Though they had before laboured in vain, yet their Master’s command encourages them to go to work again; then they take a multitude of fishes; a presage, say some, of that great success which the apostles should have in their fishing for men. read more
EXPLANATORY AND CRITICAL NOTESJohn 21:1. After these things (see John 5:1, etc.).—I.e. after the events recorded in chap. 20. The Sea of Tiberias.—See John 6:1. Showed Himself.—Rather manifested (ἐφανέρωσεν) Himself. Again.—Pointing back to John 20:14; John 20:19; John 20:26. In each case it was a manifestation of Himself to His disciples. This word is quite Johannine, and is one of the marks of genuineness of this chapter (see John 2:11, etc.).John 21:2. There were together, etc.—The names are... read more
John 21:1-14 I. It had been by a miraculous draught of fishes, like the one now before us, that, at the outset of His ministry, Christ had drawn away three at least of the seven now around Him, from their old occupations, and taught them to understand that in following Him they were to become fishers of men. Why was that miracle repeated? Because the lesson which it enforced was needed to be again given and enforced. Now that, bereft of the companionship of Christ, deprived of the means of... read more
John 21:0 We Learn from this Chapter I. The wide range of the pastoral office. Whenever the minister is exclusively a fisherman and neglects the labour of the shepherd, he is only doing half his work. He is like a man in a boat who seeks to propel it with one oar, and who succeeds only in making it spin round in a ceaseless circle. He will make no progress, and his people will lack intelligence. II. The true motive for Christian work, "Lovest thou Me?" The most potent principle in the Christian... read more
Chapter 21Now after these things Jesus showed himself again to the disciples at the sea of Tiberias; and this is how it happened. There were together Simon Peter, and Thomas called Didymus [the twin], and Nathanael of Cana in Galilee, and the sons of Zebedee [James and John], and two other [unnamed] disciples. Simon Peter said unto them, I'm going fishing. They said unto him, We'll go with you ( John 21:1-3 ).Now, here's a classic example of human leadership. Simon was evidently a natural... read more
John 21:2 . There were together Simon Peter, and Thomas called Didymus, a word which designates a twin; and Nathanael, and the sons of Zebedee, and two other disciples. Here are seven; the four absent ones might be Matthew, Jude, Simeon, and James. This college of apostles were men of honest trades. Let us talk no more of blood and noble birth: “the Lord hath regarded the lowly, and sent the rich empty away.” Rupert contends that Bartholomew was Nathanael, a man learned in the law. John... read more
John 21:1-14After these things Jesus showed Himself again to the disciples at the sea of TiberiasThe Sea of Tiberiastwelve full miles in length by nearly seven in breadth, formed by the widening of the river, and lying almost seven hundred feet below the level of the Mediterranean; is a beautiful expanse of clear, shining water, transparent to considerable depths.Viewed from different points and at different times, it is now a deep blue mirror among the mountains, now lustrous and glittering in... read more
John 21:5Jesus said unto them, Have ye any meat?The tender love of the risen ChristThe question pertained to the wants of the body. Christ’s resurrection body was still in sympathy with theirs. The higher He rose the deeper and more perfect were His sympathies. He could hunger no more, be weary no more: yet this made Him more keenly alive to the privations of His brethren. He did not need to put the question: yet He wishes to speak to them as a human friend interested in their welfare. He... read more
John 21:6Cast the net on the right side of the ship, and ye shall findOld instrumentalities, but new method, an emblem of Christ’s redemptive methodChrist commanded the disciples to cast the old net in a new way.Thus He ever does in redeeming souls. I. HE EMPLOYS OLD INSTRUMENTALITIES. There are many of them, but they are all old. 1. The same old natural facts. He employs the phenomena of nature to quicken, educate and elevate souls. We have nothing more of nature than the men of remotest... read more
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Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible - John 21:5
He asketh them if they had any thing to eat, not because he knew not, but in order to what he intended to do to make them more attentive to the miracle which he by and by intended to work. read more