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  • Witnesses to Jesus Risen! – Simon Peter

    Witnesses to Jesus Risen! – Simon Peter

    The Gospel of John

    • What does a DEATH have to do with GOOD NEWS?

    Read any obituary of a famous teacher, even a celebrity leader of men and you will discover one thing: They left behind everything. Now the legacy of this body buried or scattered to the dust of the earth must decay.

    We memorialize men and women, especially the same many idolize in life. Those who loved any breathing soul speak of the dead in the past. Some ask, ‘IF there is a God, what hope does this departed soul have now?‘

    The Apostle John answers these deep longings of the souls of mortal man.

    More specifically, the LORD GOD reveals the only Good News about death and life is through the Lord Jesus Christ – born of man, buried like all who must suffer death.

    By His words we have hope, but by His death we have redemption from sin and judgment.

    For by Jesus’ RESURRECTION in BODY and SPIRIT, followers of the Way of Jesus in life will follow Him to certain resurrection of the body and of our soul.

    Do you desire an eternal after-life in the Presence of the LORD our GOD? Find it in the Good News of Christ Jesus.

    Witnesses to Jesus’ Resurrection

    In Him was life, and the life was the Light of men.

    The Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.

    The Good News of John 1:4-5 NASB

    John presents man as either belonging to one of two things: the darkness or the light. There is no in between. The darkness is associated with death, while the light is associated with life. – BlueLetterBible intro to John

    No Gospel addresses ‘LIFE’ more than John and no book of the Bible more than the 150 Psalms.

    Roger Harned – talk of Jesus .com

    We now return to John’s witness of Jesus in a third appearance to Disciples along the shore of the Sea of Tiberias after His resurrection.

    Trusting that you read Witnesses to Jesus Risen! – the Eleven, a Passing Witness, recall the 1st. century A.D. events disciples of the Way of Jesus encountered even before John wrote his Gospel — after A.D. 85 & before A.D. 100.

    Remember to see John’s Gospel with eyes of a 1st. century believer who already knows that Peter was martyred for Christ perhaps decades earlier.

    Peter’s witness of Jesus’ Resurrection

    No Disciple of Jesus impacts the Church more than Simon Peter. After paying little attention to interactions between Peter and Jesus, today we will look closer into this loving relationship of discipleship.

    Previously in Witnesses to Jesus Risen! – the Eleven, a Passing Witness. the Apostles had seen Jesus in the flesh twice, except Thomas only once, in Jerusalem. John names five present now and mentions two others, but not by name.

    Simon Peter said to them, “I am going fishing.” – John 21:3

    It’s now close to daylight after a night catching no fish.

    John 21:

    7 The disciple, the one Jesus loved, said to Peter, “It is the Lord!”

    Peter and John who humbly refers to himself as ‘the disciple Jesus loved’, along with his older brother James have been Jesus’ three closest Disciples. During three years of the Lord’s earthly teaching Jesus had often shared understanding He does not reveal to others.

    In his Gospel the beloved Disciple speaks of their close friend Simon Peter who has already been martyred for Christ with loving compassion; not eulogizing or elevating Peter in any way, but giving honest witness to Peter’s actions and failings in life.

    John’s empathy for Peter’s heart after denying the Lord is clearly evident. The Disciples remembered how Jesus had prophesied Peter’s denials before the cock crowed at dawn that fateful evening prior to His arrest. Peter of course had denied that it could ever happen.

    Peter, now with his former boldness, dives into Lake Tiberius and swims to shore (just two hundred cubits, about 100 yd. or 90 m.) away from Jesus who is broiling fish over a fire.

    The other six Disciples return in small boats with the catch of ‘the multitude of fishes’ [KJV], which they then account as a total of 153 large fish filling a net that remains untorn by the huge catch.

    Three Questions of Restoration

    Remember, John witnesses this to Christians after Peter’s faithful death for the Lord Jesus Christ. Here is what John testifies:

    15 Now when they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of John, do you love Me more than these?”

    (We will examine Peter’s answers separately.)

    16 He said to him again, a second time, “Simon, son of John, do you love Me?”

    17 He said to him the third time, “Simon, son of John, do you love Me?”

    The common language of the Apostles in addition to their local Aramaic is Greek. English translations lack subtle detail connecting context in these scriptures.

    Simon son of Jonas – Σίμων Ἰωνᾶ

    Andrew and Simon’s father is John, or Jonas.

    • John, Peter’s other friend of Jesus’ inner circle besides his own brother James, calls him Simon Peter or simply Peter.
    • however Jesus calls him only Simon or the Lord addresses John & James‘ friend rather formally as: Simon son of Jonas.
      • Could Jesus also be reminding the Disciples of His many prophesies connecting His Resurrection to the Prophet Jonah?

    Note what Jesus asks Simon, yet note subtle differences in Simon’s responses which show the depth of wounds of Peter’s guilt before he understands Jesus’ tender requests.

    (Again recall that John tells this to readers who already know that Peter has died for his faith in Jesus.)

    Jesus’ questions to Simon Peter

    English also clouds our understanding of overlapping Greek meanings of love.

    1. “Simon, son of John, do you [e] love Me more than these?”
    2. “Simon, son of John, do you [g] love Me?”
    3. “Simon, son of John, do you [i] love Me?”
    [notes] Here is an instance where NASB & other notes may help.
See the Greek text referenced below.
    1. ἀγαπάω – agapaō – Strong’s G25
      • egō polys hoytos
    2. ἀγαπάω – agapaō – Strong’s G25
      • egō
    3. φιλεῖς – phileō – Strong’s G5368
      • egō

    Three similar questions to Simon from Jesus in John 21: v.15, v.16 & v.17, but not quite the same.

    • Do you agapaō me more than these?
    • Do you agapaō me? (No comparison this time to the six Disciples who came to shore in the boat with the fish.)
    • Do you phileō me?
    Is your, “yes Lord” really your “yes?”
    Let's move on to Simon's responses. (Will his responses match?)
    1. “Yes, Lord; You know that I [phileō] love You.”
      • Jesus had asked, “Do you agapaō Me more than these?”
      • Do you [love] Me more than these (six) Disciples love Me?
      • Simon only confirms his phileō for Jesus.
    2. “Yes, Lord; You know that I [phileō] love You.”
      • Jesus now focuses on Simon asking simply, “Do you agapaō me?”
      • Simon simply repeats his previous response of “I [phileō] You.”
    3. “Lord, You know all things; You know that I [phileō] love You.”
      • Jesus has already asked Simon, “Do you [agapaō] me?”
      • Simon had twice responded, “I [phileō] You.”
      • Perhaps to contrast Simon’s answers to His other two questions the Lord now asks him, “Do you [phileō] me?

    What does Jesus mean by “love?”

    Having some understanding of the Greek words for LOVE is a pre-requisite for our 21st century understanding.

    Let’s begin with Simon Peter’s answer to Jesus.

    phileō love:

    It is the verb meaning:

    • to approve of, like, sanction, treat affectionately or kindly,
    • to welcome, befriend

    Are you only this to Jesus?

    To your fellow followers of Christ who also call Him Lord is your witness mere approval of Jesus?

    ‘What a ‘friend’ we have in Jesus,‘ we once sang.

    • Is that what the Lord asks of Simon Peter?
    • Is Christ not so much more than ‘a friend’ to those who follow Him?

    ‘..All our sins and griefs to bear!” continues the old hymn proclaiming Jesus a friend, but urging us to take everything to God in prayer.

    Simon has just witnessed Jesus’ Sacrifice for our sins on the Cross.

    • What friend can bear your sins other than Jesus?

    “Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.

    John 15:13 KJV – Jesus proclaiming His own death to the Disciples, of agapē love

    Simon Peter, once again emboldened by Jesus resurrection, offers no rock of confidence in his measured response to His Lord and Savior.

    Jesus was not asking Simon Peter for his renewed friendship. So what was the Lord asking him?

    agapē love:

    It is the noun for:

    • affection, good will, benevolence, brotherly love,
    • charity or a feast of charitability (like a generous family meal of Thanksgiving),

    All active, rather than passive acceptance of another. Jesus first question asks Peter to stand firm in His love of their friends.

    Jesus asks in effect,

    “Do you think (Simon), that because you greeted Me first (perhaps with an expected kiss of phileō just as Judas Iscariot had in Gethsemane), — do you therefore believe that you agapē Me more that those who did not jump from your boat to reach Me first?

    (And recall what John had witnessed of Peter when they first ran to the empty tomb.) Peter lost that physical race with John, but it did not matter who was first or who came to Jesus last. What did matter was the Lord’s commands.

    On the night in which He was betrayed Jesus gave them a new command.

    Commandment of Jesus Christ CHURCH "love one another

    In case you missed it, Church..

    from earlier in our series on the Gospel of John, April 29, 2020 A.D.

    John 13:

    33 “Little children, I am still with you a little longer…

    (It is this same endearing greeting of their Master the Disciples have just heard from Peter’s boat.)

    34 “I am giving you a new commandment, that you love one another; just as I have loved you, that you also love one another.

    • Which LOVE do you suppose Jesus uses in this NEW COMMANDMENT to the Disciples?
    agapaō:

    It is the verb root of agapē love. Yet its own root may also share in actions associated with the verb phileō. (We won’t take time to dwell on this.)

    • of persons
      • to welcome, to entertain, to be fond of, to love dearly
    • of things
      • to be well pleased, to be contented at or with a thing

    Three times Jesus uses agapaō in His New Commandment to the Apostles and then the Lord continues by applying agapē love as evidence to others that these are His disciples.

    “By this all people will know that you are My disciples: if you have love for one another.”

    John 13:35 – The New Command of Jesus – agapē

    Jesus’ New Commands to Simon Peter

    We have examined with some detail the context of Jesus’ questions to Simon that John witnesses in his Good News to believers long after Peter’s own death.

    NEXT: We will continue in John 21 with the Lord’s Commands to Peter and hear John’s empathy for Peter shared with saints of the 1st century A.D. Church.

    To be continued...
  • Witnesses to Jesus Risen! – the Eleven, a Passing Witness

    Witnesses to Jesus Risen! – the Eleven, a Passing Witness

    The Gospel of John

    We have nearly reached the conclusion of John’s Good News. Earlier we met ten Disciples in a room where the Risen Christ appeared!

    Witnesses to Jesus Risen! – the Eleven

    20:26 A week later his disciples were indoors again, and Thomas was with them. Even though the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you.”

    Reminder to 21st. Century Readers of John’s Gospel:

    As I mentioned before, Christians to whom John writes understand events which have taken place after Jesus’ ascension, yet before John’s death.

    (We will add some of these following the next event of John’s Good News.)

    • Jesus was crucified around the year AD 30
    • John writes his Gospel to the churches after AD 85 [~AD 90-100]

    John 21:

    view of Sea of Galilee
    “I will make you fishers of men. – Mark 1:17

    After these things Jesus revealed Himself again to the disciples at the Sea of Tiberias, and He revealed Himself in this way:

    Simon Peter said to them, “I am going fishing.”

    They said to him, “We are also coming with you.” They went out and got into the boat; and that night they caught nothing.

    Fishing in Galilee

    Of course these Galilean Disciples of Jesus would travel from Jerusalem north to their homes along the Sea of Tiberias (Galilee). John recalls which Apostles were present.

    • Simon Peter
    • Thomas called Didymus (He will not miss seeing Jesus this time.)
    • Nathanael of Cana
    • James, John’s older brother
    • John, author of this Gospel
    • Two others of Jesus’ disciples

    They would have launched their two or three fishing boats from docks by Capernaum and proceeded out to sea at night, returning to port near daybreak and seeing a man on shore as they approached.

    4 But when the morning was now come, Jesus stood on the shore: but the disciples knew not that it was Jesus.

    He called out to them, “Children, do you have any fish?” They answered him, “No.”

    John 21:5 – from NIV & ESV

    Children, you do not understand

    Our 21st century ears do not hear the Master’s call to His beloved servants in this way. In fact, 1st century men and women tended to be more willing to hear a fellow Jew (especially their Rabbi) or even a Roman responsible for their local Galilean town of Capernaum as humble servants.

    παιδίον – pi-de’-on

    Child – From dimin. of παῖς (G3816) can mean not only a child, boy or girl but a slave, an attendant, servant, and specifically a king’s attendant, one who ministers to the King.

    προσφάγιον – pros-fä’-ge-on

    From the King James Version: “Children, have ye any meat?”

    Strong's G4371

    But once again our overfed 21st century bodies don’t quite understand what Jesus asks if they have anything eaten with bread and spoken of fish boiled or broiled.

    These children of the Shepherd Christ Jesus return from a night of work, fishing — and they have caught no fish. In effect their Lord and Master, Provider of all things to His servants asks these dear ‘children’ in His care, “Are you hungry?”

    John in recalling the incident adds, ‘yet the disciples did not know that it was Jesus.’

    Obeying His command

    Yes, these seven men probably were hungry after an unsuccessful night of fishing. Yet hearing His command from the shore they obeyed Jesus.

    6 He said to them, “Throw in your net to starboard and you will catch some.”

    So they threw in their net, and there were so many fish in it that they couldn’t haul it aboard.

    It was then, John tells us, that he recognized Jesus.

    “It is the Lord!”

    So when Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he put on his outer garment (for he was stripped for work), and threw himself into the sea. Since they were not far from land (about a hundred yards away), the other disciples came in the [smaller] boat, dragging the net full of fish.

    Once again in a third appearance to seven disciples, Jesus demonstrates that He IS both God and a risen ‘Son of Man.’

    John tells his experience as his small boat pulling nets full of fish comes near to the beach along the shore.

    9 When they stepped ashore, they saw a fire of burning coals with a fish on it, and some bread.

    10 Yeshua said to them, “Bring some of the fish you have just caught.”

    (Peter and the men have now been pulling the full nets ashore…)

    12 Yeshua said to them, “Come and have breakfast.”

    None of the talmidim (disciples of a Rabbi) dared to ask him, “Who are you?” They knew it was the Lord.

    Pause.. to ‘fast forward’

    We’ll now leave Jesus and the seven Disciples sharing bread and fish with the Lord and (in 21st c. parlance) fast forward to events known to many readers of John’s Good News, but possibly not known to most Christians in the 21st c. digital age.

    (Yes, it’s a ‘pop quiz’ – 5 questions.) How do you think you’ll do?

    Page TWO - Please click Page 2 below for the questions.

    Pages: 1 2 3

  • Witnesses to Jesus Risen! – Thomas

    Witnesses to Jesus Risen! – Thomas

    Jesus is risen!

    .. You can’t prove it, can you?

    Christ Born & Witnessed, Crucified, Risen, Ascended..

    by Roger Harned

    It’s really easy to hear someone’s story of a baby born in a manger during the census of Augustus Caesar.

    The Babe in a manger (and His mother) have become our iconic emojis of virtue.

    Roger Harned – talkofJesus.com – on Christmas traditions replacing the significance of Christ’s Resurrection

    The Witness of Thomas

    Imagine what Thomas must have pondered before he saw Jesus once more..

    His miracles were authentic. He was a man like us, yet so unlike us.

    We discovered many times that the Lord Jesus was more than any man we had ever met, even John the Baptist..

    Like when He calmed the raging Sea of Tiberius, fed thousands and especially when Jesus healed the sick and even raising some like Lazarus just recently from the grave.

    But we witnessed also the defeat of Israel’s Messiah, our only hope — His rejection by our own Jewish leaders and Rome’s cruel sentence of His death on a cross, mocking our Rabbi as “Jesus, the King of the Jews.”

    I wasn’t close for His execution, for I was afraid like all the others; but Jesus is certainly dead as any other nailed to a Roman Cross.

    John 20 (continued)

    John continues his witness of Jesus’ resurrection appearances which first were to a group of women, Witnesses to Jesus Risen! – Mary Magdalene then to ten of the Eleven Witnesses to Jesus Risen! – the Eleven remaining behind locked doors. 

    This is the witness of Jews who had hoped that Jesus would restore the Kingdom of Israel.
(Translations incl. Complete Jewish Bible) 
All of the Twelve were born as Jews, as was the Lord Jesus (Yeshua).

    24 Now T’oma [Didymus in common Greek] (the name means “twin”), one of the Twelve, was not with them when Yeshua came.

    When the other talmidim [disciples] told him,

    “We have seen the Lord,”

    he replied, “Unless I see the nail marks in his hands, put my finger into the place where the nails were and put my hand into his side,

    I refuse to believe it.”

    Believe it .. or not

    Well there it is: Like what happens so frequently, someone else tells us about the biggest event ever in their lives.. AND we missed it. Just like Thomas, we weren’t there.

    I either don’t believe them, pause with the uncertainty of doubt .. OR maybe I find it beyond belief that the Lord did not also choose ME to be part of such a life-changing moment.

    Perhaps you and I are not so unlike ‘doubting Thomas’ as we would like to believe.

    A timely note about time:

Even though we've slowed the actual timeline of events between Jesus raising Lazarus and His own Resurrection, I will not delay John's Gospel an additional week to reflect real time. RH

    26 Eight days later His disciples were again inside, and Thomas was with them. Jesus came, the doors having been shut, and stood in their midst..

    Although the doors were locked, Yeshua came, stood among them and said, “Shalom aleikhem!”

    27 Then he said to T’oma, “Put your finger here, look at my hands, take your hand and put it into my side. Don’t be lacking in trust, but have trust!”

    Witnessed Crucified; Witnessed Risen

    Thomas finally experiences the risen Christ Jesus the slain Messiah of Israel the same as the other Apostles and the women who saw Him first.

    Then He said to Thomas, “Reach your finger here, and look at My hands; and reach your hand here, and put it into My side. Do not be unbelieving, but believing.”

    John 20:27 NKJV

    28 Thomas answered and said to Him, “My Lord and my God!”

    Depicting Christ Crucified and Jesus Risen to Life!

    The scene of Thomas witnessing the wounds of the Risen Messiah, Jesus, their friend and their Teacher is beyond illustration.

    John must have recalled Jesus’ similar approach to Martha just before the Lord raised her brother Lazarus to life.

    “I am the resurrection and the life,” Jesus had asked the bereaved sister of Lazarus. “Do you believe this?”

    John 11:25-26 excerpt with context

    Martha and Mary had mourned the death of their brother.

    Mary the mother of Jesus also mourned helplessly. She could not save Him from suffering as she sorrowfully watched His death on a Cross nearby.

    Faithful painters of the Renaissance could neither paint nor sculpt the horror of the Lord Jesus’s wounds.

    Our focus draws to the hearts of the living rather than to the Redeemer of our lives.

    Believe by faith

    29 Jesus said [to Thomas, with all the Disciples present], “Because you have seen me, you have believed.

    Blessed are those who have not seen and yet believe.”

    By their witness and that of many others who had seen the risen Christ Jesus, many came to believe by the time John writes his Gospel, even many who would take up their cross to follow Him. These too the Apostle John would witness.

    30 So then, many other signs Jesus also performed in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; but these have been written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that by believing you may have life in His name.

    To be continued...
    Next: We will return briefly to further witness of the Eleven near the conclusion of John's Gospel.