John 21: 15 When they had finished eating, Jesus asked Simon Peter, “Simon son of John, do you love Me more than these?” “Yes, Lord,” he answered, “You know I love You.”Jesus replied, “Feed My lambs.” 16 Jesus asked a second time, “Simon son of John, do you love Me?” “Yes, Lord,” he answered, “You know I love You.” Jesus told him, “Shepherd My sheep.” 17 Jesus asked a third time, “Simon son of John, do you love Me?” Peter was deeply hurt that Jesus had asked him a third time, “Do you love Me?” “Lord, You know all things,” he replied. “You know I love You.”Jesus said to him, “Feed My sheep. 18 Truly, truly, I tell you, when you were young, you dressed yourself and walked where you wanted; but when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and someone elsed will dress you and lead you where you do not want to go.” 19 Jesus said this to indicate the kind of death by which Peter would glorify God. And after He had said this, He told him, “Follow Me.”
For years I wondered about these questions. What was going on here? Actually, per usual, Jesus was accomplishing several different things at once:
1. The number of the questions was significant. Peter had denied Jesus three times. Now Jesus was giving Peter the chance to affirm his dedication to him three times. Peter’s affirmations canceled out his three denials. Jesus was giving Peter a chance to redeem himself, and Peter rose to the challenge.
2. Jesus addresses Peter as “Simon, son of John” or “Simon Bar – Jona.” Previously Jesus had called Simon “Peter” which means a rock. But Peter had forfitted that name when he betrayed Jesus. Now Jesus was giving Simon another chance to prove that he truly was Peter, “Petros,” a rock. And Peter rose to the challenge.
3. In the past, Peter had sworn that even if all the other disciples fell away, he would not; yet, Peter denied Jesus before a courtyard full of people. Now Jesus was allowing Peter another chance to affirm his love and commitment. Jesus was doing it to have Peter confront his sins, which had to be addressed and removed before he can be commissioned to tend to the Lord’s sheep.
4. Jesus was allowing Peter to face the level at which he (Peter) was committed. The key thing here is the language. The answer is found in BibleVerseStudy.com https://www.bibleversestudy.com/johngospel/john21-do-you-love-me.htm
“Are the second and the third questions same or different? The language is critically important. Regarding the three questions, BibleVerseStudy.com has this to say about Jesus’ questions to Peter: “Although they read the same in English, they are actually different in the original Greek. While English has only one word for “love,” there are quite a few in Greek. There is eros for erotic love (none of the Greek words in the New Testament translated, “love,” in English is eros), philos for friendship, storge for affection from familiarity among family members or others brought together not by their choice, philostorgos, which combines philos and storge, and philadelphia for brotherly love. And then there’s agape, the sacrifial, unconditional love. In the passage above, Jesus uses the verb form of agape in the first two of His three questions and the verb form of philos in the third, while Peter responds with the verb form of philos all three times.
So what really is happening?
Jesus initially asks Peter if he loves Him sacrificially “more than these” (John 21:15). Instead of addressing the comparison, Peter answers by claiming his love for Jesus as a friend; after betraying Jesus, there was no way he could claim anything more than that. Jesus then drops the comparison and asks Peter if he loves Him sacrificially. Peter sticks to his claim of friendly love. With His third question, Jesus drops the level of love down to Peter’s, and there’s a match. Jesus will start working on us with whatever level of love we have for Him, but He does demand humility, which is what Peter displayed in John 21:15-17, in contrast to his prideful declaration in Matthew 26:31-33 above.“
Today, if Jesus asked us these questions, what would we say? Most of us would be lucky to make it to the philos level, never mind anything else. But what is important is that Jesus will always meet us where we are and help us change, if we will allow Him to do so. Eventually, Peter died by crucifixion, being crucified head – down at his own request because he felt unworthy to die in the same fashion as his Lord. Peter may have started at the philos level, but he made it to agape, sacrificial love.
PRAYER: Father God, today many of us are not even certain that what we feel for you can be described as brotherly love. Our faith is small, and our love is equally small as well. Lord, please help us realize that You will meet us where we are and that You will lead us into a far greater agape love if we only will allow you. Change us into the image of Your Son Jesus. In Jesus’s precious Name. Amen.
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