John 20 - IVP New Testament Commentaries

The Climax of the Glorification Continues: Jesus Is Raised and Meets with His Disciples

John's account of the resurrection appearances is highly structured. The first part (chap. 20) describes a series of encounters in which the disciples are brought to faith in the risen Lord. The chapter concludes with a statement of purpose that summarizes the whole Gospel (vv. 30-31). The second part (chap. 21) uses the symbolism of fish and fishing to speak of the community's fruitful labor and the symbolism of sheep and shepherding to speak of the community's leadership. The Gospel ends with a testimony to the reliability of the Beloved Disciple's witness in this Gospel and a reflection on the greatness of Jesus' deeds (vv. 24-25).