The Post-Resurrection Catch
Preaching
Preaching the Miracles
Series II, Cycle C
Object:
1. Text
After these things Jesus showed himself again to the disciples by the Sea of Tiberias; and he showed himself in this way.1 Gathered there together were Simon Peter, Thomas called the Twin, Nathanael of Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two others of his disciples.2 Simon Peter said to them, "I am going fishing." They said to him, "We will go with you." They went out and got into the boat, but that night they caught nothing.3 Just after daybreak, Jesus stood on the beach; but the disciples did not know that it was Jesus.4 Jesus said to them, "Children, you have no fish, have you?" They answered him, "No."5 He said to them, "Cast the net to 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 there were so many fish.6 That disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, "It is the Lord!" When Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he put on some clothes, for he was naked, and jumped into the sea.7 But the other disciples came in the boat, dragging the net full of fish, for they were not far from the land, only about a hundred yards off.8 When they had gone ashore, they saw a charcoal fire there, with fish on it, and bread.9 Jesus said to them, "Bring some of the fish that you have just caught."10 So Simon Peter went aboard and hauled the net ashore, full of large fish, a hundred fifty-three of them; and though there were so many, the net was not torn.11 Jesus said to them, "Come and have breakfast." Now none of the disciples dared to ask him, "Who are you?" because they knew it was the Lord.12 Jesus came and took the bread and gave it to them, and did the same with the fish.13 This was now the third time that Jesus appeared to the disciples after he was raised from the dead.14
2. What's Happening?
First Point Of Action
After being raised from the dead, Jesus shows himself several times to the disciples. This third recorded time, several disciples had fished the night on the Sea of Tiberias but have caught nothing.
Second Point Of Action
Just after daybreak, Jesus stands on the beach. The disciples do not recognize him.
Third Point Of Action
Addressing them as children, Jesus asks if they have fish. When they say they do not, Jesus tells them they will find some if they cast the net to the right side of the boat.
Fourth Point Of Action
The disciples cast the net but cannot haul it in because of so many fish.
Fifth Point Of Action
John tells Peter it is the Lord.
Sixth Point Of Action
Peter puts on his clothes and jumps into the sea. The other disciples, only about a hundred yards from the land, come in the boat, dragging the net full of fish.
Seventh Point Of Action
Ashore, the disciples see a charcoal fire with fish on it and bread.
Eighth Point Of Action
Jesus instructs the disciples to bring some of their fresh-caught fish. Boarding the boat, Peter hauls the net ashore. Even though the net contains an overload of large fish, the net holds. Jesus invites the disciples to come and eat breakfast. The disciples dare not ask Jesus who he is because they know it is the Lord.
Ninth Point Of Action
Jesus takes the bread and gives it to the disciples. He does the same with the fish.
3. Connecting Points -- Conversations
Interviewing Jesus
Asker: When does God become present to us?
Jesus: God comes at the sea level workplace as well as on the mountaintop. God uses the common because we can best comprehend the ordinary. God speaks to us in our language. To the fishers, God uses the language of the fishers. To plumbers, God speaks through imagery that makes sense to them. God speaks in the idiom a construction worker understands.
Asker: Your coming by the sea to these fishers was like your second coming. The first time, you called them to follow you. The second time you came to them to encourage them to continue as disciples. God comes in the most common, elementary action of eating, feeding, and nourishing. No wonder churches today share so many meals.
Jesus: God uses the obvious to jog our memories. I met these fishers first by the sea. There, I called them to follow me. There was an earlier huge catch of fish. How better might I come now than where they would immediately recall those words and actions? They, as with all people in all time, needed encouragement to firm the important commitments in their lives.
Asker: Jesus, let us talk about another parallel, another holy meal. This time, holy breakfast started a day rather than the holy last supper that ended a day. The way in which John tells this story replays your action at the last supper. Then, you took the bread and blessed it and gave it to the disciples. You did the same with the wine. Here, John says that you came and took the bread and gave it to them, and did the same with the fish. It would have been logical to start with the fish as the catch of fish was a significant part of this story. Fishing was the lifework of these disciples. What are you saying here, Jesus, in giving the elements to the disciples?
Jesus: Their work is holy. The act of sharing the common meal pulls us together. We need the community of doing something together within the realm of important symbols. All this revolves around remembering the covenant we share with God. Right then, my disciples needed to strengthen that covenant. The symbols of the common, holy meal helped them remember.
Asker: We call this ritual "communion." The word comes from a Latin word, communio, which means mutual, common participation. Somehow, Jesus, your sharing the seaside breakfast says what is holy exists not only in the temple by the religious leaders of the day. It is also in the workplace.
Jesus: All people in all time need reminders that work can be holy. It was the custom in Moses' day to kill an animal as an offering to God. Recall what happened after Moses read the Ten Commandments to the people. The people shouted, "All that the Lord has spoken we will do, and we will be obedient." (See Exodus 24:3ff.) Then Moses threw half the blood against the altar. The blood was a symbol of God's word to the people and the people's promise to keep all of God's commandments.
Asker: Moses threw the rest over the people to symbolize God's part of the promise. Moses said, "See the blood of the covenant that the Lord has made with you." (See Exodus 24:8.) Jesus, you said, "For this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sin." That was not said just by the chance of that night in the upper room. It is all connected.
Jesus: God's covenant was meant to be kept for all time. God chose the Hebrews as a special people, people whom God loved. Their advocate would bless and guide them. Their sustainer would be with them and lead them in all their ways. My disciples needed a reminder of this promise and of their part of the promise.1
Interviewing Simon Peter
Asker: Simon Peter, when you announced to the other disciples that you were going fishing, they were ready. Was this like any other work day? Was it a sign that you all were getting on with your lives after Jesus' death?
Peter: I was devastated by Jesus' death. True, I had to go through the motions. I am the practical one among us. I am the rock. We had to make our livelihood.
Asker: Still, you did not recognize Jesus at once. You were outspoken among the disciples. You took no lead in knowing him.
Peter: That gave away my grief. My mind was in a haze. I could get through the day and the night by concentrating on the fish. When the disciple whom Jesus loved told me it was Jesus, I could not get dressed fast enough. Then the boat could not get to shore fast enough. Now I can look back and understand the psalmist saying, "Weeping may linger for the night, but joy comes with the morning." (Psalm 30:5b).
Asker: What about your nakedness, Peter?
Peter: No problem. It was night. It was easier working in the water to untangle the nets. Better in the early morning chill to put on a dry robe. That morning, joy clothed me as I put on my robe. "You have turned my mourning into dancing; you have taken off my sackcloth and clothed me with joy," the psalmist sang (Psalm 30:11). (See Psalm 30:1-12 from the readings for Easter 3.)
Asker: Was it usual for you to fish at night?
Peter: It depends upon the storms. Water is calm at night.
Interviewing Thomas
Asker: Thomas, when I think of you, I call you "Doubting Thomas." Does that term carry more than a cliche?
Thomas: My doubting is not a game, a ploy for attention. I need proof. Not everyone has instant faith. The week before I saw the risen Christ, he had appeared to the other disciples. I happened to miss his coming. I did not know if my friends saw him. For all I knew, they yearned so for his return that they were willing to believe they had seen him. Thank God that Christ understood me. He knew I needed to touch, to feel for myself. He neither judged nor laughed at me.
Asker: Christ had you feel the wounds of his hand and his side.
Thomas: I had seen them nail his hands to the wood and pierce his side. I had seen him die. Still, Christ must have felt my hesitating even after I touched him. He nudged me further. "Do not doubt but believe," he said. I did let go of doubt. I did believe. The words just came out of my mouth, "My Lord and my God!" That ended my doubting. (See John 20:27, 28.)
Asker: Thomas, Jesus tried earlier to prepare you for his death. When I hear his words, "Do not let your hearts be troubled," I feel immediate reassurance. (See John 14:1-7.)
Thomas: I didn't. All I heard was Jesus was leaving to go somewhere. I had no idea of what he meant. I told him so. How could any of us know the way? I felt only my weakness. If he were to go away, I had not the inner strength required to carry on. Jesus was deserting me. Suddenly this man I had followed was like any other person. He was going to die. I hear reality long before I hear the invitation to dream. Jesus said, "Believe in God, believe also in me." I wanted to believe his words about going ahead of us and preparing a place for us, but how did I know? How did Jesus know? To me, it sounded presumptuous even of him.
Asker: Jesus returned to Judea from beyond the Jordan when he learned of Lazarus' ill health. What did you mean when you told the other disciples that you all should accompany him so you might die with him? (See John 11:16.)
Thomas: To return to Judea then was foolhardy. Division unsettled the Hebrews. Many attempts flew to stone Jesus. I doubted Jesus could survive. We had helped him escape to the place beyond the Jordan. It did not require a realist to know his life was in danger.
Asker: Yet, you returned with him.
Thomas: I am his disciple.
Asker: You were there with Jesus and still you doubted. We live centuries away from that time. What can encourage our belief? What can you say, Thomas, to others who have trouble trusting and believing?
Thomas: I could varnish my words, but that would not help others grow faith. We doubt after something has singed our belief. That moves us toward cynicism.
Asker: Cynicism greatly troubles people of my generation. How does one keep from becoming cynical? How does one overcome being cynical?
Thomas: Sometimes, we must lay aside our doubts and make a leap into faith. No, I must correct that. Sometimes, despite all our instincts, belief overtakes us. I can hardly believe I am saying this. I think you call it "miracle."
Asker: Well, Thomas, in this story, you said no words. I imagine your hanging back, observing, still wondering.
Thomas: You are mistaken. When Christ came to us this time, beside the sea, he came for Peter's sake. Christ had to reach through Peter's grief.
Interviewing Nathanael
Asker: Nathanael, as a disciple, you were a quiet follower. Perhaps you were less committed than the others.
Nathanael: A quiet follower, you say. Follower, yes, not a leader. I am a simple person. Jesus knew that and accepted me as I am. God does not ask us all to be Peter, Andrew, or even Philip. That does not mean I lack commitment.
Asker: You say that disciples in your day were as varied in their personality and their level of commitment as they are today.
Nathanael: My sort of person is sarcastic. Sarcasm is part of being young. My friend Philip first told me about Jesus. I asked him if anything good could come out of Nazareth.
Asker: Jesus enjoyed you. Your innocence in the midst of that sarcasm must have been a refreshing change from being challenged. After all, it did not take much to convince you to become a disciple.
Nathanael: It was good enough proof for me that Jesus noticed I existed there under the fig tree. I do not stand out.
Asker: Will you also spread the word about Jesus?
Nathanael: You will not find me in your pulpit, but I will spread the word.
4. Words
Bread
Offering bread was a rule of Hebrew hospitality. Hebrew families presented bread as a gift to strangers. (See 1 Samuel 16:20 and 2 Samuel 16:2.) According to The Interpreter's Dictionary Of The Bible,2 one loaf was a sufficient gift. (See 1 Samuel 2:36.) However, the ordinary person ate three loaves at a meal. (See Luke 11:5-6.) As no eating utensils were used in biblical times, bread was a sop for the thick soup or stew called pottage. Unlike white fluff bread, the hearty bread was similar to bread the author once ate after Sunday worship at an ecumenical, Episcopalian gathering in Sapporo, Japan. One slice of monk's bread -- a solid, twelve-inch wide by three-foot long loaf -- packed enough sustenance for the entire morning.
"Bread" also meant food. The Old Testament refers to food 189 times and to bread 183 times. The New Testament uses "food" 55 times and "bread" 59 times. While bread was a staple in the Hebrew diet, it was scarce in the diet of nomads.
To eat bread and drink water signified eating and drinking as a whole. However, the term "food" is distant, impersonal, and generic. Bread carries closer, intimate ties with nourishment. In a new meaning of hospitality, the Christian hymn says, "Let us break bread together on our knees."
The sacrifice of a portion of one's bread became a religious offering, a presentation or gift given to a deity. Of the thirteen biblical passages referring to the bread of the Presence, Exodus 25:30 mentions it first: "And you shall set the bread of the Presence on the table before me always." See Exodus 25-27 for God's instructions to Moses for making the ark of the covenant, the table, the altar, and the tabernacle. "Over the table of the bread of the Presence they shall spread a blue cloth, and put on it the plates, the dishes for incense, the bowls, and the flagons for the drink offering; the regular bread also shall be on it" (Numbers 4:7).
Eaten later by temple priests, the bread of the Presence is holy bread set aside on a special table for the bread offering. Is the "regular bread" on the same table eaten by everyone else? Earlier, Jesus hinted at sharing the holy bread with regular people when need exists. He encouraged his hungry disciples to pluck grain from the fields on the Sabbath. He defended his action by referring to 1 Samuel 21. The temple priest Ahimelech (possibly Abiathar) gave David the bread of the Presence. He believed that David had kept women from his men before the journey. Therefore, they would not profane the bread. The bread would fortify them for their journey. (See Cycle B, Miracle 5, The Withered Hand.)
By Jewish practice, bread, holy bread called the bread of the Presence, was placed at the altar table as a bread offering. Later, Jesus blessed the bread then offered it to believers. Ponder the connection here and the direction of the "offering." Holy food and drink are not separate from God or separate for God. They are holy because of God's blessing and therefore shared with, given, to us. By sharing these elements of holy communion, Jesus does not diminish God but enlarges God. Jesus suggests the people of God also count in this new covenantal relationship.
The new day the risen Christ offers breakfast to the disciples rewords the Exodus 25:30 passage, "I set before you the bread reminding you of the new covenant, always. Lo, I am with you always." This new meal provides the sustenance of manna to carry the disciples through the wilderness of their grief and the finding of their mission. (See Exodus 16:31ff.)
Because of this, consider the messages within these passages:
Give us this day our daily bread (Matthew 6:11).
While they were eating, Jesus took a loaf of bread, and after blessing it he broke it, gave it to the disciples, and said, "Take, eat; this is my body" (Matthew 26:26).
I am the living bread that came down from heaven. Whoever eats of this bread will live forever; and the bread that I will give for the life of the world is my flesh (John 6:51).
Breakfast (Meals)
Meals held meaning beyond consuming food and drink. They were a time of community among those gathered and a time of personal closeness with God. Meals also provided the setting for the entertainment of that day, music and singing. The first meal came in late morning. The ordinary day began without any meal. Main meals were in the evening when there was not enough daylight to continue work. Meat was reserved for the evening meal. At ordinary meals, women and men ate together. However, men alone went to banquets. The host offered thanks, the blessing, for the food. The Eucharist means "to give thanks."
Two parts comprised each meal. First came the food, then the wine. Modeling this at the Last Supper, Jesus served the bread first. The meal reminds one of the expectation of a feast in God's kingdom. (See Matthew 26:29, Mark 14:25, and Luke 22:18). See Cycle A, Miracle 7.
Thomas
Thomas is among the twelve disciples listed in Matthew 10:3, Mark 3:18, Luke 6:15, John 21:2, and Acts 1:13. In the Synoptic Gospels, Thomas' and Matthew's names are near each other in the middle of the list. This suggests these writers agreed that Thomas was neither most nor least important of the disciples. The Gospel called John gives more importance to Thomas, listing him after Simon Peter but before Nathanael and the sons of Zebedee, James and John. (See John 21:2 in the present miracle.)
The Gospel of John tells more about Thomas than the Synoptic Gospels. Three times, John calls Thomas "the Twin," once in apposition, once in parenthesis, and once as "Thomas called the Twin." (See John 11:16, John 20:24, and John 21:2.) According to E. P. Blair in The Interpreter's Dictionary Of The Bible,3 the name Thomas may mean "the twin." It might also be the actual name of this disciple. Whose twin Thomas was remains a mystery. One learns little about Thomas in this miracle but assumes that Thomas was among "they" who told Simon Peter they would go fishing with him. (See John 21:3.)
Disciples
The first reported time that the risen Christ appeared to the disciples was the evening of the first day of the week. Christ came to them in the house, but not through the shut doors. He invited them to touch his hand and his side. He showed them his hands and his side then passed on to them the power of the Holy Spirit, that is, the authority to forgive sins. (See John 20:19ff.)
In his second post-resurrection appearance, Christ appeared to Thomas. Thomas had not been with the other disciples when Christ first appeared. Thomas told them that unless he could touch the print of the nails in his hands and place his hand in his pierced side, he would not believe. So Christ came also to him in the house, again not through the shut doors, and invited him to touch his hand and his side. (See John 20:26ff.) Both times, Christ greeted the disciples with these words: "Peace be with you."
Jesus selected and trained the twelve original disciples. His assistants, the inner circle, might have been representative of the twelve tribes of Israel. The lists of names of the twelve disciples are inconsistent. (See Matthew 10:3ff, Mark 3:13ff, Luke 6:13ff, and Acts 1:13.) The Synoptic Gospels list as disciples Simon Peter, Simon's brother Andrew, James and John the sons of Zebedee, Philip, Bartholomew, Thomas, Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus, Thaddaeus (in Luke as Judas the son of James), Simon (the Zealot) of Cana, and Judas Iscariot.
Of the 199 New Testament (NRSV) references to disciples, 103 read "his disciples" and 83 read "the disciples." Three read "the" or "his" "twelve disciples." Thirty-three other verses refer to "the twelve."
The number of Jesus' disciples grew. One was Joseph of Arimathea, listed in Matthew 27:57 and John 19:38. Others specifically listed as disciples in Acts were Ananias from Damascus (Acts 9:10), Tabitha or Dorcas, a woman from Joppa (Acts 9:36), Timothy from Lystra (Acts 16:1), and Mnason from Cyprus (Acts 21:16). In Antioch, disciples were first called Christians. (See Acts 11:26.)
Disciple
The singular "disciple," occurs 21 times in the New Testament. A disciple is a follower of any great leader or movement. Serious about their belief, disciples help spread the word. A disciple of Christ is a believer in Christ in any time or place. The word "disciple," is frequent in John and always refers to a specific person. In Mark, it is absent.
In Matthew and Luke, "disciple" appears only as spoken by Jesus as he taught about discipleship. Here Jesus addressed the place of compassion in discipleship (Matthew 10:42), the role of giving up one's possessions (Luke 14:33), the relationship with one's family and life (Luke 14:26), and the cost of discipleship (Luke 14:27). See also Matthew 10:24, 25 and Luke 6:40 for the teacher as a role model.
Nathanael of Cana in Galilee
Only the writer of the Gospel of John lists Nathanael as a disciple. Philip brought Nathanael to Jesus. (See John 1:45-49 and 21:2.) It was Nathanael who asked Philip, "Can anything good come out of Nazareth?" (John 1:46) When Jesus said of Nathanael, "Here is truly an Israelite in whom there is no deceit" (John 1:47), Nathanael asked how Jesus knew him. Jesus said he had been observing him under a fig tree. That was enough to convince Nathanael that Jesus was the Son of God. Nathanael's innocence must have tickled Jesus because Jesus suggested Nathanael had seen nothing yet.
5. Gospel Parallels
John 12:1-14 is the only gospel version of this story. The cross-references below may augment understanding of the story.4
After these things Jesus showed himself again to the disciples by the Sea of Tiberias; and he showed himself in this way (John 21:1).
The following four passages mention the other times Christ showed himself to the disciples: "After this he appeared in another form to two of them, as they were walking into the country" (Mark 16:12).
When it was evening on that day, the first day of the week, and the doors of the house where the disciples had met were locked for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said, 'Peace be with you' " (John 20:19).
A week later his disciples were again in the house, and Thomas was with them. Although the doors were shut, Jesus came and stood among them and said, 'Peace be with you' " (John 20:26).
"This was now the third time that Jesus appeared to the disciples after he was raised from the dead" (John 21:14).
Gathered there together were Simon Peter, Thomas called the Twin, Nathanael of Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two others of his disciples (John 21:2).
The following passages name the two sons of Zebedee at their calling. They connect them with Simon and tell of Philip's bringing Nathanael to Jesus. They speak of Thomas "called the Twin."
"As he went from there, he saw two other brothers, James son of Zebedee and his brother John, in the boat with their father Zebedee, mending their nets, and he called them" (Matthew 4:21).
"As he went a little farther, he saw James, son of Zebedee, and his brother John, who were in their boat mending the nets" (Mark 1:19).
"... and so also were James and John, sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon. Then Jesus said to Simon, "Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching people" (Luke 5:10).
"Philip found Nathanael and said to him, 'We have found him about whom Moses in the law and also the prophets wrote, Jesus son of Joseph from Nazareth' " (John 1:45).
"Thomas, who was called the Twin, said to his fellow disciples, 'Let us also go, that we may die with him' " (John 11:16).
Simon Peter said to them, "I am going fishing." They said to him, "We will go with you." They went out and got into the boat, but that night they caught nothing (John 21:3).
No cross-reference.
Just after daybreak, Jesus stood on the beach; but the disciples did not know that it was Jesus (John 21:4).
Other references telling of friends not recognizing the risen Christ as Jesus are Luke 24:16 ("but their eyes were kept from recognizing him") and John 20:14 ("When [Mary] had said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not know that it was Jesus").
Jesus said to them, "Children, you have no fish, have you?" They answered him, "No" (John 21:5).
These were the first words Christ spoke to the disciples. See Luke 24 for another account of Christ coming to the disciples and among his first words to them: "While in their joy they were disbelieving and still wondering, he said to them, 'Have you anything here to eat?' " (Luke 24:41).
He said to them, "Cast the net to 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 there were so many fish (John 21:6).
For other references to Jesus' giving the disciples fishing instructions with nets, the boat, and going into deep water, see Luke 5:3-5. Other evidence that the fishers fished at night comes from Luke 5:5. "Simon answered, 'Master, we have worked all night long but have caught nothing. Yet if you say so, I will let down the nets.' " Here, too, the result is a large catch of fish. (See Cycle C, Miracle 4, "The Catch Of Fish," Luke 5:1-11, Epiphany 5.)
That disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, "It is the Lord!" When Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he put on some clothes, for he was naked, and jumped into the sea (John 21:7).
For other references to the "disciple whom Jesus loved," see John 13:23, John 19:26, John 20:2, and John 21:20.
But the other disciples came in the boat, dragging the net full of fish, for they were not far from the land, only about a hundred yards off. When they had gone ashore, they saw a charcoal fire there, with fish on it, and bread (John 21:8-9).
No cross-references.
Jesus said to them, "Bring some of the fish that you have just caught." So Simon Peter went aboard and hauled the net ashore, full of large fish, a hundred fifty-three of them; and though there were so many, the net was not torn. Jesus said to them, "Come and have breakfast." Now none of the disciples dared to ask him, "Who are you?" because they knew it was the Lord (John 21:10-12).
John 4:27 reports another time the disciples dared not confront Jesus: "Just then his disciples came. They were astonished that he was speaking with a woman, but no one said, 'What do you want?' or, 'Why are you speaking with her?' "
Jesus came and took the bread and gave it to them, and did the same with the fish (John 21:13).
For other significant times Jesus shared bread, see these passages: "When he was at the table with them, he took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to them" (Luke 24:30); "Then Jesus took the loaves, and when he had given thanks, he distributed them to those who were seated; so also the fish, as much as they wanted" (John 6:11); and "When they had gone ashore, they saw a charcoal fire there, with fish on it, and bread" (John 21:9).
This was now the third time that Jesus appeared to the disciples after he was raised from the dead (John 21:14).
For discussion of the first and second times Christ appeared to the disciples, see John 20:19 and John 20:26.
____________
1. See Alexander Campbell and Gerry Haff, Live With Moses! (Prescott, AZ: Educational Ministries, 1982).
2. See Volume 1.
3. See Volume 4.
4. Cross-references are from the self-promoting reference RSV edition of The Holy Bible (Cleveland and New York: The World Publishing Company, 1962). Texts are from NRSV.
After these things Jesus showed himself again to the disciples by the Sea of Tiberias; and he showed himself in this way.1 Gathered there together were Simon Peter, Thomas called the Twin, Nathanael of Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two others of his disciples.2 Simon Peter said to them, "I am going fishing." They said to him, "We will go with you." They went out and got into the boat, but that night they caught nothing.3 Just after daybreak, Jesus stood on the beach; but the disciples did not know that it was Jesus.4 Jesus said to them, "Children, you have no fish, have you?" They answered him, "No."5 He said to them, "Cast the net to 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 there were so many fish.6 That disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, "It is the Lord!" When Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he put on some clothes, for he was naked, and jumped into the sea.7 But the other disciples came in the boat, dragging the net full of fish, for they were not far from the land, only about a hundred yards off.8 When they had gone ashore, they saw a charcoal fire there, with fish on it, and bread.9 Jesus said to them, "Bring some of the fish that you have just caught."10 So Simon Peter went aboard and hauled the net ashore, full of large fish, a hundred fifty-three of them; and though there were so many, the net was not torn.11 Jesus said to them, "Come and have breakfast." Now none of the disciples dared to ask him, "Who are you?" because they knew it was the Lord.12 Jesus came and took the bread and gave it to them, and did the same with the fish.13 This was now the third time that Jesus appeared to the disciples after he was raised from the dead.14
2. What's Happening?
First Point Of Action
After being raised from the dead, Jesus shows himself several times to the disciples. This third recorded time, several disciples had fished the night on the Sea of Tiberias but have caught nothing.
Second Point Of Action
Just after daybreak, Jesus stands on the beach. The disciples do not recognize him.
Third Point Of Action
Addressing them as children, Jesus asks if they have fish. When they say they do not, Jesus tells them they will find some if they cast the net to the right side of the boat.
Fourth Point Of Action
The disciples cast the net but cannot haul it in because of so many fish.
Fifth Point Of Action
John tells Peter it is the Lord.
Sixth Point Of Action
Peter puts on his clothes and jumps into the sea. The other disciples, only about a hundred yards from the land, come in the boat, dragging the net full of fish.
Seventh Point Of Action
Ashore, the disciples see a charcoal fire with fish on it and bread.
Eighth Point Of Action
Jesus instructs the disciples to bring some of their fresh-caught fish. Boarding the boat, Peter hauls the net ashore. Even though the net contains an overload of large fish, the net holds. Jesus invites the disciples to come and eat breakfast. The disciples dare not ask Jesus who he is because they know it is the Lord.
Ninth Point Of Action
Jesus takes the bread and gives it to the disciples. He does the same with the fish.
3. Connecting Points -- Conversations
Interviewing Jesus
Asker: When does God become present to us?
Jesus: God comes at the sea level workplace as well as on the mountaintop. God uses the common because we can best comprehend the ordinary. God speaks to us in our language. To the fishers, God uses the language of the fishers. To plumbers, God speaks through imagery that makes sense to them. God speaks in the idiom a construction worker understands.
Asker: Your coming by the sea to these fishers was like your second coming. The first time, you called them to follow you. The second time you came to them to encourage them to continue as disciples. God comes in the most common, elementary action of eating, feeding, and nourishing. No wonder churches today share so many meals.
Jesus: God uses the obvious to jog our memories. I met these fishers first by the sea. There, I called them to follow me. There was an earlier huge catch of fish. How better might I come now than where they would immediately recall those words and actions? They, as with all people in all time, needed encouragement to firm the important commitments in their lives.
Asker: Jesus, let us talk about another parallel, another holy meal. This time, holy breakfast started a day rather than the holy last supper that ended a day. The way in which John tells this story replays your action at the last supper. Then, you took the bread and blessed it and gave it to the disciples. You did the same with the wine. Here, John says that you came and took the bread and gave it to them, and did the same with the fish. It would have been logical to start with the fish as the catch of fish was a significant part of this story. Fishing was the lifework of these disciples. What are you saying here, Jesus, in giving the elements to the disciples?
Jesus: Their work is holy. The act of sharing the common meal pulls us together. We need the community of doing something together within the realm of important symbols. All this revolves around remembering the covenant we share with God. Right then, my disciples needed to strengthen that covenant. The symbols of the common, holy meal helped them remember.
Asker: We call this ritual "communion." The word comes from a Latin word, communio, which means mutual, common participation. Somehow, Jesus, your sharing the seaside breakfast says what is holy exists not only in the temple by the religious leaders of the day. It is also in the workplace.
Jesus: All people in all time need reminders that work can be holy. It was the custom in Moses' day to kill an animal as an offering to God. Recall what happened after Moses read the Ten Commandments to the people. The people shouted, "All that the Lord has spoken we will do, and we will be obedient." (See Exodus 24:3ff.) Then Moses threw half the blood against the altar. The blood was a symbol of God's word to the people and the people's promise to keep all of God's commandments.
Asker: Moses threw the rest over the people to symbolize God's part of the promise. Moses said, "See the blood of the covenant that the Lord has made with you." (See Exodus 24:8.) Jesus, you said, "For this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sin." That was not said just by the chance of that night in the upper room. It is all connected.
Jesus: God's covenant was meant to be kept for all time. God chose the Hebrews as a special people, people whom God loved. Their advocate would bless and guide them. Their sustainer would be with them and lead them in all their ways. My disciples needed a reminder of this promise and of their part of the promise.1
Interviewing Simon Peter
Asker: Simon Peter, when you announced to the other disciples that you were going fishing, they were ready. Was this like any other work day? Was it a sign that you all were getting on with your lives after Jesus' death?
Peter: I was devastated by Jesus' death. True, I had to go through the motions. I am the practical one among us. I am the rock. We had to make our livelihood.
Asker: Still, you did not recognize Jesus at once. You were outspoken among the disciples. You took no lead in knowing him.
Peter: That gave away my grief. My mind was in a haze. I could get through the day and the night by concentrating on the fish. When the disciple whom Jesus loved told me it was Jesus, I could not get dressed fast enough. Then the boat could not get to shore fast enough. Now I can look back and understand the psalmist saying, "Weeping may linger for the night, but joy comes with the morning." (Psalm 30:5b).
Asker: What about your nakedness, Peter?
Peter: No problem. It was night. It was easier working in the water to untangle the nets. Better in the early morning chill to put on a dry robe. That morning, joy clothed me as I put on my robe. "You have turned my mourning into dancing; you have taken off my sackcloth and clothed me with joy," the psalmist sang (Psalm 30:11). (See Psalm 30:1-12 from the readings for Easter 3.)
Asker: Was it usual for you to fish at night?
Peter: It depends upon the storms. Water is calm at night.
Interviewing Thomas
Asker: Thomas, when I think of you, I call you "Doubting Thomas." Does that term carry more than a cliche?
Thomas: My doubting is not a game, a ploy for attention. I need proof. Not everyone has instant faith. The week before I saw the risen Christ, he had appeared to the other disciples. I happened to miss his coming. I did not know if my friends saw him. For all I knew, they yearned so for his return that they were willing to believe they had seen him. Thank God that Christ understood me. He knew I needed to touch, to feel for myself. He neither judged nor laughed at me.
Asker: Christ had you feel the wounds of his hand and his side.
Thomas: I had seen them nail his hands to the wood and pierce his side. I had seen him die. Still, Christ must have felt my hesitating even after I touched him. He nudged me further. "Do not doubt but believe," he said. I did let go of doubt. I did believe. The words just came out of my mouth, "My Lord and my God!" That ended my doubting. (See John 20:27, 28.)
Asker: Thomas, Jesus tried earlier to prepare you for his death. When I hear his words, "Do not let your hearts be troubled," I feel immediate reassurance. (See John 14:1-7.)
Thomas: I didn't. All I heard was Jesus was leaving to go somewhere. I had no idea of what he meant. I told him so. How could any of us know the way? I felt only my weakness. If he were to go away, I had not the inner strength required to carry on. Jesus was deserting me. Suddenly this man I had followed was like any other person. He was going to die. I hear reality long before I hear the invitation to dream. Jesus said, "Believe in God, believe also in me." I wanted to believe his words about going ahead of us and preparing a place for us, but how did I know? How did Jesus know? To me, it sounded presumptuous even of him.
Asker: Jesus returned to Judea from beyond the Jordan when he learned of Lazarus' ill health. What did you mean when you told the other disciples that you all should accompany him so you might die with him? (See John 11:16.)
Thomas: To return to Judea then was foolhardy. Division unsettled the Hebrews. Many attempts flew to stone Jesus. I doubted Jesus could survive. We had helped him escape to the place beyond the Jordan. It did not require a realist to know his life was in danger.
Asker: Yet, you returned with him.
Thomas: I am his disciple.
Asker: You were there with Jesus and still you doubted. We live centuries away from that time. What can encourage our belief? What can you say, Thomas, to others who have trouble trusting and believing?
Thomas: I could varnish my words, but that would not help others grow faith. We doubt after something has singed our belief. That moves us toward cynicism.
Asker: Cynicism greatly troubles people of my generation. How does one keep from becoming cynical? How does one overcome being cynical?
Thomas: Sometimes, we must lay aside our doubts and make a leap into faith. No, I must correct that. Sometimes, despite all our instincts, belief overtakes us. I can hardly believe I am saying this. I think you call it "miracle."
Asker: Well, Thomas, in this story, you said no words. I imagine your hanging back, observing, still wondering.
Thomas: You are mistaken. When Christ came to us this time, beside the sea, he came for Peter's sake. Christ had to reach through Peter's grief.
Interviewing Nathanael
Asker: Nathanael, as a disciple, you were a quiet follower. Perhaps you were less committed than the others.
Nathanael: A quiet follower, you say. Follower, yes, not a leader. I am a simple person. Jesus knew that and accepted me as I am. God does not ask us all to be Peter, Andrew, or even Philip. That does not mean I lack commitment.
Asker: You say that disciples in your day were as varied in their personality and their level of commitment as they are today.
Nathanael: My sort of person is sarcastic. Sarcasm is part of being young. My friend Philip first told me about Jesus. I asked him if anything good could come out of Nazareth.
Asker: Jesus enjoyed you. Your innocence in the midst of that sarcasm must have been a refreshing change from being challenged. After all, it did not take much to convince you to become a disciple.
Nathanael: It was good enough proof for me that Jesus noticed I existed there under the fig tree. I do not stand out.
Asker: Will you also spread the word about Jesus?
Nathanael: You will not find me in your pulpit, but I will spread the word.
4. Words
Bread
Offering bread was a rule of Hebrew hospitality. Hebrew families presented bread as a gift to strangers. (See 1 Samuel 16:20 and 2 Samuel 16:2.) According to The Interpreter's Dictionary Of The Bible,2 one loaf was a sufficient gift. (See 1 Samuel 2:36.) However, the ordinary person ate three loaves at a meal. (See Luke 11:5-6.) As no eating utensils were used in biblical times, bread was a sop for the thick soup or stew called pottage. Unlike white fluff bread, the hearty bread was similar to bread the author once ate after Sunday worship at an ecumenical, Episcopalian gathering in Sapporo, Japan. One slice of monk's bread -- a solid, twelve-inch wide by three-foot long loaf -- packed enough sustenance for the entire morning.
"Bread" also meant food. The Old Testament refers to food 189 times and to bread 183 times. The New Testament uses "food" 55 times and "bread" 59 times. While bread was a staple in the Hebrew diet, it was scarce in the diet of nomads.
To eat bread and drink water signified eating and drinking as a whole. However, the term "food" is distant, impersonal, and generic. Bread carries closer, intimate ties with nourishment. In a new meaning of hospitality, the Christian hymn says, "Let us break bread together on our knees."
The sacrifice of a portion of one's bread became a religious offering, a presentation or gift given to a deity. Of the thirteen biblical passages referring to the bread of the Presence, Exodus 25:30 mentions it first: "And you shall set the bread of the Presence on the table before me always." See Exodus 25-27 for God's instructions to Moses for making the ark of the covenant, the table, the altar, and the tabernacle. "Over the table of the bread of the Presence they shall spread a blue cloth, and put on it the plates, the dishes for incense, the bowls, and the flagons for the drink offering; the regular bread also shall be on it" (Numbers 4:7).
Eaten later by temple priests, the bread of the Presence is holy bread set aside on a special table for the bread offering. Is the "regular bread" on the same table eaten by everyone else? Earlier, Jesus hinted at sharing the holy bread with regular people when need exists. He encouraged his hungry disciples to pluck grain from the fields on the Sabbath. He defended his action by referring to 1 Samuel 21. The temple priest Ahimelech (possibly Abiathar) gave David the bread of the Presence. He believed that David had kept women from his men before the journey. Therefore, they would not profane the bread. The bread would fortify them for their journey. (See Cycle B, Miracle 5, The Withered Hand.)
By Jewish practice, bread, holy bread called the bread of the Presence, was placed at the altar table as a bread offering. Later, Jesus blessed the bread then offered it to believers. Ponder the connection here and the direction of the "offering." Holy food and drink are not separate from God or separate for God. They are holy because of God's blessing and therefore shared with, given, to us. By sharing these elements of holy communion, Jesus does not diminish God but enlarges God. Jesus suggests the people of God also count in this new covenantal relationship.
The new day the risen Christ offers breakfast to the disciples rewords the Exodus 25:30 passage, "I set before you the bread reminding you of the new covenant, always. Lo, I am with you always." This new meal provides the sustenance of manna to carry the disciples through the wilderness of their grief and the finding of their mission. (See Exodus 16:31ff.)
Because of this, consider the messages within these passages:
Give us this day our daily bread (Matthew 6:11).
While they were eating, Jesus took a loaf of bread, and after blessing it he broke it, gave it to the disciples, and said, "Take, eat; this is my body" (Matthew 26:26).
I am the living bread that came down from heaven. Whoever eats of this bread will live forever; and the bread that I will give for the life of the world is my flesh (John 6:51).
Breakfast (Meals)
Meals held meaning beyond consuming food and drink. They were a time of community among those gathered and a time of personal closeness with God. Meals also provided the setting for the entertainment of that day, music and singing. The first meal came in late morning. The ordinary day began without any meal. Main meals were in the evening when there was not enough daylight to continue work. Meat was reserved for the evening meal. At ordinary meals, women and men ate together. However, men alone went to banquets. The host offered thanks, the blessing, for the food. The Eucharist means "to give thanks."
Two parts comprised each meal. First came the food, then the wine. Modeling this at the Last Supper, Jesus served the bread first. The meal reminds one of the expectation of a feast in God's kingdom. (See Matthew 26:29, Mark 14:25, and Luke 22:18). See Cycle A, Miracle 7.
Thomas
Thomas is among the twelve disciples listed in Matthew 10:3, Mark 3:18, Luke 6:15, John 21:2, and Acts 1:13. In the Synoptic Gospels, Thomas' and Matthew's names are near each other in the middle of the list. This suggests these writers agreed that Thomas was neither most nor least important of the disciples. The Gospel called John gives more importance to Thomas, listing him after Simon Peter but before Nathanael and the sons of Zebedee, James and John. (See John 21:2 in the present miracle.)
The Gospel of John tells more about Thomas than the Synoptic Gospels. Three times, John calls Thomas "the Twin," once in apposition, once in parenthesis, and once as "Thomas called the Twin." (See John 11:16, John 20:24, and John 21:2.) According to E. P. Blair in The Interpreter's Dictionary Of The Bible,3 the name Thomas may mean "the twin." It might also be the actual name of this disciple. Whose twin Thomas was remains a mystery. One learns little about Thomas in this miracle but assumes that Thomas was among "they" who told Simon Peter they would go fishing with him. (See John 21:3.)
Disciples
The first reported time that the risen Christ appeared to the disciples was the evening of the first day of the week. Christ came to them in the house, but not through the shut doors. He invited them to touch his hand and his side. He showed them his hands and his side then passed on to them the power of the Holy Spirit, that is, the authority to forgive sins. (See John 20:19ff.)
In his second post-resurrection appearance, Christ appeared to Thomas. Thomas had not been with the other disciples when Christ first appeared. Thomas told them that unless he could touch the print of the nails in his hands and place his hand in his pierced side, he would not believe. So Christ came also to him in the house, again not through the shut doors, and invited him to touch his hand and his side. (See John 20:26ff.) Both times, Christ greeted the disciples with these words: "Peace be with you."
Jesus selected and trained the twelve original disciples. His assistants, the inner circle, might have been representative of the twelve tribes of Israel. The lists of names of the twelve disciples are inconsistent. (See Matthew 10:3ff, Mark 3:13ff, Luke 6:13ff, and Acts 1:13.) The Synoptic Gospels list as disciples Simon Peter, Simon's brother Andrew, James and John the sons of Zebedee, Philip, Bartholomew, Thomas, Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus, Thaddaeus (in Luke as Judas the son of James), Simon (the Zealot) of Cana, and Judas Iscariot.
Of the 199 New Testament (NRSV) references to disciples, 103 read "his disciples" and 83 read "the disciples." Three read "the" or "his" "twelve disciples." Thirty-three other verses refer to "the twelve."
The number of Jesus' disciples grew. One was Joseph of Arimathea, listed in Matthew 27:57 and John 19:38. Others specifically listed as disciples in Acts were Ananias from Damascus (Acts 9:10), Tabitha or Dorcas, a woman from Joppa (Acts 9:36), Timothy from Lystra (Acts 16:1), and Mnason from Cyprus (Acts 21:16). In Antioch, disciples were first called Christians. (See Acts 11:26.)
Disciple
The singular "disciple," occurs 21 times in the New Testament. A disciple is a follower of any great leader or movement. Serious about their belief, disciples help spread the word. A disciple of Christ is a believer in Christ in any time or place. The word "disciple," is frequent in John and always refers to a specific person. In Mark, it is absent.
In Matthew and Luke, "disciple" appears only as spoken by Jesus as he taught about discipleship. Here Jesus addressed the place of compassion in discipleship (Matthew 10:42), the role of giving up one's possessions (Luke 14:33), the relationship with one's family and life (Luke 14:26), and the cost of discipleship (Luke 14:27). See also Matthew 10:24, 25 and Luke 6:40 for the teacher as a role model.
Nathanael of Cana in Galilee
Only the writer of the Gospel of John lists Nathanael as a disciple. Philip brought Nathanael to Jesus. (See John 1:45-49 and 21:2.) It was Nathanael who asked Philip, "Can anything good come out of Nazareth?" (John 1:46) When Jesus said of Nathanael, "Here is truly an Israelite in whom there is no deceit" (John 1:47), Nathanael asked how Jesus knew him. Jesus said he had been observing him under a fig tree. That was enough to convince Nathanael that Jesus was the Son of God. Nathanael's innocence must have tickled Jesus because Jesus suggested Nathanael had seen nothing yet.
5. Gospel Parallels
John 12:1-14 is the only gospel version of this story. The cross-references below may augment understanding of the story.4
After these things Jesus showed himself again to the disciples by the Sea of Tiberias; and he showed himself in this way (John 21:1).
The following four passages mention the other times Christ showed himself to the disciples: "After this he appeared in another form to two of them, as they were walking into the country" (Mark 16:12).
When it was evening on that day, the first day of the week, and the doors of the house where the disciples had met were locked for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said, 'Peace be with you' " (John 20:19).
A week later his disciples were again in the house, and Thomas was with them. Although the doors were shut, Jesus came and stood among them and said, 'Peace be with you' " (John 20:26).
"This was now the third time that Jesus appeared to the disciples after he was raised from the dead" (John 21:14).
Gathered there together were Simon Peter, Thomas called the Twin, Nathanael of Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two others of his disciples (John 21:2).
The following passages name the two sons of Zebedee at their calling. They connect them with Simon and tell of Philip's bringing Nathanael to Jesus. They speak of Thomas "called the Twin."
"As he went from there, he saw two other brothers, James son of Zebedee and his brother John, in the boat with their father Zebedee, mending their nets, and he called them" (Matthew 4:21).
"As he went a little farther, he saw James, son of Zebedee, and his brother John, who were in their boat mending the nets" (Mark 1:19).
"... and so also were James and John, sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon. Then Jesus said to Simon, "Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching people" (Luke 5:10).
"Philip found Nathanael and said to him, 'We have found him about whom Moses in the law and also the prophets wrote, Jesus son of Joseph from Nazareth' " (John 1:45).
"Thomas, who was called the Twin, said to his fellow disciples, 'Let us also go, that we may die with him' " (John 11:16).
Simon Peter said to them, "I am going fishing." They said to him, "We will go with you." They went out and got into the boat, but that night they caught nothing (John 21:3).
No cross-reference.
Just after daybreak, Jesus stood on the beach; but the disciples did not know that it was Jesus (John 21:4).
Other references telling of friends not recognizing the risen Christ as Jesus are Luke 24:16 ("but their eyes were kept from recognizing him") and John 20:14 ("When [Mary] had said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not know that it was Jesus").
Jesus said to them, "Children, you have no fish, have you?" They answered him, "No" (John 21:5).
These were the first words Christ spoke to the disciples. See Luke 24 for another account of Christ coming to the disciples and among his first words to them: "While in their joy they were disbelieving and still wondering, he said to them, 'Have you anything here to eat?' " (Luke 24:41).
He said to them, "Cast the net to 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 there were so many fish (John 21:6).
For other references to Jesus' giving the disciples fishing instructions with nets, the boat, and going into deep water, see Luke 5:3-5. Other evidence that the fishers fished at night comes from Luke 5:5. "Simon answered, 'Master, we have worked all night long but have caught nothing. Yet if you say so, I will let down the nets.' " Here, too, the result is a large catch of fish. (See Cycle C, Miracle 4, "The Catch Of Fish," Luke 5:1-11, Epiphany 5.)
That disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, "It is the Lord!" When Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he put on some clothes, for he was naked, and jumped into the sea (John 21:7).
For other references to the "disciple whom Jesus loved," see John 13:23, John 19:26, John 20:2, and John 21:20.
But the other disciples came in the boat, dragging the net full of fish, for they were not far from the land, only about a hundred yards off. When they had gone ashore, they saw a charcoal fire there, with fish on it, and bread (John 21:8-9).
No cross-references.
Jesus said to them, "Bring some of the fish that you have just caught." So Simon Peter went aboard and hauled the net ashore, full of large fish, a hundred fifty-three of them; and though there were so many, the net was not torn. Jesus said to them, "Come and have breakfast." Now none of the disciples dared to ask him, "Who are you?" because they knew it was the Lord (John 21:10-12).
John 4:27 reports another time the disciples dared not confront Jesus: "Just then his disciples came. They were astonished that he was speaking with a woman, but no one said, 'What do you want?' or, 'Why are you speaking with her?' "
Jesus came and took the bread and gave it to them, and did the same with the fish (John 21:13).
For other significant times Jesus shared bread, see these passages: "When he was at the table with them, he took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to them" (Luke 24:30); "Then Jesus took the loaves, and when he had given thanks, he distributed them to those who were seated; so also the fish, as much as they wanted" (John 6:11); and "When they had gone ashore, they saw a charcoal fire there, with fish on it, and bread" (John 21:9).
This was now the third time that Jesus appeared to the disciples after he was raised from the dead (John 21:14).
For discussion of the first and second times Christ appeared to the disciples, see John 20:19 and John 20:26.
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1. See Alexander Campbell and Gerry Haff, Live With Moses! (Prescott, AZ: Educational Ministries, 1982).
2. See Volume 1.
3. See Volume 4.
4. Cross-references are from the self-promoting reference RSV edition of The Holy Bible (Cleveland and New York: The World Publishing Company, 1962). Texts are from NRSV.
