In tonight’s video class I discussed the differences between several important Greek words that have similar meanings, but quite different emphases! Different “shades of meaning,” one professor says.

Be sure to watch for those sections of the session. This truth would be hard of express simply on paper.

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Notice in chapter 21 that the initial fish metaphor yields to the sheep metaphor. Just as soul-winning (catching men for Jesus) yields to soul-building, discipleship (teaching men for Jesus) in Christian experience. We are to win them and then disciple them, for the Glory of God.

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Jesus’ questioning Peter helped the repenting disciple to overcome his past pride and learn more about humility.

Pride in Peter’s life? Two examples …

John 13:37 … “Peter said unto him, Lord, why cannot I follow thee now? I will lay down my life for thy sake.”

Matthew 26:33 … “Peter answered and said unto him, Though all men shall be offended because of thee, yet will I never be offended.”

Pride offends our dear Lord!

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I love this quote …

In the Christian life, we grow by shrinking!  (John 3:30)

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Note that Jesus did not tell Peter to feed “his own” sheep! But Jesus carefully said to Peter, “FEED MY SHEEP!” We need to remember that the flock belongs to our Lord, the real Shepherd!

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Some lessons I seem to cover my study material better than at other times!

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

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The Psalm 22 verse I mentioned in class about “eating” and “worship” is as follows: “The meek shall eat and be satisfied: they shall praise the LORD that seek him: your heart shall live for ever.” (Psalm 22:26)

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An abundance of fish, 153 of them! Sounds just like our Lord! Back in John chapter 2 He made around 155 gallons of wine from water, abundance! In John chapter 6 He fed thousands and had 12 baskets (all full) left over! Abundance for sure! No wonder He is said to give Life more abundantly! (John 10:10 … “I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.”)

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JESUS’ FOUR “WORDS” IN THIS AMAZING “MIRACULOUS CATCH OF FISH” EVENT …

John 21:5 … Then Jesus saith unto them, Children, have ye any meat? They answered him, No.

(How are you doing?)

John 21:6 … And he said unto them, Cast the net on the right side of the ship, and ye shall find.

(Godly advice!)

John 21:10 … Jesus saith unto them, Bring of the fish which ye have now caught.

(May I see your fruit?)

John 21:12 … Jesus saith unto them, Come and dine.

(Let’s eat together!)

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This John 21 Miracle of fish compares and contrasts dramatically with another fish miracle of Jesus, that one recorded back in Luke’s Gospel, chapter 5 …

Both occurred at the Sea of Galilee!

Both included a night of fruitless toil!

But … in Luke Jesus is aboard the ship. In John Jesus is on the shore!

During His public Ministry He directs right beside His disciples! After His Resurrection He direct from the (heavenly) shore!

The earthly catch in Luke is unnumbered! The catch at the end of time (Jesus in Heaven) is carefully numbered! “The Lord knoweth them that are His.” (2 Timothy 2:19)

Early on (in Luke) Peter is taught through the miracle to catch fish (men) … a picture of soul winning. Once on the shore (John 21) Peter is taught to “feed the sheep!”

Win them … but then disciple them!

In Luke 5 the net breaks! In John 21, no matter how heavy the catch, the net does not break!

In our time there are many defections, backslidings, departures from the faith. Nets do break! But the Resurrected Jesus can solve that problem. Of those who are His, He has lost none, in fact!

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And as I usually say, it is best to watch the whole class …

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

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John chapter 21 has two main word pictures (images) as we shall see … fish and sheep!  (Symbolizing soul-winning and then shepherding! Win lost souls and then mature them via the Word of God!)

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Back in John chapter 20 Jesus appeared to His Disciples on Sunday (1^st day of week) when they were all congregated …

But here in chapter 21 Jesus appears to them on a weekday when not all are present, when they are at work!

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I mentioned in class, but did not give the Bible References …

Peter’s notable failures …

1. Matthew 16:21-23 … From that time forth began Jesus to shew unto his disciples, how that he must go unto Jerusalem, and suffer many things of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised again the third day. 22 Then Peter took him, and began to rebuke him, saying, Be it far from thee, Lord: this shall not be unto thee. 23 But he turned, and said unto Peter, Get thee behind me, Satan: thou art an offence unto me: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but those that be of men.

2. John 13:6-8 … Then cometh he to Simon Peter: and Peter saith unto him, Lord, dost thou wash my feet? 7 Jesus answered and said unto him, What I do thou knowest not now; but thou shalt know hereafter. 8 Peter saith unto him, Thou shalt never wash my feet. Jesus answered him, If I wash thee not, thou hast no part with me.

3. John 13:36-38 … Simon Peter said unto him, Lord, whither goest thou? Jesus answered him, Whither I go, thou canst not follow me now; but thou shalt follow me afterwards. 37 Peter said unto him, Lord, why cannot I follow thee now? I will lay down my life for thy sake. 38 Jesus answered him, Wilt thou lay down thy life for my sake? Verily, verily, I say unto thee, The cock shall not crow, till thou hast denied me thrice.

4. Galatians 2:11-13 … But when Peter was come to Antioch, I withstood him to the face, because he was to be blamed. 12 For before that certain came from James, he did eat with the Gentiles: but when they were come, he withdrew and separated himself, fearing them which were of the circumcision. 13 And the other Jews dissembled likewise with him; insomuch that Barnabas also was carried away with their dissimulation.

Then here in our Text, Peter going fishing when he should have been on a mountaintop awaiting Jesus’ next appearance! (Matthew 28:16)

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One writer said this … “Failure is good manure!” Meaning that our shortcomings often can be great teachers in our lives, provided we respond to them Biblically.

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Jesus’ Words have great import in this Text. Think of the sheer POWER of Jesus’ Word, or Words!

John 6:63 … It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.

1 Timothy 6:3 … If any man teach otherwise, and consent not to wholesome words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which is according to godliness …

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Keep in mind that it is always best to watch the Class …

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

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Only two “John Class” thoughts come to mind tonight, both of which I failed to mention in the video …

John 20, the whole chapter, is very carefully and beautifully constructed. Let me show you what I mean. The chapter divides itself into two halves!

Featuring these two characters, both believers in our Lord:

Mary Magdalene … and Thomas

One a lady … the other a man!

At first, Mary is crying … and Thomas is doubting!

Mary seems to be absent when Peter and John enter the empty tomb of Jesus … and Thomas was absent when the disciples first met!

Then wonderfully, Mary’s Confession of faith
(Rabboni, Master) … complements Thomas’ Confession of faith (My Lord and My God)!

If you recall, Mary wanted to touch Jesus and was denied … while Thomas was openly invited to touch Jesus!

What balance!

What beauty!

What Truth!

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This too … I think I failed to give enough emphasis in class to the possibility of the Resurrection of Jesus being an 8th “sign” (“miracle”) in John’s Gospel. Here’s my Bible basis for thinking like this …

John 2:18-22 … Then answered the Jews and said unto him, What sign shewest thou unto us, seeing that thou doest these things? 19 Jesus answered and said unto them, Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up. 20 Then said the Jews, Forty and six years was this temple in building, and wilt thou rear it up in three days? 21 But he spake of the temple of his body. 22 When therefore he was risen from the dead, his disciples remembered that he had said this unto them; and they believed the scripture, and the word which Jesus had said.

See, the Resurrection is definitely a “sign,” a Miracle of Miracles really!

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Now, may I invite you to watch the class?

— Dr. Mike Baagwell

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Talk about an ancient Book being honest! The New Testament, divinely inspired, certainly is!

Doubt regarding the Resurrection of Jesus is, surprisingly, a feature of every Gospel!

Matthew 28:16-17 … Then the eleven disciples went away into Galilee, into a mountain where Jesus had appointed them. And when they saw him, they worshipped him: but some doubted.

Mark 16:14… Afterward he appeared unto the eleven as they sat at meat, and upbraided them with their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they believed not them which had seen him after he was risen.

Luke 24:10-11 …  It was Mary Magdalene, and Joanna, and Mary the mother of James, and other women that were with them, which told these things unto the apostles. And their words seemed to them as idle tales, and they believed them not.

Luke 24:25-26 … Then he said unto them, O fools, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken. Ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and to enter into his glory?

Luke 24:37-41 … But they were terrified and affrighted, and supposed that they had seen a spirit. And he said unto them, Why are ye troubled? and why do thoughts arise in your hearts? Behold my hands and my feet, that it is I myself: handle me, and see; for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me have. And when he had thus spoken, he shewed them his hands and his feet. And while they yet believed not for joy, and wondered, he said unto them, Have ye here any meat?

Yes, as all Christians know, JESUS IS ALIVE! And so did most of those doubters come to believe as well!

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Compare John 1:1 with John 20:28. Verses at the beginning and near the end of this fourth Gospel!

John 1:1 … In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

John 20:28 … And Thomas answered and said unto him, My Lord and my God.

So, from the first verse in John until nearly the last verse … JESUS IS DIVINE, JESUS IS GOD! That Truth is the very foundation of the Christian faith, by the way!

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Thomas had seen Jesus raise 3 people from the dead!

And he had heard Jesus’ (at least) 3 Predictions of Death, Burial and Resurrection!

Surely, his Hebrews 12:1 sin was doubt!

What is your besetting sin?

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Domitian, the reigning Caesar between 81 and 96 (when the Gospel of John was written) … demanded that he be addressed (both orally and in writing) as “the lord and the god of me!”

Thus, Thomas’ gave a great countercultural confession of faith, applying correctly to Jesus what was then politically correct to apply to Caesar!

We’re proud of you, Thomas!

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Here’s the proper psychology of dealing with backsliders … show them how much Jesus loves them! That’s exactly what Jesus did with Thomas!

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Now, may I invite you to watch the class …

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

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