Friday 8th August 2025
St John 21: 15 – 19
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.’ 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.’ 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. 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.’ (He said this to indicate the kind of death by which he would glorify God.) After this he said to him, ‘Follow me.’
Reflection
After Jesus was arrested, Peter had followed to the courtyard of the High Priest, outside the gate warming himself by a charcoal fire, three times he denied he was one of Jesus’ disciples. Now after sharing a fish breakfast by another charcoal fire Simon Peter is challenged by Jesus. He is taken back in time, for Jesus does not address him by the name he gave him Peter, the rock (John 2:42), rather Jesus calls him Simon.
Three times Jesus asks him do you love me? Twice Jesus uses the Greek verb for love, agapan, Simon responds using another verb philein. The third time Jesus asks he uses the same verb as Simon. It is difficult to be sure what these differences mean. Earlier in John’s Gospel the two verbs are used together where Jesus declares that there is no greater love (agapan) than to die for ones friends (philein) (John 15:13).
Two words for love, two words for the flock; lambs and sheep.
Three times Jesus gives this grieving and humbled disciple the commission to be a shepherd, guarding, guiding, and nourishing his sheep. The good shepherd is willing to die for his sheep (John 10:11). Peter in the past protested a willingness to lay down his life for Jesus, and demanded a right to follow (John 13:36-38). Peter now knows what it is to follow, he cannot follow led by his own desires, to follow means going the way of the cross.
We are asked to examine whether we love Jesus, whether we can answer along with Peter that we are friends of Jesus. We are asked to consider what difference our answer makes to the way we live our lives. None of us are likely to become the Peter for today’s world, but then I doubt whether Peter was truly aware at the time of the significance of his ministry.
Prayer
O God,
Jesus asks Simon Peter whether he loves him.
We find the same question put to us.
Do we love Jesus,
And how do we show that love?
We pray that we will be guided.
Jesus commissions Simon Peter and calls him to follow.
We seek to follow Christ,
To walk in the way he would have us walk.
To do what he would have us do.
In Christ’s name we pray.
Amen