John 21:1-2

“ After this, Jesus manifested himself once more to the disciples, on the shore of the sea of Tiberias; and this is the way in which he manifested himself. 2 Simon Peter and Thomas, called Didymus, and Nathanael, of Cana in Galilee, and the sons of Zebedee and two others of his disciples, were together. ”

The transition μετὰ ταῦτα, after these things, is familiar to John (John 21:1; John 6:1; John 7:1, etc.). It serves to join the appendix to the Gospel, and especially to the narrative of the last appearance, John 20:29. The expression ἐφανέρωσεν ἑαυτόν is also in conformity with John's style (John 7:4, φανέρωσον σεαυτόν; John 11:33, ἐτάραξεν ἑαυτόν); this form makes prominent the conscious and free will with which Jesus comes forth from the sphere of invisibility to manifest Himself. Until now, being visible, He had manifested His glory; now he manifests His person.

The term sea of Tiberias is in the New Testament a purely Johannean designation (John 6:1). The Synoptics say sea of Galilee (Matthew 4:18) or lake of Gennesaret (Luke 5:1). The Old Testament knows neither the one nor the other of these expressions. Josephus employs them both.

The clause: And this is the way in which, is not useless; it gives an indication beforehand of the solemnity of the scene which is to follow.

Of the seven persons indicated in John 21:2, the first five only are apostles; the last two belong to the number of the disciples, in the broad sense which is so frequently the sense of this word in our Gospel (John 6:60; John 6:66; John 7:3; John 8:31, etc.). If it were otherwise, why should they not be designated by name, as well as those who precede? Hengstenberg affirms that “every one must understand that they were Andrew and Philip”(!).

The sons of Zebedee occupy, therefore, the last place among the apostles properly so called. This fact is significant; for in all the apostolic lists they are constantly joined with Peter, and placed with him in the first rank. The only reason which explains this circumstance is that the author of this narrative, in its oral or written form, was himself one of the two sons of Zebedee. It has been objected that John never names either himself or his brother. But no more does he do this here; he only designates himself, because he was obliged to indicate his presence in view of the following scene, John 21:7, and especially John 21:22.

Respecting Thomas Didymus, see on John 11:16. The explanation: of Cana in Galilee, had not been given in chap. 1. The author makes up for this omission here. May not the two disciples who are not named be that Aristion and that presbyter John of whom Papias speaks as old disciples of the Lord (μαθηταὶ τοῦ Κυρίου), who lived at Ephesus at the time when John wrote, and who had there almost the rank of apostles?