After this Jesus revealed himself again to the disciples by the Sea of Tiberias, and he revealed himself in this way.
—John 21:1, 14 (emphasis added)
This was now the third time that Jesus was revealed to the disciples after he was raised from the dead.
Critical scholars are nearly unanimous in rejecting the 21st chapter of John as unoriginal. They believe it smells fishy. I believe they are smelling their own breath. They think John 20:30–31 is the climactic conclusion of this gospel, period, such that chapter 21 was added later and by someone other than John. They think this, though there is absolutely zero manuscript evidence to suggest this. This is the arrogance of modern minds telling ancient minds how they must think, because it is how they think. This grandly exposes how “higher criticism” really works. It isn’t about humble investigation, but arrogant presuppositions.
When you look at John itself, chapter 21 brings perfect balance to this gospel. John opens with a majestic prologue, in which the Eternal Word becomes flesh in John 1:1–18. Following this, John falls into two parts. Part one, “The Book of Signs,” runs from 1:19–12:50. Central to this section are seven signs revealing that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and calling for our faith. Part two, beginning with chapter 13 and running to 20:31, is referred to as “The Book of Glory.” It focuses exclusively on the sign of signs, the death and resurrection of our Lord. And now, John closes with this epilogue, chapter 21. The epilogue is as humble as the prologue was majestic, and yet it remains glorious. Two parts with a prologue and epilogue on each side. Balanced.
The climactic conclusion of 20:30–31 is echoed at the end of this epilogue, forming a frame around it. On the front of the epilogue we read, “Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.” And on the back, “This is the disciple who is bearing witness about these things, and who has written these things, and we know that his testimony is true. Now there are also many other things that Jesus did. Were every one of them to be written, I suppose that the world itself could not contain the books that would be written” (John 20:25).
Also, the epilogue itself breaks down into two parts. Part one (vv. 1–14) opens with the disciples and prepares us to focus on Peter in particular as we move into part two (vv. 15–25). It is as you ponder this increasing focus Peter that I believe you begin to see the divine purpose in this epilogue. We move from the disciples to Peter. Once more Peter stands in for the disciples, all of whom have failed their Lord. Jesus will restore and commission Peter afresh. On the heels of this, we are reminded that we are reading a gospel given to one of these apostles. What was reveled to them lies before us. This gospel reveals the Revealed. Jesus’ resurrection doesn’t bring a sharp conclusion to this gospel. The effects of Jesus’ resurrection are made to linger. This revealing of Christ is still reverberating with redemption to this day.
Part one of this epilogue is bracketed with references to Jesus revealing Himself. At the beginning we read “After this Jesus revealed himself again to the disciples by the Sea of Tiberias, and he revealed himself in this way” (v. 1). At the end we read, “This was now the third time that Jesus was revealed to the disciples after he was raised from the dead.” In between these two references, we are first told that “the disciples did not know that it was Jesus” (v. 4), and then “none of the disciples dared ask him, ‘Who are you?’ They knew it was the Lord” (v. 12). Why the change? It is because Jesus revealed Himself. Christianity is a religion of revelation, not discovery. Discovery is human work rising up. Revelation is divine grace coming down.
Revelation is not just for blind sinners who cannot see God. Revelation is for disciples. Revelation is for apostles. Indeed, speaking in systematic terms, “revelation” is only for apostles and prophets. What we need is illumination. We need the Spirit to reveal Christ in the prophetic and apostolic revelation. We need the Spirit to illumine the Scriptures and give us the light of the knowledge of God in the face of Jesus Christ.
That is why this gospel sits before you. Just before we are told that Jesus revealed Himself, one to whom Christ was revealed tells us “but these [signs] are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.” This gospel is written so that you might see what they saw. This gospel is written so that the Revealed might be revealed to you.
No Other Boast 