JESUS' FINAL APPEARANCES AND ASCENSION

Jesus Speaks to Peter

-John 21:15-25

-Following the meal, Jesus initiated a conversation with Peter.  When considering this conversation

 we can see that Peter was struggling significantly within himself.  Undoubtedly, his denials of the

 Lord were still weighing very heavily upon his mind.  Yet, in this conversation we find Jesus

 giving instruction and encouragement to His guilt-laden apostle.

-“Simon Peter, son of Jonas, lovest thou me more than these?” (vs 15).  What did Jesus mean by

 “these?” “There is a slight ambiguity here in the original, as there is in our translation. The word

 these may be in the neuter gender, and refer to these things his boat, his fishing utensils, and his

 employments; or it may be in the masculine, and refer to the apostles. In the former sense it would

 mean, ‘Lovest thou me more than thou lovest these objects? Art thou now willing, from love to me,

 to forsake all these, and go and preach my gospel to the nations of the earth?’ In the other sense,

 which is probably the true sense, it would mean, ‘Lovest thou me more than these other apostles

 love me?’ In this question Jesus refers to the profession of superior attachment to him which Peter

 had made before his death (Matt 26:33): ‘Though all men shall be offended because of thee, yet will

 I never be offended.’ Compare John 13:37. Jesus here slightly reproves him for that confident

 assertion, reminds him of his sad and painful denial, and now puts this direct and pointed question

 to him to know what was the present state of his feelings” (Barnes).

-In this conversation we find that Jesus posed this question to Peter three times.  Each time, in

 response, Peter affirmed that indeed He did love His Lord.  Each time, Jesus instructed Peter with

 the words “Feed my lambs (vs 15), sheep (vs 16,17).”

            -There is a matter of great significance here that gets lost in our English translations.  Jesus and

             Peter utilized different Greek words for “love” during their conversation.  The first two times

             that Jesus posed the question - “Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me?” - Jesus utilized a form

             of the Greek word “agapao” which is usually described as overall, supreme love.  In response

             Peter utilized a form of a different Greek word, “phileo,” which is used to refer to friendship

             love.  In other words, Jesus asked, “Peter, do you have supreme love for me?” to which Peter

             replied, “Yes, Lord you know that I love you as a friend.”  When Jesus questioned Peter the

             third time, Jesus changed His word for love to that of friendship love (phileo).  Basically, he

             asked, “Simon, do you love me as a friend?”  Obviously, Jesus’ change in wording was detected

             by Peter which caused him to grieve.

-Peter was struggling.  He had previously pledged his ultimate love for the Lord but then (in that

 very night) fell short of it.  Filled with regret and guilt, it seems that he simply couldn’t bring

 himself to the point of pledging that love again.

            -“It should be noted in the Lord’s interview with Peter that at no time in this restoration process

             does he allude to the apostle by the name Peter.  The word ‘Peter’ signifies a rock; a term not

             now properly applied to the wavering and vascillating disciple.  Thus, Jesus reverted to his

             original name in this address to him.  This must have cut Peter to his heart and to have made

             him all the more aware of the seriousness of his defection” (Woods, pg 442).

            -However, in Peter’s time of struggle, Jesus came to instruct and encourage.

-Jesus instructed Peter: “Feed my lambs” (vs 15) and “Feed my sheep” (vs 16,17).    

            -“These three commands also contain subtle linguistic distinctions which, however, are

             fairly represented by the English.  Lambs and sheep are to be fed, and sheep are to be

             tended.  The former means that young and old in the church are to be provided for, and,

             since the word ‘tends’ means to be shepherd unto, the latter may mean that Peter is to play

             the shepherd to the wandering and the erring, bringing them into the fold” (McGarvey/

             Pendleton, pg 758).

-“Three times Peter had denied the Master; three times the Master questions his love; three

 times he gives him courage concerning his work.  The questioning was painful, Peter was

 grieved, but the grief was wholesome and Peter’s whole subsequent life bore proof of the

 discipline” (Lipscomb, pg 323).

-Jesus then gave a clear indication that Peter would die in (and because of) faithful service to

 the Lord and followed it with a simple statement, “Follow me.” 

            -Similar to the manner in which Jesus had initially called Simon, son of Jonas to initial service

             (see John 1:35-42), He now recalled Him to continued, faithful service.   

-Having heard the prediction of his eventual, violent death, Peter looked and saw his good

 friend John and wondered what would happen to him.  Jesus responded, “If I want him to

 remain until I come, what is that to you? You follow Me!" (vs 22, NASB).

            -Jesus did not give Peter a direct answer to his inquiry.  Instead, he instructed his newly-

             encouraged apostle to remain focused on his own faithful duty - “You follow me!”

            -“It should be noted, to his high honor and credit, that he did this from this time forward,

             faithfully, earnestly, fearlessly, often in the face of dire threats to his freedom and life”

             (Woods, pg 445).

                        -Unfortunately, there were those that misunderstood Jesus’ words and claimed that

                         John would never die.  In his own account of the Gospel, John clarified the Lord’s words.

-John had written his account of the Gospel (of course by inspiration - 2 Tim. 3:16) as an eye

 witness who was testifying to the truthfulness of Jesus’ existence, identity, works, teachings and

 claims.  He concluded with this statement:  “And there are also many other things which Jesus did,

 the which, if they should be written every one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain

 the books that should be written. Amen” (vs 25, KJV).