Simon Peter said to them, "I am going fishing." They said to him, "We are going with you also." They went out and immediately got into the boat, and that night they caught nothing.
John 21:3

What was Peter thinking when he said, "I am going fishing"? Literally, his words were “I’m off to fish.” Either way, we do not know for sure. Commentators are divided. Some say Peter was was forsaking apostolic ministry in favor of what he knew: fishing. Others say, “no” to that idea, preferring the practical idea that Peter still had to work to eat—which he did. Which is it? I cannot say for sure, so let’s consider both suggestions.

IF (and I emphasize the word IF), Peter was discouraged with vocational ministry and was opting to go back to his secular fishing business, that would be sad. It would be an example of impatience—something Peter was accustomed to. IF that was the case, knowing more than Peter did at that moment about what was coming, we might learn to wait on the Lord. What Jesus had already told Peter, “You shall be a fisher of men” (Matthew 4:19), would be a reason to wait. So would Jesus’ words “you are Peter an on this rock I will build My Church” (Matthew 16:18). The lesson, “Never give up” is a good one, and maybe Peter would have done well not to give up so quickly—if indeed he was giving up. But we don’t know that he was.

IF (and I emphasize the word IF), Peter was simply working to support his family, that wouldn’t have been bad. Yes, Peter had a wife! (Mark 1:30). IF that was the case, Peter was being responsible while waiting, and that is a valuable lesson as well; though we don’t know that is what he was doing.

In light of what we do not know for sure, here are two more lessons for us:

(1) Do not interpret scripture dogmatically when scripture is not clear. Instead admit what we do not know for sure. Speculate, but be sure to label your speculations as no more than speculations.

(2) Do not base doctrine, or even hard and fast lessons, on speculation. Notice that my two speculations are true because scripture clearly teaches these truths elsewhere. The speculations regarding Peter are merely examples of what the Bible already teaches. They are not stand alone doctrinal passages.

The next blog post will take up another lesson from this passage that is most certainly true. Stay tuned.