John 21:12

12 Jesus saith to them, Come ye, and eat ye. And no man of them that sat at the meat, durst ask him, Who art thou, witting that it is the Lord.

John 21:12 Meaning and Commentary

John 21:12

Jesus saith unto them, come and dine
One would think it should rather have been said, come and take a breakfast than a dinner, since it was so early in the morning: but Grotius has observed, out of Homer, that (ariston) , is used for food taken in a morning; so that it may signify here, not what we properly call dining, but eating a morning's meal; and may be an emblem of that spiritual refreshment believers enjoy with Christ in his house and ordinances now, and of those everlasting pleasures they will partake with him in the resurrection morn: and it is to be observed, that he does not say go and dine, but come and dine; that is, along with himself: he does not send his disciples elsewhere for food, but invites them to come to him, to hear his word, which is food for faith, to wait in his house, where plenty of provision is made, and to attend on his ordinances, and in all to feed upon himself, and to feed with him; to all which they are heartily welcome.

And none of the disciples durst ask him, who art thou?
knowing that it was the Lord: to ask such a question was altogether unnecessary, and would have been impertinent, and they might justly have been upbraided and rebuked for it: it would have looked like insolence, or unbelief, or both, and that greatly aggravated, when it was so clear a case that it was the Lord; who might be known by his voice and person, especially when they came near to him, and also by the miracles which he wrought: so at the last day, when every eye shall see him coming in the clouds of heaven, none will ask who he is; all will know him.

John 21:12 In-Context

10 Jesus saith to them, Bring ye of the fishes, which ye have taken now.
11 Simon Peter went up, and drew the net into the land, full of great fishes, an hundred fifty and three; and when they were so many, the net was not broken.
12 Jesus saith to them, Come ye, and eat ye. And no man of them that sat at the meat, durst ask him, Who art thou, witting that it is the Lord.
13 And Jesus came, and took bread, and gave to them, and fish also.
14 Now this [is the] third time Jesus was showed to his disciples, when he had risen again from death [when he rose again from dead].
Copyright © 2001 by Terence P. Noble. For personal use only.