progressive involvement: Lectionary blogging: John 21: 1-19

After these things Jesus showed himself again to the disciples by the Sea of Tiberias; and he showed himself in this way. ²Gathered there together were Simon Peter, Thomas called the Twin, Nathanael of Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two others of his disciples. ³Simon 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. ⁴Just after daybreak, Jesus stood on the beach; but the disciples did not know that it was Jesus. ⁵Jesus said to them, “Children, you have no fish, have you?” They answered him, “No.” ⁶He 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. ⁷That 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. ⁸But 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. ⁹When they had gone ashore, they saw a charcoal fire there, with fish on it, and bread. ¹⁰Jesus said to them, “Bring some of the fish that you have just caught.” ¹¹So 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. ¹²Jesus 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. ¹³Jesus came and took the bread and gave it to them, and did the same with the fish. ¹⁴This was now the third time that Jesus appeared to the disciples after he was raised from the dead.

¹⁵When they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Feed my lambs.” ¹⁶A second time he said to him, “Simon son of John, do you love me?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Tend my sheep.” ¹⁷He said to him the third time, “Simon son of John, do you love me?” Peter felt hurt because he said to him the third time, “Do you love me?” And he said to him, “Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Feed my sheep. ¹⁸Very truly, I tell you, when you were younger, you used to fasten your own belt and to go wherever you wished. But when you grow old, you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will fasten a belt around you and take you where you do not wish to go.” ¹⁹(He said this to indicate the kind of death by which he would glorify God.) After this he said to him, “Follow me.”

Translation: After these things, Jesus revealed himself again to the disciples at the Sea of Tiberias, and he revealed in this way: They were together: Simon Peter, Thomas (the one called Didymus), Nathanael from Cana of Galilee, and the ones of Zebedee, and two others of his disciples. Simon Peter said to them, "I am going to fish." They said to him, "We also go with you." They went out and entered into the boat, and in that night, they caught nothing.

And when morning was now coming to be, Jesus stood on the beach, yet the disciples did not know it is Jesus. Then Jesus said to them, "Children, do you not have fish?" They answered him, "No." And he said to them, "Throw the net out into the right part of the boat and you will find." Then they threw out, and they were not strong enough to draw it because of the multitude of fish. Then that disciple, the one Jesus was loving, said to Peter, "It is the Lord." Then Simon Peter heard that it is the Lord. He put on the outer garment, for he was naked, and threw himself into the sea.

But the other disciples came in the little boat for they were not far from land, about two hundred cubits away, drawing the net of fish. Then, just as they stepped off onto the land, they saw a charcoal fire laid and fish laid upon (it) and bread. Jesus said to them, "Bring from the fish which you have now caught."

Therefore Simon Peter went up and drew the net full of great fish onto the land, 153, and being so many, the net was not torn. Jesus said to them, "Come have breakfast." But no one of the disciples were daring to ask him, "Who are you?" knowing that it is the Lord. And Jesus is coming and is taking the bread and giving it to them, and the fish likewise. This is now the third time Jesus was revealed to the disciples (after) he was raised out of death.

Then, when they had dined, Jesus said to Simon Peter, "Do you love (agape) me more than these?" He said to him, "Yes, Lord, you know that I love (philei) you." He said to him, "Feed my lambs." He said to him again a second time, "Simon, son of John, do you love (agape) me?" He said to him, "Yes, Lord, you know that I love (philei) you." He said to him, "Feed my sheep." He said to him a third time, "Simon, son of John, do you love (philei) me?" Peter was sorrowful that he said to him a third time, "Do you love (philei) me?" and he said to him, "Lord, you know all things. You know that I love (philei) you." He said to him, "Tend my sheep."

"Truly, Truly, I say to you, when you were younger, you were girding yourself and you were walking around when (and) where you were wishing. But when you might be old, you will stretch your hands, and another will gird you, and will bring (you) where you do not wish." But he said this signifying by what kind of death he will glorify God. And speaking this, he said to him, "Follow me."

Introduction and Revelation

All the resurrection appearances of Jesus have a mysterious quality to them. They are scenes of mystical encounter, usually in tranquil settings, yet with the "electricity" of cosmic transformation just beneath the surface. That is true especially of John 21, which is no doubt the reason that it has inspired so many adventurous and creative interpretations over the centuries.

The lection begins with the double use of the word phaneroun--"revealed." It means "manifestation," "show openly," "make known." The season of the church year known as Epiphany comes from this word, which is why the readings for that season emphasize Jesus "revealing" the ways and power of God. Used here (twice), it means, as Ray Brown puts it, "a concrete revelation of the heavenly upon earth." No wonder, then, that the reading will have both a mystical tranquility and a crackling-charge.

The fourth gospel then names those present. This is the only list of disciples in the fourth gospel. Even then, it is a partial one. Seven disciples are mentioned--out of eleven--and only three are named. One wonders at this. The disciples are both the inner circle of the Jesus movement and the symbolic representation of the New Community. Is the New Community already breaking up after the death of Jesus?

Moreover, it is an unusual list. Simon Peter is named first--so far so good--but then Thomas? And Nathanael? (Nathanael was probably not one of the twelve.) The "ones of Zebedee" are, presumably, James and John, but they are not specifically named, and the reference to them seems made almost in passing, as is "two others of his disciples." In the latter case, however, one of those "two others" will turn out to be the Beloved Disciple. Wes Howard-Brook on the significance of the named disciples:

The Johannine disciples who are named share a common trait. They have each revealed their doubts about their relationship with Jesus: Peter, by his denial; Thomas, by his demand for physical proof; and Nathanael, by his doubt that "good" could come out of Nazareth. At the same time, each has also offered and explicit confession of faith: Peter, of Jesus as the "Holy One of God" (6:69); Thomas, "My Lord and my God" (20:28), and Nathanael, you are the Son of God, the King of Israel" (1:49). Finally, each has had his "confession" followed by a rhetorical question by Jesus that expressed his own doubts about the depth of the disciples' commitment (6:70; 20:29; 1:50). (p. 468)

Night

Simon Peter says, "I am going to fish." This signals an intention by Peter to return to his old and familiar way of life. He is operating under the assumption that the world is not changed and life is back to business-as-usual.

At a psychological level, however, fishing signals an intention to plumb the depths of the unconscious. Fish occur often in dreams. In Jungian analysis, they symbolize contents of the unconscious that are "swimming around" in our psyche. They can be "caught," i.e. brought to consciousness, and then "eaten," i.e. integrated into the personality.

The other disciples affirm: "We also go with you." They "go out" and "enter into" a boat. We are then told that it is "night"--a major symbol in the fourth gospel, representing dulled perceptions, closed consciousness, the world without the "Light." Not surprisingly, "in that night," the disciples "caught nothing."

Light

At daybreak, however, the situation changes. Proias de ede genomenes este--literally: "But morning was now coming to be." That statement is a summary of a theme that stretches all the way back to the first chapter of the fourth gospel. As the Prologue had said, "The Light shines in the darkness!" (1:5) Or, to paraphrase the playright Eugene O'Neill, "morning becomes electric."

The disciples had failed to catch fish. That is, the current world arrangements do not work. Business-as-usual cannot deliver. Moreover, on a personal level, the disciples are not able to catch the fragments floating around in their unconscious and fail to integrate their personality.

"Jesus stood on the beach, yet the disciples did not know it is Jesus." This is mysterious, especially since, in the previous chapter, Jesus had already appeared to the disciples twice, and, at first, to Mary Magdalene.

In those three cases, like this one, Jesus is not immediately recognized. In his appearance to Mary Magdalene, the fourth gospel notes that "she did not know that it was Jesus" (20:14), "supposing him to be the gardener" (20:15). In the first appearance to the disciples (20:19-23), Jesus was recognized not on the basis of his over-all countenance, but rather on the basis of his wounds (20:20).

In the third instance, Jesus appeared for the benefit of Thomas who did not believe. Again, Jesus is recognized, and lauded, on the basis of his wounds. In this chapter, like Mary Magdalene, the disciples "did not know" it is Jesus. Again, he will be recognized not on the basis of his appearance, but, in this instance, on the basis of his fish-catching power.

Then Jesus said to them, "Children, do you not have fish?" They answered him, "No." And he said to them, "Throw the net out into the right part of the boat and you will find." Then they threw out, and they were not strong enough to draw it because of the multitude of fish.

Greek has two words for children--paidia and teknon. Both may be translated as "children," though teknon has the sense of offspring, and paidia has the sense of immaturity. Paidia is used here, though not critically. The disciples are yet undeveloped in the faith. They labored all night, and caught nothing. Yet, morning has broken! Even though immature, they are still the Lord's "children."

As a left-hander myself, it pains me some to acknowledge that the general biblical affirmation is toward the "right hand." The "right hand" of God is a sign of God's power (Is 62:8). The exhortation to throw the nets on the "right part" of the boat is a way of saying that life is created, sustained, and made abundant by God's power.

The disciples did as Jesus said. They "threw out." Alas, however, they are "not strong enough to draw it." This is in sharp contrast to Jesus who is able "to draw all to himself" (12:32). In following the exhortation of Jesus, these disciples are on the right track, but are not yet able to complete either the task of mission, or the task of their own spiritual and psychological maturity.

The "multitude (plethous) of fish" recalls "the multitude (plethous) of sick, blind, lame, and withered ones" at the pool of Bethzatha (5:3). They represent the hurting world, drawn into the care of the disciples by the command and power of God. There is work to be done, but the disciples are not yet able, not yet "strong enough" to do it.

The Beloved Disciple recognizes Jesus, witnesses to Simon Peter

Then that disciple, the one Jesus was loving, said to Peter, "It is the Lord." Then Simon Peter heard that it is the Lord. He put on the outer garment, for he was naked, and threw himself into the sea.

The Beloved Disciple is now identified as one of the "other" disciples. The Beloved Disciple speaks to Peter--curiously, not to the others--and is the first to recognize that the mysterious stranger is indeed Jesus. Simon Peter--again, curiously--recognized Jesus not on the basis of appearance or wounds or power, but rather on the basis of the Beloved Disciple's witness. He heard that it is the Lord.

In his exuberance and excitement, Simon Peter puts on his clothes and dives into the sea. This also seems odd. Why put your clothes on to jump in the water? Who does that? Probably, he was wearing a loin cloth of some kind since nudity was frowned upon in Jewish culture. He put on an outer garment over that, probably a fisherman's smock. (See Ray Brown, p. 1072, for more discussion.)

At a psychological level, Simon Peter's throwing himself into the water was a way of cleansing himself. Simon Peter had already been declared "clean" when Jesus had washed his feet (13:10). A lot had happened since then, however. Simon Peter had since denied Jesus, did not know what to make of his empty tomb, and had gone back to his old profession.

Putting on his clothes to jump in the water is a way of saying that Simon Peter wants to "cleanse" the entirety of himself, not just his body, in other words, but also his method of participation in the economic and social arrangements of the world.

But the other disciples came in the little boat for they were not far from land, about two hundred cubits away, drawing the net of fish. Then, just as they stepped off onto the land, they saw a charcoal fire laid and fish laid upon (it) and bread. Jesus said to them, "Bring from the fish which you have now caught."

Give Simon Peter credit for his extravagent response, but give the "other disciples" credit as well for their less glamorous but still necessary work of hauling the net of fish to shore.

They see a charcoal fire on the beach. (The last charcoal fire we had seen in the fourth gospel (18:18) was that around which Simon Peter was warming his hands as he denied Jesus.) They see food--fish and bread--and hear Jesus tell them to bring in the fish they have caught. They don't need it for food--the food is already on the grill! They need to do it because it is the job of disciples to "draw in" the "multitude" of those-in-need to the abundant life of God.

Simon Peter's moment

Therefore Simon Peter went up and drew the net full of great fish onto the land, 153, and being so many, the net was not torn.

The fourth gospel is somewhat equivocal in regard to Simon Peter. Generally speaking, he is not portrayed all that positively. He even has to go through the Beloved Disciple in order to ask Jesus a question (13:24). Here, however, Simon Peter is able to do what the other disciples cannot: draw the catch in. Simon Peter, for all his difficulties, has strength upon which to rely.

The number 153 has drawn all number of interpretations, some plausible, others quite fanciful. It is said to have been the number of known species of fish in the ancient world, but would the author of the fourth gospel have known that? Other interpretations have involved slicing and dicing various angles of numerical symbolism, but most conclusions seem either flat or forced. St. Augustine once called it "the great mystery of the gospel of John."

Whatever may have been the case in the author's mind, the number 153 does seem to function as a sign of breadth and universality. This was St. Augustine's eventual conclusion. Though the number itself was a mystery, he took it as a sign of the abundant number of those brought to God. (For a discussion of the 153, with all its permutations, see Ray Brown, p. 1074-6.)

That the "net was not torn" is a sign of unity. There were many factions in the early church. The fourth gospel itself was probably the "holy book" of the Johannine community, a community distinct from the "church headquarters" in Jerusalem. Not surprisingly, there was occasional friction between the various factions.

The fourth gospel, for example, seems to take the Jerusalem church to task for not loving Jesus enough, and for not stressing enough the mutual indwelling and love that should exist between Christ and his followers. The Johannine community did not consider itself out-of-fellowship with the Jerusalem church, but considered the Jerusalem church to be somewhat lacking in theology and practice. Nevertheless, the net is not torn. Fundamental unity is maintained.

Jesus said to them, "Come have breakfast." But no one of the disciples were daring to ask him, "Who are you?" knowing that it is the Lord.

What an odd thing to write. After what has just transpired, it would be surprising indeed if the disciples did not at last know that it was Jesus. The author, however, wants to signal both the disciples' lack of courage and their insufficient knowledge. Wes Howard-Brook: "They do not withhold their question simply because they have no need to ask but because they do not dare to ask."

"Jesus is coming"

And Jesus is coming and is taking the bread and giving it to them, and the fish likewise. This is now the third time Jesus was revealed to the disciples (after) he was raised out of death.

Apparently, the disciples did not follow Jesus' instruction to "come" and "have breakfast." Instead, Jesus comes to them. He "is coming," "is taking the bread," and "is giving it to them." The three verbs in this sentence are all present tense--KJV is one of the few major translations to get this right.

Most of the story has been focused on fish. The bread mentioned in verse 9 seems almost an afterthought. Now, however, bread comes to the fore. Jesus gave them bread first, then fish. This seems to have clear eucharistic overtones, and helps explain the use of present tense verbs. Jesus is always coming, taking bread, and giving it to the people through holy communion. The present tense verbs help readers of the fourth gospel, such as ourselves, to find a place in the story. They, and we, can identify. Like the disciples themselves, they, and we, eat at the table of the Lord.

The author tells us this is the third time Jesus "was revealed" (pheneroun, again). Before this story, Jesus had appeared to the disciples minus Thomas, then a week later to the disciples with Thomas. Apparently, the appearance to Mary Magdalene in 20:11-18 is in a special category. Otherwise, this would be the fourth appearance.

Jesus' inquiries of Simon Peter

Then, when they had dined, Jesus said to Simon Peter, "Do you love (agape) me more than these?" He said to him, "Yes, Lord, you know that I love (phileis) you." He said to him, "Feed my lambs." He said to him again a second time, "Simon, son of John, do you love (agape) me?" He said to him, "Yes, Lord, you know that I love (phileis) you." He said to him, "Feed my sheep." He said to him a third time, "Simon, son of John, do you love (phileis) me?" Peter was sorrowful that he said to him a third time, "Do you love (phileis) me?" and he said to him, "Lord, you know all things. You know that I love (phileis) you." He said to him, "Tend my sheep."

Jesus addresses Peter directly. Three times Jesus asks Peter if he loves him. In the first two instances, Jesus uses the word agapas--unconditional love. In the last query, Jesus uses the word phileis--brotherly love. Each time, Peter responds that he does love Jesus, but with a phileis love, not an agape one. In other words, Peter's "love" is not at the same level as the "love" in Jesus' question.

This seemed to be one of the Beloved Disciple's main points of dispute with Peter: Peter doesn't love Jesus enough. Indeed, the first question Jesus asked--"Do you love me more than these?"--would indicate that Peter may love "these," the disciples or perhaps the implements of his fishing craft, more than he loves Jesus.

Secondly, each time Peter responds, "Yes Lord, you know that I love you," the word the fourth gospel uses for "know" here is oida. This is knowledge at the "every day" level, the knowledge based on direct experience and intellectual discernment. In the last exchange, Peter says again, "Lord, you know--oida--all things." Then, however, Peter shifts to ginosko for "know": "You know--ginosko, interior, mystical, "spiritual knowing"--that I love you."

Ginosko is the kind of "knowing" that really counts in the fourth gospel. Peter finally gets the "knowing" right--(as an addendum on the third try)--but he still doesn't get the love right. Jesus finally gives in a bit, again on the third try, by reducing the love from agape to phileis perhaps in the hope that Peter can finally identify with him at least at that level.

Jesus' instructions to Peter follow this pattern: feed my lambs, tend my sheep, feed my sheep. Wes Howard-Brook: "The alternation between lambs and sheep also brings to mind the dual role of the disciples. They are both like Jesus, the Lamb of God, who will be sacrificed for the sake of the people, but are also those who follow, like the sheep Jesus leads (p. 478)."

The last time Peter was at a charcoal fire, he was there with "the slaves and the police" (18: 18) at which he denied three times that he was a follower of Jesus. At this post-resurrection charcoal fire, he is with Jesus and the disciples, but still doesn't quite get that the center of discipleship is unconditional and intimate love of Jesus. Nevertheless, in spite of Peter's disappointing performance in this dialog, Jesus calls him to the central task of discipleship which is tending and caring for the sheep.

After the three-fold question of love, Jesus issues an "amen, amen" saying, an indication of special importance. In the fourth gospel, Jesus willingly goes to the cross (10: 18). Here, Jesus says that, while Peter will indeed die for the faith, he will do so unwillingly. Peter is being taken where he does not wish to go.

In verse 19, the author of the fourth gospel tells us that Jesus said these things "to indicate"--semenon--the manner of death (by which) he will glorify God." Peter's death is elevated to a "sign"--semenon, a critical word in the fourth gospel. (The word "miracle" does not appear in the fourth gospel. Instead, Jesus does "signs," the purpose of which is to promote trust in Jesus.) Thus, even though Peter's responses have been disappointing, and show a lack of understanding regarding Jesus and his mission, nevertheless, his death is affirmed as a witness.

Then, Jesus said to Peter, "Follow me." This is the only time in the fourth gospel where Jesus asks Peter to follow. Peter needed the instruction of the entirety of the fourth gospel, plus Jesus' specific words of inquiry and instruction at the end, before he is asked to follow the path of being a follower of Jesus.