Pilate, who is no doubt weary of his compromised life working for the system, cannot handle Jesus’s words about the truth. “What is the truth?” We say that we pursue this question, but are actually terrified by where it may lead us.

Jesus tells Mary Magdalene not to hold onto him. Easter is in part the discovery that there is more to Jesus than we know. This is part of the mission of theological education. We learn to discover more of Jesus in order to show others this mystery.

The miracle about how many fish the disciples caught, and if this really happened, is a distraction from the most unbelievable thing in the text—there is a Savior on board

By denying that he is a disciple, Peter is actually telling the truth. If being a disciple means being a follower then Peter and we are not disciples after we realize Jesus is leading us to the cross.

The first question is Jesus do you “care that we are perishing?” The second question is from Jesus who wonders why his disciples would be afraid? The third is again from the disciples who wonder about this Jesus. Having Jesus on board is a constant experience in amazement, if we are paying attention.

Pilate’s real choice was to make the people his real King, and that is what sentenced King Jesus and the world’s hope to death. We are all Pilate making this choice even though we do not realize it.

It is hard to be a useful disciple of Jesus until one gets out of the boat and starts walking on water toward him. Eventually we discover we cannot walk on water and cry out to the Savior.