Sunday, April 25, 2010

Can You Help Me?

I have a question, and I would like your input. John 21:1-3 says: Afterward Jesus appeared again to his disciples, by the Sea of Tiberias (i.e. Sea of Galilee). It happened this way: Simon Peter, Thomas (called Didymus), Nathanael from Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two other disciples were together. "I'm going out to fish," Simon Peter told them, and they said, "We'll go with you." So they went out and got into the boat, but that night they caught nothing. (NIV) Does this seem strange to you? Just prior to going fishing, we learned in John 20: On the evening of that first day of the week, when the disciples were together, with the doors locked for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said, "Peace be with you!" After he said this, he showed them his hands and side. The disciples were overjoyed when they saw the Lord. Again Jesus said, "Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you." And with that he breathed on them and said, "Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive anyone his sins, they are forgiven; if you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven." (NIV)The disciples had just seen the resurrected Jesus, and they decided to go fishing! The Sea of Galilee is about 60 miles northeast of Jerusalem. That is a long walk. So here is the question, why did the disciples having just seen the risen Lord decide to travel back home and start fishing again? (And yes, there is a point I am trying to make.)

2 comments:

Unknown said...

Well, I had just typed this rather long comment and it lost contact with the server before it posted. I do not know if I can repeat it exactly but we will try.
Well, the first thought is that if you follow Greek thinking then all events in writing are linear and have to follow a consistent timeline. But if you look at Hebraic thoughts and writings then the content is most important and the cahin of event, or the order in which happenings occured, is of less importance. This being the case we could not be sure which events came first. Could this be the case, maybe and maybe not?
According to the writings Yeshua appeared many times to His followers in the 40 days after His resurrection. He performed miracles and tought them but His final instructions were not until day 40, when He ascended into Heaven before their eyes, to tarry in Jerusalem and await the sending of the Holy Spirit. They then returned to Jerusalem and were ther for the festival of Havout (Pentecost) awaiting the power of the Holy Spirit as Yeshua instructed. So what were they doing the first 40 days while Yeshua kept appearing and leaving? They were fishermen, should they not fish? Makes you think, is that not what we are supposed to do?

Barry Jenkins Sr. said...

Good response! Thank you for posting.