1. Repeated: love, more than these...love, shepherd...(love), being brought to where you do not want to go/martyred, glorified God.
When Jesus asked Peter if he loved Him more than any other things, it is not an abstract idea of idea, because Jesus wanted Peter to do something for Him to show his love, namely, to shepherd His sheep. This is repeated x3 times. Probably because the frustrated shepherd will need to come back to this mission over and over again in our lives. Why do I still doing this? Why people do not listen? Why no body want to come? But, this is not it. Love Jesus more than anything also including our ending. Am I willing to be martyred and glorified God?
2. What is the meaning of v.15?
(NET) meaning “Do you love me more than these other disciples do?” It seems likely that there is some irony here: Peter had boasted in 13:37, “I will lay down my life for you,” and the synoptics present Peter as boasting even more explicitly of his loyalty to Jesus (“Even if they all fall away, I will not,” Matt 26:33; Mark 14:29). Thus the semantic force of what Jesus asks Peter here amounts to something like “Now, after you have denied me three times, as I told you you would, can you still affirm that you love me more than these other disciples do?”
However, the beginning of v.15 can not be ignored, "15 Then when they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these do?”" Is there any relationship between the breakfast and the whole experience of the breakfast v.12-14 and the love to Jesus? The breakfast experience is related to the fishing experience, but separate. Jesus has already get it ready when they got on the shore v.9-11. Both the caring, and providing reminded them about their previous days, especially the last Supper when Jesus revealed to them v.14. Based on this, Jesus asked Peter the questions in v.15b.
If we experienced Jesus' love, provision, sacrifice, do we love Him more than others do or do we love Him above everything else? And this love cannot compare to how Jesus' love us, but at least it is a deep, unswerving, demanding kind of love. (from point 1 above).
3. When talking about martyring, Jesus did not just say it plainly, but adding a lot of details in v.18.
when you were young, you tied your clothes around you and went wherever you wanted, martyr means it is not your wish, you will feel out of control of your body but when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, humiliation, fear, physical pains usually will come with the process of being tie up of our hands and others will tie you up and bring you where you do not want to go.” 19 (Now Jesus said this to indicate clearly by what kind of death Peter was going to glorify God.) Martyr is also a glory we can bring God by witnessing that God means so much to us that we are willing to die for His sake. Perhaps, this kind of dedication cannot be done by our own will, and therefore Jesus said at the end, "Follow me."
Comments