The gospel of John comes to an excellent, neat close at the end of chapter 20. The disciples have been commissioned, bringing the narrative to a glorious finish. Following this, there’s a high valuation Jesus gives to those who believe without seeing. And then John signs off, reminding us of the reason he wrote his gospel to begin with, that the reader may believe and receive eternal life—a great literary wrap-up.
But along comes chapter 21, which seems like a strange, almost needless little appendix.
The truth is, John 20 would not exactly be a fitting close for that gospel. After receiving the biggest commission in the history of the world, a mountaintop experience to be sure, the disciples wake up on Monday morning. Their commission is perfect, but they are not.
None of them display this fact more effectively than Peter.
Peter was a leader, and his influence could work in both directions. When he was courageous, others might follow him. But when he announced, “I am going fishing,” six other disciples immediately said, “We will go with you.”
That is the frightening thing about leadership. A leader can lead people toward the calling, or away from it.
Imagine a bus driver who makes a wrong turn. His mistake is not merely limited to himself. Everybody on the bus goes with him.
That’s why the commission of chapter 20 isn’t the last word. The strong possibility of mission drift still exists. It’s when the newly minted apostles look around and don’t see Jesus. Or breakfast. And the person most influential among them is in a muddled state, himself.
So Jesus meets these men where they have drifted. He fills their empty nets. He cooks breakfast. He restores fellowship before discussing any further responsibility.
This being done, He turns to Peter, directly asking, “Do you love Me?” three times. (vv. 15-17).
And thus Peter’s three previous denials of Christ are undone with three affirmations of love. After each one of them, Jesus connects true love for Him as inseparable from responsibility toward others:
“Feed My lambs.” “Tend My sheep.” “Feed My sheep.”
This was a major realignment, and a model of it in fact for any of the Lord’s ministers.
Whoever has experienced John 20, will need John 21, multiple times. Crises can come in many different shapes and sizes. There’s the long-term burden of financial shortfalls. That is what happens when you give conferences on the sovereign will of God, but can’t pay your bills. Then there are sudden “opportunities” that appear, but are really just exit doors out of your calling. Like when I got tired of not paying my bills, and interviewed at a software education company to teach PageMaker. They loved me. (Note: both that company and PageMaker have long since disappeared). And don’t forget the ministry seasons of dryness, and failure, when you say to yourself, “I guess I’m not cut out for this.” Whether you are in full time vocational ministry, or in full time ministry while working a secular job, you’ll have these happen. That first day you were called into a deeper life of service felt so exciting, but the follow-up has been full of daunting details.
Don’t worry, that’s why we have John 21.
The realignment is so total in that chapter, that even our obsessive distractions with others get corrected (vv. 20-22). Comparisons can be ruinous, as we sidetrack ourselves with other Christians’ methods of service, their successes, their Christ-appointed destinies. Even after Peter’s ministry and personal future was crystallized, he saw someone else following Jesus, and asked, “What about this man?”
Jesus answered: “What is that to you? You follow Me.”
There may be no more necessary word for modern ministry than this one. Mind your own business/commission.
We can spend enormous amounts of energy watching, critiquing, mimicking somebody else, coveting their success, or even lingering over their failures.
Jesus says, in effect, “That is My business with him. Your business is to follow Me.”
The risen Christ gives the servants who are failed, distracted, and confused, the personal tune-up they often need.
And that is why John 21 had to be there.
