Jesus Turns to Speak with Peter on the BeachBible World
21:13John 21:13
Jesus then cometh, and taketh bread, and giveth them, and fish likewise.
This meeting belongs to the time after the Passover week, when the disciples had remained in Jerusalem for the feast and then traveled homeward to Galilee as He had directed. It took place on the shore of the Sea of Galilee, the Sea of Tiberias, where much of His ministry had been passed. They had gathered in a place where they were not likely to be disturbed, surrounded by reminders of Jesus and His mighty works, with their minds full of His words and deeds. Within sight was the beach where above ten thousand persons had been fed from a few small loaves and fishes, and not far distant was Capernaum, the scene of so many miracles. It was on that same sea that He had walked upon the billows to rescue them when terror filled their hearts, and where the tempest had been hushed by His word.
Seven disciples were present — Peter with Thomas, Nathanael, the sons of Zebedee and two others — and after a night in which they caught nothing, at His word to cast the net on the right side of the ship they drew a multitude of fishes. When Peter heard it was the Lord he cast himself into the sea. When they came to land Jesus had already prepared a fire of coals with fish and bread upon it. He asked them to bring some of the fish just caught, had the net dragged to shore and the newly caught fish prepared, and bade them come and dine.
The verse shows the risen Jesus joining them at the shore, taking bread and fish, breaking and dividing it, giving it to them, serving them breakfast and eating and dining with them. In that familiar act of breaking and serving, all seven knew, recognized and acknowledged Him as their resurrected Saviour, and His act of serving them confirms His presence with them after the resurrection and makes Himself known to them. A mysterious awe was upon them as they gazed in silence upon the risen Saviour, too amazed to question whence the fire and the food had come. The breaking and giving distinctly brought to their minds His earlier feeding of the five thousand on the mountainside from a few small loaves and fishes.
The meal taught and renewed their assurance that, though they would no longer have His visible companionship or earn their living by fishing, their resurrected Saviour still cared for them and would provide for them as they carried out His work. The catch showed that their labor would succeed when joined with His divine power. The sharing of the meal after the miraculous catch renewed the disciples' commission to continue the work He had given them despite His death, and showed Peter among his brethren before he was restored to apostolic service. It came before His thrice-repeated questioning of Peter about love and His commission to feed His lambs and sheep.
This meeting belongs to the time after the Passover week, when the disciples had remained in Jerusalem for the feast and then traveled homeward to Galilee as He had directed. It took place on the shore of the Sea of Galilee, the Sea of Tiberias, where much of His ministry had been passed. They had gathered in a place where they were not likely to be disturbed, surrounded by reminders of Jesus and His mighty works, with their minds full of His words and deeds. Within sight was the beach where above ten thousand persons had been fed from a few small loaves and fishes, and not far distant was Capernaum, the scene of so many miracles. It was on that same sea that He had walked upon the billows to rescue them when terror filled their hearts, and where the tempest had been hushed by His word.
Seven disciples were present — Peter with Thomas, Nathanael, the sons of Zebedee and two others — and after a night in which they caught nothing, at His word to cast the net on the right side of the ship they drew a multitude of fishes. When Peter heard it was the Lord he cast himself into the sea. When they came to land Jesus had already prepared a fire of coals with fish and bread upon it. He asked them to bring some of the fish just caught, had the net dragged to shore and the newly caught fish prepared, and bade them come and dine.
The verse shows the risen Jesus joining them at the shore, taking bread and fish, breaking and dividing it, giving it to them, serving them breakfast and eating and dining with them. In that familiar act of breaking and serving, all seven knew, recognized and acknowledged Him as their resurrected Saviour, and His act of serving them confirms His presence with them after the resurrection and makes Himself known to them. A mysterious awe was upon them as they gazed in silence upon the risen Saviour, too amazed to question whence the fire and the food had come. The breaking and giving distinctly brought to their minds His earlier feeding of the five thousand on the mountainside from a few small loaves and fishes.
The meal taught and renewed their assurance that, though they would no longer have His visible companionship or earn their living by fishing, their resurrected Saviour still cared for them and would provide for them as they carried out His work. The catch showed that their labor would succeed when joined with His divine power. The sharing of the meal after the miraculous catch renewed the disciples' commission to continue the work He had given them despite His death, and showed Peter among his brethren before he was restored to apostolic service. It came before His thrice-repeated questioning of Peter about love and His commission to feed His lambs and sheep.