Charles Ellicott Commentary John 21:5

"Jesus therefore saith unto them, Children, have ye aught to eat? They answered him, No." — John 21:5 (ASV)

Children, have ye any meat?—The word rendered “Children” (or, as the margin has it, Sirs), is used in addressing others only by St. John among the New Testament writers (1 John 2:13; 1 John 2:18). This is not the word used in John 13:33. In that verse, we find an expression denoting His affectionate tenderness for the disciples. Such an expression would not have been appropriate here, because He does not immediately reveal His identity to them. It is a word that, indeed, may express His love for them , but which appears also to have been used as an address to workmen or inferiors, not unlike our own words “boys” or “lads.” They seem to take it in this sense, as though some traveller passing by asked the question because he wished to purchase some of their fish.

The word rendered “meat” occurs here only in the New Testament. It means anything eaten with bread, and was used as equivalent to the fish which was the ordinary relish. (Compare to Note on John 6:9.)