Expositor's Bible Commentary Commentary John 21:5

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

Jesus appeared in the early morning, just as day was breaking. The fishermen no doubt were cold, wet with the dampness and spray of the lake, and discouraged by their lack of success. They failed to recognize Jesus, perhaps because they were preoccupied with their failure, or because they could not see him clearly through the morning mist on the lake. Jesus asked the disciples whether they had caught any fish. The construction of the question implies that he knew they had caught nothing. This was confirmed by their dispirited answer: “No.”