Epilogue

 

When I was in elementary school, I liked to read ( I still do).  My mother bought me four comic book style books by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle: the author of Sherlock Holmes.  I read and re-read those books.  In “The Adventure of the Final Problem”, Detective Holmes struggles with his arch-nemesis, Professor Moriarty and both go over the waterfall clutching each other with no possible escape.  But wait … there is an epilogue!  Holmes foil, Dr. Watson, never actually saw Moriarty and Holmes go over the falls.  He only saw two sets of muddy footprints leading to the falls.  But the clever Sherlock Holmes survived!  If it weren’t for the epilogue (the chapter at the end of the book) I would never have known the rest of the story.  And John 20:31 appears to be the end of the Gospel of John.  John 21 is the epilogue - the rest of the story.  And I’m glad that there is an epilogue because John 20 leaves Peter a defeated loser.  John 21 tells of Jesus on shore of the Sea of Galilee and Peter’s recommissioning to the ministry.  And this is important because just a few weeks later, on the day of Pentecost (50 days after Passover), Peter preaches a Holy Spirit-filled message.  Acts 2:37&38, “Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do? Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.”  3,000 men responded to Peter’s altar call!  A wonderful message and a wonderful epilogue to Peter’s restoration!  God is so good!