Thoughts on the Gospel of John (213) - All The Good Seed Daily Devotionals for 2025

After these things Jesus showed Himself again to the disciples at the Sea of Tiberias, and in this way He showed Himself: Simon Peter, Thomas called the Twin, Nathanael of Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two others of His disciples were together. Simon Peter said to them, I am going fishing. They said to him, We are going with you also. They went out and immediately got into the boat, and that night they caught nothing.
John 21:1–3

Thoughts on the Gospel of John (213)
The scene at the Sea of Tiberias (Sea of Galilee) follows the two previous events where Jesus had appeared to His disciples: first on the evening of His resurrection day and then exactly one week later when “doubting Thomas” was also present. Here it is “now the third time Jesus showed Himself to His disciples after He was raised from the dead” (v. 14).

Seven men are together when Peter decides to go fishing. The others join him. Is their intention good and appropriate? We can well understand the disciples, for in the three and a half years while they accompanied Jesus, He made sure that they didn’t have to worry about making a living – they lacked nothing. But now they may have thought that they would have to go back to their profession in order to earn their daily bread.

Being a “fisherman”, that is, pursuing an earthly profession, doesn’t exclude one being a “fisher of men” at the same time. Many working people use their free time after work to share the gospel in order to lead others to Jesus. As for the disciples’ plan here, one thing is clear: they are unsuccessful. Sometimes the Lord uses our futile efforts to particularly bless us richly afterwards.

(to be continued next Sunday)

Today’s reading: Isaiah 65:1-12 · Mark 3:13-19