A Charcoal Fire
John specifically mentions the type of fire Jesus had kindled, and on which he had cooked fish for his friends. It was a charcoal fire. It is telling that there is only one other place this type of fire is written about in the gospels. On the night of Jesus' trial, when Peter entered the courtyard to see what would become of his Lord, he warmed his hands over a charcoal fire. It was there, while standing by that fire, that Peter spoke his denials of Jesus.
It seems that the Lord intentionally brought to Peter’s attention his catastrophic failure. He reminded him of it without directly speaking of it. He used the sight and smell of a distinct fire, a charcoal fire, to bring Peter back to the night of his great cowardice.
Peter was the first of the disciples from the boat to get to the shore. In my imagination I see him soaking wet, having swum as far as he could, standing in the shallows and then walking forcefully through the waters of The Sea of Tiberias, the water swooshing with resistance against his strong legs, and as he gets close to the shore the scent of smoldering charcoal fills his nostrils, awakening within his mind and heart the memory of that dark night, and then exhilaration he had felt moments before turned toward sadness and renewed grief at what he had done to Jesus, the Lord he loved.
I don’t believe the Lord did this simply to inflict more sorrow on Peter. His purpose was not to break but to build the man. He was not intent on wrecking him. He was intent on restoring him. But restoration and recovery don’t come by burying the truth of our failures. “Memory holing” doesn’t achieve the kind of restoration and renewal we need.
It is through facing the depth and extent of our sin that we can begin to also know the depth and extent of Christ’s forgiveness and love. Where sin abounded grace did much more abound. That was true for Peter. It will be true for us as well.
