by Ricky Chelette, Executive Director
Easter is over—at least the holiday and celebrations. But for the disciples and those of us who believe in Christ’s work, life, and ministry, Resurrection Sunday was never intended to be an ending. It was only the beginning. That was especially true for Jesus’s disciples.
Following the resurrection, Jesus spent the next forty days appearing first to women, then to his disciples, and then to the public. In every encounter, He taught them about His Kingdom, proving that He was alive (Acts 1:9), commissioning them for global ministry (Matt. 28:18-20), and informing them of the power that would come to them through the Holy Spirit (Acts 1:4-5).
However, one encounter with Jesus especially stands out. It begins in John’s gospel immediately after Jesus has been arrested and brought to the court of the high priest (John 18). Peter, who only a few moments before had cut off the ear of the high priest’s servant when Judas and the soldiers came to arrest Jesus, has now abandoned Jesus along with the other disciples. Peter, once courageous but now a coward, follows at a distance, not wanting to be identified with Jesus.
Denial, We’ve All Been There
The Bible records that a servant girl who had seen Peter with the disciples recognized Peter warming himself at a charcoal fire (John 18:17-18). Later, others also identified Peter as one of the disciples, and he famously denied Jesus three times and heard the rooster crow, just as Jesus had predicted (Mt. 26:34; Jn 13:38).
Peter disappears from the narrative and is not seen again until after the resurrection, when Mary Magdalene runs to Peter and the other disciples, proclaiming that Jesus’ body is not in the tomb (Jn. 20:2-10).
Oh The Feelings
A deserted savior, now an empty tomb, and a missing body. The Bible tells us nothing about Peter’s feelings or thoughts at this moment, but I imagine he was filled with guilt and shame. How could a man who proclaimed he would “lay down my life for you [Jesus]” (Jn. 13:37) face the future? I think Peter was a tormented, grieving, and shame-filled man.
In most situations, such guilt, shame, and utter regret would debilitate a man, crush his soul, and steal away his life. But Peter’s story was not over. John carefully and specifically shares a subtle but incredibly intentional detail related to Peter.
When Overwhelmed, Go Fishing
Even after Jesus’ appearance to the disciples in the upper room where they had gathered in their grief and fear (Jn. 20:19-23), Peter was still struggling with his denial. John 21 records that Peter did what many of us do in similar circumstances – we default to what we know. Peter, the fisherman, says to some of the other disciples, “I am going fishing” (Jn. 21:3), and several other disciples join him.
After a fruitless night of fishing, a stranger on the shore asks them if they have caught any fish. They respond “No,” and he instructs them, “cast your nets on the other side of the boat, and you will find some” (Jn 21:6). They do as he instructs, and they are amazed by at the catch! Seeing the miracle of this moment, John says to Peter, “It is the Lord!” (Jn 21:7). Peter jumps out of the boat and runs toward the shore, where Jesus is preparing breakfast for them over a charcoal fire.
Did you catch the connection? Charcoal fire. Just the mention of it conjures smells and memories in our minds. Neuroscientists say the most powerful memory sense we have is smell.1 In the entire New Testament, the word “charcoal” appears only two times, both in John’s gospel. John is writing his gospel between 90 and 110 AD. He has had lots of time to think about all that took place, and the connections are now more recognizable, this side of the resurrection. John recognized how Jesus connected Peter’s denial with His redemption and commission, just as John saw how Judas’ supposed concern for the poor over the breaking of the alabaster jar of nard was a cover for his thievery (Jn. 12:5-6).
Rewriting The Script
I believe this little detail communicates the incredible kindness and care of our Lord Jesus. I imagine that every time Peter ate a meal, the smell of a charcoal fire filled him with regret and guilt. How kind of Jesus to bring Peter back to the charcoal fire and ask Peter three times if he loved Him, mirroring the three denials. How beautiful that Christ restored him with a charge to “feed my sheep.”
For Peter, sin had a smell. In many ways, sin has a smell for all of us. But more importantly for Peter and us, redemption has a name, and His name is Jesus! He paid the price for our sins that we might become His righteousness.
For Peter, the smell of charcoal would forever remind him of Jesus’s grace and redemption. Similarly, our sins can weigh us down, but redemption is available through Jesus, who transforms guilt into grace and brokenness into boldness. Today, He offers His transformative work in our lives, inviting us to embrace His forgiveness and purpose. Will you let him redeem your sin and transform your life?
1 “Neuroimaging evidence for the emotional potency of odor-evoked memory,” Rachel S Herz a, James Eliassen b, Sophia Beland a, Timothy Souza, Neuropsychologia, Volume 42, Issue 3, 2004, Pages 371-378 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2003.08.009, accessed 04/20/2025.