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John 21:1-19 New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)

Jesus Appears to Seven Disciples

1 After these things Jesus showed himself again to the disciples by the Sea of Tiberias; and he showed himself in this way. 2 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. 3 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.

4 Just after daybreak, Jesus stood on the beach; but the disciples did not know that it was Jesus. 5 Jesus said to them, “Children, you have no fish, have you?” They answered him, “No.” 6 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. 7 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. 8 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.

9 When they had gone ashore, they saw a charcoal fire there, with fish on it, and bread. 10 Jesus said to them, “Bring some of the fish that you have just caught.” 11 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. 12 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. 13 Jesus came and took the bread and gave it to them, and did the same with the fish. 14 This was now the third time that Jesus appeared to the disciples after he was raised from the dead.

Jesus and Peter

15 When 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.” 16 A 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.” 17 He 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. 18 Very 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.”

Our gospel reading for tomorrow actually could be two readings, the first one even having a perfect concluding sentence; but we have it as one reading, which is fine. It’s what scholars call a post-resurrection appearance, and what scholars think of that, and of this particular one, is simple enough to find out with a little searching online. The anonymous writing we call The Gospel according to John was written, not unlikely, 95 to 110 AD seems a fair timeframe, though earlier is possible but no earlier than about 68 AD. 

For any amateur Nancy Drew, “that disciple whom Jesus loved” is easily traced to Lazarus. The tradition identifying him as John is baseless, fond thinking, John isn’t even mentioned one time in this gospel. In fact, those dear folks who so graciously put up with me in Sunday School and Bible Seminars know my eccentric view that this gospel should be named Lazarus and not John.

So much for Saturday morning scrappiness.

Down front the air is cool, sky clear, the bay is flat calm, and there’s no breeze. 

In the back yard, Patty’s Garden is pretty as ever.

Linda and Pat Horn have happily driven off to the women’s Spring Day Away, at St. Simon’s on the Sound, Fort Walton Beach. We had Spring Day Away at Trinity, Apalachicola some twenty-five years ago, a lovely day in Florida’s Best Kept Secret.

About that parenthetical note at verse 19. Tradition holds that Peter was crucified upside down, by Nero, c.a. 67 AD. Peter’s manner and time of death being known when this gospel was written helps place its earliest possible date. For timeframe, a later date seems indicated by the gospel's agenda, Jesus' use of I AM, and especially its christology, so maybe the latter end of 68 to 110 AD? 

TW+