John 21:15-25
Dear RTB’ers,
Today we end John’s gospel. It will be early next year that we’ll read Matthew and be through with all four gospels. But today, John’s closing. And for many people, a bit of a confusing closing! So, first, Jesus asks Peter three times, “Simon, son of John, do you love Me?” (vv. 15, 16, 17) It’s easy for us to connect Jesus’ three times asking the same question with Peter’s three denials on Good Friday. But a question remains, why did Jesus change His follow-up response from Feed My Lambs to Tend My Sheep to Feed My Sheep? I don’t have an answer for that, even though I’ve heard numerous sermons and talks on that very question. One item of information is that Jesus uses the Greek word, agape (a deep, abiding love) the first two times He asks, then the word, phileo (more like “friendship”) the third time, so maybe Jesus is challenging Peter’s love – is Peter’s love for Jesus a really deep agape love? My guess is that there is something about increasing demands that Jesus is asking of Peter with each additional response. Maybe the rest of you have heard better explanations?
I could make more comments on this reading, but so could you! Let’s hear from you, comments or questions!
Blessings!
Fred