Later on, Jesus again revealed himself to the disciples beside the Sea of Tiberias, and this is how it happened.
Simon Peter, Thomas (called the Twin), Nathanael from Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two other disciples were together.
Simon Peter said, “I’m going fishing.” They replied, “We’ll go with you.” They went out and got into a boat, but caught nothing all night.
At daybreak, Jesus stood on the shore, though the disciples didn’t realize it was him.
Jesus called to them, “Friends, you don’t have any fish, do you?” They answered, “No.”
He said, “Throw the net on the right side of the boat, and you’ll find some.” They did, and the net was so full they couldn’t haul it in.
The disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, “It’s the Lord!” When Simon Peter heard that, he tied his outer garment around him (for he had taken it off) and jumped into the water.
The others came in the boat, dragging the net full of fish, for they were not far from shore — about a hundred yards.
When they landed, they saw a charcoal fire with fish on it, and bread.
Jesus said, “Bring some of the fish you just caught.”
Simon Peter climbed aboard and hauled the net ashore, full of large fish — one hundred fifty-three of them — and though there were so many, the net wasn’t torn.
Jesus said to them, “Come and have breakfast.” None of the disciples dared to ask, “Who are you?” They knew it was the Lord.
Jesus came, took the bread, and gave it to them, and did the same with the fish.
This was now the third time Jesus appeared to the disciples after being raised from the dead.
After breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?” He said, “Yes, Lord, you know I love you.” Jesus said, “Feed my lambs.”
Again he asked, “Simon son of John, do you love me?” He answered, “Yes, Lord, you know I love you.” Jesus said, “Tend my sheep.”
He said to him a third time, “Simon son of John, do you love me?” Peter was hurt because he asked the third time, “Do you love me?” He said, “Lord, you know everything; you know I love you.” Jesus said, “Feed my sheep.
Truly I tell you, when you were young, you dressed yourself and went where you wanted. But when you grow old, you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will dress you and take you where you do not want to go.”
(Jesus said this to show by what kind of death Peter would glorify God.) Then he said to him, “Follow me.”
Peter turned and saw the disciple Jesus loved following them — the one who had leaned back against Jesus at supper and asked, “Lord, who is going to betray you?”
When Peter saw him, he asked Jesus, “Lord, what about this man?”
Jesus replied, “If I want him to remain until I return, what is that to you? You follow me!”
Because of this, a rumor spread among the believers that this disciple would not die. Yet Jesus had not said that he wouldn’t die, but, “If I want him to remain until I come, what is that to you?”
This is the disciple who is bearing witness to these things and who wrote them down, and we know his testimony is true.
There are many other things Jesus did; if they were all written in detail, I suppose the whole world could not hold the books that would be written.
21:24 This is the disciple who is testifying to these things and has written them, and we know that his testimony is true.
I think that none of the wise would doubt that the Lord would not have loved John if he had not been especially apt and illustrious in virtue, and practiced and perfectly equipped in every good work. After all, God could never be caught inclining for no reason to those who are not worthy of his love. That malady most properly belongs to human beings. He is completely invulnerable to any assault and inroad of passion. He walks firmly in the path of every kind of [170| virtue, or rather he himself is every kind of virtue. So how could he not use judgment in this matter too and make his inclination free of all blameI mean his inclination to love the on says in oil of ty and this i hateduation saying that es is loned,
admirably and elegantly inviting the hearers to assent to what he has written and testified, as they must. After all, the preacher of the truth could not lie.
That is why he also says, "We know that his testimony is true." It is dangerous, then, and truly terrible to lie at all, since people do not know how to bridle their tongues. And the truth would not have loved someone who violated the truth. (St. Cyril of Alexandria, Commentary on John)
21:25 But there are also many other things that Jesus did; if every one of them were written down, I suppose that the world itself could not contain the books that would be written. Amen.
The multitude of the divine signs, he says, is vast, and the catalog of his deeds is clearly innumerable. But these have been taken from many thousands since they are able to bring the most profit to the hearers. Let the
one who is teachable and loves instruction not blame the author of the book, he says, if he did not record the rest. Indeed, if every individual accomplishment had been recorded with nothing left out, the immeasurable multitude of books would have filled the world. We maintain that, as it is, the power of the Word has accomplished more than enough. Anyone may see that thousands of miracles were accomplished by our Savior's power.
The preachers of the Gospels, however, wrote down the more glorious ones, it seems, and the ones that could strengthen the hearers in an incorruptible faith and give them instruction [171] in morality and doctrine. That is so they might be glorious in the orthodox faith and adorned all over with works that aim at reverence. Then they might greet the heavenly city and be joined to the church of the firstborn and so enter the very kingdom of heaven in Christ, through whom and with whom be glory to God the Father with the Holy Spirit forever. Amen.
