John 21:7-14 - Breakfast with Jesus — Aneel Aranha

Hello and welcome to the Bite-Sized Gospel. Today, we will reflect on John 21:7-14. Listen.

Then the disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, "It is the Lord!" As soon as Simon Peter heard him say, "It is the Lord," he wrapped his outer garment around him (for he had taken it off) and jumped into the water. The other disciples followed in the boat, towing the net full of fish, for they were not far from shore, about a hundred yards. When they landed, they saw a fire of burning coals there with fish on it, and some bread. Jesus said to them, "Bring some of the fish you have just caught." So Simon Peter climbed back into the boat and dragged the net ashore. It was full of large fish, 153, but even with so many the net was not torn. Jesus said to them, "Come and have breakfast." None of the disciples dared ask him, "Who are you?" They knew it was the Lord. Jesus came, took the bread and gave it to them, and did the same with the fish. This was now the third time Jesus appeared to his disciples after he was raised from the dead.

The count of 153 fish has puzzled scholars for centuries. Because John makes a specific mention of the number, there has been much speculation that it means something. But in all likelihood, it means nothing. Why count them, then? In those days, fishermen didn’t sell their catch directly in the market. There were a couple of middlemen who took as much as 60% of the catch, so they probably just wanted to know how much of their fish they’d have to forfeit. The important point is that the catch was miraculous and opened the apostle’s eyes to who the man standing on the shore was.

John is the first to recognize Jesus. Peter's response is characteristically impulsive: He jumps into the water in his haste to reach Jesus, who has a meal waiting for them. The risen Lord has cooked breakfast for his friends, a touching reminder that Jesus cares not only for our spiritual needs but also for our physical needs. The disciples' silence is poignant. They don't need to ask who he is — they know — and remain silent in a moment of quiet recognition and awe.

As we reflect on this passage, we might consider: Do we recognize Jesus in the ordinary moments of our lives? Are we, like Peter, impatient to be close to him? Do we accept his invitation to come and be fed, both physically and spiritually?

May we have eyes to see Jesus in our daily lives, hearts eager to draw near to him, and the humility to accept his loving care for all our needs.

God bless you.