I have this vision of John, the author of the gospel of John, finishing off his 20 chapters and then noticing some extra pages on the shelves. After checking them, John says – ‘oh right, there’s this story too, I should have put that in!’ In some ways that’s our chapter 21 today…last week the gospel ended with a summary “Now Jesus did may other signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book…” – a nice ending for a gospel. But the appendix, or addition, which begins with our story this week; “Jesus showed himself again to the disciples by the Sea of Tiberias…” is a change – as if the editor started combining pieces of John’s gospel with Luke’s gospel…Last week Jesus and the apostles (including Thomas) were still in Jerusalem; with this story we’re back up north in Galilee, on the lake where so much of Jesus’ ministry had taken place. And there are a lot of pieces in this gospel passage that both connect and do not connect with earlier stories.
First – what are the disciples doing fishing back at home? Weren’t they supposed to be out changing the world? (a disconnect) Second, the abundance of fish, exactly 153 apparently, using the same language as the first miracle that Jesus performed – the changing of water into wine in Cana of Galilee about 11 miles away from the lake (a connection)… But at the heart of the story are two things: breakfast, and the ongoing commissioning by Jesus of the disciples.
This story of a meal with Jesus is an interesting counter to Luke’s Easter story of the walk to Emmaus, where the two disciples recognize Jesus “in the breaking of the bread” – here the disciples have already figured out who this was, “they knew it was the Lord.” It was Jesus who took the bread and gave it to them, and did the same with the fish.” So what is the point here? Is the focus on breakfast and eating together, sharing a meal and all that means? (perhaps) Or is it a way to prove that Jesus is really alive because he’s eating breakfast? (perhaps) Knowing John’s gospel though, this is also a story connected to the Eucharist and its many meanings – particularly union with Christ. The giving of bread is a pretty straightforward link, but the presence of fish, perhaps drawing on earlier Jewish ritual meals (pointing to the future fulfillment of the reign of God), as well as the abundance of fish symbolism in the early church may mean several things.
In Andrew McGowan’s wonderful book, Ascetic Eucharists, he traces the importance of fish in ritual meals, and particularly in the bread and fish of the feeding of the 5000 and other gospel meals. Not long after John’s gospel was written, fish became an important symbol of Christians, followers of Jesus. They were the little fish, born in the living waters of baptism. The church very early on also became identified as the big fish, still recognizable (2000 years later) on the back of some peoples’ cars with the fish shape sticker and the Greek acrostic ICHTHUS (fish, but also Jesus Christ Son of God Savior).
The heart of all the stories, however, is the conversation Jesus has with Peter after breakfast. Things left off pretty poorly with Peter before and after the crucifixion in all four gospels. On Palm Sunday we heard Luke’s version – “This man also was with him,” “Woman, I do not know him;” on Good Friday we heard John’s version: “you are not also one of this man’s disciples, are you,” Peter replied “I am not.” And the cock crowed… the three denials of Peter, predicted by Jesus and accompanied by the rooster’s confirmation. But here almost at the very end of John’s gospel, that horrible threefold denial is met with a threefold challenge to Peter from Jesus: do you love me? Peter answers that he does; and Jesus charges him to “feed my lambs;” a second time Peter is asked if he loves Jesus; he affirms that he does, and Jesus tells him to “tend my sheep,” and a third time Jesus asks Peter “do you love me,” Peter replies with sadness “Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you.” And Jesus replies “feed my sheep.” Three times Peter denies Jesus; now three times Jesus asks him if he loves him and if so, what will need to happen next.
The return to fishing for a living, the return to being home with their families – with all that was familiar – is about to come to an end. Peter – and the other disciples – will now be sent out to preach the good news, to be Christ for the world. Love is not a warm fuzzy sentiment – it is love in action, caritas-charity: “if you love me, keep my commandments.” The editors of John’s gospel, tell us what that looked like for Peter: he would be tied up, led to a place “he did not wish to go.” It’s clear here, by the end of the gospel, that Peter has been murdered – he has been martyred…he redeemed his sins of denial with affirmations of love and following Christ – and did what Jesus asked him to do, even into death.
We sang a hymn to acclaim the gospel just a little while ago, “they cast their nets in Galilee.” I remember the first time I sang it I thought “what a silly, trite hymn” – “such happy simple fisherfolk..,” but, of course, one has to sing all the verses, through “the peace of God…breaking them in two,” John dying in Patmos, Peter, “who hauled the teeming net, head-down was crucified.” And then it gets to us: “The peace of God, it is no peace…yet let us pray for but one thing – the marvelous peace of God.”
Jesus says to us – individually and as a community – every day, “do you love me?” then do that love, feed my lambs, tend my sheep, feed my sheep. In this life, the peace of God is not an invitation into safety, into calm isolated protection, into all sweetness and light – “the peace of God, it is no peace.” Only in hearing the call of Christ, responding by following Christ every day, and knowing Christ more day by day – do we begin to understand the power of this divine peace.
Do you love me, Jesus asks? Then go out and feed the sheep…
