John: Restored!

John 21:1-25

You made a bold statement. You said, “Lord, I will never desert you. I am willing to die for you.” Then, in a matter of hours, you denied Jesus three times. How do you recover from that? Can you recover from that?

Today, let’s consider Jesus’ interaction with the apostle Peter.

After Jesus rose from the dead, he made twelve appearances over a period of forty days. Sometimes, there were several days between appearances. Jesus appeared to the disciples twice while they were together in Jerusalem (John 20:19, 24). At some point after Jesus’ second post-resurrection appearance, several of the disciples returned to their homes in Galilee.

One day, Peter said, “I am going fishing.” Six of the other disciples decided to go with him. They fished all night but caught nothing (John 21:2–3).

At sunrise the next morning, Jesus stood on the shore. The disciples were about a hundred yards away, so they did not realize it was Jesus.

John 21:5-6
Jesus said to them, “Children, do you have any fish?” They answered him, “No.” He said to them, “Cast the net on the right side of the boat, and you will find some.” So they cast it, and now they were not able to haul it in, because of the quantity of fish. 

Perhaps John recognized Jesus’ voice. Perhaps he realized the catch was a miracle. For whatever reason, he recognized that it was Jesus on the shore and said to Peter, “It is the Lord!” (John 21:7).

Peter was dressed down for work, so he put on his outer garment, “threw himself into the sea,” and swam to the shore. Interestingly, when he reached the shore, it seems he did not approach Jesus. Don’t miss Peter’s emotions and actions—he dove into the water to get to Jesus. He desperately wanted to be near the Lord, but the shame of his denials kept him at a distance.

Finally, the other disciples arrived in the boat and dragged a net full of 153 large fish to the shore. Two interesting points here. First, the net—overfilled with fish—yet “the net was not torn” (John 21:11). Second, someone took the time to count the fish. These men were fishermen, and when it was all said and done, at least one of them took the time to count their catch. And John, who provides proof through details, wants us to know that such a large number of fish was a miraculous catch. 

Jesus was waiting for them on the shore, cooking over a charcoal fire. He told them to bring some of the fish they had just caught to go along with the bread he was making. Then Jesus said, “Come and have breakfast” (John 21:12). John notes,

John 21:12-14
Now none of the disciples dared ask him, “Who are you?” They knew it was the Lord. Jesus came and took the bread and gave it to them, and so with the fish. This was now the third time that Jesus was revealed to the disciples after he was raised from the dead. 

The breakfast on the shore was not simply Jesus being hospitable to hungry fishermen. Jesus had a divine appointment with Peter—and he wanted the other six disciples to witness it.

John 21:15-17
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, “Feed my lambs.”  He said to him 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, “Tend my sheep.”  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 everything; you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Feed my sheep.” 

Peter had made a proud statement that even if everyone else left Jesus, he would stay (Matt. 26:33, 35; Luke 22:33; John 13:37). Then, just as Jesus had said, Peter denied the Lord three times. Here on the shore, the three questions and commissions correspond to the three denials. Peter was “grieved” because Jesus asked him a third time, “Do you love me?” But the three denials were addressed by the three confessions. For each denial that night in the courtyard, Peter proclaimed his love for Jesus the next morning on the shore. Interestingly, both the denials and the confessions of love took place around a charcoal fire (John 18:18).

Jesus uses two different Greek words for love in his questions to Peter. In the first two questions, Jesus uses the word agapas. In the third question, the word for love is changed to phileis. Jesus also responds to Peter in three different ways. After each confession, he tells Peter: “Feed my lambs,” “Tend my sheep,” and “Feed my sheep.” Most biblical scholars see these changes as stylistic variations.

Jesus also told Peter that he would die a martyr’s death by crucifixion. He said, “When you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and another will dress you and carry you where you do not want to go” (John 21:18). John explains, “This he said to show by what kind of death he was to glorify God” (John 21:19).

Some thirty years later (64–67 AD), Peter was crucified in Rome under the Emperor Nero. According to early church tradition, Peter requested to be crucified upside down because he felt unworthy to be crucified in the same manner as Jesus.

When Peter learned how he would die, he looked at John and asked, “Lord, what about [him]?” (John 21:21). Jesus’ answer to Peter is instructive to us all.

John 21:22
Jesus said to him, “If it is my will that he remain until I come, what is that to you? You follow me!”

That is such an important lesson: at the end of the day, we should not compare ourselves with anyone else. Our focus needs to stay on Jesus. His plan for us is custom-made—just for us. He tells us the same thing he told Peter: “You follow me!”

PERSONAL TIME WITH GOD
Time in the Word: Read and reflect on John 21:1-22. Reflect on Peter’s restoration—a demonstration of God’s great grace.

Talking to God: When you’ve failed or fallen short in your walk with Jesus, do you find yourself running toward him like Peter did—or holding back out of shame? How might Jesus be inviting you to experience his grace and restoration today?

Have Questions?
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