Nehemiah 2:11-16 ESV

11 So I went to Jerusalem and was there three days. 12 Then I arose in the night, I and a few men with me. And I told no one what my God had put into my heart to do for Jerusalem. There was no animal with me but the one on which I rode. 13 I went out by night by the Valley Gate to the Dragon Spring and to the Dung Gate, and I inspected the walls of Jerusalem that were broken down and its gates that had been destroyed by fire. 14 Then I went on to the Fountain Gate and to the King's Pool, but there was no room for the animal that was under me to pass. 15 Then I went up in the night by the valley and inspected the wall, and I turned back and entered by the Valley Gate, and so returned. 16 And the officials did not know where I had gone or what I was doing, and I had not yet told the Jews, the priests, the nobles, the officials, and the rest who were to do the work.

11 Kaya't dumating ako sa Jerusalem at tumigil doon sa loob ng tatlong araw. 12 Kinagabihan, bumangon ako at ang ilang lalaking kasama ko. Wala akong pinagsabihan kung ano ang inilagay ng aking Diyos sa aking puso upang gawin para sa Jerusalem. Wala akong kasamang hayop maliban sa hayop na aking sinakyan. 13 Kinagabihan, ako'y lumabas sa Pintuan ng Libis tungo sa Balon ng Dragon at sa Pintuan ng Dumi, at aking siniyasat ang mga pader ng Jerusalem na winasak at ang mga pintuan nito na tinupok ng apoy. 14 Pagkatapos ay nagtungo ako sa Pintuan ng Bukal at sa Tipunan ng Tubig ng hari; ngunit walang madaanan ang hayop na sinasakyan ko. 15 Kinagabihan, ako'y umahon sa libis at siniyasat ang pader. Pagkatapos ako'y bumalik at pumasok sa Pintuan ng Libis; gayon ako bumalik. 16 Hindi nalaman ng mga pinuno kung saan ako nagpunta, o kung ano ang ginagawa ko. Hindi ko pa sinasabi sa mga Judio, sa mga pari, sa mga maharlika, sa mga pinuno, at sa iba pang gagawa ng gawain.

SEEING THE NEED FIRSTHAND

Nehemiah spent three days in Jerusalem to have an ocular inspection. He knew the job of rebuilding the walls couldn't go forth unless he saw exactly how bad the situation was. Clandestinely, he arose in the night, with a few men with him. Nehemiah wasn't just sightseeing. Instead, he carefully studied the broken down walls and the burned gates. The word ‘viewed’ in Neh 2:13,15 is a medical term for "probing a wound to see the extent of its damage."

He told no one what God had put into his heart to do for Jerusalem. He didn't say anything about his mission until the time was right. Good leaders learn a sense of God's timing. According to Redpath, "It is good to have Christian friends, but it is dangerous to wear your heart on your sleeve. Have a secret place somewhere which nobody knows anything about but you and God."

Nehemiah saw firsthand what had been reported to him, and what God had burdened him to repair. Surely, he should had teared upon seeing the extent of the damage and the resulting fear, poverty, and insecurity in the lives of the people because of the broken walls.

Nehemiah set out from the west side of the city, and turned left towards the south, continuing counter-clockwise around the rubble of the city walls, until coming back to his starting point. On top of the good happening [like, the temple built, sacrifice and worship restored], he did not content upon seeing the walls burned and broken down. He taught us by example - we must look at the broken down walls of our lives, and carefully study what are wrong - but only if we have the heart, the prayer, the vision, the passion to be used of God to set it right. Do we?

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Nehemiah 2:9-10 ESV

9 Then I came to the governors of the province Beyond the River and gave them the king's letters. Now the king had sent with me officers of the army and horsemen. 10 But when Sanballat the Horonite and Tobiah the Ammonite servant heard this, it displeased them greatly that someone had come to seek the welfare of the people of Israel.

9 At ako'y pumunta sa mga tagapamahala ng lalawigan sa kabila ng Ilog, at ibinigay ko sa kanila ang mga sulat ng hari. Ang hari ay nagsugo na kasama ko ang mga punong-kawal ng hukbo at mga mangangabayo. 10 Subalit nang mabalitaan ito ni Sanballat na Horonita at ni Tobias na lingkod na Ammonita, ikinayamot nila nang husto na may isang dumating para sa kapakanan ng mga anak ni Israel.

THE OPPOSITION

With officers and horsemen escorts, Nehemiah journeyed through the provinces, giving the letters from the king, until he arrived at Jerusalem. However, there were two people who were not happy – Tobiah, the Horonite and Sanballat, the Ammonite. They were displeased that someone had come to seek the welfare of the city.

For every endeavor we do for God and His people, there would be corresponding oppositions from the enemy. In fact, it should alarm us when we do something and there are no oppositions. Why? Perhaps, it is not so significant in God’s kingdom that the enemy doesn’t bother. Paradoxically, when in doing ministry and we have no trouble, there is trouble. The presence of problems in our endeavors doesn’t necessarily prove it as not in accordance to the will of God. Contrariwise, it does because it stirs the hornet’s nest of the enemy.

In the case of Nehemiah, God who gave him favor before the king could in no doubt keep Tobiah and Sanballat at bay. Let’s not forget that ‘he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.’[Phil 1:6] The work initiated by God will be completed by God, surely.

The question is not ‘why we have an enemy’. It is ‘who is our enemy?’. Jesus has warned us, saying, “If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you.”[John 15:18] Thus He prayed, “I have given them your word, and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world.”[John 17:14]

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Nehemiah 2:7-8 ESV

7 And I said to the king, “If it pleases the king, let letters be given me to the governors of the province Beyond the River, that they may let me pass through until I come to Judah, 8 and a letter to Asaph, the keeper of the king's forest, that he may give me timber to make beams for the gates of the fortress of the temple, and for the wall of the city, and for the house that I shall occupy.” And the king granted me what I asked, for the good hand of my God was upon me

7 Sinabi ko naman sa hari, “Kung ikakalugod ng hari, bigyan sana ako ng mga sulat para sa mga tagapamahala ng lalawigan sa kabila ng Ilog, upang ako'y kanilang paraanin hanggang sa ako'y makarating sa Juda; 8 at isang sulat para kay Asaf na tagapag-ingat ng gubat ng hari, upang bigyan niya ako ng mga troso upang gawing mga biga sa mga pintuan ng kuta ng templo at para sa pader ng lunsod at sa bahay na aking papasukan.” Ipinagkaloob sa akin ng hari ang aking hiniling, sapagkat ang mabuting kamay ng aking Diyos ay nasa akin.

THE GOOD HAND OF MY GOD WAS UPON ME.

Nehemiah should be commended for prioritizing prayer. But, it is more notable that he personally committed to be used by God as the answer to his prayer. Having been assured of the king’s help, he requested him the necessary help and raw materials from the governors. He said, “If it pleases the king, let letters be given me to the governors of the province Beyond the River, that they may let me pass through until I come to Judah, and a letter to Asaph, the keeper of the king's forest, that he may give me timber to make beams for the gates of the fortress of the temple, and for the wall of the city, and for the house that I shall occupy.”

Nehemiah knew for certain that the promise of God to Moses is sure. According to John, “And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us. And if we know that he hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests that we have asked of him.”[1 John 5:14-15]. Are our prayers in accordance to God’s will be marked with confidence?

Nehemiah knew for certain that ‘the good hand of the Lord was upon him.’ Why? He was fully committed into God’s business. He was committed to pursue the glory of God. As J. Hudson Taylor said, “Depend on it. God's work done in God's way will never lack God's supply. He is too wise a God to frustrate His purposes for lack of funds, and He can just as easily supply them ahead of time as afterwards, and He much prefers doing so.”

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Nehemiah 2:1-6 ESV

In the month of Nisan, in the twentieth year of King Artaxerxes, when wine was before him, I took up the wine and gave it to the king. Now I had not been sad in his presence. 2 And the king said to me, “Why is your face sad, seeing you are not sick? This is nothing but sadness of the heart.” Then I was very much afraid. 3 I said to the king, “Let the king live forever! Why should not my face be sad, when the city, the place of my fathers' graves, lies in ruins, and its gates have been destroyed by fire?” 4 Then the king said to me, “What are you requesting?” So I prayed to the God of heaven. 5 And I said to the king, “If it pleases the king, and if your servant has found favor in your sight, that you send me to Judah, to the city of my fathers' graves, that I may rebuild it.” 6 And the king said to me (the queen sitting beside him), “How long will you be gone, and when will you return?” So it pleased the king to send me when I had given him a time.

THE KING’S FAVOR

Evidently, Nehemiah’s heart was seen in his countenance. As a cupbearer, a trusted advisor of the king, he shouldn’t be sporting a sorrowful face. He hasn’t been sad before the king until this time. Hence, it caught the attention of the king who asked him, “Why is your face sad, seeing you are not sick?. Was this the working of God in the king’s heart? Definitely , yes.

Nehemiah had prayed earlier that God would grant him favor from the king. Interestingly, it was the king who initiated the conversation. Nehemiah had the opportunity to state his burden honestly. He said, “Let the king live forever! Why should not my face be sad, when the city, the place of my fathers' graves, lies in ruins, and its gates have been destroyed by fire?”

Upon saying these, he was gripped with fear. Nehemiah had prayed and waited for four months with the kind of heart described previously in Nehemiah 1. Perhaps, during those four months, his prayer was most likely "LORD, either take this burden from my heart or show me how to be the man to answer this burden." It was a mixed feelings. It was forbidden to be sad before the king and could have been taken as a terrible insult to the majesty. Moreover, he knew that he was going to say something very important. There was a lot of uncertainty about what would be the response of the king.

And, as he was waiting, the king said, “What are you requesting?” He was touched by God. The king had no obligation to help him, had he? Yet, he had given him the privilege to present his plan and needs to him. We see Nehemiah having not resorted to manipulating but he had waited and trusted this God’s perfect time. Our God is a God of perfect timing and of surprises, is He not?

After he heard from the king, Nehemiah did pray again. There was no rushing. As S.D. Gordon said, “You can do more than pray after you have prayed but you cannot do more than pray until you have prayed.” Nehemiah has to devise a plan through the wisdom from God. As Solomon wrote, “The counsel of the LORD stands forever, the plans of His heart to all generations.” (Psa 33:11). “The plans of the diligent lead surely to plenty, but those of everyone who is hasty, surely to poverty.” (Prov 21:5) The expression of faith does not negate planning, instead through the exercise of it. We aren't more spiritual for failing to plan, are we? The only planning that is unspiritual is that which is presumptuous, when God isn’t involved in it. [see Jas 4:14-17] There could be times when we simply can't plan, but we should never reject planning.

Should the Lord is always before us, He touches the lives of people along our path for His favor and purposes as He did to the king of Persia. Thus, he concluded, “So it pleased the king to send me when I had given him a time.”

Nehemiah 1:5-11 ESV

5 And I said, “O LORD God of heaven, the great and awesome God who keeps covenant and steadfast love with those who love him and keep his commandments, 6 let your ear be attentive and your eyes open, to hear the prayer of your servant that I now pray before you day and night for the people of Israel your servants, confessing the sins of the people of Israel, which we have sinned against you. Even I and my father's house have sinned. 7 We have acted very corruptly against you and have not kept the commandments, the statutes, and the rules that you commanded your servant Moses. 8 Remember the word that you commanded your servant Moses, saying, ‘If you are unfaithful, I will scatter you among the peoples, 9 but if you return to me and keep my commandments and do them, though your outcasts are in the uttermost parts of heaven, from there I will gather them and bring them to the place that I have chosen, to make my name dwell there.’ 10 They are your servants and your people, whom you have redeemed by your great power and by your strong hand. 11 O Lord, let your ear be attentive to the prayer of your servant, and to the prayer of your servants who delight to fear your name, and give success to your servant today, and grant him mercy in the sight of this man.” Now I was cupbearer to the king.

THE PRAYER OF NEHEMIAH

Effective leadership starts, continues and ends in prayer. Before anything else, Nehemiah spends time with the Lord. Before he can do something for God, God has to do something in his life. A man to effectively influence other people, he must allow God first to have a significant influence in his life. His prayer reveals the deep things of his heart.

First, his humility and deep reverence to God. Humbly, he begins by simply understanding there is a God enthroned in the heavens, and I am not Him! Nehemiah recognizes exactly who God is, saying, ‘LORD God of heaven, great and awesome God, who keep Your covenant … and mercy … with those You love’. He desperately asked God to hear the prayer of Your servant, that is, let Your ear be attentive … Your eyes open. This reflected his complete dependence on the LORD. Doesn’t our wretchedness expose our dire need for God?

He also plainly and simply confessed sin, without any attempt at excusing the sin. Obviously, Nehemiah was a godly and tender man who identified with his people. He openly and passionately put himself guilty with his father's house, and prayed by using "we" instead of "they."

Then, he looked with hope unto the promises of God. He pleaded God to remember His promises. Unlike earthly fathers who may be annoyed , our Father in heaven delights in it - and often demands it before prayer becomes effective. Did not God promise, “Open your mouth wide, and I will fill it.”? [Psa 81:10]

Lastly, he prayed with faith that God would honor a plan in mind. Prayer should be with understanding, not the absence of it. Nehemiah concluded by asking God to bless him when he would soon speak to the king of Persia about the matter. He was willing to be used by the Lord at the forefront, not a distant critic. Not a vague prayer, "Do something Lord” but a specific prayer, “Use me Lord by granting me favor before the king.” A prayer pleading to move the heart of the king is no ordinary faith, is it? [Prov 21:1]

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Nehemiah 1:1-4 ESV

The words of Nehemiah the son of Hacaliah. 

Now it happened in the month of Chislev, in the twentieth year, as I was in Susa the citadel, 2 that Hanani, one of my brothers, came with certain men from Judah. And I asked them concerning the Jews who escaped, who had survived the exile, and concerning Jerusalem. 3 And they said to me, “The remnant there in the province who had survived the exile is in great trouble and shame. The wall of Jerusalem is broken down, and its gates are destroyed by fire.” 4 As soon as I heard these words I sat down and wept and mourned for days, and I continued fasting and praying before the God of heaven.

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Ang mga salita ni Nehemias na anak ni Hacalias.

Sa buwan ng Chislev, nang ikadalawampung taon, samantalang ako'y nasa Susa na siyang kabisera, 2 si Hanani, isa sa aking mga kapatid, ay dumating na kasama ang ilang lalaki mula sa Juda. Tinanong ko sila tungkol sa mga Judio na natirang buháy, na nakatakas sa pagkabihag, at tungkol sa Jerusalem. 3 Sinabi nila sa akin, “Ang mga natirang buháy sa lalawigan na nakatakas sa pagkabihag ay nasa isang malubhang kalagayan at kahihiyan. Ang pader ng Jerusalem ay wasak at ang mga pintuan nito ay natupok ng apoy.” 4 Nang marinig ko ang mga salitang ito, ako'y umupo, umiyak, at tumangis nang ilang araw; at ako'y nagpatuloy sa pag-aayuno at pananalangin sa harapan ng Diyos ng langit.

BROKEN WALLS

Nehemiah was a cupbearer to the Persian king at Susa, situated hundreds of miles away from Jerusalem. Notedly, his comfort at the palace did not remove his care and concern for his people and homeland. This was the reason why he asked his brother Hanani and his companions about their plight.

They related to him the sad state of the people and the city of Jerusalem. They said, “The remnant there in the province who had survived the exile is in great trouble and shame. The wall of Jerusalem is broken down, and its gates are destroyed by fire.” Almost 100 years after the first captives settled back to the Promised Land and some 150 years after the city of Jerusalem was destroyed. After this long time, the walls of the city of Jerusalem were still in rubble.

In Ezra 4:6-23, we see that some 75 years before they tried to rebuild the walls, but were stopped by their enemies. No one thought this obstacle could be overcome, so the walls lay in ruin and the people stayed in trouble. Definitely, this was still part of the sad consequences of Israel’s sins. Let’s not forget that our sins usually lead to our misery and brokenness. This is the result of the fall at the garden. We struggle because we live in a broken world. What can we expect towards sin-filled people but their propensity to do evil and abuse others for their self-interests.

How should we respond upon seeing such tremendous needs of people?

Our emotional reactions of anger and hate seem to appear spontaneous and natural. However, we could choose to respond like Nehemiah. Yes, he was grieved. But, he did not succumbed to hopelessness and despair. He fasted and prayed. In other words, he went into the presence of God – pleaded for His mercies towards himself, his people and city.

Against the backdrop of the overwhelming need of man is the unfathomable grace and power of God, as darkness couldn’t stand against light. Are you subdued by the thought of the brokenness of the people around you? Let’s resolve like Nehemiah to bring everything in prayer. As the psalmist expressed, “

Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you in turmoil within me? Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my salvation and my God.”[Psa 42:5;11]

John 21:24,25 ESV

24 This is the disciple who is bearing witness about these things, and who has written these things, and we know that his testimony is true.

25 Now there are also many other things that Jesus did. Were every one of them to be written, I suppose that the world itself could not contain the books that would be written.

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24 Ito ang alagad na nagpapatotoo sa mga bagay na ito at ang sumulat ng mga ito; at nalalaman namin na ang kanyang patotoo ay tunay.

25 Subalit marami pa ring ibang mga bagay na ginawa si Jesus, na kung susulating isa-isa, sa palagay ko, kahit sa sanlibutan mismo ay hindi magkakasiya ang mga aklat na isusulat.

MY WITNESS IS TRUE

Evidently, John is modest in his writing, is he not? Having been an eyewitness to Christ’s life, he didn’t reveal himself directly as the author. Most likely, "the disciple" mentioned here is John, confirming he is the unnamed person mentioned in other passages such as John 1:37; 13:23; 18:15–16; 19:26; 21:23.

At the beginning of the book, John wrote, “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. (John bore witness about him, and cried out, “This was he of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me ranks before me, because he was before me.’”) For from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace.”[John 1:14-16]

And with confidence about the veracity of Christ, John declares in his epistle, “That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we looked upon and have touched with our hands, concerning the word of life— the life was made manifest, and we have seen it, and testify to it and proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and was made manifest to us— that which we have seen and heard we proclaim also to you, so that you too may have fellowship with us; and indeed our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ.”[1 John 1:1-3]

As John concludes the book, he argued that his witness is true. He did not know everything about Jesus. He wrote according to the revelation of God through the Spirit. According to v.25, Jesus’ life and His works are incalculable to be written in books. God has no obligation to reveal everything but only those necessary. As Deut 29:29, says, “The secret things belong to the Lord our God, but the things that are revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may do all the words of this law.”

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John 21:19b-23 ESV

19bAnd after saying this he said to him, “Follow me.” 20 Peter turned and saw the disciple whom Jesus loved following them, the one who also had leaned back against him during the supper and had said, “Lord, who is it that is going to betray you?” 21 When Peter saw him, he said to Jesus, “Lord, what about this man?” 22 Jesus said to him, “If it is my will that he remain until I come, what is that to you? You follow me!” 23 So the saying spread abroad among the brothers that this disciple was not to die; yet Jesus did not say to him that he was not to die, but, “If it is my will that he remain until I come, what is that to you?”

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At pagkatapos nito ay sinabi niya sa kanya, “Sumunod ka sa akin.” 20 Pagtalikod ni Pedro, nakita niya ang alagad na minamahal ni Jesus na sumusunod. Siya rin iyong nakahilig na malapit kay Jesus sa hapunan at nagsabi, “Panginoon, sino ang magkakanulo sa iyo?” 21 Nang makita siya ni Pedro ay sinabi niya kay Jesus, “Panginoon, at paano naman ang taong ito?” 22 Sinabi sa kanya ni Jesus, “Kung ibig kong siya'y manatili hanggang sa ako'y dumating ay ano nga sa iyo? Sumunod ka sa akin.” 23 Kaya't kumalat ang sabi-sabi sa mga kapatid na ang alagad na iyon ay hindi mamamatay. Subalit hindi sinabi ni Jesus sa kanya na hindi siya mamamatay, kundi, “Kung ibig kong siya'y manatili hanggang sa ako'y dumating ay ano nga sa iyo?”

FOLLOW ME

Restoration does result to empowerment and trust, does it not? Having been restored, Jesus has entrusted to Peter the shepherding of His sheep, once more. Undoubtedly, Jesus had seen Peter’s future of not commiting the same mistake again.

When Jesus made a prediction about Peter's future (John 21:18–19) Evidently, Peter would have naturally been curious about what would happen to John. Interestingly, Jesus' response (see v.22) was neither a rebuke, nor even a criticism. It's simply a rhetorical question, meaning "what difference would that make in your faith? Just follow Me!"

We are distracted sometimes because we look at others. To look unto Jesus, that is, to follow Him, should be our focus instead of looking around. As the author of Hebrews says, “ looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.”[Heb 12:2]

One reaction to this comment is ironic. Jesus was far from making a prediction. However, some early Christians will misinterpret it as a prophecy about John, anyway. In the time between Jesus making the statement and John's writing of this account, rumors will spread that John would not die until Jesus returned. John will feel the need to refute that mistake directly for he did not receive such from Jesus (see. v:23).

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John 21:15-19 ESV

15 When they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.” He said to him, “Feed my lambs.” 16 He said to him a second time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.” He said to him, “Tend my sheep.” 17 He said to him the third time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” Peter was grieved because he said to him the third time, “Do you love me?” and he said to him, “Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Feed my sheep. 18 Truly, truly, I say to you, when you were young, you used to dress yourself and walk wherever you wanted, but when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and another will dress you and carry you where you do not want to go.” 19 (This he said to show by what kind of death he was to glorify God.) And after saying this he said to him, “Follow me.”

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DO YOU LOVE ME MORE THAN THESE?

As they dined together, Jesus asked Peter, “Do you love more than these?”The ‘these’ may mean ‘the other disciples’ love for Him.’ That is, Jesus was asking "do you really love Me more than they love Me?" Peter was bragging and has self-assured prior Jesus’ arrest (Mark 14:29).

Jesus has repeated the question two more times. Jesus had used two root words, agapaō and phileō, in His questions. However, Peter had used phileō. While these words can have separate meanings, in their own contexts, their use here was essentially identical. The same was true of Jesus' three commands, which mix terms like "feed" and "tend" with references to "sheep" and "lambs."

Only a few days prior, Peter had denied—three times, with great emphasis—that he did not know Jesus (see John 13:35–38; Luke 22:61–62). He understood that Jesus was not asking because He does not know; He was asking to prove a point. Three denials were being countered with three affirmations. Peter's betrayal of his own promises was being challenged.

One thing is certain in this dialog, Jesus didn’t leave Peter in grief. This was a moment of repentance and restoration. His next words predict that Peter's reaffirmed faith (John 21:19) will be permanent—in fact, it will lead to his martyrdom later (John 21:18). First, Jesus makes a prediction which is both dire and comforting. The picture of being dressed and led, with outstretched hands, is a poetic foreshadowing of his crucifixion. Church tradition indicates Peter was crucified and asked to be hung upside down out of respect for Christ's similar death. While this seemed a terrible fate, it implied something Peter would find encouraging. For, his faith would never fail him again. This doesn't mean Peter would be perfect (Gal 2:11–14). It does mean, however, that his passionate desire to serve Jesus would define the rest of his life.

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John 21:7-14 ESV

7 That disciple whom Jesus loved therefore said to Peter, “It is the Lord!” When Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he put on his outer garment, for he was stripped for work, and threw himself into the sea. 8 The other disciples came in the boat, dragging the net full of fish, for they were not far from the land, but about a hundred yards off.

9 When they got out on land, they saw a charcoal fire in place, with fish laid out on it, and bread. 10 Jesus said to them, “Bring some of the fish that you have just caught.” 11 So Simon Peter went aboard and hauled the net ashore, full of large fish, 153 of them. And although there were so many, the net was not torn. 12 Jesus said to them, “Come and have breakfast.” Now none of the disciples dared ask him, “Who are you?” They knew it was the Lord. 13 Jesus came and took the bread and gave it to them, and so with the fish. 14 This was now the third time that Jesus was revealed to the disciples after he was raised from the dead.

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7 Kaya't ang alagad na minamahal ni Jesus ay nagsabi kay Pedro, “Ang Panginoon iyon.” Kaya't nang marinig ni Simon Pedro na iyon ang Panginoon, ay nagbigkis siya ng kanyang tunika (sapagkat siya'y walang damit), at tumalon sa dagat. 8 Subalit ang ibang alagad ay lumapit sa bangka na hila ang lambat na punô ng isda, sapagkat sila'y hindi malayo sa lupa, kundi halos siyamnapung metro ang layo.

9 Nang sila'y makadaong sa lupa, nakakita sila roon ng mga nagbabagang uling, at may isdang nakalagay sa ibabaw, at tinapay. 10 Sinabi sa kanila ni Jesus, “Dalhin ninyo rito ang ilang isdang nahuli ninyo ngayon.” 11 Kaya't si Simon Pedro ay sumampa sa bangka, at hinila ang lambat sa lupa na punô ng malalaking isda, na isandaan at limampu't tatlo, at kahit gayon karami ay hindi nasira ang lambat. 12 Sinabi sa kanila ni Jesus, “Halikayo at mag-almusal.” Sinuman sa mga alagad ay hindi nangahas na siya'y tanungin, “Sino ka?” yamang alam nila na iyon ay ang Panginoon. 13 Lumapit si Jesus, dinampot ang tinapay, at ibinigay sa kanila pati ang isda. 14 Ito nga ang ikatlong pagpapakita ni Jesus sa mga alagad, pagkatapos na siya'y bumangon mula sa mga patay.

COME AND HAVE BREAKFAST

After the big catch, John knew it was the Lord Jesus. Immediately, he told Peter, who stripped off his outer garment and jumped out into the water to swim to shore. Peter did not waste time to be with the Lord as he did before.

By the time the men arrive at the beach, they found a small fire, with a few fish already cooked and bread, along with Peter and Jesus. They didn’t ask questions about Jesus' identity anymore. This can be taken in several ways. But, most probably John was emphasizing the lack of doubt, as if saying, "there's no need to ask, since it's clear." Even though Jesus' appearance was not exactly as it had been, there was no valid reason to think He was someone else.

Jesus came and took the bread and gave it to them, and so with the fish. This should have reminded them about Jesus’claim earlier as the ‘bread of life.’ This simple act of Jesus sharing a meal, especially in the ancient world, demonstrated their friendship and trust.

Jesus’ tenderness or gentleness has been portrayed here, apparently. There was no rebuke from Him. He knew His men were weak and feeble and predicted that they would fail Him. He hasn’t demand perfection upon us. He desires groth and maturity. He understands our frame.

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