Transforming (phase 4) - Jesus appears to the disciples on the lakeshore (step 31) - session 1a

Jn 21

After this Jesus revealed himself again to the disciples by the Sea of Tiberias, (1a)

The first question that came to my mind was, "Okay, where's the Sea of Tiberius?" A moment's quick research indicates that this is also referred to in the New Testament as the Lake of Gennesaret and the Sea of Galilee. I should not have reached this point in my life without knowing this. At any rate, this is about 60 miles from Jerusalem, and given that the disciples walked pretty much everywhere they went, this appearance would've had to occur at least a couple days after those mentioned in chapter 20. 

and he revealed himself in this way. Simon Peter, Thomas called the Twin, Nathan'a-el of Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zeb'edee, and two others of his disciples were together. Simon Peter said to them, "I am going fishing." They said to him, "We will go with you." They went out and got into the boat; but that night they caught nothing. - (1b-3)

We must be careful about combining the gospels, but this is a case in which reading from a combination of the gospels makes sense, since both Matthew's and Mark's accounts have the disciples instructed to return to Galilee. It isn't surprising that they would, anyway, being from there. But this should help keep us from reading too much significance into their resumption of fishing.  While it might indicate that they were returning to their old lives, it does not necessarily mean this. They may have just been engaging in a familiar activity as they attempted to make sense of what they had experienced. Also, I tend to assume that one of the other disciples not mentioned by name may have been Andrew - it would make sense for Simon Peter's brother to go with him.