Feast of St. Peter the Apostle

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I would like to take an excurses, a deviation if you will, from the prescribed, proper readings for this Feast of St. Peter Sunday. This alternate reading contains a similarly poignant lesson for us, concerning Christ JESUS’ engagement with The Rock: Simon bar Jonah – St. Peter. The lesson comes from St. John’s twenty-first chapter. This is the biblical text assigned for the consecration of a bishop from the 1928 BCP, so unless you were to attend such a service, you would otherwise not hear this passage in the setting of a Holy Communion Service in our tradition.  

Chapter twenty-one of John’s Gospel is very interesting, as most commentators believe John could have ended his Gospel after chapter twenty – yet, John adds this additional chapter. Why? — He does so to convey something special – something related to the substantial consequences of JESUS’ Death and Resurrection. As St. Paul was want to do, John, remembering a new matter, begins again in the twenty-first chapter of his Gospel, a conveyance of one of the miracles of JESUS, that we might “believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing we might have life in His name” (St. John 20.31).  

In this narrative, JESUS mysteriously appears to seven of His disciples, just after the Octave of the Feast of Unleavened bread, a week after His Resurrection, on the shores of the Sea of Tiberias, the Sea of Galilee. It would appear that He does so, that they might witness Him in the flesh, teaching of His glory attained, and His redemption won. Thus, “here were seven together to attest to this truth, on which some observe that the Roman law required seven witnesses to attest to a testament.”¹ — The passage reads as follows…   

JESUS returns and meets His friends on the shores of the lake where He first called them to follow after Him, “thus holding with them true human fellowship, as of old.”² — This is important, for many accuse Peter and the others of ‘returning to their old ways’, thereby criticizing them for a seemingly shallow faith in their LORD. Yet, JESUS countenanced them with a visit amidst their trawling (fishing), because “it was an instance of their industry, (one reason JESUS called these men in the first place),  and it bespeaks them good husbandmen of their time.”³ — Now these had already seen the LORD on the Day of the Resurrection, in the Upper Room, but they were still processing what it all meant. — They did not need a master class in systematic theology – what they needed was their Friend. They needed JESUS – especially, Simon Peter. – Thus, JESUS came to His disciples, for several reasons. 

First, He came to them to reveal that He did not overcome sin and death, merely to ‘receive power and riches and wisdom, and strength and honor and glory and blessings (cf. Rev. 5.12). JESUS revealed Himself to His disciples to show them how to be kings and priests to GOD. To this end, JESUS calls His children to cast their nets on the right side of the boat for a catch. And O what a miraculous catch they caught! — In this encounter, JESUS has called His followers to be fishers of men in this world, reminding them of the physical and spiritual labors of His Kingdom – a Kingdom they are to rule, reign, and attend as priests and kings, with the Gospel net, and they with JESUS’ authority.  

It was not a sin that the disciples had returned to their nets. It was common to them and an industrious means of helping them process all that had happened over the last seven days. Yet it was not the common work Christ JESUS had in mind for them. Thus, JESUS returns; not fully recognizable but with clear intention to call His children back to ‘the work’ He had trained and commissioned them to do. — When GOD seems far away and unrecognizable, we mustn’t wander into no man’s land, but we must return to where we know our LORD can be found. And there, though upon a distant shore and somewhat unrecognizable, we must cast our nets out in an asking, seeking, and knocking prayer of faith, that we might apprehend JESUS again, in the midst of our doubts and confusion. And as John said to Peter, we too will cry: “It is the LORD” (St. John 21.7). — Brothers and sisters, “Christ’s time of making himself known to his people is when they are most at a loss. When they think they have even lost themselves, that is when He will let them know that they have not lost him.”⁴ Even if when we cannot see JESUS clearly, His call for us to be priests and kings, tending to His Everlasting Gospel, like fishers to their nets, we must stay the course of our mission.   

Next, JESUS came to them to reveal that He overcame sin and death, not only to receive from the Ancient of Days, ‘dominion and glory and a Kingdom, and that all peoples, nations, and languages should serve Him’ (cf. Dan. 7.14), but to assure His followers of His forgiveness. JESUS restores all of His friends, vicariously, through Peter, the chief disloyalist of ‘Christ before men’. — All of the disciples were scattered when the Chief Shepherd ‘was struck’ in the Garden of Gethsemane, but Peter, after making a special claim to his faithfulness to the LORD, committed, along with Judas Iscariot, a dastardlier tergiversation, a betrayal against the One he pledged fealty. For, on the night in which our LORD was betrayed, Peter said: “Even if all are made to stumble because of you, LORD, I will never be made to stumble” (St. Matthew 26.33). — Nonetheless, later that evening, Peter denied that he even knew JESUS, and he did so in JESUS’ presence, three times. At that moment, the Scriptures tell us, “The LORD turned and looked at Peter … Then Peter went out and wept bitterly” (St. Luke 22.61-62).  

The question is not about the reality of the kingdoms of this world becoming the kingdoms of our GOD and His Christ, but what kind of Kingdom JESUS will rule over. JESUS shows us the answer in this scene. — Peter knew he had committed a heinous crime against the LORD; there were no hairs to split on the matter. JESUS had said to His disciples: “Therefore, whoever confesses Me before men, him I will also confess before My Father who is in heaven. But whoever denies Me before men, him I will also deny before My Father who is in heaven” (St. Matthew 10.32-33). — And when it came time for Peter to stand and bear his cross and confess the LORD before men, Peter disowned JESUS. — Peter (like many of us in times past), confessed, quite honestly, that his love for JESUS would endure any crisis of faith. He said: “Though they all fall away because of you, I will never fall away … LORD, I will lay down my life for you” (St. Matthew 26.33 & St. John 13.37).    

“Peter was more than conscious that he had incurred his Master’s displeasure and could expect no other than to be upbraided for his treachery and ingratitude … ‘Was this thy kindness to thy friend? Did not I tell thee what a coward thou wouldest prove?’ [But the LORD did not say these things to Peter, instead, in accord with the grace of His monarchial rule, and] in token of reconciliation, then discoursed JESUS with him about it, not as with a criminal, but as with a friend.”⁵ — Thus matching and trumping Peter’s denial, thrice, JESUS uses a strategy of love to reinstate His friend: ‘Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me more than these? … Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me? … Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me?’ 

“The conversation between Jesus and Peter was in the presence of the other disciples. This was suitable, if not morally necessary. For, having boasted in his fellow disciples’ hearing of his unconquerable faithfulness — whatever others might do, and having afterwards, in a public and cowardly manner denied the Saviour, it was fitting that Peter’s reproof and restoration should be witnessed by some of them (thus the need for seven witnesses). Such a reproof and restoration, so searching, and yet so kind; so thorough, and yet so gentle; it was a lesson never to be forgotten by those present … which reveals to us the very ‘heart of Christ.’”⁶ 

Kingmaker, Life-giver, and Resuscitator: this is our LORD and Savior and Friend, JESUS. There is no doubt that JESUS is King of kings, and LORD of lords, for what else do you title the GOD-Man, foreseen of the prophets, heralded by angels, feared by demons, immune to the sting of sin and death, victorious over the Grave, and visually witnessed to have ascended into Heaven to sit at the Right Hand of GOD the Father for all eternity? — There should now also be no question among us as to what type and measure of a Kingdom that JESUS rules over, and the amenities of grace, mercy, and forgiveness which are meted out to that Kingdom’s citizenry. — We know who JESUS is, but do we know ourselves? This is the question. — Peter thought he knew himself: ‘Though all others fall away, I will never fall away from you, LORD.’  

JESUS appeared to Peter to help him know himself, and what he was capable of, because though he had thought he was lost, JESUS had not lost him. JESUS reveals this by confronting Peter’s sin, personally, with His overwhelming love and forgiveness. Peter, like you and me, found his legal redemption by faith in the selfless, bloody sacrifice of Christ, but Peter found new hope over sin and guilt because of his intimate friendship with JESUS. Thus, Peter’s reconciliation to Christ is emblematic for all who have confessed love for JESUS and then failed Him in some way – who thought they knew who they were in Christ, only to be disappointed by their own failings and sin against their dear LORD.  

Yet, dear friends, notice what JESUS is truly doing and saying in this pastoral scene. — He is not simply giving Peter ‘a pass’ and patting him on the back and saying, ‘O that’s OK; I love you man; it will all work itself out in the end.’ No, the LORD is giving Peter tasks to perform to prove his love: feed my lambs; shepherd my sheep; feed my sheep. “JESUS is the Passover lamb who takes away the sin of the world, Peter’s sin included, your sin, and my sin … It is not just a matter of a divine decree being issued, wiping the slate of our debt-ledger clean … JESUS goes straight to where the problem lies in us — our sin.”⁷ And knowing that He is the King and the Savior, and how He rules His Kingdom, we know that forgiveness is ours – there is no doubt. The doubt lies in us – in our sense of worthiness to receive JESUS’ love and forgiveness. — JESUS knows this about you and me, and He knew it about Peter. So, He gives Peter new challenges, wherein he can show, not prove or earn, but show that He loves JESUS and has received His forgiveness, by his actions in responding to Christ’s call on his life.  

“Here is the secret of all Christian life and ministry, yours and mine, lay and ordained. It is the secret of everything from being a quiet, back-row member in the sanctuary on Sunday morning, to being a crucifer or organist at the front of each Holy Eucharist service. — If you are going to do any single solitary thing as a follower and servant of JESUS Christ, this is what it’s built on. — Somewhere, deep down inside, there is within you, a love for JESUS, and though (goodness knows) we’ve let Him down too many times, JESUS wants to find that love, to give you and me a chance to express it, to heal the hurts and failures of the past”, [so that we might willingly become a zealous people eager to do good works for Him – to show JESUS we love Him. — If you have been forgiven by the LORD, you have work to do – to know yourself and to know your Savior.] Time to feed lambs; time to shepherd sheep; time to feed sheep … Now that JESUS has taken the steep road to the Cross and has proved that death itself is defeated by the Life and Light of His New Creation power, He can ask for everything from those he has rescued”⁸ – those that He knows – those that He has called to his Kingdom work – like fishers to their nets -you and me. And He deserves to get it. — Don’t you think? 

O Almighty GOD, who by Thy Son JESUS Christ didst give to Thy Apostle Saint Peter many excellent gifts, and commandest him earnestly to feed Thy flock; Make, we beseech Thee, Thy faithful people obedient to follow the same, and fulfill the work that you have given each of us to do in Your Kingdom, thereby seizing the grace of redemption and forgiveness that you have so lovingly purchased for us. Through Him who gave His all for His sheep, JESUS our LORD. Amen. 

1 Henry, Matthew. BlueLetterBible.org. “Commentary on St. John 21.” Accessed 26 June 2025. https://www.blueletterbible.org/Comm/mhc/Jhn/Jhn_021.cfm?a=1018001  

2 Edersheim, Reverend Alfred, The Life and Times of JESUS the Messiah, (New York: Longmans, 1899), 916. 

3 Henry. 

4 Edersheim, 919. 

5 Henry. 

6 Hovey, Alvah, Commentary on the Gospel of St. John, (Philadelphia: American Baptist Publication Society, 1885), 414. 

7 Wright, +Nicholas Thomas, John for Everyone, (London: Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge, 2004), 162-4. 

8 Wright, 165.