A Tour Through John, Lesson 35

<p>For additional notes and resources check out Douglas’ <a href="https://www.douglasjacoby.com/tour-john-lesson-35/" target="_blank"><strong>website.</strong></a></p><ul><li>After breakfast, it's time to talk (v.15ff). </li><li>Notice the setting: the charcoal fire. Here Jesus will serve Peter breakfast; previously, standing by the fire, Peter had denied his Lord.</li><li>The rest of the chapter is about Peter, and also his relationship to the disciple whom Jesus loved.</li></ul><p>15 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.” Jesus said to him, “Feed my lambs.” 16 A second time he said to him, “Simon son of John, do you love me?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Tend my sheep.” 17 He said to him the third time, “Simon son of John, do you love me?” Peter felt hurt 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."</p><ul><li>Peter knew he'd forfeited his right to be Jesus' partner in ministry.<ul><li>Jesus gently reminds him of his lapse, and "reinstates" him, confirming him in his position of leadership and trust (vv.15-19).</li><li>See also Luke 22:31.</li></ul></li><li>Who are "these" in v.15? They are probably the other disciples.</li><li>Peter had boasted of having a greater love, or loyalty, to Jesus than all the others. (See Matthew 26:33.)</li><li>Three times Jesus asks the same basic question, parallelling Peter's triple denial of Christ. This must have been painful for Peter.</li><li>There is no real difference between the two verbs for love (<i>agapan </i>and <i>philein</i>).<ul><li>John's gospel uses lots of synonyms, and the words for love are no exception.  The Greek nouns for love are <i>agape,</i> <i>philia,</i> <i>storge</i>, and <i>eros</i>. The fine distinctions are hammered out in C.S. Lewis' masterful <a href="h