Saturday 22 April 2017

Psalm: Psalm135

Background

John's Gospel was the last of the fourGospels to be written, in about AD100. It is very different fromthe other Gospels. It contains no parables. The stories in John'sGospel have minute details which serve a particular purpose. TheGospel also contains lengthy discourses by Jesus which were givenbefore he died.

The verses preceding the today'spassage are about how Thomas came to believe in the risen Lord (John20:19-29). And the end of John 20 gives the purpose of theGospel (John 20:30-31). Many scholars think that John21 was added later.

The disciples were somewhat at a loss.Jesus had died; they had seen him but it was as if they did notknow what to do next. Perhaps it would be best to go fishing. Johndoes not tell us, but we know from the other Gospels that many ofthe disciples had been fishermen (Matthew 4:18-22). They would go back to doingwhat they knew - fishing.

But they did not catch anything.Things were not the same as they had been before they had metJesus, but they did not know how to carry on. Peter had deniedJesus (John 18:15-18, 25-27), but notice that he takesthe lead in suggesting the fishing expedition and the othersfollow.

Verses 4-6 may remind us of Luke5:1-11 where after an unsuccessful night of fishing, Jesus metthe disciples and told them where to cast their nets.

The fire mentioned in verse 9 mighthave reminded Peter of another fire (John18:25). It was at such fire that Peter had denied that he knewJesus.

And the reference to bread and fish inverses 12-14 is reminiscent of the feeding of the multitude earlierin the Gospel (John 6:1-14).

To Ponder

• To what extent do we choose what seems to be a safe option whenwe are at a loss what to do?

• How does Jesus' encouraging the disciples to cast the net onthe right side of the boat challenge us, in the sense that perhapsthat is why we are often at a loss, not casting our nets on theright side of the boat?