John 21:1-19
Notes
Transcript
Restored for a Purpose
Restored for a Purpose
1 After these things Jesus showed himself again to the disciples by the Sea of Tiberias; and he showed himself in this way. 2 Gathered there together were Simon Peter, Thomas called the Twin, Nathanael of Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two others of his disciples. 3 Simon Peter said to them, “I am going fishing.” They said to him, “We will go with you.” They went out and got into the boat, but that night they caught nothing.
4 Just after daybreak, Jesus stood on the beach; but the disciples did not know that it was Jesus. 5 Jesus said to them, “Children, you have no fish, have you?” They answered him, “No.” 6 He said to them, “Cast the net to the right side of the boat, and you will find some.” So they cast it, and now they were not able to haul it in because there were so many fish. 7 That disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, “It is the Lord!” When Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he put on some clothes, for he was naked, and jumped into the sea. 8 But the other disciples came in the boat, dragging the net full of fish, for they were not far from the land, only about a hundred yards off.
9 When they had gone ashore, they saw a charcoal fire there, with fish on it, and bread. 10 Jesus said to them, “Bring some of the fish that you have just caught.” 11 So Simon Peter went aboard and hauled the net ashore, full of large fish, a hundred fifty-three of them; and though there were so many, the net was not torn. 12 Jesus said to them, “Come and have breakfast.” Now none of the disciples dared to ask him, “Who are you?” because they knew it was the Lord. 13 Jesus came and took the bread and gave it to them, and did the same with the fish. 14 This was now the third time that Jesus appeared to the disciples after he was raised from the dead.
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.” 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.”
Focus is 15-19
Peter became the center of the conversation. Three times he had denied His Lord (18:18–27). And now three times he was asked to acknowledge his loyalty to Him. Simon, son of John [Joanes, bar], lovest thou me more than these? (v. 15). It is conceivable that Jesus meant “more than the boats and nets,” but not probable. The question refers to Peter’s earlier boasting: “If all shall be offended in thee, I will never be offended” (Matt. 26:33), and Jesus was “asking him whether he now professes to have more loyalty and devotion than the rest.”
Harvey J. S. Blaney, “The Gospel according to St. John,” in Matthew-Acts, vol. 4, The Wesleyan Bible Commentary (Grand Rapids, MI: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1966), 471.
The Wesleyan Bible Commentary, Volume 4: Matthew–Acts F. The Epilogue (Ch. 21)
It is not certain that New Testament writers always used words with fine distinctions of meaning. Westcott, along with others, has legitimate grounds for his interpretation of this passage. It goes like this:
Jesus used agapao, the stronger term, and twice Peter replied with phileo, the weaker term. Then Jesus accommodated his question to Peter, not demanding the highest love of Peter because he was not yet capable of giving it. Peter was in turn exhorted to feed lambs, tend sheep, and feed sheep. The chief need of small lambs is to be fed, while grown sheep need to be tended or cared for by the shepherd; but sheep also need to be fed. This, to me, is the most satisfactory interpretation which can be placed upon this passage. However, it is well to observe that such distinctions can easily be carried too far. did Jesus find as much reason for changing from agapao to phileo as He had for changing from lambs to sheep and from feed to tend? Certainly it is not correct to say that agapao means divine love and phileo means human love.
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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.” 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.”
Things to notice
The obvious —> Jesus asks Peter “do you love me 3 times”
—> The first ask - “Simon son of John, do you love me, more than these?”
—> Jesus uses a greeting that he hasn’t used with Peter since their first meeting. Its as if Peter has become a stranger to him.
—> The question refers to Peter’s earlier boasting:
33 Peter said to him, “Though all become deserters because of you, I will never desert you.”
—> Jesus calls Peter to account… Do you love me more than these? These referring to the other disciples.
—> Peter’s answer to this first question is a simple —> “Yes Lord, you know that I love you.”
—> Not wanting to address the idea of loving Jesus more than the others.
—> Jesus then says “feed my lambs”
—> This is a specific action not a general command. Jesus is using the words for nourishing the youngest most vulnerable members of the flock.
vrs 16
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.”
—> Jesus again uses this unfamiliar greeting, “Simon son of John”
—> Jesus shortens the question “do you love me?”
—> Peter replies with his previous answer, “Yes Lord, you know that I love you.”
—> Jesus replies, “Tend my sheep”
—> Jesus uses a generic term for caring for the flock, for just being a shepherd and the responsibilities that come with that territory.
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.
—> Jesus asks a third time, Simon son of John, do you love me?”
—> Put yourself in Peter’s place. He had denied Christ 3 times and now Jesus has reciprocated that, he has again felt the pain and the shame of his denial of Christ.
—> You can feel the emotion in his voice as he says, “Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you.”
—> Jesus doesn’t tell him, yes Peter I know you love me. Instead, he gives him another command “feed my sheep”
—> this combination of the first 2 directives that Jesus followed Peter’s response with.
—> With this command Jesus has commanded Peter to care for all members of the flock, but Jesus isn’t talking about literal sheep and Peter knows it.
—> John tells us in Ch. 10 about Jesus “The Good Shepherd” something Peter surely remembers.
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.”
—> Jesus ends this dialogue by telling Peter what will happen if he really does love him.
—> If you love me, you will feed my sheep, meaning you will care for my people, you will shepherd the church. This won’t make you a friend of the state and you will share in my death, the death that comes on the cross.
—> Then he concludes the conversation with a renewed call of discipleship, the same phrase he called the disciples with in Ch. 1 of John he says to Peter here “Follow me.”
—> In this short exchange of a few sentences, Jesus has brought Peter back into relationship, He has reaffirmed Peter’s love for him, and he has reminded him of what he is called to do.
—> This is the same thing Jesus does for us when we stray. He wants to know if we love him. Yet he never stops asking the question. When we come back to the relationship after we have strayed away, or denied what we know we are to do. Jesus asks us the same thing he asks Peter, Do you love me? If you love me you will care for those around you. If you love me, you will be my shepherd to those I call you to.
—> Jesus will always restore us. Jesus will always forgive us and welcome us back in, but Jesus will always remind us that love requires action. Love real love is a love that serves God by caring for others.
notes
John The Futures of Peter and the Beloved Disciple (John 21:15–25)
The pattern of verse 15 is repeated in verses 16–17: Jesus asks of Peter’s love for him, Peter affirms his love, and Jesus charges Peter to care for his sheep. These questions and Jesus’ command to Peter to care for Jesus’ sheep recall 10:11–18 and the love commandment of 13:34–35. Jesus is calling Peter to show his love for Jesus by loving his sheep as Jesus has loved them. Peter is asked to love like a good shepherd, to love “to the utmost.” The meal that Jesus has just prepared is an example of the work that Peter is called to continue. The three questions about Peter’s love for Jesus also counterbalance Peter’s three denials of Jesus (13:38; 18:17, 25–27). Peter’s former denials do not prevent him from participating in the work to come. Yet Jesus’ repeated commands make it clear that there must be a direct relationship between love for Jesus and Peter’s actions. Peter’s care for the sheep will show his love for Jesus.