John 21:15-19 – 5 When they had finished eating, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?” “Yes, Lord,” he said, “you know that I love you.” Jesus said, “Feed my lambs.” 16 Again Jesus said, “Simon son of John, do you love me?”He answered, “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.” Jesus said, “Take care of my sheep.” 17 The third time he said to him, “Simon son of John, do you love me?” Peter was hurt because Jesus asked him the third time, “Do you love me?” He said, “Lord, you know all things; you know that I love you.” Jesus said, “Feed my sheep. 18 Very truly I tell you, when you were younger you dressed yourself and went where you wanted; but when you are old you will stretch out your hands, and someone else 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. Then he said to him, “Follow me!”
After Peter had denied the Lord three times, the Lord appeared to Peter to assure him that Jesus still loved him. We can see that Jesus not only gave him assurance of their relationship and of His love for Peter, but Jesus also had him focus on what he need to do. As in Ephesians 2:8-10 which states that we are saved only by grace, and then immediately tells us that we were “created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” Jesus has said of us (John 14:12) that we will do the works He has been doing. He died for us, yet His mission to minister to all mankind of all ages needed to be completed. He gave that mission to us. We are to continue His work and in doing so glorify Jesus and when we lift up the name of Jesus to the world (Romans 10:14), then the Holy Spirit will draw people to Jesus and they will be saved. We all have purpose, God-given purpose. It keeps us rooted in the Lord. He saves us, He gives us life and He gives us purpose. Just like Adam and Eve were created and given purpose, we, when born-again, are given purpose. Praise God!
In the above verse Jesus asked Peter three times if Peter loved Him. There is great importance in the words that Jesus used when asking Peter about his love for Jesus. The first time Jesus asked he used the word “agapao” (Transliteration). As we know this word, or Agape, is the word used to express the love of God. In fact it is the same word used in John 17:26 to express the love the Father has for the Son. Jesus is asking Peter, do you love me greatly, as my Father in Heaven loves me. Wow, that’s a big question!
Peter did respond that He loves Jesus, but Peter used the word “Phileo” (Transliteration) which is the word we refer to as a brotherly love. It is a strong word of love but it is not what Jesus asked Him. Jesus asked him if Peter loved Him with a Godly love. Still Jesus responded to this by giving Peter the task to take care of the children of God, the “sheep” of Jesus who follow Him.
The second time the question was asked the words that Jesus used and the response that Peter gave were the same. Again Jesus did not chastise for Peter’s inability to say that he loved Jesus with the God-like love. Jesus again gave Peter purpose.
We know by reading the verse that Peter was offended after Jesus asked him a third time if He loved Jesus. But thinking that Peter was offended merely because Jesus asked him a third time is to no recognize the full meaning. The Lord is subtle, yet direct, with His words piercing into our heart and souls! This time He asks Peter if Peter loved him with the “Phileo” love. The brotherly love. He did not asked Peter again Peter loved Him with a Godly love, but with the human brotherly love. In fact, can’t you just hear Jesus saying, without Him actually saying it “Peter, I asked you two times if you love my with the pure love that Father loves me and you could not say that you did. You expressed love, but not a pure Godly love for me. So now I ask you “Do you even love me with a human love?” This is what pierced Peter’s heart, yet still he responded that he loved Jesus not with a Godly love, but with the Phileo brotherly love. Ouch! Peter was grieved that Jesus asked him three times, but it was how Jesus asked him the third time. It is sure that the word variance was significant to Peter and He understood the message. Also, let us remember that Peter had denied Jesus three times. Now Jesus asked him three times, how great is your love for me.
Before the crucifixion of Jesus, Peter had boldly proclaimed that He loved Jesus so much that if all the other disciples abandoned Jesus that he alone would stand with Jesus (Matthew 26:33). The love of Peter had failed, three times. So Jesus is saying to Him that he needs to love more than he did. That Peter needs to learn to love with a Godly love and to love Jesus in that way. From that kind of love for Jesus, then Peter will also love the sheep of Jesus (Matthew 22:37-40).
Family, how about us? Can we say we love God with an “agapao” kind of love? How about even a phileo kind of love? Do we love Him, truly love God in a way that He is more important than everything else to us. Do we love Him more than we love all family (Matthew 10:37)? That is the love that God builds within us, increasing over our life on earth. It is the work of the Holy Spirit within us, giving us the new kind of love that knows no boundaries and that has no sacrifice too big to give. It is a life laid at the feet of Christ in which we say, “Here is the life You have given me Lord, it belongs to You, use it as You desire. Please use this life that You have given me.”
Family, let us not let the fires of our love for God wane, but stir up the flames and let our love for God grow ever more so that we are consumed by it. After all, He first loved us first (1 John 4:19) and He promises that He always will. Praise God!
Psalm 150:6 – Let everything that has breath praise the Lord. Praise the Lord!
Micah 7:7 – But as for me, I watch in hope for the Lord, I wait for God my Savior; my God will hear me.
Micah 6:8 – He has shown You, O man, what is good; And what does the Lord require of You but to do justly, to love mercy, And to walk humbly with Your God.