Weekly Study Reflections for Groups at St. Stephen’s Church, Richmond, Virginia Preparing for Sunday, April 10, 2016, Easter 3, Year C

John 21:1-19 showed himself again to the disciples by the Sea of ; and he showed himself in this way. Gathered there together were Simon Peter, Thomas called the Twin, Nathanael of Cana in , the sons of Zebedee, and two others of his disciples. Simon Peter said to them, “ going fishing.” They said to him, “We will go with you.” They went out and got into the boat, but that night they caught nothing.

Just after daybreak, Jesus stood on the beach; but the disciples did not know that it was Jesus. Jesus said to them, “Children, you have no fish, have you?” They answered him, “No.” He said to them, “Cast the net to the right side of the boat, and you will find some.” So they cast it, and now they were not able to haul it in because there were so many fish. That disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, “It is the Lord!” When Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he put on some clothes, for he was naked, and jumped into the sea. But the other disciples came in the boat, dragging the net full of fish, for they were not far from the land, only about a hundred yards off.

When they had gone ashore, they saw a charcoal fire there, with fish on it, and bread. Jesus said to them, “Bring some of the fish that you have just caught.” So Simon Peter went aboard and hauled the net ashore, full of large fish, a hundred fifty-three of them; and though there were so many, the net was not torn. Jesus said to them, “Come and have breakfast.” Now none of the disciples dared to ask him, “Who are you?” because they knew it was the Lord. Jesus came and took the bread and gave it to them, and did the same with the fish. This was now the third time that Jesus appeared to the disciples after he was raised from the dead.

When they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Feed my lambs.” A second time he said to him, “Simon son of John, do you love me?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Tend my sheep.” He said to him the third time, “Simon son of John, do you love me?” Peter felt hurt because he said to him the third time, “Do you love me?” And he said to him, “Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Feed my sheep. Very truly, I tell you, when you were younger, you used to fasten your own belt and to go wherever you wished. But when you grow old, you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will fasten a belt around you and take you where you do not wish to go.” (He said this to indicate the kind of death by which he would glorify God.) After this he said to him, “Follow me.”

Background and general observations This passage falls at the very end of the Gospel according to John. After the above, there are only six more verses to John:

Peter turned and saw that the disciple whom Jesus loved was following them. (This was the one who had leaned back against Jesus at the supper and had said, “Lord, who is going to betray you?”) When Peter saw him, he asked, “Lord, what about him?” Jesus answered, “If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you? You must follow me.” Because of this, the rumor spread among the brothers that this disciple would not die. But Jesus did not say that he would not die; he only said, “If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you?” This is the disciple who testifies to these things and who wrote them down. We know that his testimony is true. Jesus did many other things as well. If every one of them were written down, I suppose that even the whole world would not have room for the books that would be written. :20-25

That’s it. The end.

But the verses that immediately precede the passage we are studying this week (:30-31) would have made a fine ending to John’s Gospel:

Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book. But these are written so that you may come to believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that through believing you may have life in his name.

So, we can see how the story of Jesus showing himself to the disciples by the Sea of Tiberias serves as a kind of “Epilogue.” And the interesting thing about this epilogue is that its details might stir in us memories of things that happened during Jesus’ earthly ministry with the disciples:

 This story of the resurrected Jesus feeding his disciples fish on the shores of the Sea of Tiberias would recall how Jesus fed five thousand people with five loaves and two fish in that same place (:1-14)  The fact that the disciples fish all night and do not catch anything until the resurrected Jesus tells them where to cast their nets might recall the fact that in the Gospel stories the disciples never catch anything without Jesus’ help or guidance.  The fact that the disciples do not recognize Jesus at first would recall other similar instances, from Mary mistaking Jesus as a gardener to Thomas needing proof (and in Luke, the disciples on the road to Emmaus).  Jesus inviting the disciples to breakfast and serving them might recall the meal they had had in the upper room where Jesus fed them and taught them about serving.  Jesus asking Peter three times if Peter loves him would recall the three times that Peter denied Jesus before the cock crew.  And Jesus’ instructions to “feed my sheep” would recall Jesus’ teaching about the (:14)

Additionally, some have suggested that the interesting detail about Peter being naked while he was fishing and putting on clothes before he springs into the water might recall for us the story of Adam being naked in the Garden of Eden and hiding himself from God. Peter puts on his clothes because he is still ashamed, but he does spring into the water to approach Jesus. Could it be that Jesus’ encounter with Peter is a kind of undoing of

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Adam’s trespass? For a Gospel writer like John who begins his Gospel this way, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God and the Word was God…,” such an idea might not be so far-fetched.

Our passage for this week, in other words, is a richly symbolic epilogue that might help the faithful in our own day to consider how Jesus is still with us, still performing , still guiding us in our various endeavors, still serving and feeding us, still redeeming and forgiving us. And even so, we are often still unable to recognize him.

Ideas for discussing the application of this lesson to our daily lives 1. “I’m going fishing.”

It almost seems like a quirky detail. But Peter and the disciples have just been through serious and bloody trauma. Then, they had some incredible experiences of the resurrected Jesus. And Peter announces that he’s going fishing.

Of course, fishing is Peter’s livelihood and profession. And one might recognize that when we have gone through traumatic or disturbing or overly stimulating events, we all might very naturally seek refuge in the familiar, in what we know.

But if going to work or returning to his familiar, safe world was Peter’s way of avoiding another strange encounter or running away from the shame he felt about denying Jesus, his plan did not work. Jesus seeks out the disciples in their familiar environment, in their place of work.

Do you have a sense of God meeting you in the routines of your daily life and work? Or, do you tend to relegate encounters with the Divine to “special” times and places – church, meditation, prayer, a hike in the mountains?

As you ponder your daily life and routines, consider how God might be calling out to you, seeking to guide you, or even seeking to serve and feed you. The disciples do not at first recognize Jesus on the beach. Can you imagine that you, too, often do not recognize him?

How do you tend to handle particularly stressful situations and events? Work more? Watch TV? Go shopping? Drink? …

2. “It is the Lord!”

It is interesting that the first disciple to recognize Jesus is John, the “Beloved disciple.” John was the one who reclined at Jesus’ breast at the Last Supper, and some have seen John as a “contemplative” disciple.

What role might contemplation and love play in helping a person to recognize the Lord?

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3. When Peter heard it was the Lord, he put on his clothes and jumped into the sea. Although John was the first one to recognize the Lord, Peter was the first one to reach the Lord. John might be a prototype of the Contemplative Christian; Peter could serve as the prototype of the Active Christian.

What is the role of contemplation in the Christian life, and what is the role of action?

Do you find it a challenge to balance contemplation and action?

Do you tend to be more of a contemplative (John) type, or more of an active (Peter) type?

What are the perils associated with being overly contemplative or overly active?

4. Consider the observations above in the “Background” section regarding the naked Peter putting on his clothes and jumping into the sea.

What role does shame play in our relationship with God?

What role does shame play in our relationships with each other?

What do you believe God wants to tell us when we feel shame?

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