20160531 Tuesday, May 31 2016
John 21: After The Resurrection - Back Home In Galilee

by Wayne Blank
See also 1 Year Holy Bible Reading Plan

"After these things Jesus shewed Himself again to the disciples at the Sea of Tiberias"

At the time of the Messiah's Ministry, Tiberias was a city on the western shore of the Sea of Galilee (which is actually a freshwater lake through which the Jordan River flows south from Galilee to Judea). The city was named after the Emperor Tiberius who reigned from about 14 to 37 AD - Tiberius was the Roman emperor at the time of the Crucifixion of the Messiah (to see what Tiberius actually looked like, see A History Of Jerusalem: Pompey And The Caesars).

In earlier times, the Sea of Galilee was known as the Sea of Chinnereth (or other various rendered spellings into English, including "Cinneroth" in the verse quote below), from a town of that name.

"15:20 So Benhadad hearkened unto king Asa, and sent the captains of the hosts which he had against the cities of Israel, and smote Ijon, and Dan, and Abelbethmaachah, and all Cinneroth, with all the land of Naphtali." (1 Kings 15:20 KJV)

"34:11 And the coast shall go down from Shepham to Riblah, on the east side of Ain; and the border shall descend, and shall reach unto the side of the sea of Chinnereth eastward." (Numbers 34:11 KJV)

By the first century, the lake was known as both the Sea of Galilee (i.e. the Sea in Galilee) and the Sea of Tiberias - after the lakeshore city that was named after the emperor Tiberius (note the different translated spellings i.e. "Tiberias" for the town and lake, and "Tiberius" for the emperor).

After the Resurrection, while keeping in mind what the Messiah had told them about being in Jerusalem at the upcoming Pentecost (see Pentecost: Power From On High and The Passover To Pentecost Connection), some of the apostles, particularly those who were fishermen (see also Why Were The First Apostles Fishermen Instead Of Carpenters?) returned to their home area in Galilee. The risen Messiah Himself returned to the area while awaiting His ascension from Jerusalem just before that same Pentecost (see The Ascent From Bethany). In this account, "the sea of Tiberias" is used for the Sea of Galilee.

"21:1 After these things Jesus shewed himself again to the disciples at the sea of Tiberias; and on this wise shewed he himself. 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. 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.

21:4 But when the morning was now come, Jesus stood on the shore: but the disciples knew not that it was Jesus.

21:5 Then Jesus saith unto them, Children, have ye any meat?

They answered him, No.

21:6 And he said unto them, Cast the net on the right side of the ship, and ye shall find. They cast therefore, and now they were not able to draw it for the multitude of fishes.

21:7 Therefore that disciple whom Jesus loved saith unto Peter, It is the Lord. Now when Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he girt his fisher's coat unto him, (for he was naked,) and did cast himself into the sea. 21:8 And the other disciples came in a little ship; (for they were not far from land, but as it were two hundred cubits,) dragging the net with fishes. 21:9 As soon then as they were come to land, they saw a fire of coals there, and fish laid thereon, and bread.

21:10 Jesus saith unto them, Bring of the fish which ye have now caught.

21:11 Simon Peter went up, and drew the net to land full of great fishes, an hundred and fifty and three: and for all there were so many, yet was not the net broken. 21:12 Jesus saith unto them, Come and dine. And none of the disciples durst ask him, Who art thou? knowing that it was the Lord. 21:13 Jesus then cometh, and taketh bread, and giveth them, and fish likewise. 21:14 This is now the third time that Jesus shewed himself to his disciples, after that he was risen from the dead." (John 21:1-14 KJV)

Peter had been an impetuous "go getter." There is not necessarily much wrong with that, except that, in Peter's case, his mouth sometimes got far ahead of his growing wisdom, which caused him to say things that came with a painful price later. His boast that he would never forsake the Messiah, even though all of the others would, was arrogant. His denial "before the cock crows" - and the grief that immediately came with it - cured much of that arrogance, but his thereafter awareness that he would himself be crucified because of his boastful mouth was itself a cure for his boastful mouth (see Why Was Peter Crucified?). Peter became a humble, rock-solid servant of the LORD thereafter, as evidenced by his epistles years later (see the Fact Finder question below).

"21:15 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.

21:16 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.

21:17 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.

21:18 Verily, verily, I say unto thee, When thou wast young, thou girdedst 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.

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

21:20 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? 21:21 Peter seeing him saith to Jesus, Lord, and what shall this man do?

21:22 Jesus saith unto him, If I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to thee? follow thou me. 21:23 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?

21:24 This is the disciple which testifieth of these things, and wrote these things: and we know that his testimony is true.

21:25 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 21:15-25 KJV)

Fact Finder: What did Peter say in his epistles (letters to the churches)?
See 1 Peter: Be Not Lords Over God's Heritage and 2 Peter: 'The Servants Of Corruption Promise Liberty'