John 21:6, commentary and pictures

After a night of fruitless toil near shore at dawn, Jesus stood unrecognized on the beach and told the weary disciples to cast on the right side with promise of success, and in obedience they drew a catch so great they could not haul it in. The wonder of it opened their eyes to know Him as the risen Saviour and swept away remembrance of their fruitless labor. The right side is the side of faith, with purpose because Christ Himself stood upon that side of the shore. It lays down the law of service that without His cooperation work is hard and profitless, but labor joined to His direction and divine power cannot fail of success and carries assurance that He will provide for the needs of those doing His work. The command repeated the earlier miraculous draught that had called them to be fishers of men, thereby renewing their commission after His death and resurrection and preparing the way for Peter's restoration. So casting the net means laboring to win souls, choosing faith over unbelief and pressing on in consecrated energy even when results seem hopeless, trusting heaven's unfailing resources rather than human wisdom for the catch.

Setting and Miraculous Catch

The meeting took place near the Sea of Galilee, where much of Christ's ministry had been spent. The disciples had gathered in a secluded place where they were not likely to be disturbed, surrounded by reminders of Jesus and His mighty works. On that sea He had walked upon the waves to rescue them when their hearts were filled with terror and a fierce storm was hurrying them to destruction, and there the tempest had been hushed by His word. Within sight was the beach where more than ten thousand persons had been fed from a few small loaves and fishes, and not far distant was Capernaum, the scene of many miracles. Looking upon the scene filled their minds with the words and deeds of their Saviour.

They had returned to fishing and had toiled through a fruitless night, wearied and discouraged. Jesus had followed them with His eye unseen from the shore through the night. At dawn their boat was only a little distance, only a little way, from land when He stood on the beach as a stranger they did not recognize and did not at first know His voice. He asked whether they had food or had caught anything, and they answered No, that they had toiled all night and taken nothing and had none.

In clear, calm tones He commanded them to cast the net on the right side of the ship, telling them where to throw it with the promise that they would find fish and find success. They hurried to obey while still doubting, saying that all-night failure made success unlikely now. The change from empty fishing to abundance came when they followed His direction. They obeyed and caught so many fish that they were not able to draw it or haul it in for the multitude of fishes, the net became so full they could not haul it in, and they needed help from the other boat.

Obedience brought success that crowned their efforts. The miraculous result filled them with wonder. They at once forgot the fruitless labor of the night. The catch led them to recognize Jesus, with John perceiving that the stranger was the Lord and Peter hurrying to Him. They saw Him as a risen Saviour and believed in Him.

Power, Provision and Commission

The right side of the ship is the side of faith, and the command to cast there had purpose because Christ Himself stood upon that side on the shore. Success came when human effort was joined to His divine power present on that side. To work on the right side is to work on the side of faith.

Without Christ's cooperation all work is hard and profitless, while obedience to His direction crowns effort with success. This is the law of service: labor in connection with Him unites His divine power to human effort and cannot fail of success. After toiling all night and taking nothing, the disciples hurried to obey His clear, calm direction where to throw the net, though still doubting that success was likely, and the net became so full they could not haul it in.

The abundant catch assured them that though they would no longer have His visible companionship nor support from fishing as a livelihood, the risen Saviour still had care over them. He would provide for their needs while they were doing His work. They at once forgot the fruitless labor of the night, saw Him as a risen Saviour, and believed in Him.

The command and catch repeated the earlier miraculous draught given at the beginning of His ministry when He first bade them launch into the deep and let down the net. Then the catch was so abundant as to fill the net even to breaking, and it was followed by the call to leave their boats and be made fishers of men. The repetition brought that scene to mind and deepened its impression, making the former miracle more impressive.

The repetition was a renewal of their commission, showing that His death did not lessen or end their obligation to do the work He had assigned them. His resurrection did not end their duty to carry out the work He had given them, even without His bodily presence. The catch also prepared the way for Peter's restoration and renewed service, showing that failure need not end a repentant disciple's usefulness.

Casting the Net in Faith

Casting the net is labor to win people by sharing truth as fishers of men, and Christ directs where to labor and promises success when the net is cast where He names it. That direction brings an abundant catch even when human plans and resources fail, and it opens more effective ways to advance His work when resources for it are scarce. Gospel workers are to watch over the net with earnest prayer and perseverance until it bears fruit.

Even after toiling all night with no catch and when labor appears fruitless, workers must keep casting the gospel net and work on in faith at the Master's command. They are to trust God to give success in saving souls and bringing in its fruit. Without Christ's help labor may continue for years with little fruit, while with His help preaching can gather people to Him.

Casting on the right side means choosing faith rather than unbelief and taking up work consecrated to God, and those who do so will see His salvation. It means pressing forward despite forbidding circumstances and trusting heaven's unfailing resources, thereby learning by faith their value and security. It means venturing forward in energy rather than staying safely near shore, and walking in the light where life, strength, and grace are given. In that work believers trust Jesus for results rather than relying on human wisdom or ability.

The search for a school location shows what casting on the faith side means in practice. The right side of the ship is the side of faith, and strengthened faith would help the searchers recognize advantages in a place that first looked forbidding. By trusting God in that way they would succeed in finding where to labor.

Living on the faith side calls for replacing past murmuring and unbelief with faith. Those in responsible positions must speak faith and courage to the workers, and while probation lasts a consecrated, living church must show what can be done by faith through self-denying, self-sacrificing consecration. That trust requires giving God supreme love, keeping every affection and desire subject to Him, and exalting Him in heart, words, and actions.