John 21 Studies

For those who may wish to ‘study’ this chapter, the following simple resources are provided for you. Each chapter is divided into a number of studies and each study or passage has a simple four-Part, verse-by-verse approach, to help you take in and think further about what you have read.

Passage: John 21:1-6: At the Lake

A. Find Out:

1. Where did this take place? v.1
   • Afterwards Jesus appeared again to his disciples, by the Sea of Galilee. It happened this way:
2. Who were there & who suggested what with what result? v.2,3
   • Simon Peter, Thomas (also known as Didymus), Nathanael from Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two other disciples were together. 3 ‘I’m going out to fish,’ Simon Peter told them, and they said, ‘We’ll go with you.’ So they went out and got into the boat, but that night they caught nothing.
3. When did Jesus come and what did he ask? v.4,5
   • Early in the morning, Jesus stood on the shore, but the disciples did not realise that it was Jesus. 5 He called out to them, ‘Friends, haven’t you any fish?’ ‘No,’ they answered.
4. What did he tell them to do? v.6a
   • He said, ‘Throw your net on the right side of the boat and you will find some.’
5. With what result? v.6b
   • When they did, they were unable to haul the net in because of the large number of fish.
6. Read Luke 5:4-11 What happened then?

B. Think:

1. Why do you think they went fishing?
2. How might Peter have had a sense of “I’ve been here before”?
3. Why, therefore, do you think Jesus did this?

C. Comment:

Chapter 21 is unique to John’s Gospel and in it he records a very intimate and personal encounter that Peter had with Jesus (perhaps by the time he wrote it Peter had died and fulfilled Jesus’ prophecy in this chapter). The other Gospels tell us that Jesus told the disciples to go back up to Galilee to wait for him (see Matt 28:10).

When they get there, there is no sign of Jesus and so after a while the impatient Peter decides he’s off to do what he used to do, to go fishing. The others go along with this suggestion and go with him and they take their old boat out again and do what they had done hundreds of times before – but to no avail! By the time dawn comes they are tired and weary and have nothing!

And then Jesus comes! At first they don’t realise it is him. Whether it is because it is still semi-dark, or because they simply weren’t expecting him, or because there was something else about him, we don’t know. He makes a suggestion to them which they follow. Why did they take instructions from a stranger? We aren’t told, perhaps it was just an indication of their tiredness, but they did it and found a tremendous catch! At this point Peter must have thought, “I’ve been here before”, and remembered his initial call. Jesus is preparing his man for an important conversation!

D. Application:

1. Jesus often takes us back to a previous encounter. We need it!
2. He comes in grace and love and gentleness. Don’t forget it.

Passage: John 21:7-14: It’s Jesus!

A. Find Out:

1. Who first recognised Jesus? v.7a
   • Then the disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, ‘It is the Lord!’
2. What did Peter do and what did the others do? v.7b,8
   • As soon as Simon Peter heard him say, ‘It is the Lord,’ he wrapped his outer garment round him (for he had taken it off) and jumped into the water. 8 The other disciples followed in the boat, towing the net full of fish, for they were not far from shore, about a hundred metres.
3. What did they find Jesus doing and what did he say? v.9,10
   • When they landed, they saw a fire of burning coals there with fish on it, and some bread. 10 Jesus said to them, ‘Bring some of the fish you have just caught.’
4. Who responded and did what? v.11
   • So Simon Peter climbed back into the boat and dragged the net ashore. It was full of large fish, 153, but even with so many the net was not torn.
5. What did Jesus say and do? v.12,13
   • Jesus said to them, ‘Come and have breakfast.’ None of the disciples dared ask him, ‘Who are you?’ They knew it was the Lord. 13 Jesus came, took the bread and gave it to them, and did the same with the fish.
6. How many times had Jesus appeared to them all? v.14
   • This was now the third time Jesus appeared to his disciples after he was raised from the dead.

B. Think:

1. How does Peter’s character appear in this passage?
2. What does the picture surrounding Jesus convey?
3. How is the being of Jesus still obviously different from before death?

C. Comment:

Note first of all the “strangeness” of Jesus. Remember that Mary had not recognised Jesus to start with. Luke records the two men on the road to Emmaus not being able to perceive who it was with them, and now the disciples seem unable to see who it is. It is only the one who is the closest to Jesus who seems able to discern who it is. There almost seems a spiritual dimension to this, whereby only those closest to Jesus, who see or hear something from the past that triggers off recognition. Closeness to him is a key to recognition it seems.

Observe next the atmosphere that Jesus seems to create: he is on the beach, with a fish meal prepared. There is a sense of peace and order about this. When you want to have a difficult talk with someone, then having a meal together is often a good environment in which to have it. Jesus seeks to bring a sense of peace to the disturbed and tired disciples-cum-fishermen.

See finally, Peter’s actions in all this. He wasn’t the first one to recognise Jesus but once Jesus was pointed out to him he was off like a shot to get to him. For him now, it doesn’t matter about the catch of fish, only that he gets to Jesus. Perhaps there is a sense of urgent need to meet the Lord to make amends. We will see.

D. Application:

1. Those whose hearts are looking for Jesus, see him first.
2. Jesus comes to bring peace and restoration to us.

Passage: John 21:15-19: Jesus challenges Peter

A. Find Out:

1. What did Jesus first ask Peter and then tell Peter to do? v.15a,c
   • When they had finished eating, Jesus said to Simon Peter, ‘Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?’ … Jesus said, ‘Feed my lambs.’
2. What did Jesus then ask Peter and tell Peter to do? v.16a,c
   • Again Jesus said, ‘Simon son of John, do you love me?’ … Jesus said, ‘Take care of my sheep.’
3. What did he ask then ask Peter and what did Peter feel? v.17a,b
   • The third time he said to him, ‘Simon son of John, do you love me?’ Peter was hurt because Jesus asked him the third time, ‘Do you love me?’
4. What did he then tell Peter to do? v.17c
   • Jesus said, ‘Feed my sheep.
5. What did Jesus say would happen to Peter? v.18,19a
   • Very truly I tell you, when you were younger you dressed yourself and went where you wanted; but when you are old you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will dress you and lead you where you do not want to go.’ 19 Jesus said this to indicate the kind of death by which Peter would glorify God.
6. What did he tell him to do finally? v.19b
   • Then he said to him, ‘Follow me!’

B. Think:

The Greek for “love” in Jesus’ questions in verses 15a & 16a means “deep love”. All the other Greek words for love in this passage indicate “affection”. What sort of slant does this put on the direction of the questioning?

C. Comment:

Observe the direction of the questioning:

• 1) Peter do you love me more than the rest of these, then,
• 2) Peter do you really love me? and finally,
• 3) well Peter, do you have affection for me.

Now note the answers:

• 1) Lord, I have feeling for you but I don’t want to compare myself with these others, then
• 2) Well Lord I wouldn’t go as far as that, but I do have feeling for you and finally,
• 3) Lord you know me, you know I do have feeling for you.

Now why this order?

When Jesus asks questions it’s not to find out answers because he knows them all the time. It is to make us become aware of the answers. Peter is no longer the bold and brash leader he once was. He is humbled and broken and no longer self-confident.

Now look at the keys to what is happening here. They are Jesus’ instructions following Peter’s answers:

• 1) feed young believers,
• 2) take care of older believers, and
• 3) feed older believers.

Feeding young Christians only requires simple knowledge and understanding. Caring for older believers requires a measure of wisdom, sensitivity and compassion, feeding older believers requires much maturity. This is growth in responsibility. The more Peter is able to face the truth about himself and his weakness, the more the Lord entrusts to him.

D. Application:

To carry spiritual responsibility requires facing the truth about me.

Passage: John 21:20-25: John’s Conclusion

A. Find Out:

1. Who did Peter ask about? v.20,21
   • Peter turned and saw that the disciple whom Jesus loved was following them. (This was the one who had leaned back against Jesus at the supper and had said, ‘Lord, who is going to betray you?’) 21 When Peter saw him, he asked, ‘Lord, what about him?’
2. How did Jesus reply to Peter’s question? v.22
   • Jesus answered, ‘If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you? You must follow me.’
3. What rumour spread but what was the truth? v.23
   • Because of this, the rumour spread among the believers that this disciple would not die. But Jesus did not say that he would not die; he only said, ‘If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you?’
4. Who is it that wrote this Gospel? v.24
   • This is the disciple who testifies to these things and who wrote them down. We know that his testimony is true.
5. How does he describe the other things Jesus did? v.25
   • Jesus did many other things as well. If every one of them were written down, I suppose that even the whole world would not have room for the books that would be written.

B. Think:

1. What did Peter want to know?
2. But what, essentially, was Jesus saying to him?
3. What does John indicate about his Gospel?

C. Comment:

At various times in this Gospel, John refers to himself as “the disciple whom Jesus loved”. Now it may well be that Jesus loved all the disciples (as he surely did), but what it indicates is that John was particularly aware of being loved by the Lord. This love of Jesus is the one thing that comes over again and again in John’s Gospel and his letters. There also have been a special closeness between Jesus & John for certainly there were the “inner four disciples” and it may be that he did in fact, knowing John’s future, show special care for John.

In this passage Jesus prophesies Peter’s end which, tradition tells us, was that he was crucified for his faith, though upside down as he refused to go the same way as his Lord! John’s future is perhaps hinted at here, for he was the only one who, we believe, did not die a violent martyr’s death. It is in his old age that he writes and others are there to verify his acceptance as a witness.

Finally, says John as he goes to end this Gospel, the things that I’ve written are jut a few of the things that Jesus did while here upon earth; I’ve picked out just a few for if I wrote everything he did (and it was so much!) we wouldn’t have room for all the books that would have to be written. So we may see this book as a taster or introduction to the glorious things the Son of God did while here.

D. Application:

1. Jesus knows my future. I may rest in it.
2. Jesus loves me uniquely. I may rejoice in that.