2 There were together Simon Peter, and Thomas called Didymus, and Nathanael of Cana in Galilee, and the sons of Zebedee, and two other of his disciples.
3 Simon Peter saith unto them, I go a fishing. They say unto him, We also go with thee. They went forth, and entered into a ship immediately; and that night they caught nothing.
4 But when the morning was now come, Jesus stood on the shore: but the disciples knew not that it was Jesus.
5 Then Jesus saith unto them, Children, have ye any meat? They answered him, No.
6 And he said unto them, Cast the net on the right side of the ship, and ye shall find. They cast therefore, and now they were not able to draw it for the multitude of fishes.
7 Therefore that disciple whom Jesus loved saith unto Peter, It is the Lord. Now when Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he girt his fisher's coat unto him, (for he was naked,) and did cast himself into the sea
Key Observation:
John is the first to recognize the Lord.
Devotion:
I want to fish where the Lord tells me to! It seems to be a place of substantial reaping. It is impulsive Peter persuading the others to go fishing, but it is John who tells Peter that it is the Lord. Again I see the remarkable facility of John to discern what the truth of the matter really is. Did that facility come from John himself, or was it something from God? I suspect it may have been a combination of the two—but I do remember that John is the beloved, and as the beloved, perhaps knew more about Jesus than most of the others.
I find it delightful that Peter jumps in to swim towards his Lord. Would that we were all that hungry to walk with the Lord! Our older commentators looking at symbolism, as they were so prone to do, might well see much in Peter girding himself with a fisherman’s coat. A short time had passed since Peter had denied his Lord, and now I see him naked. Symbolically, could that mean that Peter was naked from his self-righteousness? Remember that I feel Peter actually denied the Lord six times, and whether he did or not, Peter had been filled with a self-righteousness-bubble that had since burst. Wasn’t he naked before his Lord? And now, is the Lord not preparing him to feed His sheep? Does not the Pentecost Feast and Peter’s sermon lay before him? I can well see that perhaps the Lord is foreshadowing His preparation of Peter.
Anymore speculation and I shall start sounding like one of the ancient fathers with their evident addiction to numerology. Did you know that almost every number used in the Bible had symbolic explanations by some of the ancients? At times I find such speculation bizarre, but at other places, I do have to wonder if there is not something to it.
At any rate, I think this is the last time we catch the disciples actually fishing for fish; soon they all become fishers of men. I remember having a very fruitful season in my life, where it was as if the Lord told me to cast my net on one side of the boat. The harvest was bountiful, as the Lord blessed both my wife and I with seeing many many people come to Christ. If He continues to tarry, my prayer is for revival, and a sending out of His Holy Spirit, that we may yet be blessed and see more come to Christ.
Come, Thou Almighty King
1. Come Thou Almighty King,
Help us Thy name to sing,
Help us to praise:
Father, all-glorious,
O'er all victorious,
Come and reign over us,
Ancient of Days.
2. Come, Thou Incarnate Word,
Gird on Thy mighty sword,
Our prayer attend!
Come, and Thy people bless,
And give Thy word success:
Spirit of holiness,
On us descend.
3. Come, Holy Comforter,
Thy sacred witness bear
In this glad hour!
Thou, who almighty art,
Now rule in ev'ry heart
And ne'er from us depart,
Spirit of pow'r.
4. To Thee, great One in Three,
The highest praises be,
Hence evermore;
Thy sov'reign majesty
May we in glory see,
And to eternity
Love and adore.
Lyrics: England, c. 1757
Music: Felice de Giardini
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