<html><head></head><body><div><div><div><div><br></div>John 21;1-3<div><br></div><div><b>1. &nbsp;After this Jesus revealed himself again to the disciples by the Sea of Tiberi-as; and he revealed himself in this way.</b></div><div><b>2. &nbsp;Simon Peter, Thomas called the Twin, Nathana-el of Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two others of his disciples were together.</b></div><div><b>3. &nbsp;Simon Peter said to them, “I am going fishing.” &nbsp;They said to him, “We will go with you.” &nbsp;They went out and got into the boat; but they caught nothing.</b></div><div><b><br></b></div><div>The Gospel of John seems to conclude with chapter 20. &nbsp;Chapter 21 seems to begin in a way that indicates an addition not part of the original text, sometimes called an ‘Epilogue’. &nbsp;The similarity between John 21;24 and John 19;35, as well as John 21;20 all seem to indicate that the author of chapter 21 is also John the brother of James the sons of Zebedee, ‘the disciple whom Jesus loved’.</div><div><br></div><div>My guess is that John shared his original 20 chapter&nbsp;text with one or more other&nbsp;disciples. &nbsp;They may have urged John to include the accounts of Jesus with his disciples in Galilee after the resurrection. &nbsp;Or, the Holy Spirit may simply have prompted this addition.</div><div><br></div><div>From our modern perspective, it is all speculation, and without much importance. &nbsp;If in your heart you believe these words to be faithful and true, inspired by God the Holy Spirit, then the authorship, and how it came to be added is of secondary importance. &nbsp;Chapter 21 is to be treasured and believed.</div><div><br></div><div>In Matthew 28;10 on Easter morning, Jesus instructs Mary saying, <i>“Do not be afraid; go and tell my brethren to go to Galilee, and there they will see me.” &nbsp;</i></div><div><br></div><div><i></i>It would be possible for healthy strong men&nbsp;with determined walking, to hike from Jerusalem in&nbsp;the days immediately&nbsp;after Easter to The Sea of Tiberius (Sea of Galilee), gone fishing overnight, and return to Jerusalem eight days later in time&nbsp;for Thomas to see the Lord and make his confession. &nbsp;The problem with this is&nbsp;that Thomas was with them at the Sea of Tiberius, and John 21;12 indicates that those disciples (including Thomas), “They knew it was the Lord.” &nbsp;Therefore, I believe this Sea of Tiberius meeting probably took place after the eighth day following the resurrection.</div><div><br></div><div>Some would argue that Matthew 28;17 records <i>“some doubted” </i>while they were in Galilee. &nbsp;Could that refer to Thomas? &nbsp;Perhaps, but the setting is different. &nbsp;Matthew has them on, <i>“the mountain to which Jesus had directed them.” </i>(Matthew 28;16) not by the sea. &nbsp;So I suppose an argument can be made for an early trip to Galilee, pre-Thomas in the upper room, however the weight of evidence more strongly supports a later trip to the Sea of Tiberius, some time post-Thomas’ upper room confession.</div><div><br></div><div>This is the sort of question theologians enjoy pondering, but in truth, they are of little importance to our faith. &nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>Suffice it to say, Jesus wanted to spend some time with his disciples away from Jerusalem. &nbsp;Jerusalem remained a place of fear and threat for the disciples. &nbsp;I be<span>lieve the Lord wanted to remind the disciples of the call he&nbsp;originally gave them which began their&nbsp;three year discipleship training experience in a place peaceful and apart from the tribulations of Jerusalem.&nbsp;</span></div><div><span><br></span></div><div><span>The disciples arrive in Galilee, but Jesus is no where to be seen. &nbsp;Peter decides to use the time productively, fishing. &nbsp;The disciples themselves may have been tempted to think, “Oh well, I suppose I should think about what to do next…” &nbsp;Their call to be “<i>fishers of men”&nbsp;</i>(Matthew 4;19)&nbsp;was probably not foremost in their thinking. &nbsp;As sinners, we can and often are distracted and even fearful of our calling to follow Jesus.</span></div><div><span><br></span></div><div><span>Prayer: &nbsp;Merciful Father, bless us to keep foremost in our thoughts, the death and resurrection of Jesus which you have made us to share in through our Baptism into him. &nbsp;Bless us to never be distracted from our purpose in Christ, to make disciples, beginning with ourselves, our families, and the whole world. &nbsp;In Jesus we pray, Amen.</span></div><div><br></div><div>Love,</div><div>Dad/Baba/Eric</div><div>Grandpa Pickle Pastor</div><div>“A chapter a day, every day, progressively, be transformed, ‘soak’ in the living Word.”<br><br><a href="https://overview.mail.yahoo.com/?.src=iOS" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"></a><br></div></div></div></div></body></html>


John 21;1-3
1.  After this Jesus revealed himself again to the disciples by the Sea of Tiberi-as; and he revealed himself in this way.2.  Simon Peter, Thomas called the Twin, Nathana-el of Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two others of his disciples were together.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 they caught nothing.
The Gospel of John seems to conclude with chapter 20.  Chapter 21 seems to begin in a way that indicates an addition not part of the original text, sometimes called an ‘Epilogue’.  The similarity between John 21;24 and John 19;35, as well as John 21;20 all seem to indicate that the author of chapter 21 is also John the brother of James the sons of Zebedee, ‘the disciple whom Jesus loved’.
My guess is that John shared his original 20 chapter text with one or more other disciples.  They may have urged John to include the accounts of Jesus with his disciples in Galilee after the resurrection.  Or, the Holy Spirit may simply have prompted this addition.
From our modern perspective, it is all speculation, and without much importance.  If in your heart you believe these words to be faithful and true, inspired by God the Holy Spirit, then the authorship, and how it came to be added is of secondary importance.  Chapter 21 is to be treasured and believed.
In Matthew 28;10 on Easter morning, Jesus instructs Mary saying, “Do not be afraid; go and tell my brethren to go to Galilee, and there they will see me.”  
It would be possible for healthy strong men with determined walking, to hike from Jerusalem in the days immediately after Easter to The Sea of Tiberius (Sea of Galilee), gone fishing overnight, and return to Jerusalem eight days later in time for Thomas to see the Lord and make his confession.  The problem with this is that Thomas was with them at the Sea of Tiberius, and John 21;12 indicates that those disciples (including Thomas), “They knew it was the Lord.”  Therefore, I believe this Sea of Tiberius meeting probably took place after the eighth day following the resurrection.
Some would argue that Matthew 28;17 records “some doubted” while they were in Galilee.  Could that refer to Thomas?  Perhaps, but the setting is different.  Matthew has them on, “the mountain to which Jesus had directed them.” (Matthew 28;16) not by the sea.  So I suppose an argument can be made for an early trip to Galilee, pre-Thomas in the upper room, however the weight of evidence more strongly supports a later trip to the Sea of Tiberius, some time post-Thomas’ upper room confession.
This is the sort of question theologians enjoy pondering, but in truth, they are of little importance to our faith.  
Suffice it to say, Jesus wanted to spend some time with his disciples away from Jerusalem.  Jerusalem remained a place of fear and threat for the disciples.  I believe the Lord wanted to remind the disciples of the call he originally gave them which began their three year discipleship training experience in a place peaceful and apart from the tribulations of Jerusalem. 
The disciples arrive in Galilee, but Jesus is no where to be seen.  Peter decides to use the time productively, fishing.  The disciples themselves may have been tempted to think, “Oh well, I suppose I should think about what to do next…”  Their call to be “fishers of men” (Matthew 4;19) was probably not foremost in their thinking.  As sinners, we can and often are distracted and even fearful of our calling to follow Jesus.
Prayer:  Merciful Father, bless us to keep foremost in our thoughts, the death and resurrection of Jesus which you have made us to share in through our Baptism into him.  Bless us to never be distracted from our purpose in Christ, to make disciples, beginning with ourselves, our families, and the whole world.  In Jesus we pray, Amen.
Love,Dad/Baba/EricGrandpa Pickle Pastor“A chapter a day, every day, progressively, be transformed, ‘soak’ in the living Word.”

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