A Call to Feed the Sheep Out of Love for Jesus—Lectionary Reflection for Easter 3C (John 21)

John 21:1-19 New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition

21 After these things Jesus showed himself again to the disciples by the Sea of Tiberias, and he showed himself in this way. ² Gathered there together were Simon Peter, Thomas called the Twin, Nathanael of Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two others of his disciples. ³ Simon Peter said to them, “I am going fishing.” They said to him, “We will go with you.” They went out and got into the boat, but that night they caught nothing.

⁴ Just after daybreak, Jesus stood on the beach, but the disciples did not know that it was Jesus. ⁵ Jesus said to them, “Children, you have no fish, have you?” They answered him, “No.” ⁶ He said to them, “Cast the net to the right side of the boat, and you will find some.” So they cast it, and now they were not able to haul it in because there were so many fish. ⁷ That disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, “It is the Lord!” When Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he put on his outer garment, for he had taken it off, and jumped into the sea. ⁸ But the other disciples came in the boat, dragging the net full of fish, for they were not far from the land, only about a hundred yards off.

⁹ When they had gone ashore, they saw a charcoal fire there, with fish on it, and bread. ¹⁰ Jesus said to them, “Bring some of the fish that you have just caught.” ¹¹ So Simon Peter went aboard and hauled the net ashore, full of large fish, a hundred fifty-three of them, and though there were so many, the net was not torn. ¹² Jesus said to them, “Come and have breakfast.” Now none of the disciples dared to ask him, “Who are you?” because they knew it was the Lord. ¹³ Jesus came and took the bread and gave it to them and did the same with the fish. ¹⁴ This was now the third time that Jesus appeared to the disciples after he was raised from the dead.

¹⁵ When they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Feed my lambs.” ¹⁶ A second time he said to him, “Simon son of John, do you love me?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Tend my sheep.” ¹⁷ He said to him the third time, “Simon son of John, do you love me?” Peter felt hurt because he said to him the third time, “Do you love me?” And he said to him, “Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Feed my sheep. ¹⁸ Very truly, I tell you, when you were younger, you used to fasten your own belt and to go wherever you wished. But when you grow old, you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will fasten a belt around you and take you where you do not wish to go.” ¹⁹ (He said this to indicate the kind of death by which he would glorify God.) After this he said to him, “Follow me.”

                ************************

                The twentieth chapter of the Gospel of John ends with a summary statement that riffs on Jesus’ response to Thomas’ confession. Jesus asked Thomas if he believed because he saw Jesus. Then Jesus announced that those who believe but do not see are blessed (John 20:30-31). With this statement, it appears that John has completed his account of Jesus’ life and ministry. Those who come along after Jesus’ departure must believe that the crucified Jesus had been raised from the dead based on the testimony found in the New Testament. While this seemed like a good endpoint, we turn the page to find another story of Jesus appearing to his disciples, this time in Galilee. Although we’re told that this is the third time Jesus appeared to his disciples, it does look like this is an alternative ending that got attached to the Gospel. Yet, we don’t have any manuscripts in which this story is not attached. So, this is an unsolvable mystery. Nevertheless, whether it is part of the original or added later, it is a good story worth pondering.

                Whatever its origins, the author of the Gospel takes us to Galilee even though, unlike Matthew and Mark, there Jesus had wanted the disciples to leave Jerusalem for Galilee. So, here we are in Galilee together with Peter and six others, including Thomas and the sons of Zebedee. It appears that they had retreated to the safety of Galilee to mull over what had taken place in Jerusalem and what that meant for them. It’s not surprising that at least some of Jesus’ disciples would retreat to Galilee. It was home territory. At least Peter and the sons of Zebedee were from Capernaum on the Sea of Galilee (here it is called Lake of Tiberias). As they sat alongside the lake, Peter got a bright idea. He told his friends, “I am going fishing.” His friends thought that was a great idea. They would all go fishing. If you don’t know what to do next, why not do what you know how to do?

                So they put the boat out into the lake and cast their nets into the water. They spent the entire evening out on the lake, but to no avail. They didn’t catch a thing. Now, I’m not what you would call a successful fisherman. I caught a small trout with a pussywillow pole, line, and hook when I was about 9, and that was it. I never caught another fish (not that I tried very hard). But Peter wasn’t an amateur. He had made a living catching fish. The same was true of Peter and John. Besides, they knew these waters. So, if anyone could catch a fish in this lake, it would be them. But the fish were not availing themselves of the nets.

                John tells us that just after daybreak, after the disciples had spent an unsuccessful night on the lake, they had their encounter with Jesus, who was standing on the beach. However, they didn’t know it was Jesus. Why would they recognize this figure on the beach being Jesus? But, as we saw in John 20, Jesus had a habit of suddenly appearing in unexpected places. This figure on the beach called out to them, asking whether they had caught any fish. They answered truthfully, no, they hadn’t caught anything. Then this figure on the beach told them to throw the net on the other side of the boat (as if that would make a difference). But, having nothing to lose, they did as they were instructed. Lo and behold, their net filled up with fish. They caught so many fish that they couldn’t haul in the net. You can imagine how they felt. How could this be? It’s not that fish hang out on one side of a boat. But, they did bring in quite a haul.

                It is at this point in the story that at least one of the disciples realized who was standing on the beach. That person was the mysterious disciple whom Jesus loved. He turned to Peter and said, “It is the Lord.” Peter must have agreed because he responded rather oddly. Remember, he’s out in the boat. He’s been toiling all night. He was naked. Well, Peter decided he was not presentable to greet Jesus. So, he put on his clothes and jumped into the lake, while the disciples who had put out in another boat managed to haul in the net full of fish.

                So Peter jumped into the lake after he put on his clothes. Apparently, he didn’t mind getting wet, because he was willing to jump into the lake fully clothed. Now, after the crew got the fish to shore, they saw a charcoal fire with fish roasting over the fire, along with some bread. Jesus told them to bring more fish because they were going to have a feast. John records how many large fish were in the net: one hundred and fifty-three. When they came up to the fire, Jesus said to them, “Come and have breakfast.”

                I find it interesting that John records that none of them was willing to ask this figure who he was. That’s because they knew that it was Jesus. It makes sense that if they knew it was Jesus, they wouldn’t want to ask who he was. Nevertheless, in making that statement, John reminds us that there was something about the risen Jesus that gave people pause. Mary Magdalene didn’t recognize him at first. Nevertheless, they made the connection.

                What takes place next has the feel of a eucharistic meal. In a way that reminds the reader of the feeding of the 5000 in John 6,  Jesus took the bread and gave it to them. Then he did the same with the fish. This is where John tells us that this was the third time he appeared to the disciples. If we take this as a follow-up to John 20, then we can count the two appearances on Easter evening and the appearance a week later.

                As we move forward, Jesus has a conversation with Peter. It takes place after breakfast. So, after Jesus had fed his disciples, he turned to Peter and said to him, “Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?” Peter answered, “Lord, you know that I love you.” Jesus responded by telling him: “Feed my lambs.” This happens two more times. The second time Peter told Jesus he loved him, Jesus told him, “Tend my sheep.” The third time Jesus asked Peter if he loved him, Peter’s response seemed defensive, as if he was not sure why Jesus was asking him this. That’s because Peter said, “Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you.” This time, Jesus said to him, “Feed my sheep.”  So, while Jesus had fed his disciples, now he entrusted that responsibility to Peter, whom he commissioned to feed and tend his sheep. In many ways, this was an act of rehabilitation, since Peter had denied Jesus three times (John 18:12-25). When Jesus asked whether Peter loved him three times, he was essentially healing each of these acts of denial. But it was more than an act of rehabilitation. The request that Peter feed and tend his sheep was also an act of ordination.

Some have made something of the change of words for love. In the first two questions, Jesus uses the word agape, which often takes on the idea of self-sacrificial love, while Peter responds with phileo (friendship). Then the third time, Jesus uses phileo, as does Peter. This distinction, which has found its way into many a sermon, suggests that Jesus and Peter have a different view of love, with Jesus finally condescending to Peter’s level in the third round. I believe I have made use of this device in the past to suggest that Jesus and Peter were not of one mind. The problem is, as Marianne Meye Thompson notes, throughout the Gospel of John, the author uses the two words interchangeably. She writes:

In short, Jesus interrogates Peter, not about the quality of his love, but about his willingness to demonstrate that love by keeping Jesus’ command to take care of his flock. Jesus called all his disciples to manifest their love by keeping his commandments (14: 15). But if Peter loves Jesus and still wants to follow him to death (13: 37), then he may demonstrate it by carrying out the particular command to care for Jesus’ flock, even to the point of giving his life for the sheep (10: 11). [Thompson, Marianne Meye. John (New Testament Library) (Kindle p. 443) WJK Press].

So, even as Jesus is the Good Shepherd who gives his life for the sheep (John 10:1-18), the same is true for Peter.

                After commissioning Peter, Jesus speaks to Peter’s future as he takes up this role as shepherd of Jesus’ sheep. Jesus tells Peter that when he was younger, he would fashion his belt and go where he pleased. However, when he grows older, he will stretch out his hands and someone else will fasten his belt, such that he will be taken where he would not want to go. John adds that Jesus “said this to indicate the kind of death by which he would glorify God”). In other words, he would die a violent death. Tradition records that Peter was crucified upside down. The passage ends with Jesus saying to Peter, “Follow me.” It is an invitation extended to us as well, whether or not we suffer the same fate as Peter. 

Image Attribution: Koenig, Peter. Breakfast on the Beach, from Art in the Christian Tradition, a project of the Vanderbilt Divinity Library, Nashville, TN. https://diglib.library.vanderbilt.edu/act-imagelink.pl?RC=58541 [retrieved April 30, 2025]. Original source: Peter Winfried (Canisius) Koenig, https://www.pwkoenig.co.uk/.