Simon Peter, Thomas (called the Twin), Nathanael of Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two others of his disciples were together. Simon Peter said to them, “I am going fishing.” They said to him, “We will go with you.” John 21:2-3
The Lord is risen from the dead. The once fearful disciples are elated – the Messiah lives. They saw the risen Lord in the Upper Room on the the Sunday night of the Lord’s resurrection. He told them to meet Him in Galilee, a trip of approximately 70 miles. Seven obey the Lord
and go there with anticipation of meeting Jesus and hearing His words to them. When the disciples get there, the Lord is not there We wonder what went through Peter’s mind. Is he torn? He loves the Lord, knows He is God. Peter wants to serve the Lord but he knows he has disqualified himself. He has committed a horrendous sin – denting the Lord, not once (maybe that could be construed as an error in judgement) but he did it three times – willful, premeditated denial of the one he knows is God. Peter knows that he,
like Esau, sold what was true value for a bowl of porridge. He obeys the Lord and goes to Galilee but he really does not know why. Peter’s discouragement and lack of hope overwhelms him. The Lord has not publicly spoken to Him, he was mentioned last, not first as usual, among the apostles and now he is told to go to Galilee to hear what what the Lord will do through the other disciples but not him. The Lord had told His disciples, “Go to a mountain” (Matthew 18:16 ) but when Peter gets there He disobeys the Lord once again. In total despair he makes an announcement. He is leaving the mountain. Peter is giving up. He believes in the Lord but the Lord can no longer use him. So he makes his decision and announces it to those he is with.
I am going fishing Peter’s states he is going back to his old profession. He has to do something with his life so he is going back to his old profession. The verb “going” Peter uses describes a purposeful or intentional departure, whether physically leaving a place or metaphorically moving away from a situation or state of being. Peter decides to leave his role as a disciple of Christ, a fisher of men and is going back to live his life as Simon, a fisher of fish.
What Can We Learn? Peter has reached rock bottom. Like the prodigal son he has failed the father. He has lost all the riches His father had given him. He is destitute and he knows he cannot keep going the way he is headed. Yet he knows he has destroyed the way back to the Father. He has to find something to do with his life but what good is a washed-up disciple? So like the prodigal son he makes a decision. He does not seek advice from his father – he feels he has lost that right. So he makes a decision in the flesh how he will make a living. He will go back to being a fisherman.
We might ask why did the Lord allow Peter to go through this? Why didn’t He meet with Peter? Here is a simple answer. Peter had not yet come to the end of himself, his own self-sufficiency. God is molding a
useful servant and until that servant fully yields himself to God, the work can not be finished.
Thus the Lord waited until His servant reaches the desire to allow God to mold Him in the way God desires. Acknowledging God is God and His way is right is key to loving Him