After these things Jesus showed himself again to the disciples at the sea of Tiberias; and in this way showed he himself.
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Augustine of Hippo
AD 430
The preceding words of the Evangelist seem to indicate the end of the book, but Hegoes on farther to give an account of our Lord’s appearance by the sea of Tiberias: After these things Jesus showed Himself again to the disciples at the sea of Tiberias.
If the disciples had done this after the death of Jesus, and before His resurrection, we should have imagined that they did it in despair. But now after that He has risen from the grave, after seeing the marks of His wounds, after receiving, by means of His breathing, the Holy Spirit, all at once they become what they were before, fishers, not of men, but of fishes. We must remember then that they were not forbidden by their Apostleship from earning their livelihood by a lawful craft, provided they had no other means of living. For if the blessed Paul used not that power which he had with the rest of the preachers of the Gospel, as they did, but went a warfare upon his own resources, lest the Gentiles, who were aliens from the name of Ch...
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 Go...
s20 , 21.—Peter, turning, saw that disciple, &c. Peter, in obedience to Christ, was beginning to follow Him,—presently John also, and the rest of his companions followed. Peter then, being anxious about John and his companions, turned and looked back. Seeing them following, he omitted mention of the rest, and asked Christ what was to become of John , whether, namely, John was to follow Christ in the same way as himself, and to die upon a cross. Peter asked this, both because he loved John above the rest, and also because he knew that Christ loved him above the rest, and that he had reclined upon His breast at supper. He wondered that Christ should pass over this very dearly beloved John; and so he calls him to His remembrance. As though he said, "What will be the fate of Thy well-beloved John? Surely, as Thou didst prefer him to me at the supper, Thou mightest now rightly prefer him in the pastoral office, and subject me to him as a pastor. But since it has seemed good to Thee to do ot...
After these things, &c. From this it appears that Peter and the other Apostles had gone from Judea into Galilee, as Christ had bidden them (S. Matthew 23:10). For this appearance of Christ took place in Galilee, when Hebrews , being about to go into heaven, in order that He might provide for the government of the faithful, appointed Peter to be the Head of the Church, and His Vicar upon earth. This is why S. John subjoins these things, and so concludes his Gospel.
It may be asked, why Peter, who was a fisherman before his conversion, returned to fishing, when it is said, No man putting his hand to the plow, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.
The craft which was exercised without sin before conversion, was no sin after it. Wherefore after his conversion Peter returned to fishing; but Mat thew sat not down again for the receipt? of custom. For there are some businesses which cannot or it can hardly be carried on without sin; and these cannot be returned to after conversion.
The fishing was made to be very unlucky, in order to raise their astonishment at the miracle after: And that night they caught nothing.
It may be asked, why after His resurrection He stood on the shore to receive the disciples, whereas before He walked on the sea? The sea signifies the world, which is tossed about with various causes of tumults, and the waves of this corruptible life; the shore by its solidity figures the rest eternal. The disciples then, inasmuch...
Do you see that He remains not with them continually, nor as before? He appeared, for instance, in the evening, and flew away; then after eight days again once, and again flew away; then after these things by the sea, and again with great terror. But what is the, showed? From this it is clear that He was not seen unless He condescended, because His body was henceforth incorruptible, and of unmixed purity. But wherefore has the writer mentioned the place? To show that he had now taken away the greater part of their fear, so that they now ventured forth from their dwelling, and went about everywhere. For they were no longer shut up at home, but had gone into Galilee, avoiding the danger from the Jews. Simon, therefore, comes to fish. For since neither was He with them continually, nor was the Spirit yet given, nor they at that time yet entrusted with anything, having nothing to do, they went after their trade.
He says, Afterwards, because He did not go continually with His disciples as before; and, manifested Himself, because His body being incorruptible, it was a condescension to allow Himself to be seen. He mentions the place, to show that our Lord had taken away a good deal of their fear, and that they no longer kept within doors, though they had gone to Galilee to avoid the persecution of the Jews.
As our Lord wasnot with them regularly, and the Spirit was as not given them, and they had received nocommission, and had nothing to do, they followed the trade of fishermen: And on this wise showed He Himself. There were together Simon Peter, and Thomas called Didymus, and Nathaniel of Cana in Galilee he who was called by Philip and the sons of Zebedee, i.e. James and John, and two other of His disciples. Simon Peter says to them, I go a fishing.
The other disciples followed Peter: They say to him, We also go with you; for from this time they were all bound together; and they wished too to se...
Peter’s girding himself is a sign of modesty. He girt himself with a linen coat, such as Thamian and Tyrianfishermen throw over them, when they have nothing else on, or even over their other clothes.
To show that it was no vision, He bade them take of the fish they had caught. Jesus says to them, Bring of the fish which you have now caught. Another miracle follows of viz. that the net was not broken by the number of fish: Simon Peter went up, anddrew the net to land full of great fishes, a hundred and fifty and three: and for all there were so many, yet was not the net broken.
In the night time before the presence of the sun, Christ, the Prophets took nothing; for though they endeavored to correct the people, yet these often fell into idolatry.
