CHRIST THRICE QUESTIONED PETER’S LOVE.

THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO JOHN

INTRODUCTION

Outline Of The Gospel According To John.

EPILOGUE

Special commission to Peter Feed my lambs. Feed my sheep. Feed my sheep. 

89. What test of love did Jesus give Peter? What did He tell him of his future?

John 21:10-19

A Breakfast on the Beach.

Jesus saith unto them,

Bring of the fish which ye have now caught.


Simon Peter went up, and drew the net to land full of great fishes, an hundred and fifty and three: and for all there were so many, yet was not the net broken.
saith unto them,

Come and dine.

And none of the disciples durst ask him, Who art thou? knowing that it was the Lord.
Jesus then cometh, and taketh bread, and giveth them, and fish likewise.
This is now the third time that Jesus shewed himself to his disciples, after that he was risen from the dead.

Jesus and Peter

So when they had dined, Jesus saith to Simon Peter,

 Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me more than these?

He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him,

Feed my lambs.

He saith to him again the second time,

Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me?

He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him,

Feed my sheep.

He saith unto him the third time,
Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me?
Peter was grieved because he said unto him the third time, Lovest thou me? And he said unto him, Lord, thou knowest all things; thou knowest that I love thee. Jesus saith unto him,

Feed my sheep.

Verily, verily, I say unto thee, When thou wast young, thou girdedst thyself, and walkedst whither thou wouldest: but when thou shalt be old, thou shalt stretch forth thy hands, and another shall gird thee, and carry thee whither thou wouldest not.

This spake he, signifying by what death he should glorify God. And when he had spoken this, he saith unto him,

Follow me.

89. What test of love did Jesus give Peter? What did He tell him of his future?

“LOVEST THOU ME?”

Christ thrice questioned Peter’s love, thus giving him the opportunity of canceling his threefold denial. There are two Greek words for “love.” In His questions our Lord chose the higher, while Peter in his replies humbly chose the lower till in His third question our Lord came down to his level. Christ forecasted the hatred and opposition of the world, and suggested to Peter and the rest that the only way to combat and overcome was in the fervent love that they had for Him. Only this could give them the necessary tenderness and delicacy in leading and feeding the flock.

By Philippus Schutte

New Covenant Israelite! "And if some of the branches be broken off, and thou, being a wild olive tree, wert grafted in among them, and with them partakest of the root and fatness of the olive tree;  Boast not against the branches. But if thou boast, thou bearest not the root, but the root thee."  Rom 11:17 -18