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 said to him the third time, “Simon, son of Jonah, do you have affection for me?” Peter was grieved because he asked him the third time, “Do you have affection for me?” He said to him, “Lord, you know everything. You know that I have affection for you.” Jesus said to him, “Feed my sheep.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 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.
6 sermons cite this verse
… 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. He said to him, Feed my lambs. He said to him a second time, Simon, son of John, do you love me? He said to him, Yes, Lord, you know that I love you. He said to him, Tend my sheep. He said to him a third time, Simon, son of John, 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 everything. You know that I love you. Jesus said to him, Feed my sheep. Truly, truly, I say to you, when you were young, you used to dress yourself and walk wherever you wanted. But when you are old, you will stretch out your hands and another will dress you and carry you where you do not want to go. …
… but I want to point something out in John 21 verses 15 through 17. It's a famous account after Jesus had risen from the dead. Jesus says this. He says, it says, so when they came or they had eaten breakfast after a good meal, Jesus said to Simon Peter, Simon, son of Jonah, do you love me more than these? Now I want to pause there for just a moment. In the English, this doesn't, this is not helpful for us, but in the Greek language, Jesus says, do you love, do you agapeo, agape love? Do you love me more than these? And so Peter answered and said to him, yes, Lord, you know that I love you. You might be like, oh, great. Good job, Peter. No, that word love is phileo. It means a great affection for. Jesus says, I have great, Peter says, I have great affection for you. Verse 16, he said to him again a second time, Simon, son of Jonah, do you agapeo me? Peter said to him, yes, Lord, you know that I phileo you. Now, in verse 17, there's a change. Jesus said to him the third time, Simon, son of Jonah, do you phileo me? Now, it says Peter was grieved because he said a third time, do you phileo me? Now, reading it in English, you might think, oh, Peter's grieved because there's been a repetition of the same question. I actually think the grief comes because Jesus changed the form of love. …
… They walk on. Again, Jesus said, Simon, son of John, do you love me? Peter says, yes. He says, yes, Lord, you know everything. You know I love you. And Jesus said, I want you to take care of my sheep. Points back. And on the third time he asked Peter this same question, do you love me? The text tells us that Peter was hurt because Jesus kept asking him, he asked him a third time, do you love me? Maybe he's thinking, well, doesn't he believe me? And I'm like, he's thinking, well, I know he believes me because he knows what I'm thinking and who could blame him if he didn't believe me? But Peter didn't push him back. Self-righteous Peter is gone. Argumentative, gotta make my point, have my way, Peter. He's gone. So he doesn't make a case for the fact that he loves Jesus. This is amazing. He simply appeals to the knowledge of his king. He said, Lord, you know all things. and you know in spite of what I did, you know in spite of the fact that I betrayed you, you know in spite of the fact that I didn't come through for you, you know in spite of the fact that I didn't try to defend you, you know in spite of the fact that basically I lied to you. …
My subject is love steps in. And I am in John 21, verses 15 through 18. I am reading from the New King James Version. And my text says, so when they had eaten, let me give you context. Jesus has been crucified, resurrected, and now he is walking the earth. And as he's walking the earth for 40 days, he does a number of things. Some of them we know, some of them we don't. But in this particular moment, he goes out by the sea while his disciples are fishing. And there's one disciple in particular, Peter, who was out on the boat fishing. Now, for those of you who may still be learning different aspects of the Bible and the story, Peter was like, Peter, I liked Peter as a disciple because he was a gangster, I'll be honest. Peter had a cutting spirit on him and though I've been delivered every now and then I remind myself I've been delivered from the cutting spirit I don't know if that's been anybody else's okay y'all churchy now y'all sitting over here by the deacons and ministers y'all don't want to admit y'all had a cutting spirit a cussing spirit a cutting spirit but God I trust in God he didn't fail me delivered me but we know Peter did because when it was time to to take Jesus Peter cut off one of the soldiers ears it just sometimes that spirit just jump up on you you saved but you forget you saved and he didn't consult with God he let that cutting spirit …
… 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. He said to him, feed my lambs. He said to him a second time, Simon, son of John, do you love me? He said to him, yes, Lord, you know that I love you. He said to him, tend my sheep. He said to him the third time, Simon, son of John, 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 everything. You know that I love you. Jesus said to him feed my sheep truly truly I say to you when you were young you used to dress yourself and walk wherever you wanted but when you are old you will stretch out your hands and another will dress you and carry you where you do not want to go and then John says in this parenthesis this he said to show by what kind of death he was to glorify God. …
… he asked him do you love me if you love me feed my sheep verse 17 through 19 this is what happens Then he said a third time, Simon, son of John, do you love me? Peter was upset that he asked him the third time, do you love me? So he answered, master, you know everything there is to know. You've got to know that I love you. Jesus ignored him. He said, feed my sheep. I'm telling you the very truth now. When you were young, you dressed yourself and went wherever you wished. But when you get old, you'll have to stretch out your hands while someone else dresses you and takes you where you don't want to go. he was saying that you're gonna die like i died and peter was he was killed crucified upside down that's how peter died and so jesus was telling them one day listen they're gonna take you where you don't want to go you you're not gonna dress yourself you're not gonna have any power and he said this to hint at the kind of death by which peter would glorify god and then he commanded him follow me turning his head Peter noticed the disciple Jesus love following right behind him watch this y'all this is a good movie so Peter just found out uh Jesus Jesus just told Peter hey hey bro you ain't gonna die a smooth death but when you get older you gonna die a horrible death but it's gonna bring God glory you're gonna do some great things now watch it turning his head …