JC

 Yes—that line is referring to a specific moment recorded in the Gospel of Gospel of John.

After the resurrection of Jesus Christ, he appeared to his disciples multiple times. The statement you’re quoting comes from John 21:14, which says this was the third time he revealed himself to them.

Here’s how those appearances in John are usually counted:

1. First appearance: to the disciples (without Thomas the Apostle present) – John 20:19–23
2. Second appearance: to the disciples including Thomas – John 20:26–29
3. Third appearance: by the Sea of Tiberias (Galilee), where the miraculous catch of fish happens – John 21

So the “third time” refers specifically to appearances recorded in John’s Gospel, not all resurrection appearances across the entire New Testament.

If you include other accounts (like in Gospel of Luke or Gospel of Matthew), there are more appearances overall.

If you want, I can  map out all the resurrection appearances in order—they’re actually quite fascinating and a bit complex.