“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.” Jesus said to him, “Feed my lambs.” ¹⁶ A second time he said to him, “Simon son of John, do you love me?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Tend my sheep.” ¹⁷ He said to him the third time, “Simon son of John, do you love me?” Peter felt hurt because he said to him the third time, “Do you love me?” And he said to him, “Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Feed my sheep. ¹⁸ Very truly, I tell you, when you were younger, you used to fasten your own belt and to go wherever you wished. But when you grow old, you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will fasten a belt around you and take you where you do not wish to go.” ¹⁹ (He said this to indicate the kind of death by which he would glorify God.) After this he said to him, “Follow me.” John 21:15-19

Jesus asks, “Peter, disciple, Do you love me?” Here is a scene which must have been printed for ever on the mind of Peter. He knew he had denied the Lord – now the Lord was asking him if he loved him more than “these things”. As far as the language goes that can mean two things equally well:

It may be that Jesus swept his hand round the boat and its nets and equipment and the catch of fishes, and said to Peter: “Simon, do you love me more than these things? Are you prepared to give them all up, to abandon all hope of a successful career, to give up a steady job and a reasonable comfort, in order to give yourself for ever to my people and to my work?” This may have been a challenge to Peter to take the final decision to give all his life to the preaching of the gospel and the caring for Christ’s folk.

Or, it may be that Jesus looked at the rest of the little group of the disciples, and said to Peter: “Simon, do you love me more than your fellow-disciples do?” It may be that he was gently reminding Peter how once he had thought that he alone could be true and how his courage had failed.

It is more likely that the second meaning is right, because in his answer Peter does not make comparisons any more; he is content simply to say: “You know that I love you.”

Jesus asked this question three times for a reason. It was three times that Peter denied his Lord, and it was three times that his Lord gave him the chance to affirm his love. Jesus, in his gracious forgiveness, gave Peter the chance to wipe out the memory of the threefold denial by a threefold declaration of love.

Pastor Dave