Love
After Jesus was resurrected, He appeared a number of times to different people, over a 40-day period, then He ascended to heaven. One of these times, He met with His disciples and cooked some fish for them. He then asked Peter three times if he loved Him – the first time, “do you love Me more than these?”
John 21:15 (NASB)
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.”
Before Jesus was crucified, Peter told Jesus that he would die for Him, yet on the night that Jesus was on trial, Peter denied three times that he even knew Jesus. Now, Jesus asked Peter three times if he loved Him. He not only asked if he loved Him, but did Peter love Him “more than these.”
Job and money
Peter was a fisherman, until he met Jesus.
Matthew 4:18-20 (NASB)
18 Now as Jesus was walking by the Sea of Galilee, He saw two brothers, Simon who was called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea; for they were fishermen.
19 And He said to them, “Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men.”
20 Immediately they left their nets and followed Him.
Jesus told Peter to leave everything he knew and follow Him, which Peter did. For over three years, Peter lived with and followed Jesus, traveling throughout the country of Israel, learning from and ministering to Jesus. They were supported by donations from other people.
Now, after Jesus had been crucified and was raised from the dead, Peter was confused, so he went back to what he knew – he went fishing.
The hard way
John 21:1-3 (NASB)
1 After these things Jesus manifested Himself again to the disciples at the Sea of Tiberias, and He manifested Himself in this way.
2 Simon Peter, and Thomas called Didymus, and Nathanael of Cana in Galilee, and the sons of Zebedee, and two others of His disciples were together.
3 Simon Peter said to them, “I am going fishing.” They said to him, “We will also come with you.” They went out and got into the boat; and that night they caught nothing.
These were all experienced fishermen, but they caught nothing, even though they tried all night long. There are times when we do things in our own strength instead of asking Jesus what we should do, and all we get is tired.
The easy way
John 21:4-6 (NASB)
4 But when the day was now breaking, Jesus stood on the beach; yet the disciples did not know that it was Jesus.
5 So Jesus said to them, “Children, you do not have any fish, do you?” They answered Him, “No.”
6 And He said to them, “Cast the net on the right-hand side of the boat and you will find a catch.” So they cast, and then they were not able to haul it in because of the great number of fish.
When we listen to the voice of God, and we follow His instructions, He will bless our efforts. Jesus asked Peter to bring some of the fish he caught and add them to the fish that He was already cooking for them on the shore. He reminded Peter that he was supposed to be a fisher of men, not fish, when He asked Peter if he loved Him “more than these.”
God is able to provide. If we want His blessing, we need to be willing to work, but only do what He tells us to do, how He tells us to do it.
More than the other disciples
Matthew 26:33-35 (NASB)
33 But Peter said to Him, “Even though all may fall away because of You, I will never fall away.”
34 Jesus said to him, “Truly I say to you that this very night, before a rooster crows, you will deny Me three times.”
35 Peter said to Him, “Even if I have to die with You, I will not deny You.” All the disciples said the same thing too.
From what we see in the gospels, it seems that Peter was very impetuous, and he loved Jesus very much. I’m sure that he truly meant it when he told Jesus that he was willing to die for Him. Years later, Peter actually did die for Him.
Was Jesus now asking Peter if he loved Him more than the other disciples? That’s what Peter had proclaimed in John 21. Was Peter ready to step up to the commitment he had made before?
Peer pressure and fear
Matthew 26:69-70 (NASB)
69 Now Peter was sitting outside in the courtyard, and a servant-girl came to him and said, “You too were with Jesus the Galilean.”
70 But he denied it before them all, saying, “I do not know what you are talking about.”
After Jesus was arrested, Peter feared for his life. Right after he had said that he would die for Jesus, he denied knowing Him three times. Jesus was now asking Peter, “do you love Me more than these?” Was Peter ready to sacrifice what people thought of him, as well as his own physical safety? Do you love Me more than your own life?
Family
Luke 14:26 (NASB)
26 “If anyone comes to Me, and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be My disciple.
In Luke 14, Jesus was not telling His disciples that we should hate each other, but that our love for Him compared to our love for even our family members should make it seem like that.
One of the disciples was Peter’s actual blood brother. After three years together, the others were like brothers. Jesus was asking Peter “do you love Me more than these” other disciples? Do you love Me more than your family?
The world
Jesus could have been showing Peter the beautiful Sea of Galilee where he was just fishing, or the shoreline with all of the trees, or the incredible sunrise. He could have been pointing to Peter’s boat, the way he made a living and what he was comfortable with. He could have been pointing to the fish they had just caught. He could have been pointing to the other disciples.
He probably meant all of the above. “Do you love Me more than these?”
Our love
I love watching sunrises and sunsets. I love seeing the incredible beauty that God has created. I love the wonderful family that He has given to me and my wife. I am grateful for my job and my house. In the grand scheme of things, though, seeing things from an eternal perspective, all of these things fade away when they are compared to my love for Jesus.
Jesus loved us before we even knew Him. He gave everything that He had to give, and all He asks us for is our love.
Do we love Jesus more than all of these?
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