Arulvakku

09.04.10 REALIZE JESUS

Posted under Reflections on April 8th, 2010 by

…Simon Peter said to them, "I am going fishing." They said to him, "We also will come with you." So they went out and got into the boat, but that night they caught nothing. When it was already dawn, Jesus was standing on the shore; but the disciples did not realize that it was Jesus. Jesus said to them, "Children, have you caught anything to eat?" They answered him, "No." So he said to them, "Cast the net over the right side of the boat and you will find something." So they cast it, and were not able to pull it in because of the number of fish. So the disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, "It is the Lord."…

 So Simon Peter went over and dragged the net ashore full of one hundred fifty-three large fish. Even though there were so many, the net was not torn…

… because they realized it was the Lord. (Jn 21, 1-14)

 

When Jesus was standing on the shore the disciples did not realize that it was Jesus. It is strange. They had lived with him right through his time of public ministry. They were his close friends, yet they did not realize that it was Jesus. Was it because they did not expect him there? Or, were they not convinced that he was raised from the dead? Or were they ready to go back to their original life style?

Jesus told them to cast the net over the right side of the boat. They obeyed him and there was a big catch. This miracle should have had a message for the disciples. Jesus who had asked them to leave the boats and nets to follow him; and he in stead would make them fishers of men, now asked them to cast the net. There were one hundred and fifty three large fish in the net. There is a traditional interpretation which says that, at the time of Jesus, the Jews believed that there were only 153 types of fish in the sea. So the net that was cast by the disciples at the command of Jesus got all types of fish.

So the message could be that the mission given to the disciples in the world (sea) would hold all types of people. The kingdom (net) would drag in all types of people. This miracle (turned) message is equal to the synoptic saying: go and preach to the whole world etc.


When the mission is given to them, then the disciples realized that it was the Lord. 

08.04.10 RESURRECTED BODY

Posted under Reflections on April 7th, 2010 by

…While they were still speaking about this, he stood in their midst and said to them, "Peace be with you." But they were startled and terrified and thought that they were seeing a ghost. Then he said to them, "Why are you troubled? And why do questions arise in your hearts? Look at my hands and my feet, that it is I myself. Touch me and see, because a ghost does not have flesh and bones as you can see I have." And as he said this, he showed them his hands and his feet. While they were still incredulous for joy and were amazed, he asked them, "Have you anything here to eat?" They gave him a piece of baked fish; he took it and ate it in front of them. He said to them, "These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you, that everything written about me in the law of Moses and in the prophets and psalms must be fulfilled." Then he opened their minds to understand the scriptures…(Lk 24,35-48)

 

Experience of the risen Lord is given to the disciples. They are not seeking after the risen Lord. The disciples are terrified, troubled and the question about the resurrection and his appearances. Jesus voluntarily appears to them and reveals to them that he is raised from the dead. Jesus voluntarily appeared to the disciples on their way to Emmaus, similarly he appeared to Thomas etc. He goes on his own, to clear their doubts and to give them an experience. 

Today, he is trying to prove to them that he is the very same Jesus who lived with them during his public ministry. He shows to them that he has the very same physical body. A question arises in our mind. Did Jesus have the very same physical body after the resurrection or did he not have a resurrected body? He seem to appear and disappear freely and enter through a closed door etc. And this shows that he did not have a physical body. But he eats fish and shows his hands and feet to the disciples to show that he has the very same physical body. Gospel writers were not worried about what sort of body had Jesus after resurrection. Their main concern was that he was raised from the dead and he appeared to his disciples.

Their second concern was that he was raised from the dead according to the scriptures. So Jesus is made to explain to them the laws and the prophets to prove that all what happened to him were according to the scriptures.

Resurrected Jesus was the very same Jesus who lived with them and preached among them (it was not someone else who was pretending to be Jesus etc). All what they have witnessed were according to scriptures.

 

      

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