John 21 - Printer Friendly

What does John 21 mean?

Chapter Commentary:

When Jesus was first resurrected, He passed along instructions for the disciples to meet Him in Galilee (Matthew 28:5–10). He then appeared to groups of the disciples at least twice (John 20:19, 26). Eventually, the men made their way back to Galilee and are waiting for Jesus there. John refers to the body of water as the "Sea of Tiberias" (John 6:1), reserving the term "Galilee" for the region (John 21:1).

Seven men are in this group, including Peter and John. It's not clear if Peter is bored, simply needs to earn income, or thinks he's meant to return to his former profession. Either way, when he sets out for a night of fishing, these others come along. In a piece of foreshadowing, their efforts fail—they catch nothing (John 21:2–3).

Most of the disciples were fishermen before Jesus called them to ministry. Jesus used a miraculous provision of fish to draw Peter away from his boat to become a "fisher of men" (Luke 5:5–11). Now, in a similar situation, Jesus calls on the men in the boat to cast again, despite having no recent luck. In dim light, and at a distance, they wouldn't be able to clearly hear or see who it is who calls out to them. There's a good chance the men remember the earlier miracle, however. When they instantly fill their net, Peter and John fully realize who is on shore, and Peter dives overboard to swim to the beach (John 21:4–8).

Though John notes the exact number of fish caught in the net, there is no deeper meaning. This detail would have meant something to those familiar with the Sea of Galilee—probably emphasizing the large size of the catch. Now that Jesus has appeared to the disciples several times, any lingering doubts about His resurrection are gone (John 21:9–14).

When Peter bragged that he would be loyal, even when the other disciples failed (Mark 14:29), Jesus responded with a dire prediction (John 13:36–38). Peter would go on to deny even knowing Jesus—three times, and with great emphasis—in the hours before Christ was crucified (John 18:25–27). Jesus seems to remind Peter of his earlier boast, asking if Peter's love for Christ is greater than the love held by the other disciples (John 21:15).

In this conversation, Jesus twice uses the Greek term agapaō when referring to "love," while Peter uses the term phileō. These terms have distinct meanings, but they overlap enough to mean the same thing in this conversation. However, the third time Jesus asks Peter, He uses Peter's precise words. Though Peter has explicitly said he [phileō] loves Jesus, Jesus now asks Peter directly if he [phileō] loves Him. Peter clearly understands the point. This three-times-repeated question echoes his own three-times-repeated denial of Christ. It's also a subtle way of Jesus hinting that just because Peter has said something is no guarantee he'll act accordingly (John 21:16–17).

Jesus called Peter after performing a miracle of providing a catch of fish (Luke 5:5–11). He has once again duplicated that feat (John 21:4–8). Peter denied Jesus three times, and Jesus has made Peter declare his loyalty three times. Jesus now offers both encouragement and a dire prediction. Peter is once again called to follow Jesus. However, Jesus poetically notes that one day Peter will be forcibly "led," with outstretched arms. This is an indirect reference to crucifixion. While a terrible fate, this prophecy also confirms that Peter's faith will never again fail. He will be loyal to Christ, even to the point of death, just as he once bragged (John 13:37). Church tradition indicates that Peter was crucified as a martyr for his faith (John 21:18–19).

Christ's prediction of Peter's death leads Peter to a natural question. John, who only refers to himself indirectly (John 1:37; 13:23; 18:15–16; 19:26) is nearby. Peter naturally wonders what will happen to him. Jesus' response is not harsh, but it is blunt. What happens to John is irrelevant to Peter's faith; Peter simply needs to follow Christ, regardless of God's will for other people. Unfortunately, some believers misinterpret Jesus' remarks. Though He is refusing to make a prediction about John, some assume this means John will live forever—or at least until Jesus returns. John makes a point of repeating Jesus' exact words to show this was not the case (John 21:20–23).

The last verses of the gospel of John act as a signature, or a certification. These words seem to be a combination of John's own writing, the validation of a scribe, and possible the endorsement of a local church. John may have switched from an assistant recording his speech to hand-writing the end of this letter. The reference to "we know that…" confirms that others validated John's message; this might be a note included by those to whom John first gave this writing. John ends his eyewitness account by reminding the reader that no single book could contain every detail of Jesus' earthly ministry (John 21:24–25).

John 21:1–14 begins by describing another encounter between the disciples and Jesus, after His resurrection. Seven of them have an unsuccessful night fishing; this is possibly a sign that their calling is to be evangelists, not anglers. A figure on the beach tells them to cast their net to the other side of the boat, resulting in a massive catch. John realizes the man is Jesus, and Peter dives overboard to swim to shore. There, the other disciples arrive to find a breakfast of bread and fish waiting for them, along with Jesus.

John 21:15–19 is a poignant moment between Peter and the resurrected Jesus. Early in his ministry, Jesus inspired a faithful response from Peter, by miraculously providing fish (Luke 5:5–8). He then called Peter to become a disciple (Luke 5:10–11). Not many days before this breakfast on the beach, Peter had stood near a fire and denied even knowing Christ three times (John 18:25–27). Now, in front of another fire, Jesus asks Peter to affirm his faithful love three times. Peter grasps the symbolism. Jesus affirms Peter's calling to serve Him and predicts the matter of Peter's death.

John 21:20–23 comes immediately after Jesus delivers a prophecy about Peter's death. Peter asks about John, wondering if Jesus will say anything about his fate. Jesus sets the question aside, saying it would have no impact on Peter's need to follow Christ. John recounts this moment to correct a misunderstanding about that response; early believers misstated Jesus' words to imply that John wouldn't die until Jesus returned.

John 21:24–25 is something of a signature applied to the end of the gospel of John. The words of these last two verses are probably a combination of John's dictation to a scribe, a note from either that scribe or another believer, and possibly John's own handwritten note. They affirm this book was written by John, based on his own experiences. The last words of the text remind the reader that not everything Christ said or did in His earthly ministry was recorded in the Bible.

Chapter Summary:

After Jesus' resurrection, a group of disciples goes fishing while they wait in Galilee. From a distance, a figure appears and tells the men to cast again. Despite a fruitless night, they obey, and the net is immediately overflowing with fish. This confirms that the man on the shore is Jesus. As the disciples eat a meal with Christ, He presses Peter to reaffirm His faith. Jesus then predicts the nature of Peter's death; He does not do so for John. The gospel of John ends with an affirmation of its source, and a reminder that no single book could contain every detail of Jesus' ministry.

Chapter Context:

The final chapter of the gospel of John evokes the recent trend of a "post-credits scene" from films. After the main story has been told, John includes one last scene to further add details about what is to come. After Jesus' resurrection and appearances, He meets with the disciples near Galilee. A major outcome of this meeting is Peter's restoration to his former status. No finite work could fully explain Jesus' ministry, so John's eyewitness account is only part of those truths.

The gospel of John was written by the disciple John, decades later than the gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke. The author assumes that a reader is already familiar with the content of these other works. So, John presents a different perspective, with a greater emphasis on meaning. John uses seven miracles—which he calls “signs”—in order to prove that Jesus is, in fact, God incarnate. Some of the most well-known verses in all of the Bible are found here. None is more famous than the one-sentence summary of the gospel found in John 3:16.

Accessed 5/2/2024 7:16:49 AM