuanced agapao as “laying down one’s life” (13:15-23). He also called on his followers to love (agapao) one another “even as I have loved you” (13:34; Cf. 15:13, 12, 17), referring to the love by which He would lay down His life. Phileo and agapao probably do not differ in meaning in this context (i.e., phileo does not refer to some “superficial, inferior love” since the word is used for the Father’s love for the Son in 5:20-21, and agapao can be used for frivolously craving the acclaim of people in 12:43). In John’s gospel they both mean “love.” They may, however, have slightly different references, agapao referring to an aspect of love that includes sacrifice, an aspect not associated with phileo in John’s gospel. In other words, John may have noted Jesus’ use of agapao to elicit from Peter a commitment to the kind of self-sacrificing love Jesus modeled and demanded from his disciples as seen in the previous uses of agapao.

The question, “Do you love Me more than these disciples love Me?” corresponds to Peter’s boastful promise to love Jesus so much he would lay down his life for Him, even if the other disciples do not (13:37; Mk 14:29). Jesus was asking Peter if he would still claim what he did previously—that He would lay down his life for His Lord. Remembering his denials in the courtyard, Peter was hesitant to make that promise again. Tend My lambs and Shepherd My sheep (v. 16) evoke Jesus’ teaching on laying down His life for the sheep (Jn 10:15, 17) and dovetail with the sacrificial nuance of agape. Peter replied in ignorance with phileo and not agapao because he had still not understood the sacrificial emphasis of agape love as Jesus had delineated it in the upper room. For the third time (v. 17), Jesus asked, Do you love Me? now using Peter’s own word for love (phileo) in hopes that Peter would be shaken from his misunderstanding and recall Jesus’ original call to self-sacrificial agape. Instead, Peter was grieved because Jesus had questioned him three times.

The threefold pattern of questions and answers recalls Peter’s three denials predicted by the Lord in 13:38 and fulfilled in 18:15-27. It is impossible to be certain, but Peter’s distress may have been due to his awareness of the parallel between Jesus’ third question and Peter’s three denials. Jesus’ use of phileo in this third question may also include probing Peter for his affection for Jesus when none was evident during his denials. So perhaps agapao in the first two questions asked by Jesus is to explore Peter’s willingness to sacrifice himself for Jesus and His people, while the use of phileo in His third question was designed to compel Peter to reflect on his lack of affection for Jesus evident during the denials. It was this third interrogation by the Lord that so pained Peter. But it is impossible to be certain of this.

B. Future Roles of Peter and John (21:15-23)

21:18-19 Jesus now predicted that Peter would lay down his life just as Christ did. Peter will stretch out his hands, a term that suggests crucifixion. Signifying by what kind of death he would glorify God parallels other statements that speak of Christ’s crucifixion (12:33; 18:32). Others would gird Peter (NET, HCSB, “tie you up”) for his death. Despite the prospect of suffering, Christ commanded Peter, Follow Me! (Cf. 1:43; 12:26).

21:20-22 In turning around to see the disciple whom Jesus loved, Peter physically and spiritually took his eyes off Christ. John, however, was following Jesus (them is not in the Greek). Would Peter? Peter’s question Lord, and what about this man? revealed Peter’s struggle with Christ’s will for his life. When other believers appear more prosperous in ministry or life, the Lord’s disciple must keep a focus on Christ’s command, Follow Me!

21:23 A misinterpretation of Jesus’ words was spread among the brethren that John would not die (cf. Mt 28:11-15). By quoting the exact words of Jesus again (cf. v. 22), John stressed the imminence of the Lord’s return. While Jesus prophesied His any-moment return in rapture (see comment on 14:3; see also the comments on Mt 24:36-41), this could not take place until after certain prophesied events such as His own death and resurrection, the giving of the Spirit (Ac 2), the first widespread preaching of the gospel (Ac 1:8), and Peter’s death in old age (Jn 21:18-19). By the time the Fourth Gospel was written (late AD 60s or 80s; see Introduction: Date), these had been accomplished so that Jesus could come in rapture before or after John died.

C. Final Attestation to Truth (21:24-25)

21:24-25 In his final words, the author maintained that he wrote these things as a testimony that is true. When John said we know, he probably referred to himself (as suggested by I suppose). There is no fully exhaustive account of Jesus’ life. If such a “Bible” were written in detail, then the world itself could not contain all the books that would be written—clearly a hyperbole. But in his book the Evangelist set out to prove that Jesus was the Redeemer who would grant forgiveness to those who believed in Him, and he included abundant evidence that Jesus is indeed the Messiah, the Son of God.