John 21:1 After this, Yeshua appeared again to the talmidim at Lake Tiberias. Here is how it happened: 2 Shim‘on Kefa and T’oma (his name means “twin”) were together with Natan’el from Kanah in the Galil, the sons of Zavdai, and two other talmidim. 3 Shim‘on Kefa said, “I’m going fishing.” They said to him, “We’re coming with you.” They went and got into the boat, but that night they didn’t catch anything. 4 However, just as day was breaking, Yeshua stood on shore, but the talmidim didn’t know it was he. 5 He said to them, “You don’t have any fish, do you?” “No,” they answered him. 6 He said to them, “Throw in your net to starboard and you will catch some.” So they threw in their net, and there were so many fish in it that they couldn’t haul it aboard. 7 The talmid Yeshua loved said to Kefa, “It’s the Lord!” On hearing it was the Lord, Shim‘on Kefa threw on his coat, because he was stripped for work, and plunged into the lake; 8 but the other talmidim followed in the boat, dragging the net full of fish; for they weren’t far from shore, only about a hundred yards. 9 When they stepped ashore, they saw a fire of burning coals with a fish on it, and some bread. 10 Yeshua said to them, “Bring some of the fish you have just caught.” 11 Shim‘on Kefa went up and dragged the net ashore. It was full of fish, 153 of them; but even with so many, the net wasn’t torn. 12 Yeshua said to them, “Come and have breakfast.” None of the talmidim dared to ask him, “Who are you?” They knew it was the Lord. 13 Yeshua came, took the bread and gave it to them, and did the same with the fish. 14 This was now the third time Yeshua had appeared to the talmidim after being raised from the dead.
Why did Peter plunge into the water instead of walking across?
We’ll get back to this.
This was now the third time Yeshua had appeared to the talmidim after being raised from the dead.
The first time was the day of First Fruits, the second was a week later. Both of the times before, they were locked behind closed doors out of fear. But here, they decided to go outside.
You know the feeling of having cabin fever -- restless, being all cooped up inside. It looks like it had taken its toll on Peter and he snapped:
Shim‘on Kefa said, “I’m going fishing.” They said to him, “We’re coming with you.”
A watershed moment, actually.
Imagine you were in their situation. You’ve seen some crazy stuff happen with people getting healed and delivered, you’ve seen creation bend to His will, you’ve seen the authorities silenced in public, you’ve seen dead people come back to life. With your own eyes, you’ve seen all of this. Peter, James, and John even saw Him transfigured on that mountain.
What if you had watched all of that happen then poof, it's all gone. The feeling that must be overwhelming you is more than you can bear. Depression is all over you, and there has been an implosion of a vision you thought for certain was about to come. You and all of your friends and family were about to be delivered from the hands of the Romans, and Yeshua was going to change it all.
But it didn’t quite happen that way.
Mary Magdalene spoke with Yeshua outside of the grave, and Peter and John spoke with Him on the way back from the tomb. Then later that night they all (well, most of them) were together. It seems as though when they came together they had to hide -- behind a locked door:
John 20:19 In the evening that same day, the first day of the week, when the talmidim were gathered together behind locked doors out of fear of the Judeans, Yeshua came, stood in the middle and said, “Shalom aleikhem!”
A week later, we see they were still hiding -- behind a locked door:
John 20:26 A week later his talmidim were once more in the room, and this time T’oma was with them. Although the doors were locked, Yeshua came, stood among them and said, “Shalom aleikhem!”
They were still locked up even after seeing Him that first time. Think about it, you speak and visit with a Man that was dead the day before -- AND HE FILLS YOU WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT!
John 20:21 “Shalom aleikhem!” Yeshua repeated. “Just as the Father sent me, I myself am also sending you.” 22 Having said this, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Ruach HaKodesh! 23 If you forgive someone’s sins, their sins are forgiven; if you hold them, they are held.”
How long can you hide?
Besides, Yeshua has made an appearance twice and it most certainly does not seem like He’s taking control of the earth. What do you do?
You go back to what you know.
The fun is over, the fame has vanished, and you’re left in a locked room with a dozen or so rogue church members.
Since you aren’t getting placed into that highly esteemed and powerful position, I guess it’s time to go back to work. Settle back into the life you know and pick up the pieces however you can.
This is where Peter is.
You can’t just go around talking about the good ol’ days and telling people you are one of the few that has actually seen that Prophet that was killed. No one is getting healed or delivered these days so the massive crowds have all dissipated back into their own little worlds. Business as usual.
In an attempt to get his life back on track, Peter and the others decide to go fishing. All night in the boat and they don’t catch a thing.
Question: What do you do when what you know works no longer works?
This is critical. They saw it all, believed it all, and gave up everything for it. Now the thing they are good at is failing. That one last attempt to go back to their former life was fading before their very eyes.
Then it happens.
A Man hollers out from the shoreline asking if they caught anything and they answer Him with a defeated no. So He has them drop the nets on the other side of the boat. As they pulled in a large amount of fish, John knew Who was there.
Huh…sounds a lot like how these young men first began to follow Yeshua. Remember that one?
Luke 5:4 When he had finished speaking, he said to Shim‘on, “Put out into deep water, and let down your nets for a catch.” 5 Shim‘on answered, “We’ve worked hard all night long, Rabbi, and haven’t caught a thing! But if you say so, I’ll let down the nets.” 6 They did this and took in so many fish that their nets began to tear.
Eerily similar, isn’t it?
It took Peter failing at his craft to embrace the call upon his life. He acknowledged his true state and left his old life behind:
Luke 5:8 When he saw this, Shim‘on Kefa fell at Yeshua’s knees and said, “Get away from me, sir, because I’m a sinner!” 9 For astonishment had seized him and everyone with him at the catch of fish they had taken, 10 and likewise both Ya‘akov and Yochanan, Shim‘on’s partners. “Don’t be frightened,” Yeshua said to Shim‘on, “from now on you will be catching men — alive!” 11 And as soon as they had beached their boats, they left everything behind and followed him.
But in the wake of all that has happened lately, he decided to pick it all back up. Unfortunately, that was not the call upon his life then, and it definitely isn’t the call upon his life now.
When Peter hears these words come from John’s mouth, he grabs a coat and dives into the water.
Dedication and commitment, right? Sure. But why didn’t he just walk?
Do you now see where Peter was in all of this? He had reverted back into his old self and everything he knew to be true was gone. Not because it was taken away, but because he gave it away. The shame he felt in denying Yeshua was too much for him to carry. It would be best if he just faded into the background once again and just lived out his days as a regular Joe.
This isn’t the call on his life, though.
In a wink and a nod to times past, He gives them bread and fish for breakfast after fishing all night and catching nothing until Yeshua speaks. A gentle reminder to Peter that the miracles he saw, and even participated in, are still in play. It’s at this point He brings healing to Peter.
An exchange takes place between Yeshua and Peter after breakfast that was designed to get Peter to break away from this funk he put himself in by denying Him 3 times. A such, Yeshua asks Peter 3 times whether he loved Him:
John 21:15 When they had finished breakfast, Yeshua said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of John, do you love (agapo) Me more than these?”
“Yes, Lord,” he said to Him, “You know that I love (phileo) you.”
He said to him, “Feed My lambs!”
16 He said to him again a second time, “Simon, son of John, do you love (agapo) Me?”
“Yes, Lord,” he said, “You know that I love (phileo) You.”
He said to him, “Take care of My sheep!”
17 He said to him a third time, “Simon, son of John, do you love (phileo) Me?”
Peter was grieved because He said to him for a third time, “Do you love (phileo) Me?”
And he said to Him, “Lord, You know everything! You know that I love (phileo) You!”
Yeshua said to him, “Feed My sheep!”
Peter was challenged with his level of love for Yeshua. The first two questions were directed at Peter to ask him if he loved Yeshua at the highest level (agapo - the word for the love of God expressed towards us). When Yeshua reduced the level of love (phileo - “to be fond of”) in the third question, Peter broke. And yet Peter still couldn’t bring himself to enter into that deep intimacy.
But it started the process of healing.
In his closing remarks, Yeshua says the following:
John 21:18 Yes, indeed! I tell you, when you were younger, you put on your clothes and went where you wanted. But when you grow old, you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will dress you and carry you where you do not want to go.” 19 He said this to indicate the kind of death by which Kefa would bring glory to God. Then Yeshua said to him, “Follow me!”
Yes indeed, in his old life he could do whatever he wanted. But that time is now behind him. It is no longer his life because way back then he decided to drop his nets and follow Yeshua.
With this realization in hand, He then gives Him the following command:
Follow me.