Jesus has reappeared to the disciples several times in Jerusalem. John records one more appearance, this time later in Galilee.
John 21: 1-3, Fishing
Afterward Jesus appeared again to his disciples, by the Sea of Tiberias. It happened this way: Simon Peter, Thomas (called Didymus), Nathanael from Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two other disciples were together. "I'm going out to fish," Simon Peter told them, and they said, "We'll go with you." So they went out and got into the boat, but that night they caught nothing.
The disciples, mostly fishermen, have returned to their roots.
The Sea of Tiberias is the same as the Sea of Galilee.
John 21: 4-8, Jesus at the lake side
Early in the morning, Jesus stood on the shore, but the disciples did not realize that it was Jesus. He called out to them, "Friends, haven't you any fish?"
"No," they answered.
He said, "Throw your net on the right side of the boat and you will find some."
When they did, they were unable to haul the net in because of the large number of fish. Then the disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, "It is the Lord!" As soon as Simon Peter heard him say, "It is the Lord," he wrapped his outer garment around him (for he had taken it off) and jumped into the water.
The other disciples followed in the boat, towing the net full of fish, for they were not far from shore, about a hundred yards.
This event is a bookend to a miracle at the beginning of Jesus's ministry. Not recorded in John, but recorded in the other three gospels (see
Luke 5:1-11), is an early event in which Jesus begins his discipling of Peter by helping him fish.
The distance from shore is (translated from Greek) "about two hundred cubits", that is, about 90 meters.
John 21: 9-14, Fire, fish, bread
When they landed, they saw a fire of burning coals there with fish on it, and some bread. Jesus said to them, "Bring some of the fish you have just caught." Simon Peter climbed aboard and dragged the net ashore. It was full of large fish, 153, but even with so many the net was not torn.
Jesus said to them, "Come and have breakfast." None of the disciples dared ask him, "Who are you?" They knew it was the Lord.
Jesus came, took the bread and gave it to them, and did the same with the fish.
This was now the third time Jesus appeared to his disciples after he was raised from the dead.
Jesus already has breakfast cooking for them, with a fire and some fish already on it. He also has bread for them but invites them to add some of their fish to the meal. In the final chapter of
The Voyage of the Dawn Treader, C. S. Lewis has the lion, Aslan, turn into a lamb and re-enact this scene. (See
this blog post.)
Some try to make something out of the number
153. I suspect it simply represents a very large catch!
John 21: 15-19, Simon, do you love me?
When they had finished eating, Jesus said to Simon Peter, "Simon son of John, do you truly love me more than these?" "
Yes, Lord," he said, "you know that I love you."
Jesus said, "Feed my lambs." Again Jesus said, "Simon son of John, do you truly love me?"
He answered, "Yes, Lord, you know that I love you."
Jesus said, "Take care of my sheep."
The third time he said to him, "Simon son of John, do you love me?"
Peter was hurt because Jesus asked him the third time, "Do you love me?" He said, "Lord, you know all things; you know that I love you."
Jesus said, "Feed my sheep. I tell you the truth, when you were younger you dressed yourself and went where you wanted; but when you are old you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will dress you and lead you where you do not want to go."
Jesus said this to indicate the kind of death by which Peter would glorify God. Then he said to him, "Follow me!"
This is a strange conversation, recorded by John standing nearby. Peter, who when frightened, denied Jesus three times, is now being given instructions, with a three-times emphasis. Jesus has a plan for Peter but Peter is unsure as to what it is.
John 21: 20-23, Peter & John
Peter turned and saw that the disciple whom Jesus loved was following them. (This was the one who had leaned back against Jesus at the supper and had said, "Lord, who is going to betray you?") When Peter saw him, he asked, "Lord, what about him?"
Jesus answered, "If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you? You must follow me."
Because of this, the rumor spread among the brothers that this disciple would not die. But Jesus did not say that he would not die; he only said, "If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you?"
John responds, half a century later, to speculation that he will never die. Not so, he assures his readers.
John 21: 24-25, John's testimony
This is the disciple who testifies to these things and who wrote them down. We know that his testimony is true. Jesus did many other things as well. If every one of them were written down, I suppose that even the whole world would not have room for the books that would be written.
John repeats the earlier theme, from the end of the previous chapter, claiming that he was an eyewitness to all of these events and -- added as an afterthought -- that there are many, many more things that could be written about the time Jesus spent on earth.