Do You Love Me More Than These? - John 21:15

John the apostle wrote how Jesus revealed Himself to His disciples on the sea shore and told them, “Bring of the fish which you 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. Jesus said unto them, Come and dine. And none of the disciples did ask him, Who are you? knowing that it was the Lord. Jesus then came, and took bread, and gave to them, and fish likewise. This is now the third time that Jesus showed himself to his disciples, after that he was risen from the dead”, and in chapter twenty-one and verse fifteen of his book John shared how Jesus asked Peter, “ do you love me more than these?” where we read:

So when they had dined, Jesus said to Simon Peter, Simon, son of Jonas, do you love me more than these? He said unto him, Yes, Lord; you know that I love you. He said unto him, Feed my lambs.

The verse begins, “So when they had dined, Jesus said to Simon Peter, Simon, son of Jonas, do you love me more than these?” John began with the words, “so when they had dined” which means “therefore, wherefore, consequently and on this account at the time and moment Jesus' disciples had eaten and consumed the fish and bread”, “Jesus said to Simon Peter” or “Jesus who is the Son of God, the Savior of mankind and God incarnate whose name means Jehovah is Salvation uttered, declared, proclaimed and asked Simon, which means a little rock, Peter which means a little rock or stone”, “Simon” which means “a little rock”, “Son of Jonas” or “male offspring and progeny belonging to Jonas which means dove”, “do you love me more than these” which means “are you fond of, pleased with, contented with and dearly in love with me, Jesus, to a greater degree and measure than these”? John shared how Jesus employed the Greek word “agapaō” to ask “Simon Peter” whether he “unconditionally loved” Him to a greater degree than the other things to which Jesus referred.

The verse continues, “He said unto him, Yes, Lord; you know that I love you. He said unto him, Feed my lambs.” John added the words, “He said unto him” or “He, Peter, uttered, declared, proclaimed and answered Jesus”, “yes, Lord” which means “truly, verily, assuredly and even so One to whom a person or thing belongs, about which he has power of deciding; master, and the title given to God the Messiah”; “you know that I love you” or “you, Jesus, perceive, notice and discern that I, Simon Peter, approve of, sanction and am fond of you, Jesus”. “He said unto him” which means “He, Jesus, uttered, declared and proclaimed to Simon Peter”, “Feed my lambs” or “fodder, graze and portray the duty of a Christian teacher to promote in every way the spiritual welfare of the members of the church”. John shared how “Simon Peter” answered Jesus' question by employing the Greek word, “phileō” which is a reciprocal friendship type of “love” to share his care for Jesus, and after he answered, Jesus instructed him to “care for and promote in every way the spiritual welfare of the members of His church”.

When we meditate upon John's words in this verse, we learn how Jesus asked “Simon Peter” if he “unconditionally loved” Him more than “these”. We are not certain what the “these” were because it does not tell us specifically, however, many speculate that it was “more than the fishes that were caught” or “more than the other disciples who were among their group”. Whatever it was the insinuation from Jesus was that He was to be “unconditionally loved” more than them, and when “Simon Peter” answered that he was “fond” of Jesus like a friend, Jesus still gave him an assignment to “care for” His little “lambs” or young Christian believers. God loves people, and He wants them to “love” Him in return. The story of the gospel or good news of God is as follows, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. He that believes on him is not condemned: but he that believes not is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.” (See John 3:16-18) Those who are wise will personally consider Jesus' question to “Simon Peter” as if it were to them - “do you love me more than these?”

Next time John shares how Jesus asks Peter, “the second time, Simon, son of Jonas, do you love me?”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

Look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book "Random Mushrooms Volumes I and II" and the new novel "Elizabeth County" in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore. All references are from "Strongs Concordance".