The Catch of the Day

In John the 21 chapter we find the disciples out fishing. Jesus appears for the third time to the disciples. He is standing on the shore yelling at them. He is wanting to know if they have any "fish". This chapter is fun to read in the Greek because there is so many opinions about it. For one, some believe that the Gospel of John ends with the 2o chapter. This is the 21 chapter so naturally we are left wondering who wrote this marvelous story? Or maybe the book does not end with the 20 chapter. Something to talk about later. One hint at its later writing, though, is the use of the word prosfa◊gion.

This word is only found here in the NT and is a late Greek word. This means it has not always been around in the Greek language. (Like our adding of the words "fast food" to the English language.) In other places outside the NT the word means a relish put on bread made with fish. Some translate the word to mean "cooked fish" . T. A. Robertson translates it as "aught to eat". Certainly Jesus is talking about eating breakfast as he calls to the disciples. When the disciples arrive on shore, He eats some fish with them, in his glorified body. In verse 9 it is interesting that Christ already has some fish on the coals! He invites them to come "break the fast" (a˙risthvsate) or others say "dine" with Him. Its all about the food. Eating is after all the best way to a man's heart, and Jesus wants to get at Peter's heart.

Looking back at verse 5 the word prosphagon ( prosfa◊gion) means literally "to eat" (Robertson). This is the point at which many get side tracked. In looking around I can only find one translation that puts the emphasis on eating and not on the catch? The NIV, NET, KJV, and NASB all put the emphasis on the noun fish, or meat. Only the old ASV puts the emphasis on eating or the infinite verb form "to eat". The word "phago" in the English is about feeding or eating. We find it used often in Science to describe "a thing that devours" (Dictionary.com). It is a surprising to me that so many slant their translations toward the fish being caught and not the reason for the catch. Why is Christ asking the question from the shore. What does he do with the disciples? The motive for the fish is to have something to eat. The story is all about eating, not catching. Why do we get distracted by miracles?

It seems sequential to me that Jesus asks about something to eat and proceeds to help them get something to eat and then cooks the food and eats it with them. We normally get lost in the hugh amount of fish that the "dear boys" (paidi√a) caught. Look again at the sequence. Jesus appears on shore in the morning. He asks if they have something to eat (or meat or fish). They say no. He lets them catch fish. He makes a fire and furnishes some fish and bread. He asks them to "break their fast". He eats the fish & bread with them. Then he asks Peter to "feed my sheep". Could the emphasis of the 'catch of the day' be to illustrate the miracle ability of the risen savior to provide for His sheep. Why this emphasis? Peter has left the sheep and gone back to old ways of taking care of himself, which he is not able to do. No fish caught after all night! With God's provision he will be able to feed not just himself but "the sheep of his flock". After the amount of fish caught is noted we do not hear any more about the large catch. What we do hear is the continuous talk about eating, breaking bread, cooking the fish, feeding the lambs. An amazing illustrated sermon. What do you have? Nothing. Here is God's provision. Replenish yourself. Now feed my sheep, if you love me.

(This is also a good communion message)

Stay tuned: Next blog we'll tackle the three love me, love me nots.