Joh 21:6-11 | Clarke | STEP | Verse 6 And ye shall find - The Ethiopic, three copies of the Itala, and St. Cyril, add, They said therefore unto him, we have labored all the night and caught nothing, nevertheless at thy command we will let down the net. This is borrowed from . For the multitude of fishes - This was intended as an emblem of the immense number of souls which should be converted to God by their ministry; according to the promise of Christ, .

John 21:6-11

Verse 6

And ye shall find - The Ethiopic, three copies of the Itala, and St. Cyril, add, They said therefore unto him, we have labored all the night and caught nothing, nevertheless at thy command we will let down the net. This is borrowed from Luk 5:5.

For the multitude of fishes - This was intended as an emblem of the immense number of souls which should be converted to God by their ministry; according to the promise of Christ, Mat 4:19. Verse 7

His fisher's coat - Or, his upper coat. Επενδυτην, from επι, upon, and ενδυω, I clothe; something analagous to what we term a great coat or surtout.

He was naked - He was only in his vest. Γυμνος, naked, is often used to signify the absence of this upper garment only. In 1Sam 19:24, when Saul had put off his ἱματια, upper garments, he is said to have been γυμνος, naked; and David, when girded only with a linen ephod, is said to have been uncovered, in 2Sam 6:14, 2Sam 6:20. To which may be added what we read in the Sept. Job 22:6, Thou hast taken away the covering of the naked; αμφιασιν γυμνων, the plaid or blanket in which they wrapped themselves, and besides which they had none other. In this sense it is that Virgil says, Geor. i. 299: Nudus ara, sere nudus, i.e. strip off your upper garments, and work till you sweat. See more examples in Bp. Pearce.

Cast himself into the sea - It is likely that they were in very shallow water; and, as they were only two hundred cubits from the land, (about one hundred and thirty-two English yards), it is possible that Peter only stepped into the water that he might assist them to draw the boat to land, which was now heavily laden. It is not likely that he went into the water in order to swim ashore; had he intended this, it is not to be supposed that he would have put his great coat on, which must have been an essential hinderance to him in getting to shore. Verse 8

Dragging the net - It is probable that this was that species of fishing in which the net was stretched from the shore out into the sea; the persons who were in the boat, and who shot the net, fetched a compass, and bringing in a hawser, which was attached to the other end of the net, those who were on shore helped them to drag it in. As the net was sunk with weights to the bottom, and the top floated on the water by corks, or pieces of light wood, all the fish that happened to come within the compass of the net were of course dragged to shore. The sovereign power of Christ had in this case miraculously collected the fish to that part where he ordered the disciples to cast the net. Verse 9

They saw a fire, etc. - This appears to have been a new miracle. It could not have been a fire which the disciples had there, for it is remarked as something new; besides, they had caught no fish, Joh 21:5, and here was a small fish upon the coals, and a loaf of bread provided to eat with it. The whole appears to have been miraculously prepared by Christ.