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This Chapter Verse Commentaries:
NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: Joh_21:1-3
1After these things Jesus manifested Himself again to the disciples at the Sea of Tiberias, and He manifested Himself in this way. 2Simon Peter, and Thomas called Didymus, and Nathanael of Cana in Galilee, and the sons of Zebedee, and two others of His disciples were together. 3Simon Peter said to them, "I am going fishing." They said to him, "We will also come with you." They went out and got into the boat; and that night they caught nothing.
Joh_21:1 "Sea of Tiberias" Tiberias was the Roman administrative capital of Galilee. This body of water is also known as the "Sea of Galilee" (cf. Joh_6:1) or "Lake of Gennesaret" (cf. Mat_14:34; Mar_6:53; Luk_5:1) and in the OT as "Lake of Chinnereth" (cf. Num_34:11; Deu_3:17; Jos_11:2; Jos_12:3; Jos_13:27; Jos_19:35; 1Ki_15:20).
▣ "He manifested Himself in this way" This verb has the connotation of "to display fully or clearly" (cf. Joh_1:31; Joh_2:11; Joh_7:4; Joh_9:3; 1Jn_1:2; 1Jn_2:28; 1Jn_3:2; 1Jn_4:9). In Matthew there is a meeting in Galilee which occurred on a mountain (cf. Mat_26:32; Mat_28:7; Mat_28:10; Mat_28:16), the setting for "the Great Commission." In John Jesus manifested Himself at the Sea of Tiberias. In this encounter Jesus deals with two questions the early church was interested in
1. was Peter reinstated as a leader
2. what about the legend that John would not die before Jesus' return
Joh_21:2 "Thomas called Didymus" See Special Topic about the Apostles' names at Joh_1:45.
Apparently seven of the eleven went fishing.
▣ "sons of Zebedee" This refers to James (Jacob) and John (Johanan, cf. Mat_4:21). Neither James nor John are mentioned by name in John's Gospel.
Joh_21:3 "Simon Peter said to them, 'I am going fishing'" This is present tense. There are several theories concerning this fishing trip.
1. it was a relaxing trip to pass the time until Jesus' appointed meeting (cf. Mat_26:32; Mat_28:7; Mat_28:10)
2. it was for the purpose of making money
3. it was a re-instigation of Peter's fishing vocation
This chapter is very similar to Luke 5.
▣ "and that night they caught nothing" Notice that these men, who were able to heal the sick and cast out demons, did not have miraculous powers on all occasions for all purposes. This verb is used nowhere else in the NT for catching fish. Usually it is used of arresting someone.