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Joh_21:8-9. Τῷ πλοιαρ .] in the little boat, on board of which they remained; local dative. Comp. Herod. v. 99: ἀπικέατο εἴκοσι νηυσί . See generally Becker, Homer. Blätter, p. 208 f.
The γάρ in the parenthesis states the reason why they did not quit the vessel; they could in this way also quickly enough reach the shore, which was very near (200 cubits = ½ stadium 300 feet, see Wurm, de ponder, etc., p. 195; Hermann, Privatalterth. § 46. 7).
On the form τηχῶν instead of the Attic πηχέων , see Lobeck, ad Phryn. p. 245 f. On ἀπό , see on Joh_11:18.
τὸ δίκτυον τῶν ἰχθ .] the net, which was filled with the fishes (Joh_21:6). Comp. on this genit., Nägelsbach, z. Ilias, p. 31, ed. 3.
Joh_21:6. βλέπουσιν , κ . τ . λ .] John relates simply what they saw on landing, namely, a fire of coals lying there, and food lying thereon (i.e. a mess of fish, see on Joh_7:9; the singul. not of a single fish, as Beza, Hengstenberg, Godet, and others think, but collectively, as also ἄρτον , comp. Polyb. xxxiv. 8. 6 : τὸ θαλάττιον ὄψον ), and bread. That this preparation for the breakfast to be given was made by Jesus, would be understood by the reader as matter of course (see Joh_21:12-13). But how He brought together the materials, and who kindled the fire, cannot be determined; He might, before He called to the disciples, have Himself, or by other hands, made the preparations. Hence the narrative yields no miracle (bringing forth out of nothing, thought Chrysostom, Theophylact, Euth. Zigabenus, Grotius, Calovius, Maldonatus, and several others; but Nicephorus, Jansen, Luthardt: the angels had provided Him therewith; finally, Hengstenberg, Godet: without more precise definition of the marvellous How), nor even the appearance of such (Lücke). But wherefore did Jesus make this preparation? Because the disciples were to eat with Him the early meal, with which He designed to connect so significant a transaction as that related in Joh_21:15 ff.; He willed to be the giver of the meal. Much that is irrelevant in the older expositors. According to Luthardt, the design is to depict how Jesus, without requiring their aid, knows how to feed the disciples from His own resources. But to what purpose any such further representation, since He had long ago miraculously fed thousands before the eyes of the disciples?