Peter, Do You Love Me - Week 28

John 21

Note: The study related to these questions may be found at Catholic Exchange. Please go to their site for the complete material concerning this study. Unless otherwise noted, on scriptural references are from the Revised Standard Version (RSV). Below are my thoughts on the questions presented for the given study (Please see disclaimer at bottom).

Read John 21

1. What two miracles of Jesus are recalled in this Resurrection narrative? Why is that significant here?
(a) From the Gospel of Luke:

1: While the people pressed upon him to hear the word of God, he was standing by the lake of Gennes'aret. 2: And he saw two boats by the lake; but the fishermen had gone out of them and were washing their nets. 3: Getting into one of the boats, which was Simon's, he asked him to put out a little from the land. And he sat down and taught the people from the boat. 4: And when he had ceased speaking, he said to Simon, "Put out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch." 5: And Simon answered, "Master, we toiled all night and took nothing! But at your word I will let down the nets." 6: And when they had done this, they enclosed a great shoal of fish; and as their nets were breaking, 7: they beckoned to their partners in the other boat to come and help them. And they came and filled both the boats, so that they began to sink. 8: But when Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus' knees, saying, "Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord." 9: For he was astonished, and all that were with him, at the catch of fish which they had taken; 10: and so also were James and John, sons of Zeb'edee, who were partners with Simon. And Jesus said to Simon, "Do not be afraid; henceforth you will be catching men." 11: And when they had brought their boats to land, they left everything and followed him. (Luke 5:1-11)

From the Gospel of Matthew:

25: And in the fourth watch of the night he came to them, walking on the sea. 26: But when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were terrified, saying, "It is a ghost!" And they cried out for fear. 27: But immediately he spoke to them, saying, "Take heart, it is I; have no fear." 28: And Peter answered him, "Lord, if it is you, bid me come to you on the water." 29: He said, "Come." So Peter got out of the boat and walked on the water and came to Jesus; 30: but when he saw the wind, he was afraid, and beginning to sink he cried out, "Lord, save me." 31: Jesus immediately reached out his hand and caught him, saying to him, "O man of little faith, why did you doubt?" 32: And when they got into the boat, the wind ceased. 33: And those in the boat worshiped him, saying, "Truly you are the Son of God." (Matt 14:25-33)

or perhaps from the Gospel of Matthew:

13: Now when Jesus heard this, he withdrew from there in a boat to a lonely place apart. But when the crowds heard it, they followed him on foot from the towns. 14: As he went ashore he saw a great throng; and he had compassion on them, and healed their sick. 15: When it was evening, the disciples came to him and said, "This is a lonely place, and the day is now over; send the crowds away to go into the villages and buy food for themselves." 16: Jesus said, "They need not go away; you give them something to eat." 17: They said to him, "We have only five loaves here and two fish." 18: And he said, "Bring them here to me." 19: Then he ordered the crowds to sit down on the grass; and taking the five loaves and the two fish he looked up to heaven, and blessed, and broke and gave the loaves to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the crowds. 20: And they all ate and were satisfied. And they took up twelve baskets full of the broken pieces left over. 21: And those who ate were about five thousand men, besides women and children. (Matt 14:13-21)

(b) The first miracle reminds one of when Christ first called Peter. In effect Christ is calling him again, this time to lead the Church. The second miracle reminds us of what Peter can accomplish when he puts his faith in God. Or perhaps the second miracle was meant to remind us of the abundance of God's blessing.

2. What is different about this miraculous draught of fishes from the miracle of Luke 5?
(a) There are several differences:

This time the nets do not tear.

Peter does not ask Jesus to leave him.

This time we are given the exact number of fish, 153

3. What similarities do we see between the behavior of Peter and John in this resurrection narrative and the account in John 20? What does this signify about John's understanding of the Church?
(a) Once again John is the first to recognize Christ. (b) John has a deeper understanding of the Church than Peter, but Peter is still in charge.

4. Why is the charcoal fire a significant detail (See Points to Ponder)?
(a) Because the only other place in the New Testament where we see a charcoal fire is when Peter is warming himself prior to denying Christ three times.

5. What is significant about the number of fish caught?
(a) From the commentary of the New American Bible:

"The exact number 153 is probably meant to have a symbolic meaning in relation to the apostles' universal mission; Jerome claims that Greek zoologists catalogued 153 species of fish. Or 153 is the sum of the numbers from 1 to 17. Others invoke Ezekiel 47:10."

In other words, that the Church will now "catch men" from every nation.

6. Why does Jesus ask Peter three times if he loves Him?
(a) Because Peter denied Christ three times. From the Catechism of the Catholic Church:

St. Peter's conversion after he had denied his master three times bears witness to this. Jesus' look of infinite mercy drew tears of repentance from Peter and, after the Lord's resurrection, a threefold affirmation of love for him.20 The second conversion also has a communitarian dimension, as is clear in the Lord's call to a whole Church: "Repent!"

St. Ambrose says of the two conversions that, in the Church, "there are water and tears: the water of Baptism and the tears of repentance."

(CCC, 1429)

7. What is the penance Jesus imposes on Peter? What is the mission Jesus gives Peter? What does this suggest about the nature of penance?
(a) The penance imposed by Christ is that Peter is to feed His lambs, tend His sheep, and feed His sheep. (b) The mission Jesus gives to Peter is to care for and grow His Church. (c) This suggests that penance should have some ultimate good associated with it.

8. How do verses 18-19 relate to the Church's Tradition concerning the death of Peter?
(a) These verses relate to the type of death traditionally associated with Peter. From the Catholic Encylopedia we find the following:

Concerning the manner of Peter's death, we possess a tradition--attested to by Tertullian at the end of the second century (see above) and by Origen (in Eusebius, "Hist. Eccl.", II, i)--that he suffered crucifixion. Origen says: "Peter was crucified at Rome with his head downwards, as he himself had desired to suffer". (The Catholic Encyclopedia, Volume XI, Copyright © 1911 by Robert Appleton Company

We might also note that to this day the chair of the Pope at the Vatican has an upside down cross as a reminder of the humility displayed by Peter in not even deeming himself worthy to die in the same manner is Christ.

9. What does Jesus command Peter when he tries to pry into the Lord's plans for the Beloved Disciple? What does that suggest about our own walk with Christ?
(a) Jesus commands Peter that it is His business alone as to the fate of John. (b) This suggests that God has a plan for each of us. If we continue on our Path with Christ, this plan will come to fruition.

10. Does John intend to write a complete biography of Jesus? What then is he doing (see John 20:30- 31)?
(a) No. (b) From the Gospel of John:

30: Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; 31: but these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in his name. (John 20:30-31)

John tells us that the details he includes are there so that we might "believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God", and by believing that we might "have life in His name".

Disclaimer: I do not wish to present myself as an expert in either theology, history, or scriptural interpretation. I am merely someone who is attempting to answer the call of Christ. The ultimate authority and interpreter of scripture is our Holy Catholic Church. If at any point I deviate from the teachings of the Church, please correct me, alfredo@nevarez.net, as this is my shortcoming and in no way meant to be an expression of my views superceding those of the Church founded by Jesus Christ.

San Jose Bible Study
Alfredo Nevarez
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