John 21:3

Simon Peter saith unto them, I go a fishing. They say unto him, We also go with thee. They went forth, and entered into a ship immediately; and that night they caught nothing. SIMON PETER SAITH UNTO THEM, I GO A FISHING. THEY SAY UNTO HIM, WE ALSO GO (RATHER 'COME') WITH THEE. THEY WENT FORTH, AND ENTERED INTO A SHIP IMMEDIATELY; AND THAT NIGHT THEY CAUGHT NOTHING - just as at the first miraculous draught; and no doubt it was so ordered that the miracle might strike them the more. The same principle is seen in operation throughout much of Christ's ministry, and is indeed a great law of God's spiritual procedure with His people. (See the notes at Luke 5:1, Remark 1 at the close of that section; and at John 11:1, Remark 4 at the close of that section.)...

3._I am going to fish. _That Peter gave his attention to _fishing, _ought not to be regarded as inconsistent with his office. By _breathing on _him, Jesus had ordained him to be an Apostle, as we saw a little before; but he abstained from the exercise of the apostleship for a short time, till he should be clothed with new power. For he had not yet been enjoined to appear in public for the discharge of his office of teaching, but had only been reminded of his future calling, that he and the others might understand that they had not in vain been chosen from the beginning. Meanwhile, they do what they were accustomed to do, and what belonged to men in private life. It is true that Paul, in the midst of his employment as a preacher, gained the support of his life by his own hands, but it was for a different reason; for his time was so arranged, that the labors of his hands did not withdraw h...

1-14 Christ makes himself known to his people, usually in his ordinances; but sometimes by his Spirit he visits them when employed in their business. It is good for the disciples of Christ to be together in common conversation, and common business. The hour for their entering upon action was not come. They would help to maintain themselves, and not be burdensome to any. Christ's time of making himself known to his people, is when they are most at a loss. He knows the temporal wants of his people, and has promised them not only grace sufficient, but food convenient. Divine Providence extends itself to things most minute, and those are happy who acknowledge God in all their ways. Those who are humble, diligent, and patient, though their labours may be crossed, shall be crowned; they sometimes live to see their affairs take a happy turn, after many struggles. And there is nothing lost by o...

Verse John 21:3. _PETER SAITH - I GO A FISHING._] Previously to the crucifixion of our Lord, the temporal necessities of himself and his disciples appear to have been supplied by the charity of individuals: Luke 8:3. As it is probable that the scandal of the cross had now shut up this source of support, the disciples, not fully knowing _how_ they were to be employed, purposed to return to their former occupation of fishing, in order to gain a livelihood; and therefore the _seven_, mentioned John 21:2, embarked on the sea of Tiberias, otherwise called the sea of Galilee. _THAT NIGHT THEY CAUGHT NOTHING._] God had so ordered it, that they might be the more struck with the miracle which he afterwards wrou

THAT NIGHT THEY CAUGHT NOTHING - This was so ordered in the providence of God that the miracle which was performed might appear more remarkable....

EXPOSITION JOHN 21:1 3. The epilogue, answering to the prologue. The post-resurrection life corresponds with the pre-incarnate energy of the Logos. 1. Long and sustained controversy has prevailed on the question of the authenticity and apostolic authorship of this chapter even among those who admit the Johannine authorship of the rest of the Gospel. 2. Among those who accept to the full the authenticity, there are many critics who urge that it is not an integral portion of the Gospel, but a later appendix, that the document terminated, on its first composition, with John 20:30, John 20:31, and that the chapter before us is dictated f

SIMON PETER SAITH UNTO THEM, I GO A FISHING,.... Which was his business before his conversion; and now having nothing to do, and his Lord and master having, as yet, no service for him in the ministry of the word, until the Spirit was poured down in an extraordinary manner, which was given to be expected, in the mean while he was inclined to, and resolved upon taking up his former employment; partly that he might not live an idle life, and partly to obtain a livelihood, which was now to be sought after in another manner, since the death of Christ; and these inclinations and resolutions of his he signifies to the rest of the disciples, who agreed with him: THEY SAY UNTO HIM, WE ALSO GO WITH THEE; that is, a fishing; for it seems to have been the business and employment of them all formerly: the place they went to was the sea of Tiberias, as appears from John 21:1 a pl

John 21:1. _After these things Jesus showed himself again to the disciples at the sea of Tiberias; and on this wise showed he himself._ Jesus loved to show himself to his people. Of old, his delights were with the sons of men; so, now that he had risen from the dead, he was not ashamed to visit his brethren, and he did not disdain to make himself known to them, and he will still show himself to us after a spiritual fashion, if we sincerely desire to see him. John 21:2. _There were together Simon Peter, and Thomas called Didymus, and Nathanael of Cana in Galilee, and the sons of Zebedee, and two other of his disciples._ As John was the writer of this record, he did not put his own name there, but merely mentioned «the sons of Zebedee.»...

I GO Contrast (Numbers 9:17)....

CHAPTER 21 _ 1. At the Sea of Tiberias. The Third Manifestation. (John 21:1 .)_ 2. Peter's Restoration and Ministry; the manner of His Death Predicted. (John 21:15 .) 3. Tarry Till I Come. (John 21:20 .) 4. Conclusion. (John 21:24 .) This chapter has often been looked upon as an appendix to the Gospel of John. It is not. Quite true, John states in the last two verses of the preceding chapter the purpose of this Gospel, but that does not mean that the twenty-first chapter has no connection with the Gospel itself. John 21:14 shows t