Jesus And Peter
John 21:15-19
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. 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.”
In his first 20 chapters, John has told us what we need to know about Jesus. Now, in the epilogue, John is telling us about the disciples because he wants us to understand the mission of the early church. He focuses first on Peter, the chief shepherd and leader, and then on the beloved disciple, the chief witness and author.
Jesus gestures to the other disciples and puts a question to Peter, gets a reply, and then gives a command:
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” [John 21:15].
Jesus is the Good Shepherd, and here He appoints Peter to carry on His shepherding ministry. Peter is a pastor.
But Jesus puts a similar question to Peter two more times:
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.” 17a He said to him the third time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” [John 21:16–17a].
Why the three questions? Because on Good Friday, Peter had denied Jesus three times:
17b 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 [John 21:17b].
And then Jesus gives Peter a specific prediction about his future:
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.” 19a (This he said to show by what kind of death he was to glorify God) [John 21:18–19a].
As John parenthetically explains, Jesus is here speaking of crucifixion—being “dressed” and “carried where you do not want to go.”
Peter’s job is to shepherd the other followers of Jesus, but that job will cost Peter everything, just as it cost Jesus everything.
But after such a sobering prediction, Jesus tells Peter to follow Him anyway:
19b And after saying this he said to him, “Follow me” [John 21:19b].
And the remarkable fact is
Peter did it.
