João 21

Jesus reinstates Peter

15 So, when they had eaten breakfast, Jesus says to Simon Peter, "Simon, son of Jonah, do you love me more than these?"*My first impression was that Jesus asked if Peter loved Him more than the others did, but Peter’s answer does not seem to fit with that idea. My next impression would be that Jesus asked if Peter loved Him more than he loved the fish (and therefore, fishing), but His use of αγαπαω does not seem to fit. The only other option that I see would be that Jesus asked if Peter loved Him more than he loved his colleagues. He says to Him, "Yes, Lord, you know that I’m fond of you."*Jesus uses αγαπαω; Peter uses φιλεω. He says to him, "Feed my lambs." 16 He says to him again, a second time, "Simon, son of Jonah, do you love me?"*Notice that He omits ‘more than these’, so the question has been weakened. He says to Him, "Yes, Lord, you know that I’m fond of you." He says to him, "Shepherd my sheep." 17 The third time He says to him, "Simon, son of Jonah, are you fond of me?" Peter was grieved in that the third time He said to him, "Are you fond of me?"*Now Jesus weakens His question still further, using Peter’s verb—He is probing Peter. But the repeated command to feed His sheep indicates that Peter is being reinstated. and said to Him: "Lord, you know all things. You know that I’m fond of you!" Jesus says to him: "Feed my sheep.