Words about the WORD - Brad McBee - First Christian Church
When they landed, they saw a fire of burning coals there with fish on it, and some bread. -John 21:9 (NIV)
The 21st chapter of the Gospel of Saint John is a bonus chapter. If you go back and read the last 2 verses of the 20th chapter you will see what I mean. It certainly sounds like John was ending his Gospel there. So why this 21st chapter? I have heard many different possible explanations for this, one that I believe, makes the most sense is this, John would have been dictating his gospel to a scribe. When he finished the 20th chapter the scribe may have said something to him like this; “There is still room on the scroll, (writing paper was very expensive and came in standard lengths just like today). Is there anything else you would like me to share?” And John may have said something like, “Well there was this time after the resurrection that Peter wanted to go fishing.”
God made sure there was room left on the scroll because the story told in the 21st chapter needed telling. I have read this chapter many times. And I have preached on it many times. Yet, I always find something new. I’ve shared about the number of fish they caught, 153, and the belief by those in Jesus’ time that that was the number of people groups in the world. Thus, the number represents all the different tribes of human beings, and the fact that the Gospel was meant to be shared with everyone and needed to be taken out into all the world.
Recently, as I read through this account, I was struck by something I’d never thought about before. John tells us that Jesus is there on the beach, and He has a fire of hot coals ready to cook fish on. In fact, Jesus had already cooked some fish and then He calls them to add some of the fish they had caught to the meal.
Let’s talk about this fish fry. To have a fish fry you need fish. If there is a universal food that is eaten throughout the world, it is fish. I don’t care if you are in the Arctic, you’re eating fish. If you are in the Amazon rainforest you are eating fish. Even if you are traveling through the desert of Morocco chances are that you have dried fish with you as your protein source. Fish is a universal food source.
On this fire Jesus has fish that he has already prepared, and he calls the disciples to bring the fish that has yet to be prepared. This is a vivid picture of the calling of the church. Jesus began the process of making disciples He now is calling those disciples to make disciples. They are the ones that will carry forth the Gospel.
Next, let’s talk about the other item you must have at a fish fry, a fire to cook the fish. Jesus had a fire of hot coals on which to cook the fish. A fire of hot coals is not a fire that just got started. It is one that had been prepared in advance; made ready to cook upon. The Greek word used here for this “fire of coals” is anthrakian. There is only one other place in the Bible this word is used and that also has to do with Peter who comes now to this fire Jesus has prepared. It was when he was in the courtyard of the high priest. Peter stands warming himself by a fire of hot coals. It is here by this fire that Peter will deny Jesus three times, and it is here by this second fire of hot coals that Jesus will three times reinstate Peter, (see John 21:15-17), to be about the business of caring for the people of God.
There is nothing accidental in all of this. Jesus knew that Peter needed to be reinstated and He prepared this fire to be the place where that would happen just like Peter had denied him three times by a fire.
There is nothing accidental in our calling to go forth and share the Gospel as well. I’ve heard it said and I’m sure you have too, that there is always more fish in the sea. There are always more folks that need to hear the life changing Gospel message of our Lord, and it is our privilege and our calling to be about the sharing of that Gospel message. People, you see, need Jesus.
Peace, Blessings, and Love,
Pastor Brad McBee, First Christian Church
