The
Epilogue in John 21
In
literature an epilogue is known as an afterword, and
we see precisely just that in the 21st chapter of John. The gospel could well
have finished in chapter twenty as it ended climactically but in this epilogue
we read some things that were written for our deeper understanding.
We break
into the scene where Peter and some of the other disciples are fishing. Dawn
has just broken and they have been unsuccessful and someone on the shore in the
distance advises them to put there net on the other side of the boat. When they
follow that suggestion they are overwhelmed at how many fish they are able to
catch and are afraid their net will break. At that moment John recognizes the
individual on the shore is the risen Lord Jesus Christ and he says to Peter “It
is the Lord”. Without hesitation Peter jumps into the water and goes to
him.
As we pause
here, let us ask ourselves another time when Peter the disciple jumped into the
water towards the Lord? (Matthew 14:30) What is the difference between these
two occasions?
The first
time was during a storm where the disciples saw the Lord and were sure that a
ghost was appearing to them. Christ’s reassurance motivated Peter to attempt
walking on water; in reading that account we see how Peter in a short
period of time loses his faith and his nerve and begins to sink. His cry to the
Lord shows his dependence on Him and the Lord Jesus says to him in Matt. 14:31,
“You of little faith, why did you doubt”. As we consider this event, I would
suggest Peter’s wonder and amazement over the fact that Christ is walking on
the water was more compelling to him than anything else. In other words, he may
of thought of this miracle as being an impressive
thing to try. When we see someone else doing something amazing we want to try
it, Peter may have been superficial in his understanding of what the Lord was
trying to teach him and the other disciples.
The second
time we read of Peter going towards the Lord in the water, the scenario and
reasons are vastly different. Just before Christ’s death it is recorded in the
gospels of Matthew, Luke and John how Peter vowed he would not fall away no
matter what others did. After the Lord’s arrest we read of Peter following Him
from a distance. During this time he is approached on three occasions by people
who suspect that Peter is one of Christ’s followers. Peter denies this and in
Matthew 26:34 we read how the prediction came true. With this in mind Peter
charges out of the boat in John 21 to speak to the Lord whom he has denied.
This time Peter is not interested in walking on water, he does not care about
the distance to the shore, he is not worried about
getting chilled in the early morning. His interest was in meeting with the Lord
Jesus and rectifying the situation. We do not read of what Peter says to Jesus
but we do read what Jesus does and says to him.
Peter’s
Reinstatement
My first
observation is that Peter did not hesitate to jump in the water and go to the
Lord. How often when we have offended someone and clearly we are in the wrong;
how do we react? We usually avoid the situation, Peter did not. I suggest the
reason is that he knew the Lord’s reaction towards him. He had seen the way
Christ had handled the broken and the repentant before; He does not turn them
away.
Secondly,
the Lord provided for Peter physically by cooking breakfast for him and his
fellow disciples. Sharing a meal is always a sign of care and friendship. We
eat our meals with family or friends, people who we have clear and pleasant
relationships with; this was a sign of true fellowship with Christ. Unforgiving
hearts would not eat together. The image we can appreciate here is that the
Lord is always ready to receive and pardon us and he will take care of all our
needs.
Thirdly,
Peter received instructions from the Lord. First of all Jesus uses the image
and metaphor of a shepherd who cares for sheep.
He was commissioned to tend, to herd and to lead toward pasture those who God
was going to entrust him with. In the book of Acts we see how Peter was very
significant in the early church based out of
Hebrews
4:16 sums it up succinctly: “Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with
confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time
of need.”
By: David
Jones