Miscellanies: My Favorite Painting

Apr 08, 2025

May include: A painting of a dark gray background with a white and gray textured circle in the center. There are small orange and yellow shapes scattered around the circle. The circle appears to be a cloud or a mass of bubbles. There is a small orange circle in the upper left corner of the painting. The painting has a brown and orange border at the bottom.

This is one of my favorite pieces of art. “Tiberias Lake” by Ivanka Demchuk captures one of my favorite biblical scenes.

Can you tell what it is? It’s a scene gripping with glory, faith, passion, and love.

After Jesus rose from the dead, he appeared to the disciples in multiple ways. John records this one:

John 21:2–8:

2 Simon Peter, Thomas (called “Twin”), Nathanael from Cana of Galilee, Zebedee’s sons, and two others of his disciples were together. 3 “I’m going fishing,” Simon Peter said to them. “We’re coming with you,” they told him. They went out and got into the boat, but that night they caught nothing.

4 When daybreak came, Jesus stood on the shore, but the disciples did not know it was Jesus. 5 “Friends,” Jesus called to them, “you don’t have any fish, do you?” “No,” they answered. 6 “Cast the net on the right side of the boat,” he told them, “and you’ll find some.” So they did, and they were unable to haul it in because of the large number of fish.

7 The disciple, the one Jesus loved, said to Peter, “It is the Lord!” When Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he tied his outer clothing around him (for he had taken it off) and plunged into the sea. 8 Since they were not far from land (about a hundred yards away), the other disciples came in the boat, dragging the net full of fish.

Allow yourself to be transported to this scene.

The disciples are casting—they are trying to fish, but they come up empty handed. It’s been 3 years and they are already rusty.

But then they hear a voice.

“Hey, guys? Y’all get anything?”

No.

“Ahh. Well, trying casting on the other side of the boat.”

It’s almost like they’ve heard this before (Luke 5:4).

They get a net-breaking haul of hauls—because the King of kings is showing them what their fishing for men is going to be like in a few short weeks (Acts 2).

John recognizes the voice! He shouts to Peter, “Peter! It’s the Lord!”

Peter whips his head around. Squints. Puts his hand over his brow to see.

It is the Lord!

**splash**

Peter jumping in is just hilarious. I love the entire scene. It’s very moving to me. Peter has zero hesitation. All gas, no brakes. Leaves his buddies in the boat. He can’t wait. His love for the Lord animated him. I want to see Jesus!

Me too, Peter.