John 21:15-17 (ESV)
15 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, “Feed my lambs.” 16 He said to him 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, “Tend my sheep.” 17 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 everything; you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Feed my sheep”.
This is a fascinating study of devotion to Jesus and how He desires our devotion. In the above text Jesus is asking Peter something that he (Peter) is incapable of providing, and that is a deep abiding love that can only come from God Himself. The Greek word for this type of love is called “ä-gä-pä'-ō” in which the verb is an action that describes the act of loving, ä-gä'-pā is the noun which describes what God’s love actually is, and that is the type of love Jesus was asking Peter about in verse 15 & 16. ä-gä-pä'-ō in its perfect participle Passive form, is translated "beloved" or "My chosen". A better description would be like the love shared when a husband chooses a wife.
1 John 4:8 (ESV)
8 Anyone who does not love (ä-gä-pä'-ō) does not know God, because God is love (ä-gä'-pā).
Jesus is making a case to Peter …do you...know My love? This is a moment of truth for Peter as evidenced in verse 17 when it says Peter was grieved. Peter could only respond to Jesus in the most honest and direct way that he could by telling Jesus that he only loved Him with a brotherly love and tender affection. Vines expository dictionary defines Peters response with this Greek verb for love … phileō.
Phileō is to be distinguished from agapao in this, that phileo more nearly represents "tender affection." I believe Jesus was making a point here, not chiding Peter for his lack of love but more accurately describing the type of love Jesus desires and that is the love that only Jesus could give.
In verse 17 Jesus changes His approach with Peter and comes down to his level and asks Peter,“Simon, son of John, do you love me?” Jesus is using a different word here for love, Jesus is asking Peter do you phileō me? (have tender affection or brotherly love for me) Three things may have happened here,
1. Peter was grieved that Jesus was asking him a third time driving a point home that had already been made, or
2. Peter was realizing that Jesus had lowered His expectations for Peter, and Peter realized that he didn’t possess the capacity to love Jesus in the way He desired to be loved.
or maybe
3. something that could likely bring this into context may be that Peter may have been bearing some guilt from when he denied Jesus three times before He was crucified.
In verse 15 Jesus tells Peter to feed my lambs, this Greek word lambs is specific är-nē'-on which means “little lambs”, in the plural it has symbolic reference to young converts. Jesus is commissioning Peter to build up the young converts to care for and teach them in the way. (From Vine’s Expository Dictionary of New Testament words)
In verse 16 Jesus tell Peter to “…tend my sheep”. The lesson to be learned is that in the spiritual care of God's children, the "feeding" of the flock from the Word of God is of constant and regular necessity; it is to have the foremost place. The tending (which includes this) consists of other acts, of discipline, authority, restoration, material assistance of individuals, but they are incidental in comparison with the "feeding." would have been a consistent rendering; a shepherd does not only "feed" his flock, but also tends to their needs.
Luke 22:54-62 (ESV)
54Then they seized him and led him away, bringing him into the high priest's house, and Peter was following at a distance. 55 And when they had kindled a fire in the middle of the courtyard and sat down together, Peter sat down among them. 56 Then a servant girl, seeing him as he sat in the light and looking closely at him, said, “This man also was with him.” 57 But he denied it, saying, “Woman, I do not know him.” 58 And a little later someone else saw him and said, “You also are one of them.” But Peter said, “Man, I am not.” 59 And after an interval of about an hour still another insisted, saying, “Certainly this man also was with him, for he too is a Galilean.” 60 But Peter said, “Man, I do not know what you are talking about.” And immediately, while he was still speaking, the rooster crowed. 61 And the Lord turned and looked at Peter. And Peter remembered the saying of the Lord, how he had said to him, “Before the rooster crows today, you will deny me three times.” 62 And he went out and wept bitterly.
I do find it interesting that Jesus isn’t condemning of Peter for his denial, but Jesus does tell Peter how he will die.
I wonder if Peter was considering the possibilities of how he would die?
John 21:18-19 (ESV)
18 Truly, truly, I say to you, when you were young, you used to dress yourself and walk wherever you wanted, but when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and another will dress you and carry you where you do not want to go.” 19 (This he said to show by what kind of death he was to glorify God.) And after saying this he said to him, “Follow me.”
Peter was now invited to die with Jesus, despite his fears or his guilt from his past actions.
Our invitation from Jesus is similar; we must come to the cross to die to our old carnal nature so that the new man is raised in newness of life with Christ Jesus. This crucifixion is required for each of us so the new-man can take form and shape within our lives.
Romans 6:4 (ESV)
4 We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.
"newness” of life, kainotēs i.e., life of a new quality, the believer, being a new creation. In the new state of life in which the Holy Spirit places us so as to produce a new state which is eternal life
“Life” zōē i.e., of the absolute fullness of life, both essential and ethical, which belongs to God, and through him both to the hypostatic (word) "logos" and to Christ in whom the (word) "logos" put on human nature. (Both references above are from Vines Expository Dictionary of New Testament words)
We are partakers of that zōē life when we are IN Christ. Even though Jesus was speaking to Peter, it was recorded in the bible for our benefit to demonstrate the type of life Jesus desires in us, and what this type of life this is like, which is only imparted by the Holy Spirit through life IN Christ.
How do we know fullness of life? This only comes when we interact with other believers and experience the portion that God has given them.
But zōē life isn’t just for us to hold on to, God intended for us to give it away to others, that is how the Kingdom is advanced and people are empowered. Here is a scripture which tells us what that looks like:
Romans 12:9-21 (ESV)
9 Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good.10 Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor. 11 Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord. 12 Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer. 13 Contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality.
14 Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them.15 Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. 16 Live in harmony with one another. Do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly. Never be wise in your own sight. 17 Repay no one evil for evil, but give thought to do what is honorable in the sight of all. 18 If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all.19 Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.” 20 To the contrary, “if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink; for by so doing you will heap burning coals on his head.” 21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.
In my early morning devotions today I was considering how I sacrifice and surrender all to Jesus and die to my own self interest. For many years that has puzzled me, dying to self (or ego) by putting the old man on the cross of Christ, what does that do to my personality and character? How does that effect the man or woman we have become as opposed to what we were created to be? Coming to Christ doesn't leave us without our personality or inner man intact, in fact when we die to our own self interests and motivations we are left with the unconscious mind or "ID" which can be reformed or reshaped into a Godly perspective with a new awareness of life and the new man emerges.
Galatians 2:20 Amplified Bible (AMP)
Surrendering to Christ does not leave you as an empty shell devoid of personality and or person-hood, in fact it is quite the opposite, when one surrenders to Christ there is a merging or unification of our spirit with His which awakens in us an awareness of desiring God and that which pleases Him.
It really does take a Supernatural touch from the Lord to live and love in this way, in our own effort it would be impossible, but with God...all things are possible.
May you know the fullness of Christ's (ä-gä'-pā) love in ways that expand your daily walk in the Lord in ways that offer opportunities to share the depths of the (
Stephen Barnett
God is good all the time, all the time God is good!
You Are My King
Brian Doerksen
You are my King (you are my King)
And I love you
You are my King (you are my King)
And I worship you
Kneeling before you now, all of my life
I gladly give to you
Placing my hopes and dreams, in your hands
I give my heart to you
And I love you, love you
Jesus, yes I love you, love you
Jesus my King
Copyright © 1991 Mercy/Vineyard Publishing.
International copyright secured. Used by Permission (YouTube)
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