Golden Text: This spake he, signifying by what death he should glorify God. And when he had spoken this, he saith unto him, Follow me (John 21:19).

Transcription

1 Sunday, April 15, 2018 Lesson: John 21:15-25; Time of Action: 30 A.D.; Place of Action: Beside the Sea of Galilee Golden Text: This spake he, signifying by what death he should glorify God. And when he had spoken this, he saith unto him, Follow me (John 21:19). I. INTRODUCTION. Although the disciples had experienced the joy of seeing their resurrected Lord, they seemed to lack spiritual direction. They did what came naturally to them they fished; but Jesus had a different calling for them. They would become witnesses to the world and ambassadors of the King. II. LESSON BACKGROUND. After Jesus rose from the dead he showed Himself to His disciples on two previous occasions. In the first meeting, Jesus appeared to only ten of His disciples since Judas had committed suicide and Thomas was absent (see Matthew 27:1-5; John 20:19, 24). When He appeared the second time, the Eleven Disciples were present. John does not tell us why the disciples were back in Galilee, but Jesus had told them to return there, where he

2 would meet them (Mk 14:28; 16:7). About two or three weeks later (see John 20:19-24, 26-29) they seem to have been sitting around, unsure of what to do, until Peter decides to go fishing and the six others who were with him went along (see John 21:3). Jesus then appeared to them the third time while they were fishing in the Sea of Galilee also called the Sea of Tiberius (see John 6:1; 21:1). However, only seven disciples were present at that time (see John 21:2). After fishing all night they had not caught anything and when morning came, Jesus stood on the shore, but the disciples didn t recognize Him. He asked if they had caught anything and they replied, No (see John 21:4-5). Jesus then told them to throw their net out on the right-hand side of the boat. When they did, they couldn t draw in the net because of the weight of the fish; there were so many! At that moment John recognized that it was Jesus talking to them and he said to Peter, It is the Lord! Hearing that, Simon Peter put on his tunic (for he was stripped to the waist) and jumped into the water and swam to shore. However, the rest of the disciples stayed in the boat and pulled the loaded net to the shore, about 300 feet away. When they got there, they saw a fire with fish frying over it, and there was also bread (see John 21:6-9). Jesus told them to bring some of the fish, and Simon Peter went out and dragged the net ashore. By his count there were about 153 large fish; and yet the net hadn t busted. Jesus then told them to come and have breakfast with Him, and He went around serving them the bread and fish (see John 21:10-13). Verse 14 then says that this was the third time Jesus had appeared to His disciples since his return from the dead. This is where our lesson begins with verse 15.

3 III. JESUS QUESTIONS TO PETER (John 21:15-19) A. Jesus first question (John 21:15). Our first verse says So when they had dined, Jesus saith to Simon Peter, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me more than these? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my lambs. Inviting his disciples to share a meal signaled Jesus love and fellowship with them. But He had some unfinished business with Peter, the one who denied him. After eating breakfast Jesus saith to Simon Peter, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me more than these? As John writes, he calls Peter Simon Peter, but when Jesus speaks to Peter He calls him Simon, son of Jonas. Jesus didn t call him Cephas (Aramaic for the Greek name Peter), or Peter, the name Jesus had given him when Peter declared that Jesus was the Christ (see Matthew 16:18). It seems that Peter had not yet reached his strength and stability as a rock, which is the meaning of the names Cephas and Peter. So Jesus called him by his original name, Simon. But He doesn t speak harshly (see Luke 22:31), and He doesn t call Peter out of his name, although he may have deserved it (see Matthew 26:69-75; Mark 14:66-72; Luke 22:54-62; John 18:16-18, 25-27). Jesus calls him Simon, son of Jonas (or Simon Bar-Jonas) just as He had done when He changed his name to Peter (see Matthew 16:17-18). Maybe Jesus called him by his original name to remind him of where he was before he met Jesus, and how unworthy he was of the honour to which he had been called. Peter s anticipated rocklike character was

4 still in the process of being formed. Jesus then asked Simon lovest thou me more than these? In the context, Jesus was publicly re-commissioning Peter for spiritual service so his depth of love for Jesus would have a significant effect on his ministry. With this question, Jesus was searching Peter s heart for anything that might hinder his future service. The Greek word that Jesus used for lovest or love here is agape which means to love deeply and is used when speaking of divine love (see John 14:21). It is a sacrificial love (see John 3:16) and the love that the law demands (see Luke 10:27). But what did the Lord mean by more than these? Was He asking, Do you love Me more than you love these other disciples? They had gotten very close both as fishermen and now as followers of Jesus. Or maybe Jesus meant, Do you love Me more than you love these boats and nets and fish? The day before while waiting to meet Jesus, Peter decided to go fishing but there is no evidence that Peter wanted to permanently go back into the fishing business. For Peter, it doesn t appear that the other disciples or fishing was in competition with his love for the Savior. However, there is a third possible meaning of Jesus; question to Peter: Do you love Me, as you claimed, more than these other disciples love Me? This seems to be the most likely meaning of Jesus question. Peter had boasted of his love for Christ when he said I will lay down my life for thy sake (see John 13:37). He even compared his devotion to Jesus to other men saying Though all men shall be offended because of thee, yet will I never be offended (see Matthew 26:33). There is more than a hint in these boastful statements that Peter believed that he loved the Lord more than the other disciples did. Jesus was asking Peter if he truly loved Him more than his fellow disciples did since he had earlier

5 emphatically declared his great loyalty to his Lord (see Mark 14:27-29; John 13:36-38). Note: This was Peter s opportunity to reconfirm his love for the Lord. During Jesus trial, Peter denied the Lord three times; his love and devotion had broken down in his hour of testing. He was filled with shame and remorse. Peter and his Lord had met privately earlier (see Luke 24:34; I Corinthians 15:5) and no doubt at that time he had received forgiveness for his sin, but his fellowship with the Lord needed to be restored in the presence of his brethren. Since Peter had denied the Lord publicly, it was important that there also be a public restoration. Sin should be dealt with only to the extent that it is known. In other words, private sins should be confessed in private, and public sins should be confessed in public. Peter needed to say that he loved the Saviour absolutely and exclusively by using the same Greek word for love that Jesus used, agape. Although both Peter and Jesus spoke Aramaic and probably used the same word in that language, we must remember that Jesus knew Peter s heart regardless of the word he used in answer to Jesus question. In response to Jesus question, Peter replied Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. Peter didn t use the same word for love that Jesus used. He used the Greek word phileo which describes the love that a person has for a dear friend. Peter does not claim to truly love Jesus, but only to love him like a dear friend. Hearing Peter s reply, Jesus saith unto him, Feed my lambs. Jesus now changes the image here from a fisherman to a shepherd. Peter was to minister both as an evangelist, catching the fish, and as a pastor

6 shepherding or feeding the flock. Unfortunately, too many pastors separate these two, but they should go together. Pastors ought to evangelize (II Timothy 4:5) and then shepherd the people they have won so that they mature in the Lord. We cannot overlook the fact that Jesus referred to the lambs as my lambs indicating that they belong to Him and Him alone. Note: Christ has such a tender concern for His flock that He will not trust it with anyone except those that love Him, and therefore will love all that belong to Him for His sake. Those that do not truly love Christ will never truly love the souls of men, or naturally care for their welfare as they should. Neither will a minister love his work if he does not truly love his Master. True love for Christ is mainly seen in usefulness to others, walking in Jesus steps and laboring to do good in an evil world. Those who love Jesus are to edify fellow believers. Love for Christ fosters a love for His people, who are precious to Him. Believers who are content to attend worship services and hear sermons without showing a fervent love for Christ and striving to follow in His steps are walking a slippery path. B. Jesus second question (John 21:16). This verse says He saith to him again the second time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my sheep. It s interesting that Jesus repeated His question, saying again the second time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? Notice that this second time, Jesus left out the words more than these probably because

7 Peter in his answer, also left it out, not wanting to compare himself with the other disciples, much less to put himself before them. Jesus focused on the real issue, the quality and focus of Peter s love. Did Peter love his Lord to the uttermost and at all costs? Once again Peter answered the Lord s question saying Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. Peter repeated his feelings of love for Jesus but he still didn t use the word for love that Jesus used agapao or agape a word that expresses God s impartial love. While Peter s love for Christ was sincere and commendable, Jesus wanted him to have unselfish love, a love that is ready to serve Jesus in any way. Yes, Peter could serve Christ with the kind of love he had expressed, but he would be able to serve Christ more widely and effectively if his love for Christ was of a higher quality. However, still not satisfied with Peter s response, Jesus saith unto him, Feed my sheep. In the previous verse Jesus command involved tending lambs or young sheep as they grazed, but in this verse, His command to Feed my sheep has more to do with shepherding a flock of sheep. It s quite likely that Jesus use of lambs and sheep were intended to give Peter insights into his future ministry to all believers instead of highlighting different classes of people to whom he would minister. Note: For sure, both the lambs and the more mature sheep need feeding and leading, and that is the task of the spiritual shepherd. It is an awesome responsibility to be a shepherd of God s flock (see I Peter 5:2)! There are enemies that want to destroy the flock, and the shepherd must be alert and courageous (see Acts 20:28-35). By nature, sheep are ignorant and defenseless, and they need the protection and guidance of the shepherd. While it is true that the Holy Spirit

8 equips people to serve as shepherds, and gives these people to churches (see Ephesians 4:11), it is also true that each individual Christian must help to care for the flock. Each of us has a gift or gifts from the Lord, and we should use what He has given us to help protect and perfect the flock (see Ephesians 4:11-16). Sheep are prone to wander, and we must look after each other and encourage each other. Jesus Christ is the Good Shepherd (see John 10:11), the Great Shepherd (see Hebrew 13:20-21), and the Chief Shepherd (see I Peter 5:4). Pastors are under-shepherds who must obey Him as they minister to His flock. The most important thing the pastor can do is to love Jesus Christ. If he or she truly loves Jesus Christ, they will also love His sheep and tenderly care for them. C. Jesus; third question (John 21:17). This verse says He saith unto him the third time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? Peter was grieved because he said unto him the third time, Lovest thou me? And he said unto him, Lord, thou knowest all things; thou knowest that I love thee. Jesus saith unto him, Feed my sheep. Having heard Peter s second answer to His second question, Jesus once again asked for the third time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? But this time, Jesus used the same word that Peter used for love, phileo instead of agapao the word with the higher meaning that Jesus had used in verses 15 and 16. Before Peter replied to Jesus, John tells us that Peter was grieved because he said unto him the third time, Lovest thou me? Peter does not pretend to love Christ more than the

9 rest of the disciples did. Although we must aim to be better than others, we must also in lowliness of mind, esteem others better than ourselves (see Philippians 2:3). But now Peter is ashamed of his earlier words, Though I should die with thee, yet will I not deny thee (see Matthew 26:35; Mark 14:31); and he had reason to be ashamed. The grief that Peter felt at being asked three times about his love for Jesus was intended for his own good. It was meant, at least in part, as a reminder of his threefold denial of Christ and his sorrow (see Matthew 26:75; Mark 14:72; Luke 22:61-62). If Peter was grieved when asked three times Lovest thou me? how much more must his Master have been grieved to be denied three times by Peter (see Luke 22:61). In response to Jesus third repeated question Peter said unto him, Lord, thou knowest all things; thou knowest that I love thee. Again, Peter uses the word for love for a dear friend, phileo. But he also does something else. He appeals to Christ Himself for the proof of his love when he said more emphatically Thou knowest all things, thou knowest that I love thee. Peter calls Jesus as a witness to his love because he knows that he can t hide anything from Him. Peter had no doubt that Christ knew all things (see John 16:30), and that He knew the heart. As the Living Word of God, Jesus is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart (see Hebrews 4:12). Note: Three times Christ committed the care of His flock to Peter: Feed my lambs; feed my sheep and again feed my sheep. Those whom Christ committed to Peter s care were His lambs and His sheep. The church of Jesus Christ is His flock, which He hath purchased with His own blood (see Acts 20:28), and He is the Chief Shepherd of it. In Jesus flock some are lambs, young and tender

10 and weak, while others are sheep, grown to some strength and maturity. Jesus is saying that the shepherd must take care of both, and of the lambs first, for upon all occasions Jesus Himself showed a particular tenderness for them. He gathers the lambs in his arms, and carries them in his bosom (see Isaiah 40:11). The charge Jesus gives Peter concerning them is to feed them. The shepherd must feed the lambs with what is proper for them because they are babes in Christ (see I Corinthians 3:1-2; I Peter 2:2). Likewise, the sheep are to be fed with food suitable for them who are more spiritual or mature (see I Corinthians 2:13-15; 3:1). It is the duty of all Christ s ministers to feed His lambs and sheep. To feed them means to teach them, for the doctrine of the gospel is spiritual food. To feed them is to preside in their religious assemblies, and minister all the ordinances to them. Feed them by interpretation of God s Word as well as personal application to their respective circumstances. D. Jesus response to Peter s answers (John 21:18-19). 1. (vs. 18). This verse says Verily, verily, I say unto thee, When thou wast young, thou girdest thyself, and walkedst whither thou wouldest: but when thou shalt be old, thou shalt stretch forth thy hands, and another shall gird thee, and carry thee whither thou wouldest not. Jesus had predicted Peter s denials after Peter said that he was willing to die with him (see John

11 13:37-38). Jesus told him, Where I am going, you cannot follow now, but you will follow later (see John 13:36). Jesus now makes a prophetic statement about Peter s future now that his fellowship has been spiritually restored. Jesus began by saying Verily, verily or truly, truly I say unto thee, When thou wast young, thou girdest thyself, and walkedst whither thou wouldest. In other words, when Peter was young, he was able to dress himself and went wherever he wanted to go. Then Jesus said but when thou shalt be old, thou shalt stretch forth thy hands, and another shall gird thee, and carry thee whither thou wouldest not. In essence Jesus was saying This is the truth Peter, when you were younger you dressed yourself and walked wherever you wanted to go; but when you get old, you will stretch out your hands and arms, and someone else will dress you, and carry you where you don t want to go. Now that Peter had professed his love, in this verse, Jesus begins to spell out the cost of that love by contrasting Peter s life up to this point, with what was in store for him. Note: The description here of Peter s hands being outstretched and someone else taking him where he didn t want to go, could be a picture of death from natural causes after increasing senility, and that may have been how Peter died. However, according to tradition, or unwritten doctrines passed down from generation to generation, Peter was crucified upside down between 64 and 68 AD (between 62 and 67 years old) during the persecution under Nero, the last Roman emperor in the mid-sixties A.D. So, if tradition is correct (and I do say if), late in the first century, John would have known that Peter s hands were stretched out and tied to a cross. The Greek word translated

12 gird is the word zonnymi and it is used for getting dressed. But it specifically means to gird, or to fasten a belt or rope around one s clothes. So here in this verse, the word girdeth most likely refers to the binding or girding of a person s arms to the crossbeam as they are led to crucifixion. However, again the idea that Peter was crucified upside down has never been confirmed. This idea is simply according to tradition which usually means that the information presented is received only orally, and is not supported (but may be refuted) by physical documentation, nor a physical artifact, or other quality evidence. 2. (vs. 19). This verse says This spake he, signifying by what death he should glorify God. And when he had spoken this, he saith unto him, Follow me. John now tells us that the words Jesus spoke in the previous verse about Peter being carried about when he was old, was signifying (or indicating) by what death he should glorify God. The day would come when someone else would take charge of Peter and kill him (see II Peter 1:13-14). As noted earlier, tradition not Scriptures, tell us that Peter was crucified, and also asked to be crucified upside down, because he was not worthy to die exactly as his Master had died. But according to this verse, Peter s death would not be a tragedy; it would glorify God! Peter s death, like Jesus death, would be in accordance with God s will and thereby it would glorify Him. The death of Lazarus glorified God (see John 11:4, 40) and so did the death of Jesus (see John 12:23). The Apostle Paul s great desire was that he would glorify God, whether by life or

13 by death (see Philippians 1:20-21). This should be our desire as well. John ends this verse saying And when he (Jesus) had spoken this, he (Jesus) saith unto him (Peter), Follow me. Our Lord s words, Follow me must have brought new joy and love to Peter s heart. Literally, Jesus was saying, Keep on following Me. Peter had answered Jesus call to follow Him at the start of His ministry (see Matthew 4:18-20; Mark 1:16-18), but now he understands much more about who Jesus is, and what following Him means. Here Peter also received a commission from the Lord for leadership in the community. So this is a call from Jesus to Peter to recommit himself. Note: There are at least five things revealed in Jesus words Follow me. First, they were further confirmation of Peter s restoration to his Master s favour, and to his apostleship since Follow me was Peter s first call (see Matthew 4:18-19). Second, these words were a prediction of Peter s sufferings, which the apostle did not fully understand until Christ gave him the key to it. Third, with the words Follow me Jesus was also telling Peter to expect to be treated as He had been treated, and to walk the same bloody path that He had walked because the disciple or servant is not greater than his Lord (see John 15:20). Fourth, these words were to encourage Peter in faithfulness and diligence in his work as an apostle. Fifth, Jesus words follow me would remind Peter that as he fed Jesus sheep, he was to set his Lord before him as an example of pastoral care. When Peter would later think of Jesus command to follow me no doubt he knew that Jesus was telling him to do as I have done. The under-shepherds must study to imitate the Chief Shepherd.

14 IV. PETER S QUESTIONS TO JESUS (John 21:20-23) A. Peter s question (John 21:20-21). 1. (vs. 20). This verse says Then Peter, turning about, seeth the disciple whom Jesus loved following; which also leaned on his breast at supper, and said, Lord, which is he that betrayeth thee? It appears that at some point during their conversation, Jesus and Peter took a stroll along the sea shore, for John says Then Peter, turning about, seeth the disciple whom Jesus loved following. As the two of them walked along, Peter looked away from his Lord and looked back probably because he heard somebody walking behind them. The person Peter saw also following Jesus was the disciple whom Jesus loved. Because of his humility, throughout his book the apostle John referred to himself as the disciple whom Jesus loved (see John 13:23; 19:26; 20:2; 21:7). In this verse, John also identified himself as the disciple which also leaned on his breast at supper, and said, Lord, which is he that betrayeth thee? This was a reference to the Last Supper when John was sitting next to Jesus, and at Peter s request he asked Jesus who was the person that would betray Him (see John 13:23-25). 2. (vs. 21). This verse says Peter seeing him saith to Jesus, Lord, and what shall this man do. After having been given a brief overview of his own future, Peter decided to ask Jesus what was in store for his friend John.

15 When Peter saw John following, he said to Jesus, Lord, and what shall this man do. In other words, Peter was asking Jesus, Lord, you just told me what will happen to me; now, what will happen to John? B. Jesus response (John 21:22-23). 1. (vs. 22). This verse says Jesus saith unto him, If I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to thee? follow thou me. Peter often reacted to things without thinking. He spoke whether or not what he had to say was relevant. So Jesus responded to his question about what would happen to John by saying in essence, If I want John to stay alive until I come again what does that have to do with you? I told you to follow Me! The Lord rebuked Peter and reminded him that his job was to follow his Lord and not to meddle into the lives of other believers. This does not mean that we should ignore others, because we do have the responsibility of caring for one another (see Philippians 2:1-4). Instead, it means that we must not permit our curiosity about others to distract us from following the Lord. God has His plans for us. He also has plans for our Christian friends and associates. How He works in their lives is His business not ours. Our business is to follow Him as He leads us. Beware when you take your eyes off the Lord and start looking at other Christians! Looking unto Jesus should be the aim and practice of every believer (see Hebrews 12:1-2). To be distracted by ourselves, our circumstances, or by other Christians is to disobey the Lord, and possibly get detoured out of the will of God. So, keep your eyes of faith on Him and on Him alone.

16 2. (vs. 23). This verse says Then went this saying abroad among the brethren, that that disciple should not die: yet Jesus said not unto him, He shall not die; but, If I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to thee? Although Jesus didn t reveal His will for John to Peter, when John wrote this Gospel he noted that a false report began to circulate among the first century believers that that disciple (John) should not die. In other words, the rumor was spread that Jesus said that John was not going to die. This was a distortion of Jesus statement which John corrected by saying yet Jesus said not unto him, He shall not die; but, If I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to thee? John, who was a witness to what Jesus actually said to Peter, wanted to set the record straight. So in response to the rumor, John basically said But that isn t what Jesus said at all! He only said to Peter, If I want him to live until I come, what does that have to do with you? Note: Jesus did not say that John would live until His return, but that s the way some of the misguided believers understood it. Unfortunately, more problems are caused by confused saints than by lost sinners! Misinterpreting the Word of God only creates misunderstanding about God s people and God s plans for His people. Jesus did not say that John would live until He returned and neither did He say that John would die before He returned. As it was, John lived the longest of all the disciples and did witness the Lord s return in the visions that he recorded in the book of Revelation.

17 V. THE CONCLUSION OF JOHN S GOSPEL (John 21:24-25) A. John, identified as the author of the book (John 21:24). This verse says This is the disciple which testifieth of these things, and wrote these things: and we know that his testimony is true. As John came to the close of his book, he affirmed again the credibility of his witness. John was saying I am that disciple! I saw these events and have recorded them here. And we all know that my account of these things is accurate. John witnessed these events himself and wrote them for us as he was led by the Holy Spirit. Note: Those who wrote the history or Gospels of Jesus Christ wrote from their own knowledge, not from hearsay, but by what they themselves were eye and ear witnesses of. The writer of this history was John, a beloved disciple, one that had leaned on Christ s breast; one that had himself heard Jesus sermons and conferences, had seen His miracles, and the proofs of His resurrection. Those who wrote the history of Christ, as they testified or spoke about what they had seen, they also wrote what they had first testified or spoke about to others. B. The innumerable works of Jesus (John 21:25). Our final verse says And there are also many other things which Jesus did, the which, if they should be written every one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that should be written. Amen. John concludes his Gospel by declaring that there were also many other things which Jesus did; very

18 memorable things said and done by our Lord Jesus, which were well known by many living during that time. John went on to say that there were many other things that could be written, but as far as he was concerned, if every detail of Jesus life was written, even the world itself that is, all the libraries in the world, could not contain the books that might be written. There were many other things, which were not written because there was no need for writing them. What is written in the Gospels is sufficient revelation of the doctrine of Jesus Christ and the proof of it. Apparently under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, John chose to write about the events that presented Jesus as the Messiah and would have brought people to faith in Him (see John 20:30-31). There were many of Christ s sayings and doings that are not recorded by any of the evangelists or Gospel writers. Paul even quotes one of Christ s sayings, which is not recorded by any of the Gospel writers (see Acts 20:35), and no doubt there were many more. John ends his Gospel with the affirmation Amen which literally means it is true. So John was setting his seal of approval, and declaring that the gospel is true, all true. VI. Conclusion. Many people today would have us believe that God has promised health and wealth to all believers who have enough faith to claim the abundant life. In reality, Jesus promised His followers that they would experience pain and persecution for the sake of His name. He called them to follow in His footsteps of submission and suffering. Our call remains the same. Following Jesus may result in the

19 alienation of friends and family. It may cost us the investment of our time and talents. It may involve the sacrificing of certain personal desires and goals. Yet Jesus still wants us to follow Him. Peter willingly accepted the command of our Lord to follow Him, but he also wanted to know what John would experience in the future. Jesus reply reminds us that God has a perfect plan for each believer involving various degrees of suffering. Some believers will suffer more than others. So, we are not to compare ourselves with, or focus on others; instead we are to keep our eyes on Jesus and follow Him. ***The Bible Expositor and Illuminator, Union Gospel Press***