notes

Main point summary

Twice over, Peter's confession of love for Jesus is inadequate. When asked if he unconditionally loves him, Peter only has brotherly love for him. But in shocking response, the third time around, Jesus graciously lowers the standard to meet Peter where he is at. By the threefold confession of Peter's (albeit inadequate) love, he is recommissioned for service to care for the flock.

Arc

editing

NT

John 21:15-17

esv

mine

When they had u finished breakfast,

When they had finished breakfast,

Jesus said to Simon Peter,

Jesus asked Peter,

temporal

v “Simon, w son of John, x do you love me more than these?”

"Simon, do you unconditionally love me more than your brethren?"

ideaexplanation

He said to him,

Peter answered,

“Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.”

"Yes Lord, you know that I love you just like a brother ."

questionanswer

He said to him,

Jesus said to him,

“Feed y my lambs.”

"Take care of the young lambs."

conditional

He said to him a second time,

Jesus asked a second time,

“Simon, son of John, do you love me?”

Simon, do you unconditionally love me?

He said to him,

Peter answered,

“Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.”

"Yes Lord, you know that I love you just like a brother ."

He said to him,

Jesus said to him,

z “Tend y my sheep.”

"Look after my sheep."

progression

He said to him the third time,

Jesus asked for the third time,

“Simon, son of John, do you love me?”

"Simon, do you at least love me like a brother ?"

Peter was grieved

Peter was grieved

because he said to him a the third time,

because this was the third time that he was asked,

“Do you love me?”

"do you love me?" (Reminding Peter of his three denials)

ground

and he said to him,

and he answered Jesus,

“Lord, b you know everything;

"Lord, you know all about my love for you;

you know that I love you.”

you know that I love you like a brother ."

actionmanner

Jesus said to him,

Jesus said to him,

“Feed c my sheep.

"Care for my sheep."

situationresponse

discourse

Some thoughts

In light of Peter’s past failure in denying Jesus three times, the Lord Jesus graciously restores Peter. He does it in a way that does not ignore the Peter’s sin, but neither does he deal harshly with him. In his first 2 questions, he does let Peter know of the ultimate standard for love: it is to love Jesus unconditionally. In contrast to Peter’s overconfidence in the past, here his words do fall short. Peter, at best, only loves him like a brother; he cannot bring himself to say that he loves him unconditionally. But despite Peter’s inadequate love, the Lord Jesus recommissions him regardless. We are caused to wonder, how this could be? How can it be that Peter is fit to tend to the flock when he ONLY loves Jesus like a brother? In the third question, Jesus does something surprising. Instead of drilling into Peter the ultimate standard, further beating Peter into the ground, he graciously lets Peter know that even his inadequate love is appreciated. Jesus meets Peter where Peter is at. In effect, he says, your inadequate love is good enough for the time being. This is not to excuse Peter, nor is this a lowing of the standard. The point is that Jesus knows our weakness and he doesn’t want our weakness to paralyze us from getting back up. Have you had failures in the recent past? Given how Jesus dealt with Peter, what does Jesus expect from you? The Lord is asking us: do you love me unconditionally? What is your answer? Some days, our answer might be yes… some days no… On our bad days, is Jesus angry with us? Or is he patient with us?