John 21:17: “He said to him the third time, ‘Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me?’ Peter was grieved because He said to him the third time, ‘Do you love Me?’ And he said to Him, ‘Lord, You know all things; You know that I love You.’ Jesus said to him, ‘Feed My sheep.'”

March 28th, 2022 by Pastor Ed in devotional

Notice that Jesus called him Simon, not Peter. Jesus hadn’t called him Simon since they first met. We remember that He had changed his name from Simon to Peter because Simon means “tiny rocks” or “sand particles” or “shifting sand.” Whereas Peter means “rock.” When Jesus first met Simon and changed his name, He was saying to him that he would become a solid, unmovable rock; however, at this moment, he was back to being simply Simon the “sand.” As some have humorously commented, Peter was no longer named Rocky but Pebbles.

Jesus asked Peter to compare his love for Him with something. In Matthew 26:33, before Peter denied Christ, he claimed a superior love, saying, “Even if all are made to stumble . . . I will never be made to stumble.” So here, after he had stumbled, the question was did he still have a proud estimation of his own devotion? Jesus asked about agape love, which is an all-giving, unselfish love. Peter answered using the Greek word phileo love, which is a lesser reciprocating, friendly affection. Peter wasn’t quite as self-confident as he had been earlier. The third time Jesus asked, “Do you love me?” He used that lesser Greek word phileo, meaning, “Peter, do you love me affectionately?”

Giving Peter a chance to affirm his love three times, after he had denied Jesus three times, gives a clear picture of the heart of our Savior. As the hymn writer said so well, “How great the Father’s love for us.”

“We thank You, LORD, for Your great love displayed on the cross for us and displayed so clearly in this story. We want to walk in Your love this day.”