Pietisten

Vol. VIII, No. 2 Herald of Awakening and Spiritual Upbuilding Summer 1993

Waldenstrom's Commentary

John 21:1-14 And Waldenstrom’s Commentary

translated by Tommy Carlson

Gospel Lesson for Pietisten Boating Issue

Dr. Paul Peter Waldenstrom based his comments on a Greek New Testament text which he translated into Swedish. Tommy Carlson has translated both the Biblical text and Waldenstrom's comments from the Swedish text, 2nd Edition, 1892.

Verse 1 -After that,1 Jesus appeared again for the disciples at the Sea of Tiberias.2 And his appearance happened this way:

  1. This event, which John talks about in this chapter, is not told by any of the other three evangelists.
  2. The disciples having thus gathered in Galilee.

Verse 2 — Simon Peter and Thomas, who was called Didymus1 and Nathanael from Cana in Galilee, and the sons of Zebedee and two others of his disciples2 were together.

  1. The Hebrew name Thomas means Didymus in Greek and Twin in Swedish.
  2. Certainly these two were not apostles since John does not name them.

Verse 3 — Simon Peter said to them: “I will go and fish."1 The others said to him: “We will go with you.” They went our? and stepped into the boat. That night they caught nothing.

  1. During these days of waiting, the disciples had to provide their daily bread by their own labor. So, they turned to their old jobs.
  2. To the sea.

Verse 4 — But when it was already morning, Jesus stood1 on the shore; yet the disciples did not know that it was Jesus.2

  1. Suddenly, without anyone seeing or knowing how he came.
  2. It was not fully daylight, they were 200 cubits away (see verse 8), did not expect him, did not look carefully, and naturally did not recognize him.

Verse 5 — Then Jesus said to them: “Children1 have you anything to eat?” They answered him: “No.”

  1. See comments to Mark 5:39. Perhaps the disciples, even with this familiar speech did not know him because they understood his words in a different meaning. The word that the Lord uses can mean “servant” (compare Luke 1:54, 69 and other places) and that is how the disciples understood it. To them it meant that this stranger thinks they are hired hands. They do not pay close attention to his voice.

Verse 6 — Then Jesus said to them: “Throw out your nets on the right side of the boat and you shall find something.” Then they threw out1 and they were not capable of pulling it up2 because of the amount of fish.

  1. They thought the stranger was an experienced fisherman and followed his advice.
  2. Previously, they drew up their net easily. Then it was empty. Now it was too full to draw up.

Verse 7 — Then, the disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter: “It is the Lord.”1 When Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, He wrapped his outer garments2 around himself because he was naked3 and jumped in the sea. John 13:23, 19:26, 20:2.

  1. He understood because of the catch of fish.
  2. The Greek word in the original text can mean any kind of outer garment. According to statements by both Jewish and Christian authors, workers in general used an outer garment of linen equipped with pockets that reached down to the knees. Certainly this kind of outer garment is meant here.
  3. The word in the original text can mean either that he was completely naked or that he had a shirt on. Certainly here it is the latter meaning. The Swedish word undressed has the same double meaning. Peter now threw on his outer garment, tied it with a belt around his waist, and jumped into the lake. So like Peter, the fiery man!

Verse 8 — But the other disciples came with the boat for they were not far from land — only about 200 cubits1 — dragging2 the net with the fish (behind them).

  1. A little more than 100 meters. (A Hebrew cubit equals the distance from the elbow to the tip of the middle finger).
  2. When they could not pull up the net into the boat, they had no choice but to drag it behind them as they rowed. This was slower, so Peter got to shore faster by swimming.

Verse 9 — When they, too, had stepped ashore, they saw charcoal lying there with.fish1 on it and bread.2

  1. Verbatim: Food — the same word used in the next verse. It means food but in this context (and 6:9) it means fish.
  2. This attracted their attention. How had it come about? Through a miracle, or some other way? They did not know.

Verse 10 — Jesus said to them: “Bring some of the fish that you have just caught.”

Verse 11 — Simon Peter climbed in the boat and pulled up the net full of big fish (153) onto land.1 Though there were so many, the net did not break.

  1. The other disciples had jumped out of the boat as soon as they came to shore, leaving the net in the lake. When the Lord now asks for some of their fish, Peter is the first to jump into the boat and grab the net to pull it ashore.

Verse 12 — Jesus said to them: “Come here and eat breakfast.” But none of the disciples dared to ask him: “Who are you?” — knowing it was the Lord.1

  1. Even though they knew it was the Lord, they very much wanted to ask: “Who are you really?” But, they did not dare. Such a question would show a bit of doubt, and a holy fear kept them from uttering something like that.

Verse 13 — Jesus came and took bread and gave it to them, and also the fish.

Verse 14 — This was already the third time1 that Jesus appeared to his disciples since he was raised from the dead.

  1. The day of resurrection, eight days later, and here.