John 21:4

21:1-14 Christ makes himself known to his people, usually in his ordinances; but sometimes by his Spirit he visits them when employed in their business. It is good for the disciples of Christ to be together in common conversation, and common business. The hour for their entering upon action was not come. They would help to maintain themselves, and not be burdensome to any. Christ's time of making himself known to his people, is when they are most at a loss. He knows the temporal wants of his people, and has promised them not only grace sufficient, but food convenient. Divine Providence extends itself to things most minute, and those are happy who acknowledge God in all their ways. Those who are humble, diligent, and patient, though their labours may be crossed, shall be crowned; they sometimes live to see their affairs take a happy turn, after many struggles. And there is nothing lost by observing Christ's orders; it is casting the net on the right side of the ship. Jesus manifests himself to his people by doing that for them which none else can do, and things which they looked not for. He would take care that those who left all for him, should not want any good thing. And latter favours are to bring to mind former favours, that eaten bread may not be forgotten. He whom Jesus loved was the first that said, It is the Lord. John had cleaved most closely to his Master in his sufferings, and knew him soonest. Peter was the most zealous, and reached Christ the first.

How variously God dispenses his gifts, and what difference there may be between some believers and others in the way of their honouring Christ, yet they all may be accepted of him! Others continue in the ship, drag the net, and bring the fish to shore, and such persons ought not to be blamed as worldly; for they, in their places, are as truly serving Christ as the others. The Lord Jesus had provision ready for them. We need not be curious in inquiring whence this came; but we may be comforted at Christ's care for his disciples. Although there were so many, and such great fishes, yet they lost none, nor damaged their net. The net of the gospel has enclosed multitudes, yet it is as strong as ever to bring souls to God.

John 21:4 . πρωΐας δὲ ἤδη γενομένης , “but early morning having now arrived,” i.e. , when all hope of catching fish was past, ἔστη ὁ Ἰησοῦς εἰς [or ἐπὶ ] τὸν αἰγιαλόν , “Jesus stood upon the beach”; for ἔστη , cf. John 20:19 ; John 20:26 . It seems to indicate the suddenness of the appearance, οὐ μέντοι … ἐστί , “the disciples, however, were not aware that it was Jesus”.

Was come (γενομένης) The best texts read the present participle, γινομένης, is coming. Rev., when day was now breaking. The A.V. does not agree so well with the fact that Jesus was not at once recognized by the disciples, owing in part, perhaps, to the imperfect light. On the shore (εἰς τὸν αἰγιαλόν) Rev., beach. See on Matthew 13:2. The preposition εἰς, to, makes the phrase equivalent to "Jesus came to the beach and stood there."

4 . morning was now come ] The better reading gives, dawn was now breaking . stood on the shore ] Literally, stood on to the beach , i.e. He came and stood on the beach. but ] Nevertheless , or howbeit ( mentoi , a particle rare in N.T. outside this Gospel); implying that this was surprising. Comp. John 4:27 , John 7:13 , John 12:42 , John 20:5 . knew not ] See on John 20:14 .

(4) Jesus stood on the shore. —Comp. John 20:19 ; John 20:26 . The words express the sudden appearance without any indication of His coming. He was then standing in the midst, or on the shore, but no one knew whence or how. The disciples knew not that it was Jesus.—Comp. John 20:14.

John THE BEACH AND THE SEAJohn 21:4 . The incident recorded in this appendix to John’s Gospel is separated from the other appearances of our risen Lord in respect of place, time, and purpose. They all occurred in and about Jerusalem; this took place in Galilee. The bulk of them happened on the day of the Resurrection, one of them a week after. This, of course, to allow time for the journey, must have been at a considerably later date. Their object was, mainly, to establish the reality of the Resurrection, the identity of Christ’s physical body, and to confirm the faith of the disciples therein. Here, these purposes retreat into the background; the object of this incident is to reveal the permanent relations between the risen Lord and His struggling Church. The narrative is rich in details which might profitably occupy us, but the whole may be gathered up in two general points of view in considering the revelation which we have here in the participation of Christ in His servants’ work, and also the revelation which we have in the preparation by Christ of a meal for His toiling servants. We take this whole narrative thus regarded as our subject on this Easter morning. I. First we have here a revelation of the permanent relation of Jesus Christ to His Church and to the individuals who compose it, in this, that the risen Lord on the shore shares in the toil of His servants on the restless sea.