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Texts -- John 21:1-11 (NET)

Context
Jesus’ Appearance to the Disciples in Galilee
21:1 After this Jesus revealed himself again to the disciples by the Sea of Tiberias . Now this is how he did so . 21:2 Simon Peter , Thomas (called Didymus ), Nathanael (who was from Cana in Galilee ), the sons of Zebedee , and two other disciples of his were together . 21:3 Simon Peter told them , “I am going fishing .” “We will go with you ,” they replied . They went out and got into the boat , but that night they caught nothing . 21:4 When it was already very early morning , Jesus stood on the beach , but the disciples did not know that it was Jesus . 21:5 So Jesus said to them , “Children , you don’t have any fish , do you?” They replied , “No .” 21:6 He told them , “Throw your net on the right side of the boat , and you will find some.” So they threw the net , and were not able to pull it in because of the large number of fish . 21:7 Then the disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter , “It is the Lord !” So Simon Peter , when he heard that it was the Lord , tucked in his outer garment (for he had nothing on underneath it), and plunged into the sea . 21:8 Meanwhile the other disciples came with the boat , dragging the net full of fish , for they were not far from land , only about a hundred yards . 21:9 When they got out on the beach , they saw a charcoal fire ready with a fish placed on it, and bread . 21:10 Jesus said , “Bring some of the fish you have just now caught .” 21:11 So Simon Peter went aboard and pulled the net to shore . It was full of large fish , one hundred fifty-three , but although there were so many , the net was not torn .

Pericope

NET
  • Joh 21:1-14 -- Jesus' Appearance to the Disciples in Galilee

Bible Dictionary

  • Peter

    [ebd] originally called Simon (=Simeon ,i.e., "hearing"), a very common Jewish name in the New Testament. He was the son of Jona (Matt. 16:17). His mother is nowhere named in Scripture. He had a younger brother called Andrew, who ...
    [nave] PETER Called also Simon Bar-jona and Cephas, Matt. 16:16-19; Mark 3:16; John 1:42. A fisherman, Matt. 4:18; Luke 5:1-7; John 21:3. Call of, Matt. 4:18-20; Mark 1:16-18; Luke 5:1-11. His wife's mother healed, Matt. 8:14; M...

  • Thomas

    [isbe] THOMAS - tom'-as (Thomas; ta'om, "a twin" (in plural only): 1. In the New Testament: One of the Twelve Apostles. Thomas, who was also called "Didymus" or "the Twin" (compare Jn 11:16; 20:24; 21:2), is referred to in detail b...
    [smith] (a twin), one of the apostles. According to Eusebius, his real name was Judas. This may have been a mere confusion with Thaddeus, who is mentioned in the extract. But it may also be that; Thomas was a surname. Out of this nam...
    [nave] THOMAS, called Didymus. One of the twelve apostles, Matt. 10:3; Mark 3:18; Luke 6:15. Present at the raising of Lazarus, John 11:16. Asks Jesus the way to the Father's house, John 14:5. Absent when Jesus first appeared to ...

  • John

    [ebd] (1.) One who, with Annas and Caiaphas, sat in judgment on the apostles Peter and John (Acts 4:6). He was of the kindred of the high priest; otherwise unknown. (2.) The Hebrew name of Mark (q.v.). He is designated by this nam...
    [nave] JOHN 1. The Baptist: Prophecies concerning, Isa. 40:3; Mal. 4:5, 6; Luke 1:11-17. Miraculous birth of, Luke 1:11-20, 57-65. Dwells in the desert, Matt. 3:1; Mark 1:4; Luke 1:80; 3:2, 3. Mission of, Matt. 17:11; Mark 1:2-8...

  • James

    [isbe] JAMES - jamz (Iacobos): English form of Jacob, and the name of 3 New Testament men of note: (1) The Son of Zebedee, one of the Twelve Apostles (ho tou Zebedaiou): A) The Son of Zebedee: I. In the New Testament. 1. Family Rel...
    [nave] JAMES 1. An apostle. Son of Zebedee and Salome, Matt. 4:21; 27:56. See: Salome. Brother of John, and a fisherman, Luke 5:10. Called to be an apostle, Matt. 4:21, 22; 10:2; Mark 1:19, 20; Luke 6:14; Acts 1:13. Surnamed Bo...

  • GALILEE, SEA OF

    [ebd] (Matt. 4:18; 15:29), is mentioned in the Bible under three other names. (1.) In the Old Testament it is called the "sea of Chinnereth" (Num. 34:11; Josh. 12:3; 13:27), as is supposed from its harp-like shape. (2). The "lake ...
    [isbe] GALILEE, SEA OF - (he thalassa tes Galilaias): 1. The Name: This is the name 5 times given in the New Testament (Mt 4:18; 15:29; Mk 1:16; 7:31; Jn 6:1) to the sheet of water which is elsewhere called "the sea of Tiberias" (J...

  • BODY, SPIRITUAL

    [isbe] BODY, SPIRITUAL - spir'-it-u-al: Paul describes the body after the resurrection as a spiritual body (soma psuchikon) and contrasts it with the natural (psychical body, soma pneumatikon, 1 Cor 15:44). Our present natural body...

  • JESUS CHRIST, 4F

    [isbe] JESUS CHRIST, 4F - F. THE RESURRECTION AND ASCENSION The Resurrection a Fundamental Fact: The resurrection of Jesus, with its completion in the ascension, setting the seal of the Father's acceptance on His finished work on e...

  • PETER, SIMON

    [isbe] PETER, SIMON - pe'-ter, si'-mon): 1. Name and Early Career 2. First Appearance in Gospel History 3. Life-Story (1) First Period (2) Second Period 4. Character 5. Writings (1) First Epistle (2) Second Epistle 6. Theology (1) ...

  • Jesus, The Christ

    [nave] JESUS, THE CHRIST. Index of Sub-topics History of; Miscellaneous Facts Concerning; Unclassified Scriptures Relating to; Ascension of; Atonement by; Attributes of; Compassion of; Confessing; Creator; Death of; Design of His...

  • Galilee

    [nave] GALILEE 1. The northern district of Palestine. A city of refuge in, Josh. 20:7; 21:32; 1 Chr. 6:76. Cities in, given to Hiram, 1 Kin. 9:11, 12. Taken by king of Assyria, 2 Kin. 15:29. Prophecy concerning, Isa. 9:1; Matt. ...

  • JOHN, GOSPEL OF

    [smith] This Gospel was probably written at Ephesus about A.D. 78. (Canon Cook places it toward the close of John?s life, A.D. 90-100. --ED.) The Gospel was obviously addressed primarily to Christians, not to heathen. There can be li...

  • Fishing, the art of

    [ebd] was prosecuted with great industry in the waters of Palestine. It was from the fishing-nets that Jesus called his disciples (Mark 1:16-20), and it was in a fishing-boat he rebuked the winds and the waves (Matt. 8:26) and del...

  • FISHING

    [isbe] FISHING - fish'-ing (halieuo): Several methods of securing fish are resorted to at the present day along the seashores of Palestine. Two of these, dynamiting and poisoning with the juice of cyclamen bulbs or other poisonous ...

  • ANDREW

    [isbe] ANDREW - an'-droo (Andreas, i.e. "manly." The name has also been interpreted as "the mighty one, or conqueror"): Andrew was the first called of the Twelve Apostles. I. In New Testament. 1. Early History and First Call: Andre...

  • Fish

    [isbe] FISH - (dagh, daghah, da'gh; ichthus, ichthudion, opsarion): 1. Natural History: Fishes abound in the inland waters of Palestine as well as the Mediterranean. They are often mentioned or indirectly referred to both in the Ol...
    [nave] FISH Creation of, Gen. 1:20-22. Appointed for food, Gen. 9:2, 3. Clean and unclean, Lev. 11:9-12; Deut. 14:9, 10. Taken with nets, Eccl. 9:12; Hab. 1:14-17; Matt. 4:21; Luke 5:2-6; John 21:6-8; hooks, Isa. 19:8; Amos 4:2;...

  • Net

    [nave] NET Of checker work, 1 Kin. 7:17. Hidden in a pit, Psa. 35:7, 8. Set for birds, Prov. 1:17; wild animals, Isa. 51:20. Fish caught in, Matt. 4:18-21; 13:47; Luke 5:4; John 21:6-11. See: Snare. Figurative Job 18:8; 19:6;...

  • Tiberias

    [ebd] a city, the modern Tubarich, on the western shore of the Sea of Tiberias. It is said to have been founded by Herod Antipas (A.D. 16), on the site of the ruins of an older city called Rakkath, and to have been thus named by h...
    [isbe] TIBERIAS - ti-be'-ri-as ([Tiberias], Jn 6:23): About the middle of the western shore of the Sea of Galilee, the mountains fall back from the coast, and leave a roughly crescent-shaped plain, about 2 miles in length. The mode...
    [smith] a city in the time of Christ, on the Sea of Galilee; first mentioned in the New Testament, (John 6:1,23; 21:1) and then by Josephus, who states that it was built by Herod Antipas, and was named by him in honor of the emperor ...
    [nave] TIBERIAS 1. A city on the Sea of Galilee, John 6:23. 2. Sea of, a name given to the Sea of Galilee, John 6:1; 21:1. See: Galilee, 2.

  • Nathanael

    [ebd] given or gift of God, one of our Lord's disciples, "of Cana in Galilee" (John 21:2). He was "an Israelite indeed, in whom was no guile" (1:47, 48). His name occurs only in the Gospel of John, who in his list of the disciples...
    [smith] (gift of God), a disciple of Jesus Christ, concerning whom, under that name at least, we learn from Scripture little more than his birthplace, Cana of Galilee, (John 21:2) and his simple, truthful character. (John 1:47) The n...
    [nave] NATHANAEL, becomes a disciple of Jesus, John 1:45-49; 21:2.

  • Cana

    [ebd] reedy, a town of Galilee, near Capernaum. Here our Lord wrought his first miracle, the turning of water into wine (John 2:1-11; 4:46). It is also mentioned as the birth-place of Nathanael (21:2). It is not mentioned in the O...
    [smith] (place of reeds) of Galilee, once Cana in Galilee, a village or town not far from Capernaum, memorable as the scene of Christ?s first miracle, (John 2:1,11; 4:46) as well as of a subsequent one, (John 4:46,54) and also as the...
    [nave] CANA Marriage at, John 2:1-11. Royal official's son healed at, John 4:46, 47. Nathanael's home at, John 21:2.

  • DIDYMUS

    [ebd] (Gr. twin = Heb. Thomas, q.v.), John 11:16; 20:24; 21:2.
    [smith] (the twin), a surname of the apostle Thomas. (John 11:16; 20:24; 21:2) [THOMAS]
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Who Is Jesus Christ?; Resurrection Events; Why We Believe Jesus Rose from the Dead

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Expository Notes on the Bible (Constable)

  • Jesus proceeded to do a second miracle to deepen His disciples' faith in Him even more.14:22 As soon as the people had finished eating, Jesus "immediately compelled"(Gr. eutheos enagkasen) His disciples to enter a boat and to...
  • Jesus evidently gave this prediction before He and His disciples left the upper room (cf. Luke 21:31-38; John 13:36-38). Matthew and Mark probably placed it where they did in their Gospels to stress the gravity of the discipl...
  • Luke's account of this incident is the longest of the three. Luke stressed Peter and omitted any reference to Andrew, his brother (Matt. 4:18; Mark 1:16). He characteristically focussed on single individuals that Jesus' touch...
  • The writer of this Gospel did not identify himself as such in the text. This is true of all the Gospel evangelists. Nevertheless there is evidence within this Gospel as well as in the writings of the church fathers that the w...
  • I. Prologue 1:1-18A. The preincarnate Word 1:1-5B. The witness of John the Baptist 1:6-8C. The appearance of the Light 1:9-13D. The incarnation of the Word 1:14-18II. Jesus' public ministry 1:19-12:50A. The prelude to Jesus' ...
  • The disciples of John were not the only men who began following Jesus. Andrew continued to bring other friends to Jesus. This incident preceded Jesus' formal appointment of the Twelve, but it shows Him preparing those who wou...
  • The first miracle that Jesus performed, in His public ministry and in John's Gospel, was semi-public. Apparently only Jesus' disciples, the servants present, and Jesus' mother understood what had happened.2:1 The third day ev...
  • In this pericope John stressed Jesus' deliberate purpose in allowing Lazarus to die and the reality of his death.11:1-2 "Lazarus"probably is a variant of "Eleazar"meaning "God helps."379The Synoptic writers did not mention hi...
  • Jesus had spoken only briefly about His betrayal until now (cf. 6:70; 13:10, 18). Now He gave the Twelve more specific information.13:21-22 The prospect of His imminent betrayal and death upset Jesus visibly (Gr. etarachthe, ...
  • 14:1 Jesus was troubled because of what lay before Him, and the Eleven were troubled (Gr. tarassestho) because they did not understand what lay before them. Jesus had just told them that He was going to leave them (13:33), bu...
  • At the end of His answer to Peter's question (13:36), Jesus moved the conversation back to the general theme of preparation for His departure (v. 4). He did the same thing after answering Philip's question (v. 8). Obedience t...
  • 16:25 "These things I have spoken unto you"(NASB) indicates another transition in the discourse (cf. 14:25; 16:1, 4, 33; 17:1). Jesus acknowledged that He had not been giving direct answers to His disciples' questions. He had...
  • As the other evangelists, John alternated his account of the events surrounding Jesus' religious trial. He described what was happening in the courtyard (vv. 15-18), then what was happening inside (vv. 19-24), then what happe...
  • John took his readers back to the courtyard where Peter stood warming himself with the high priest's servants and officers (v. 18).18:25 Under pressure again, Peter denied for a second time that he was one of Jesus' disciples...
  • This is the first of four of Jesus' post-resurrection appearances that John included in his Gospel.Jesus' Post-resurrection Appearances627Easter morningto Mary Magdalene (Mark 16:9-11; John 20:10-18)to other women (Matt. 28:9...
  • This Gospel began with a theological prologue (1:1-18). It ends with a practical epilogue. John concluded his narrative designed to bring unbelievers to faith in Jesus Christ in chapter 20. Chapter 21 contains instruction for...
  • 21:1 John recorded still another post-resurrection appearance of Jesus to His disciples. It undoubtedly occurred during the 32-day period between Thomas' confession (20:28) and Jesus' ascension (Acts 1:9). Exactly when is uni...
  • Allen, Ronald B. "Affirming Right-of-Way on Ancient Paths."Bibliotheca Sacra153:609 (January-March 1996):3-11.Ante-Nicene Christian Library: Translations of the Writings of the Fathers. Edited by Alexander Roberts and James D...
  • "Though Peter was not by training or inclination an overly scrupulous Jew, and though as a Christian his inherited prejudices were gradually wearing thin, he was not prepared to go so far as to minister directly to Gentiles. ...
  • John reminded his readers of their spiritual blessings to motivate them to cultivate intimate fellowship with God."Because his readers are Christians and have in part experienced the power of their faith he moves them to nobl...
  • 17:1 The fact that this chapter describes the judgment of Babylon referred to in 14:8 and 16:19 seems clear. It was one of the angels who poured out the bowl judgments who served as John's guide as he viewed these events in h...

Expositions Of Holy Scripture (Maclaren)

  • When Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus' knees, saying, Depart from me; for I am a sinful man, O Lord.'--Luke 5:8.Now, when Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he girt his fisher's coat unto him, and did cast himse...
  • 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.'--John 21:2.THIS chapter, containing the infinitely significant and pathet...
  • When the morning was now come. Jesus stood on the shore; but the disciples knew not that it was Jesus.'--John 21:4.THE incident recorded in this appendix to John's Gospel is separated from the other appearances of our risen ...
  • Therefore that disciple whom Jesus loved saith unto Peter, It is the Lord.'--John 21:7.IT seems a very strange thing that these disciples had not, at an earlier period of this incident, discovered the presence of Christ, inas...
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