After these things Jesus showed himself again to the disciples at the sea of Tiberias; and in this way showed he himself.
All Commentaries on John 21:1 Go To John 21
Bede
AD 735
The Evangelist, after his wont, first states the thing itself, and then says how it took place: And on this wise showed He Himself.
The Evangelist alludes to himself here the same way he always does. He recognized our Lord either by the miracle, or by the sound of His voice, or the association of former occasions on which He found them fishing. Peter was naked in comparison with the usual dress he wore, in the sense in which we say to a person whom we meet thinly clad, You are quite bare. Peter was bare for convenience sake, as fishermen are in fishing.
He went to Jesus with the ardor with which he did every thing: And cast himself into the sea. And the other disciples came in a little ship. We must not understand here that Peter walked on the top of the water, but either swam, or walked through the water, being very near the land: For they were not far from land, but as it were about two hundred cubits, .
By the two hundred cubits is signified the twofold grace of love; the love of God and the love of our neighbor; for by themwe approach to Christ. The fish broiled is Christ who suffered. He deigned to be hid in the waters of human nature, and to be taken in the net of our night; and having become a fish bythe taking of humanity, became bread to refresh us by His divinity.
