John 21:17

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.

He saith {G3004} unto him {G846} the third {G5154} time, Simon {G4613}, son of Jonas {G2495}, lovest {G5368} thou me {G3165}? Peter {G4074} was grieved {G3076} because {G3754} he said {G2036} unto him {G846} the third {G5154} time, Lovest {G5368} thou me {G3165}? And {G2532} he said {G2036} unto him {G846}, Lord {G2962}, thou {G4771} knowest {G1492} all things {G3956}; thou {G4771} knowest {G1097} that {G3754} I love {G5368} thee {G4571}. Jesus {G2424} saith {G3004} unto him {G846}, Feed {G1006} my {G3450} sheep {G4263}.

The third time he said to him, “Shim‘on Bar-Yochanan, are you my friend?” Shim‘on was hurt that he questioned him a third time: “Are you my friend?” So he replied, “Lord, you know everything! You know I’m your friend!” Yeshua said to him, “Feed my sheep!

Jesus asked a third time, “Simon son of John, do you love Me?” Peter was deeply hurt that Jesus had asked him a third time, “Do you love Me?” “Lord, You know all things,” he replied. “You know I love You.” Jesus said to him, “Feed My sheep.

He saith unto him the third time, Simon, son of John, 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.

John 21:17 captures a profound post-resurrection encounter between Jesus and Peter, marking a pivotal moment of restoration and commissioning. This verse is the climax of a three-fold questioning by Jesus to Peter, directly mirroring Peter's three-fold denial of Jesus before the crucifixion.

Context

This powerful interaction takes place after Jesus' resurrection, following a miraculous catch of fish and a breakfast shared by the Sea of Tiberias. Jesus initiates a personal dialogue with Peter, addressing him by his former name, "Simon, son of Jonas." The repetition of the question, "lovest thou me?", directly alludes to Peter's earlier denials of Jesus (John 18:27). Peter's grief at the third questioning highlights his deep remorse and growing understanding of Jesus' omniscience and grace.

Key Themes

  • Restoration and Forgiveness: Jesus offers Peter a clear path to spiritual restoration, allowing him to reaffirm his devotion three times, effectively reversing his three denials. This act demonstrates God's boundless grace and willingness to forgive and reinstate even after significant failure.
  • The Nature of Love: The dialogue subtly highlights different Greek words for love. In the first two questions (John 21:15-16), Jesus asks if Peter *agapes* Him (a divine, unconditional love). Peter responds that he *phileo*s Him (a brotherly affection or friendship love). In the third question (John 21:17), Jesus uses *phileo*, meeting Peter where he is, showing compassion and understanding of Peter's current capacity for love.
  • Commissioning to Service: With each affirmation of love, Jesus gives Peter a command: "Feed my lambs," "Tend my sheep," and "Feed my sheep." This signifies Peter's reinstatement and a crucial call to pastoral leadership and care for God's people, echoing Jesus' role as the Good Shepherd. It underscores that genuine love for Christ is the foundation for effective service.
  • Divine Omniscience: Peter's confession, "Lord, thou knowest all things; thou knowest that I love thee," acknowledges Jesus' complete knowledge of his heart, his past failures, and his sincere, albeit imperfect, affection.

Linguistic Insights

The Greek terms for love, agape (ἀγάπη) and phileo (φιλέω), are central to understanding this passage. Jesus initially asks Peter if he loves Him with agape, a sacrificial, unconditional love often associated with God's love for humanity. Peter, perhaps humbly aware of his recent failure, responds with phileo, a love based on affection, friendship, or fondness. The third time, Jesus uses phileo in His question, showing incredible condescension and grace, allowing Peter to affirm his love at the level he could genuinely express at that moment. This linguistic detail underscores Jesus' profound understanding of Peter's heart and His gentle approach to restoration.

Practical Application

John 21:17 offers profound lessons for believers today. It serves as a powerful reminder of God's boundless grace and willingness to restore us, even after we have failed Him significantly. Our past mistakes do not disqualify us from future service if our hearts are truly repentant and devoted to Christ. The passage also emphasizes that genuine love for Jesus is the fundamental prerequisite for serving Him and caring for His church. Our service should flow from a deep affection for Him. Like Peter, we are called to "feed" and "tend" those entrusted to our care, nurturing their faith and guiding them in truth, a commitment rooted in our confession that Jesus truly "knowest all things" about us.

Note: Commentary was generated by an advanced AI, utilizing a prompt that emphasized Biblical fidelity over bias. We've found these insights to be consistently reliable, yet we always encourage prayerful discernment through the Holy Spirit. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

  • John 13:38

    Jesus answered him, Wilt thou lay down thy life for my sake? Verily, verily, I say unto thee, The cock shall not crow, till thou hast denied me thrice.

  • Mark 14:72

    And the second time the cock crew. And Peter called to mind the word that Jesus said unto him, Before the cock crow twice, thou shalt deny me thrice. And when he thought thereon, he wept.

  • John 16:30

    Now are we sure that thou knowest all things, and needest not that any man should ask thee: by this we believe that thou camest forth from God.

  • John 21:15

    ¶ 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.

  • John 21:16

    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.

  • John 14:15

    If ye love me, keep my commandments.

  • Revelation 2:23

    And I will kill her children with death; and all the churches shall know that I am he which searcheth the reins and hearts: and I will give unto every one of you according to your works.

Add TrulyRandomVerse to your Home Screen for quick access!

← Back