The Lake of Galilee

By now the Passover feast, which the disciples had come up to Jerusalem to attend, was all over and they thought they had better go back to their homes in Galilee before their families began to worry about what had become of them.

The huge catch of fish

One evening after they had returned, Simon Peter and six other disciples decided to go out fishing on the Lake of Galilee.  As the sun began to set they rowed their boat out from the shore, but although they fished the whole night long they caught nothing at all.  As the dawn broke in the east they saw someone standing on the beach.  He called out to them “…you have no fish, have you?”  They answered “No” (NRSV, John 21:5).  The stranger told them to cast the net on the right side of the boat, and when they did they found their net was so full of fish they couldn’t haul it in.  It was John who then realised who the stranger was.  “It is the Lord!” he said.  As soon as Peter heard that it was Jesus, he jumped out of the boat into the water and swam to the shore, while the others rowed the boat in pulling the net behind it. 

Breakfast together

When they reached the shore they saw breakfast preparations – a charcoal fire with fish being cooked on it.  There was bread too.  “Bring some of the fish that you have just caught”, said Jesus (NRSV, John 21:10).  Peter hauled the net ashore and they counted the catch.  We happen to know the exact number of fish they caught – 153 and all big ones.  So there by the lakeside Jesus and his disciples enjoyed breakfast together (John 21:1-13).