21 Days in the Book of JohnSample

The purpose of John was to prove Jesus’ deity and that was finished when he wrote Chapter 20. Most scholars believe Chapter 21 was either added later or written by someone else.

Here are a few things I’d like to point out about Chapter 21:

1. Jesus instructed His disciples to go to the Sea of Galilee and they were obedient. Peter was in charge so when he decided to fish, the others followed. He may have gone fishing because he was backslidden and returning to his old occupation or it may have simply been to provide food for the disciples. When Jesus showed up, they did not recognize Him. Keep in mind they were likely tired, far from shore, and weren’t expecting Him. He commanded them to cast their net on the right side of the boat and, again, they were obedient. They were greatly blessed with so many fish they couldn’t pull the net in (153 to be exact).
2. John was the first to recognize Jesus, but Peter was the first to move as he impulsively jumped into the water to swim to shore. He often acted without thinking! Peter was also able to carry the net full of fish in from the boat even though the other 7 disciples could not, which is considered a miracle along with the fact that the net did not break. Jesus already had food waiting, another beautiful example of His servanthood.
3. Jesus asked Peter 3 questions. It’s important to note that He used his old name, Simon. While these three questions sound the same in English, they are very different in Greek. The first question Jesus asked was if Peter loved Him in a comparison way (more than something). The word He used was “agapeo.” Peter responded that he loved Him like a brother. The second time Jesus asked if he loved him in a deeply sacrificial way. The word used was “agape.” Peter answered that he was fond of Him. The third time Jesus asked if he loved Him in a friendly way. The word He used was “phileo.” Peter grieved because He finally understood the significance of the question and was reminded of the times He had denied Jesus. Jesus gave him a chance to repent and could see Peter’s changed heart. He completely restored him before the other disciples. He challenged Peter to set his eyes on the work ahead of him and encouraged him to keep following Him despite the sacrifices that would need to be made.

This book ends with the author testifying to who wrote the truths about Jesus in the book. He ended with one of the best verses in the entire Bible, “And there were also many other things that Jesus did, which if they were written one by one, I supposed that even the world itself could not contain the books that would be written.”

I pray you enjoyed learning more about the book of John during this plan. This plan was adapted from Coming to Life: A One-Year Journey Through God's Word - a resource available by Katie Hauck Ministries on www.katiehauckministries.com.