So when they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of John, do you love Me more than these?” He said to Him, “Yes, Lord; You know that I love You.” He said to him, “Tend My lambs.”  He said to him again a second time, “Simon, son of John, do you love Me?” He said to Him, “Yes, Lord; You know that I love You.” He said to him, “Shepherd My sheep.” He said to him the third time, “Simon, son of John, do you love Me?” Peter was grieved because He said to him the third time, “Do you love Me?” And he said to Him, “Lord, You know all things; You know that I love You.” Jesus said to him, “Tend My sheep.”   – John 21:15-17

These are the words that Jesus spoke to Peter after His resurrection from the grave and after He visited with His disciples in His resurrected body on two other occasions and after Peter returned to his fishing career.  Jesus meets Peter and the other disciples on the shore of the Sea of Tiberias in Galilee and cooks them a fish and bread breakfast.  Jesus performs a miracle by filling their net with fish and Peter immediately jumps in the water from the boat and swims to Jesus on the shore.  During the meal Jesus asks Peter … “Do you love me more than these?”  

Well, there are some differences of opinion about who are what are the “these” that Jesus is referring too.  Some people, like me, think Jesus is simply referring to the fish as if to say to Peter, “My desire is that you and the other disciples go tell others of the good news of eternal life in Me and the teaching I have given you, will you go do that for Me, rather than fish for a living?“.  Perhaps, Peter is reminded of the first words that Jesus spoke to him and his brother Andrew, “Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men.”  – Matthew 4:19

And some think Jesus is saying “Do you love Me more than the company and desires of the other disciples?”  But most commentators think Jesus is saying, “Do you love me more than the other disciples love me?“.  Jesus is not trying to make a competition out of loving Him but he is trying to get Peter’s priority and motive straightened out as to what is important in life.  Remember Peter was the first of the twelve to proclaim that Jesus was the Messiah and Jesus said that upon this rock of belief in Him, Jesus would build His church (Matthew 16:16-18).  And Peter was also the one to deny knowing Jesus three times after Jesus was arrested.  Now Jesus asks Peter three times “Do you love Me?”. 

The word for love that Jesus uses the first and second time is “agape” which mean unconditional love, an action of obedience based on a pledge of duty to the leader.  These words from Jesus must have pained Peter as he is reminded of his betrayal.  But now instead of acting like the old “ready, fire, aim Peter” and agreeing with emotion and enthusiasm to take care of Jesus’s sheep regardless of the cost, Peter, knowing the cost of following Jesus, says “Yes, Lord, you know I love you as a friend”.  Peter responds that he loves Jesus with “phileo” love.  This is love of a fondness and affection for a person but not unquestioned obedience to the person.

Jesus allows the reluctant answer and tells Peter to “Tend my Lamb”.  Jesus sees something in Peter that Peter doesn’t yet see in himself.  Jesus sees the way Peter will be transformed at Pentecost, when the Holy Spirit comes upon him and enables him to the preach the gospel and save 3,000 souls.  Also, I don’t think this is just a private conversation between Jesus and Peter but all the disciples are listening and Jesus is speaking to each of them, through his conversation with Peter.

Jesus asks a second time, “Do you love me unconditionally to do whatever I ask?” and again Peter replies “I love you as a friend”.  Once again Jesus instructs Peter to teach others what Peter has been taught by Jesus.  And then a third time Jesus as “Do you love me as a friend enough to do what I ask?” and Peter replies, “yes, I love you as a friend”.  It is a though Jesus allows Peter’s honesty and doubt to define their relationship for now, realizing that when the Holy Spirit comes into his heart at Pentecost their relationship will blossom to an “agape love”.  

I think this is great encouragement for every believer who falls away from following Jesus and for every person who is contemplating what it is like to believe in Jesus.  We don’t serve Jesus under our power but under the influence and ennoblement of His power.

Here is the cost of following Jesus … sacrifice:

 

“He who has found his life will lose it, and he who has lost his life for My sake will find it.”  – Matthew 10:29

 

“To live is Christ, to die is gain.”  – Philippians 1:21

 

“I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me.”  Galatians 2:20 

 

“That I may know Him and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death;“  – Philippians 3:10

Most missionaries who take the good word of the gospel to hostile and dangerous places have considered themselves as good as dead before leaving, not expecting to return from the mission field.  If you are in Christ you should be “dead” to selfish desires and “alive” to your new life in Christ … “Die2Live”.   A Christian is always on a Mission field to share the good news of Christ with those in front of him.  Yet, like Peter, a born-again Christian still has his old sin nature and uncertainties about his new life in Christ, so we sometimes revert to our old way of thinking and dealing with life.  However, like Peter, we can “redeem the time!” and be like the “new” Peter who when filled with the Holy Spirit became the greatest street preacher of his day (Acts 2:41).  This is why Jesus is always asking each of His children “Do you love me more than whatever you are struggling with by your own efforts?“.  Jesus desire for us is that we will “let go” of our struggling with the world and “let God” be our vision and direction in our life and for our life.

I admit that I am often unsure about letting go of the world and fully serving God.  I think many Christians “build a facade” of their service to God for others to see, thinking their self motivated good works will ease their troubled mind about their “real” commitment toward serving God.   I address this issue in this article:  Who do you Worship and Serve.  I think early in my walk with Christ that God invited me to serve in missions but I backed away from that opportunity and served in my local Church.  I think God honors my service to Him, as I care for His sheep as an Elder and as I lead His sheep in praise each Sunday but I also think I would have known more of God’s joy if I stepped out more in faith as He asked.  You can’t “out give” God and I think most of the time we just don’t pray and trust a big enough God.

– Rogersings    “Speak Lord, for your servant is listening” –  1 Samuel 3:10

In case you are in a quad-lima about the identity of Jesus.  Was He a liar, lunatic, legend or Lord, check out this video.  The evidence for a real resurrected Jesus is overwhelming.

This is an Anime Version of Jesus Death and Resurrection:

Jim Anderson dies in the Hospital and comes back to tell of Jesus’ love for man:

0

0