Then Jesus saith unto them, Children, have ye any meat? they answered him, No. (6) And he said unto them, Cast the net on the right side of the ship, and ye shall find. They cast therefore, and now they were not able to draw it for the multitude of fishes. (7) Therefore that disciple whom Jesus loved, saith unto Peter, It is the Lord. Now when Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he girt his fisher's coat unto him, (for he was naked), and did cast himself into the sea. (8) And the other disciples came in a little ship, (for they were not far from land, but as it were two hundred cubits), dragging the net with fishes.
It is rather surprizing, that when Jesus called to them by so tender a name, and which was the very same words, little children, as he had used before, (see John 13:33) that they had not immediately discovered who it was. But this was reserved for the miracle which he added, and which produced the effect. I pray the Reader to notice, from all these tender incidents of the Lord Jesus, how near his heart his people are. He saith now as much as then, Children, have ye any meat? Cast on the right side, and ye shall find. If we are backward to seek our spiritual sustenance from him, Jesus will be found of them that seek him not. And how often doth Jesus make himself known by his gracious acts, as here to John, when outward revelations do not always effect it. Is not the Lord known by his providence, and by his grace, in numberless instances where we least expected him?