John 21 – Was Peter asked to proclaim his love 3 times to offset his denial of Yeshua 3 times? 2021

John 21:15 So 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, "Tend My lambs."

These verses lose a lot during the English translations. A normal reading of verses 15-17 show us that maybe Yeshua is giving Peter a chance to proclaim his love for Yeshua three times to offset his denial of Yeshua three times. If you remember, the last time we are told about Peter gathering around coals was when he did his denial of Yeshua. But there is more to this scene than just that. The English language is a beggar for words in many instances. We have only one word to describe the word "love." The Greek language has three words for the one term that we have. First there is the Greek word "eros." This seems to be the only type of love Hollywood knows. It is where we get our word "erotic" and it refers to sexual love. The world tends to confusing copulation, immorality, lust, and sex for actual love. This is the weakest term for what we call "love."

The second most powerful term for "love" in the Greek language is the word "phileo." At best, it stands for affections and emotions in human relationships. You could say it stands for "brotherly love." It is where we get the name for the city of Philadelphia. It is often called "the city of brotherly love," although one would be hard-pressed to see evidence of that by visiting there today. However, that nickname comes from that Greek word.

The third term for "love" in the Greek language is the word "agapao." This is the most powerful of the three terms and it means "unconditional love." It is the word applied to the way the Almighty feels for His children. It is the word used to describe how the Almighty so "loved" the world in John 3:16. This is the highest, truest, and most powerful form of love and it means that you are willing to die for that person or persons.

The words used in verses 15-17 are very important. In verse 15, Yeshua says "Do you agapao (have unconditional love for and are willing to die for) me?" And Peters answer is "Yes Lord, I phileo (have brotherly love) for you." Peter actually didn't answer the question. Perhaps Peter was hesitant to shout out how he will never be the one to deny Yeshua again. He has already shown that he is capable of failure. He might be thinking of how he has failed at commitment at this time. Yeshua was actually asking Peter, "Do you love "agapao" me? because that is what is commanded in Torah (Luke 10:27). If so, then Peter is told to feed His sheep. This is the description given to how David took care of Israel (Psalm 78:70-72).

John 21:16 He said^ to him again 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, "Shepherd My sheep."

Yeshua asks him again, "Peter, do you really love me?" Peter answers again, "Yes Lord, I have a very strong affection for you." Once again, he doesn't answer the question. Yeshua is trying to lift Simon Pater to a higher level, but Peter will have no part of it. Yeshua then tells him, "Poimaino (be a supervisor and tend over) my older sheep." He says to feed the lambs in the previous verse and to discipline the older sheep in this verse. We tend to want to discipline the lambs and feed the older sheep. But Yeshua tells Peter to do it the other way around. The reason being is that the lambs will follow the older sheep.