Not Knowing Outwardly, but Clear Inwardly (1)

John 21:2  Simon Peter and Thomas, called Didymus, and Nathanael from Cana of Galilee and the sons of Zebedee and two others of His disciples were there together.  (3)  Simon Peter said to them, I am going fishing. They said to him, We also are coming with you. They went forth and got into the boat, and that night they caught nothing. (4) Now as soon as the morning broke, Jesus stood on the shore; however the disciples did not know that it was Jesus. (5) Then Jesus said to them, Little children, you do not have any fish to eat, do you? They answered Him, No. (6) And He said to them, Cast the net on the right side of the boat, and you will find some. They cast therefore, and they were no longer able to haul it in because of the abundance of fish. (7) Then that disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, It is the Lord! Therefore when Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he put his outer garment around himself, for he was naked; and he threw himself into the sea. (8) But the other disciples came in the little boat, for they were not far from the land, but about two hundred cubits away, dragging the net of fish.  (9)  Then when they got out onto the land, they saw a fire of coals laid there, and fish lying on it and bread. (12) Jesus said to them, Come and have breakfast. But none of the disciples dared to inquire of Him, Who are you? knowing that it was the Lord.

See Also Mathew 16:13-28; Luke 1017-19 What People Knew about Christ Outwardly and what he wanted them to know him inwardly and experientially. And peter saw him by revelation that he is the Christ. John 6: Miracle bread and fish

(Part 1 of 2)
It is strange that they [disciples in John 21:2] were good fishermen, yet once they had followed the Lord, they could not catch anything when they went back to fish. They caught nothing during the whole night See Also Mark 1:16-; Luke 5:1-. Even more strange is the fact that as the morning broke, when Jesus stood on the shore, they did not recognize Him. The resurrected Lord Jesus cannot be recognized by human eyes. Peter, John,  James had been with the Lord all the time. Nathanael was one of the earliest ones who knew the Lord. As for Thomas, the Lord even purposely manifested Himself to him in order to remove his disbelief of His resurrection. Yet now, they all failed to know Him. They needed another experience and another power before they could know Him.

 “Then Jesus said to them, Little children, you do not have any fish to eat, do you? They answered Him, No. And He said to them, Cast the net on the right side of the boat, and you will find some. They cast therefore, and they were no longer able to haul it in because of the abundance of fish” (vv. 5- 6). Then what happened? John, the disciple who reclined on the Lord’s breast, recognized that it was the Lord, and he said to Peter, “It is the Lord!” When Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he put his outer garment around himself and threw himself into the sea. A minute earlier they heard Him and saw Him, yet they did not know that it was the Lord. Now suddenly they knew; they knew in a mysterious way. This knowledge is Christianity. This knowledge is unshakeable; it is an inward seeing, an inward knowledge, and an inward strength. This knowledge gave Peter renewed strength.
(Continued tomorrow)